PORTRAIT OF A REBEL.
P.Kesava Dev was born in the year 1904 and he died in 1983. He lived approximately eighty years of which almost half was pre-independent and the latter half was post-independent period. This period in the history of Kerala was one of great significance as far as the socio-economic life of the state was concerned, for reasons well known.
It was a time when the caste system was practiced rigorously. The Namboodiri's emerged as a dominant caste and the ownership of land largely vested with them. The social system proved decadent with the Namboodiri's leading a life of ease and comfort and their womenfolk relegated to remain a frustrated lot. A number of retrograde customs and taboos were prevalent.
The matrilineal system of inheritance known as Marumakkathayam was in practice. This system ensured that the family property remained in tact and the 'Karanavar' enjoyed the benefits as the ruler or manager of the family. All the members of the matriarchal family had the right of maintenance from the property but were not entitled to ownership. The joint family system was the order of the day and as a rule there was no peace or harmony among the members who lived under the same roof. Polyandry was practiced extensively leading to a decline of moral standards.
The feudal system was the order of the day with Janmis holding the title to landed properties. The condition of the toiling section of the community was precarious.
The caste system with the 'Savarna' and 'Avarna' classification among the Hindus remained an impediment in the way of the advancement of the backward classes. The Avarna's were denied the right to enter temples, study in schools and even to walk along public roads. Strange as it may seem today; during those days Nair's prevented Ezhava's entering their temples and Ezhava's in turn prevented the Harijan's from entering the temples owned by them.
Kesava Pillai was born at a time of transition. He was exposed to all the maladies that were prevalent in the society in general and in the institution of joint family in particular. He was also a witness to the wind of change that swept across the length and breadth of the country. His childhood and youth were punctuated by the changes that occurred around him and during the rest of his life he was part and parcel of a new era. Kesava Pillai was influenced by the men and society around him. His speeches and writings expressed his anguish against social injustice and a relentless attempt to rebel against the establishment. Hence the life and work of Kesava Dev should be examined and assessed bearing in mind the social scenario that prevailed during his lifetime.
Kesava Pillai was born on August 1904 as the sixth child of Appu Pillai and Karthyayani Amma. He was born in the 'Nalledathu Tharavad' at Kedamangalam near North Parur. Nalledathu was a joint family and Padmanabha Pillai was the Karanavar. At the time Kesavan was born, the family had over eighteen members living together. Kesavan's mother being the eldest managed the household, not without any displeasure from the senior members.
Kesavan was sent to the local school when he was six years old. He was not a disciplined student. His elder brother Narayana pillai was a Malayalam teacher and through him Kesavan acquainted himself with epics like Ramayana and Mahabharatha. It was at this time that the First World War broke out. There was generally a situation of famine. Rice, the stapple food became a rare commodity. The family could hardly survive with the allotment granted by the Karanavar. The poor living condition led to a general demand for partition. Though this demand was initially resisted by the Karanavar Padmanabha Pillai, he finally yielded. Partition only made things worst for Kesavan's immediate family. They had to leave the large family house to a hutment.
Kesavan did not study beyond the middle school. He hated the prescribed textbooks and the vagaries of the teachers. But the one good quality and perhaps the only one that he acquired in those days was the habit of reading. At a time when newspapers and periodicals were rare, Kesavan had to really struggle to obtain reading materials. He read whatever he could get and that instilled in him a tendency to revolt against oppression the less privileged class were subjected to.
Kesavan left home in search of a job when he was barely fourteen. He tried many odd jobs but did not stick on to any of them. But he never missed an opportunity to read a new book that he came across. He read C.V.Raman Pillai, O.Chandu Menon and Swamy Vivekananda.
One day he attended a meeting of the Aryasamaj. The ideals of Aryasamaj were against caste systems and the several superstitions that prevailed at the time. Kesava Pillai enrolled as a member of Aryasamaj and changed his name to Kesava Dev. He also participated in the riot at Palghat, organized by the Aryasamaj and was nabbed by the police. Kesava Dev could not fully endorse the ideals of the Aryasamaj. He soon severed his connection and went to Trivandrum, where he met Kesari Balakrishna Pillai, Bhodeswaran and A.K.Pillai. Travancore at that time was agitating against the rule of the Regency. Kesava Dev had good intellectual company at Trivandrum and that helped him to mould his own strategy to tackle the vexing problems of the society. He has also involved in the freedom struggle, in his own way. He started writing articles and short stories in various periodicals like Sahodaran, Mahila Mandiram, Swarad, Swadesabhimani and Mathrubhumi. He also worked as a journalist in Malayalarajyam and Bhaje Bharatham. Kesava Dev never ceased reading. He had by now read Bernad Shaw, Romain roland, Victor Hugo, Knut Hamsun, Maxim Gorkey, Leo Tolstoy and a number of others.
The wealth of knowledge acquired through extensive reading and the wisdom he gained through his interaction with the leaders in various fields helped him to excel not only as a writer but also as an orator. Dev never used to refuse an invitation to address a gathering. He travelled far and wide addressing meetings often out of his own money. It was during this time that Dev read about the Russian Revolution. He thought that he has received the answer for all the problems that the country faced. He even hoped that the second socialist revolution should take place in India. He declared himself a communist a communist long before the party itself had any footing in Kerala. He prepared a book let on Russian Revolution named "Agniyum Spulingavum" (Fire and Spark) printed it and distributed personally. He took upon himself the responsibility of organising the coir workers in Alleppy into a Trade Union. He thus became the first person to initiate trade union movement in the State. But Kesava Dev would not stick to anything permanently. He could not digest the post-revolutionary changes in Russia. He not only ceased to be a communist but also began working against it. And for the same reason he vehemently opposed adoption of a politically coloured manifesto at the Progressive Literary Conference held at Trichur. Many tried to explain away Dev's attitude saying that he had a weakness to rebel against everything. But the fact remained that Dev rebelled because he had the courage of conviction to do so.
For a few years Kesava Dev turned to Drama as a field of expression. He turned a critic of the pernecious tendencies that existed in Drama Troops at that time. His political satires namely "Njanippo Communistavum", "Mazhayangum Kudayingum" became very popular. The themes and plots of "Orumuri thenga", "Ona blouse", "Kollanum Kollathiyumm Onnu" were drawn from day-to-day life. Powerful dialogue and skillful characterization made these plays popular. Though Kesava Dev cannot be rated high as a play-writer, in the history of Drama in the Malayalam literature, he is considered as an exponent of romantic realism.
His association with Drama and stage earned him enough for his living. He married Gomathy and they settled down at Puthupally near Kayamkulam. Dev stopped wandering about. Everybody expected that he has now had the proper environment to settle down and bring out the best of fiction he is yet to write. But the couple did not get along well with each other, there was hardly any peace at home. Dev reverted back to his usual life-style and the relationship broke off in due course.
Kesava Dev earned name and fame through his short-stories and novels. Dev has written about one hundred short stories, which are, published in three athologies. Dev has experienced the miseries of two world wars, and had participated in the struggle for Indian Independence. What he wrote and spoke were not different from the life he lived. Farmers, peasants, low-class civil servants and prostitutes, became hero's and heroines in fiction. He said his writings were meant to serve a purpose. The purpose was to bring out the humanism in human beings and to curtail their beastly instincts. He revolted against the norms and techniques prescribed by certain critics, and he was in full blast when it came to defending his stand.
Of his short stories "Deenamma", "Bhavi varan", Bus Yatra", "Prathijna", "Ayalkari", "Gusthi" are the most popular ones.
His first novel "Odayil Ninnu" (1944), is considered by many as his best and the most popular one. Pappu the Rikshawallah is the hero. "Bhrandalayam" (1949), "Rowdy" (1958), "Kannadi" (1961), "Swapnam" (1967), "Ayalkar" (1963) were his important novels. Dev had his own concept about the craft of the novel. In a series of lectures delivered at the invitation of the University of Kerala, Kesava Dev detailed his concept of Novel. A rare honour conferred by the highest seat of learning on a person who has not gone beyond primary education.
A number of his novels have been translated to other Indian languages and also to foreign languages. Five of his novels 'Odayil Ninnu', 'Swapnam', Oru Sundariyude Athmakatha', Adyathe Katha', and 'Rowdy' have been made into movies.
Kesava Dev settled down in Trivandrum during the 50s, living alone in a rented house with a servant. One of his important work "Bhrandalayam" was published and it was well acclaimed. Dev regained his creative spirit, which had suffered a set back from his marriage with Gomathy. Dev was also appointed as producer of Drama in 'Akasavani' (All India Radio). Dev was now financially secure and his creativity was at its peak. Dev again made history by marrying Seethalakshmi, a school girl more than thirty tears younger to him. He rebelled against the public opinion condemning the marriage. Police arrested the couple but released them as they have become man and wife on November 18th 1957. Dev lost his job in Akasavani. He fought against all odds bravely. A person who rebelled against inequality and injustice, a person who revolted against petty parochialism, suddenly found the hero worshippers around him turn puritans. As was usual with his nature, Dev had only contempt for them and did not keep a secret of that. The marriage with Seethalakshmi brought about a lot of changes in Dev's usual self. He put up a new and spacious house at Trivandrum and lived there with his young wife. The ten years between 1955 and 1965 were the most productive period as a writer. As many as ten novels were published during this period including "Ayalkar"(1963) which won him the coveted Kendra Sahitya Academy Award.
His first novel 'Odayil Ninnu' was prescribed as a text book, more than once. Kesava Dev was appointed President of Sahithya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangham (1966-68). He was also appointed as the President of Kerala Sahithya Academy (1974-77). Kesava Dev was conferred with Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1970. The Kerala Sahithya Academy also honoured him by granting him the Fellowship. The Freedom Fighters Award was also conferred upon him in recognition of his participation in the Freedom Struggle of the country.
While writing about the life and work of Kesava Dev we cannot ignore his autobiography aptly named as "Ethirppu"(revolt), published in two volumes. There is also his "Ormakalude Lokathil". The autobiographies are not complete, but they reflect the life around him. It presents a true account of the socio-economic situation that prevailed during the time and its influence on Kesava Dev, which turned him into a rebel. The most striking feature of his biography is the truthfulness. Kesava Dev could have presented a sugar coated autobiography but he willfully remained truthful. That is the most distinguishing characteristic of Dev as a writer and as a man. The intellectual honesty of Kesava Dev was something even his staunch critics could not disapprove.
After his marriage with Seethalakshmy in 1957 for about twenty years Kesava Dev remained a prominent entity in the literary scenario along with Thakazhy and Basheer. Dev's residence became a meeting place of writers, journalists and politicians Seethalakshmy's loving care, provided Dev with a better environment. He derived a good deal of joy. Seethalakshmy gave birth to a baby boy on January 14, 1967. An heir was born to the rebel! Kesava Dev named his son Jothy Dev. Dev proved to be a very loving father and as his son Dr Jothy Dev, reminisces, "I wonder how my father became a rebel. There was no trace of a rebel in his love for me. He used to dance to my tune. If I were late by a few minutes from school he used to loose his temper. When I was home he always wanted me near him".
Kesava Dev's health was declining. He became a severe diabetic. He wouldn't listen to his doctors who prescribed him a strict routine. He could not give up smoking. He lost his physical strength to sit up and write. He hated to dictate to someone to take down what he had to write. Mounting expenses for medical treatment brought considerable financial strain. He suffered long durations of hospitalization. His family made much sacrifice. But Dev insisted that his son gets the best of education. His son was always at his bedside when he was in the hospital. Probably it was then that this child of hardly thirteen decided to become a doctor. Kesava Dev after a prolonged illness passed away on the first of July, 1983.
The credit of being the exponent of progressive Malayalam literature, is owned by Kesava Dev alone. He was the first writer to bring the Malayalam literature from the elite to the lower class. For the first time in our literature rikshaw-pullers, rowdies, peasants, factory workers and other less privileged class of people became Heros and heroines in his novels and short-stories. Dev wrote their language with all its inherent power in a style that was unknown till then. As Kesava Dev had himself admitted, he was a writer with social commitment, especially to the downtrodden. Dev was a prolific writer producing thirty-one novels, over one hundred short-stories, over forty Dramas and one Act plays, a number of Essays and an autobiography. Dev was a rebel in life against social injustice and in literature against customs and conventions.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
thakazhy biography
Born on 17 April 1912.Father: Sankara Kurup. Mother: Parvathy Amma.Thakazhy Sivasankara Pillai was world famous in the field of literature especially novels and short stories. From the profession of an advocate, he rose to the highest position of a world famous novelist. He won the Jnapeeth award and placed himself in the forefront of all writers. No other novels other than that of Thakazhy got so many translations to other languages.
Important novels: Randidangazhy, Chemmeen, Enipadikal, Thendyvargam, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Thottiyude Makan, Kayar. Chemmeen was translated to all Indian languages and English. The film based on Chemeen won President’s Gold Medal.
He passed away on 10 April 1999
Important novels: Randidangazhy, Chemmeen, Enipadikal, Thendyvargam, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Thottiyude Makan, Kayar. Chemmeen was translated to all Indian languages and English. The film based on Chemeen won President’s Gold Medal.
He passed away on 10 April 1999
mt vasudevan nair biography
M. T. Vasudevan Nair was born in Kudallur, a village in the southern Indian state of Kerala, in 1933. His first short stories, written in his native language, Malayalam, were published in several magazines while he was a youth. The young author’s first volume of narratives came out in 1952. His debut novel »Nalukettu« (1958; Eng. »The Ancestral House«,1959) won him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1959. The National Book Trust made it possible for him to have the book translated into all the official languages of India. Since then he has written about ten more novels, including »Asuravithu« (1962; Eng. »The Demon Seed and Other Writings«,1998), »Manju« (1964; t: Snow) and »Kaalam« (1969; Eng. »Kaalam«, 1998). He has also published some twenty volumes of short stories, as well as travelogues, literary essays and children’s books. He has been honoured with the Jnanpith Award, the most prestigious Indian literary award, and numerous other accolades. But M. T. Vasudevan Nair has not only made a reputation for himself as an author and long time editor of the influential weekly literary magazine »Mathrubhumi«, but also as the prize winning script writer and director of Malayalam movies. His cinema work includes more than forty film scripts, and the direction of six feature films, three documentaries and one TV series. His literary and cinematographic oevres focus on rural south Indian society. British colonialism and the independence of India led to fundamental changes of traditional matrilineal structures in the northern Kerala (Nair) communities. M. T. Vasudevan Nair is considered the principal chronicler of the breakdown of the family system. Many narratives draw from the history of Kudallur, Nair’s home village, which is characterised by the dissolving of feudal structures and values. Nair uses a concise and lyrical language to depict the correlation between conditions of society and the anxieties and emotional involvements of his characters. This is true also in his novel »Randamoozham« (1984; Eng. »Second Turn«, 1997) which is based on the Indian epic »Mahabharata«. Nair’s respectful recreation of the classic is told from the point of view of the war hero Bhima, who gains, through the author’s ironic undertones, a new psychological depth. »I have not changed the framework of the story by the first Vyasa, Krishna-Dwaipayana. I have read between his lines and expanded on his pregnant silences.« M. T. Vasudevan Nair lives in Calicut/Kerala, India
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer [1908-1994] biography
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (b. at Thalayolapparambu in Vaikom, 21 January 1908; d. at Beypore in Calicut, 5 July 1994) is a modern Malayalam fiction writer. He was a thinker, humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. The Indian government recognized his contributions by awarding him the prestigious Padma Sri in 1982.
Early life
Basheer, born in the village of Thalayolapparampu in northern Travancore, was the eldest child of devout Muslim parents. His father was in the timber business as a contractor, but the business did not do well enough for his large family to live in anything approaching luxury. After beginning his education at the local Malayalam school, he was sent to the English school in Vaikom, five miles away. While at school he fell under the spell of Mahatma Gandhi. He started wearing Khadar, inspired by the swadesi ideals. When Gandhi came to Vaikom to participate in the Vaikom Satyagraham (1924) Basheer went to see him. He managed to climb on to the car in which Gandhi travelled and touch his hand, a fond memory Basheer mentioned in many of his writings. He used to visit Gandhi's satyagrahashramam at Vaikom daily. He got punished for going late to school for this.
Freedom struggle involvement before journey
He resolved to join the fight for an Independent India, leaving school to do so while he was in the fifth form. Part of his purpose in joining the Indian National Congress was to help ensure that there was some Muslim representation in the pan-Indian movement. Since there was no active independence movement in Travancore or Kochi --being princely states -- he went to Kozhikode to take part in the Salt Satyagraha in 1930. His group was arrested before they could participate in the satyagraha. At the police station, they were beaten up and later remanded at Kozhikode sub-jail. Basheer was sentenced to three months imprisonment and sent to Kannur prison. He became inspired by stories of heroism by revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, who were executed while he was in Kannur jail. He and about 600 political prisoners then at Kannur were released after the Gandhi-Irwin pact of March 1931 . Freed from prison, he organised a terrorist movement and edited a revolutionary journal, Ujjivanam ('Uprising'). A warrant was issued for his arrest and he left Kerala.
Journey
After leaving Kerala, he embarked upon a long journey that took him across the length and breadth of India and to many places in Asia and Africa, a journey which spanned seven years, doing whatever work that seemed likely to keep him from starvation. His occupations ranged from that of a loom fitter, fortune teller, cook, newspaper seller, fruit seller, sports goods agent, accountant, watchman, cowman, hotel manager to living as an ascetic with Hindu saints and Sufi mystics in their hermitages in Himalayas and in the Ganga basin, following their customs and practices, for more than five years. There were times when, with no water to drink, without any food to eat, he came face to face with death. He probably travelled more miles, met more people, did more diverse occupations, saw more cultural diversity and witnessed first-hand more human misery and suffering than any other writer of the 20th century.
After the journey
After the journey, when returned to Kerala(1936-37)-- where he chose to live for the rest of his life-- he found that his family had gone bankrupt.
He tried to make a living as a sports goods agent in Ernakulam. After a bicycle accident, he lost the job, and wandered searching for a new one. He walked into the office of a newspaper 'Jayakesari' whose editor was also its sole employee. He did not have a position to offer, but offered to pay money if Basheer wrote a story for the paper. Basheer wrote his first story Ente Thankam (which was later published in the collection Vishappu under the name Thankam) at his request; the main character of the story based on a woman he saw everyday coming to draw water at a public water pipe in front of his residence.
Following this, he became a full time writer. During this period, he was near starvation most of the time, He struggled to pay rent and could not find money even for ink, paper and stamps, yet he wrote prolifically, stories, poems and political essays and sent them to various newpapers and publishers, for which he was rarely paid. (This scenario is described in detail in many of his works). He continued to contribute to the Independence movement through his articles for newspapers, most of them attacking Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, the then Dewan of Travancore. Basheer was resident in a small single room in a hotel at Ernakulam, which was part of Kochi princely state. The Travancore State Congress was fighting for responsible government , and most of its leaders frequented Ernakulam to escape from the Travancore Dewan's police. Basheer and companions were under constant surveillance of spies of both states. Basheer's short-book Hathabhaagyayaaya ente naadu[My ill-fated motherland] and one act play Pattathinte Pekkinaavu[The terrible nightmare of Pattam Thanupilla] were banned in Travancore, and a warrant issued for his arrest if he entered Travancore. His house at Thalayolapparambu was searched and his mother and siblings harassed; Travancore police threatened to break his right arm to prevent his writing.
His works during the period appeared in many publications, of which he kept clippings. After his meeting with M. P. Paul, he was offered lodging at Paul's tutorial college, and also supervised the mess at the college. When Paul's tutorial shifted to Kottayam, Basheer also went to Kottayam. It was during a meeting of writers Sahitheesakhyam at Kottayam that Basheer read his draft of Baalyakaalasakhi.
Imprisonment and after
At Kottayam(1941-42), he was arrested and put in a police station lock-up, and later shifted to another lock up in Kollam Kasba police station. The stories he heard from policemen and prisoners there appeared in later works, and he wrote a few stories while at the lock-up itself. He spent a long time in lockup awaiting trial, and after trial was sentenced to 2 years six months imprisonment. He was sent to Thiruvananthapuram central jail. While at jail, he forbid M. P. Paul from publishing Baalyakaalasakhi. He wrote Premalekhanam(1943) while serving his term and published it on his release. Baalyakaalasakhi was published in 1944 after further revisions, with an introduction by Paul.
He then made a career as a writer, initially publishing the works himself and carrying them to homes in order to sell them. He ran two bookstalls in Ernakulam, Circle Bookhouse and later, Basheer's bookstall.
Once India achieved control of its destiny after obtaining Independance from British rule, he showed no further interest in active politics, though concerns over morality and political integrity are present all over his works.
Well into his forties, he surprised many of his acquaintances by marrying a woman much younger than him (Fabi Basheer) and settling down to a life of quiet domesticity with his wife and two children, Anees and Shahina, in Beypore, on the southern edge of Kozhikode.
The sheer reality of life that Basheer witnessed in his eventful life did not allow him to lead a sane and peaceful life; he was twice admitted to mental sanitoriums. He wrote one of his most famous works, Paaththummaayude aadu (Pathumma's Goat), while undergoing treatment in a mental hospital in Thrissur. The second spell of paranoia occurred after his marriage when he had settled down at Beypore. He recovered both times, and continued his writings.
He died in Beypore, on 5 July 1994.
Basheer is fondly called as Beypore Sultan (Sultan of Beypore). Though his works have been translated to English and eighteen Indian Languages, the peculiarity of the language he uses makes the translations lose a lot of sheen.
Writing Style
Language
Basheer is known for his unconventional style of language. He did not differentiate between literary language and the language spoken by the commons and did not care about the grammatical correctness of his sentences, thus upsetting many a critic. Initially, even his publishers were unappreciative of the beauty of this language; they edited out or modified conversations. Basheer was outraged to find his original writings transcripted into "standardized" Malayalam, devoid of freshness and natural flow, and he forced them to publish the original one instead of the edited one.
Basheer's contempt for grammatical correctness is exemplified by his statement Ninte Lodukkoos Aakhyaadam! ("Your goddamn grammar!") to his brother, who sermonizes him about the importance of grammar. (Paaththummaayude aadu)
Themes
An astute observer of human character, he skillfully combined humour and pathos in his works. Love, hunger and poverty are recurring themes in his works. There is enormous variety in them- of narrative style, of presentation, of philosophical content, of social comment and commitment. His association with India's Freedom Struggle, the experiences during his long travels and the conditions that existed in Kerala, particularly in the neighbourhood of his home and among the Muslim community--all had a major impact on them. Politics and prison, asceticism, pickpocketing, homosexuality, all were grist to his mill. All of Basheer's love stories have found their way into the hearts of readers; perhaps no other writer has had such an influence on the way Malayalis view love. He was a progressive writer and wrote criticizing the superstitious practices in his religion. Despite traces of atheism in some of his earlier works and his opposition to certain aspects of Islam, he identified himself as a religious Muslim and a firm believer in God.
Autobiographical element
One contrast among his works is between those that are primarily autobiographical as far as events and characters are concerned and those that are the product of the author's imagination. This is not to say that a novel or a story will always fall clearly into one category or another; the percentage of factual truth varies considerably. Whatever the case, a book published as fiction is to be read as such, in contrast with one published as 'memoirs'.
Works
Almost all of Basheer's writing can be seen as falling under the heading of prose fiction - short stories and novels, though there is also a one-act play and volumes of essays and reminiscences. Basheer's fiction is very varied and full of contrasts. There are poignant situations as well as merrier ones - and commonly both in the same narrative. There are among his output realistic stories and tales of the supernatural. There are purely narrative pieces and others which have the quality of poems in prose. In all, a superficially simple style conceals a great subtlety of expression.
His illustrious literary career started off with the novel Premalekhanam, a humorous love story between Keshavan Nair--a young bank employee and an upper caste Hindu (Nair)--and Saramma--an unemployed Christian woman. Hidden underneath the hilarious dialogues we can see a sharp criticism of religious conservatism, dowry and similar reactionary conventions existing in society. This was followed by the novel Baalyakaalasakhi--a tragic love story between Majeed and Suhra--which is among the most important novels in Malayalam literature in spite of its relatively small size (75 pages), and is commonly agreed upon as his magnum opus work. In his foreword to Baalyakaalasakhi, Jeevithathil Ninnum Oru Aedu [A Page From Life], M. P. Paul brings out the beauty of this novel, and how it is different from run-of-the-mill love stories.
The autobiographical Janmadinam is about a writer struggling to feed himself on his birthday. While many of the stories present situations to which the average reader can easily relate, the darker, seamier side of human existence also finds a major place, as in the novel Shabdangal (Voices, 1947), which faced heavy criticism for violence and vulgarity.
Ntuppuppaakkoraanaendaarnnu is a fierce attack on the superstitious practices that existed among Muslims. Its protagonist is Kunjupathumma, a naive, innocent and illiterate village belle. She falls in love with an educated, progressive, city-bred man, Nisaar Ahamed. Illiteracy is fertile soil for superstitions, and the novel is about education enlightening people and making them shed age-old conventions. Velichathinentoru velicham (a crude translation can be 'brightness is very bright!') one of the most quoted Basheer phrases occurs in Ntuppuppaakkoraanaendaarnnu. People boast of the glory of days past, their "grandfather's elephant's, but that is just a ploy to hide their shortcomings.
Mathilukal deals with prison life in the pre-independence days. It is a novel of sad irony set against a turbulent political backdrop. The novelist falls in love with a woman sentenced for life who is separated from him by insurmountable walls. They exchange love-promises standing on two sides of a wall, only to be separated without even being able to say good-bye. Before he "met" Naraayani, the loneliness and freedomlessness of prison life was killing Basheer; but when the orders for his release arrive he loudly protests, "Who needs freedom? Outside is an even bigger jail". The novel was later made into a film (MATHILUKAL, 1989) by Adoor Gopalakrishnan with Mammootty playing Basheer.
Sthalaththe Pradhaana Divyan, Aanavaariyum Ponkurishum, Muccheettukalikkarante makal and Ettukaali Mammoonju featured the life of real life characters in his native village of Thalayolapparambu (regarded as Sthalam in these works)
Published Works
1. Premalekhanam [The love letter] (Novel) (1943).2. Baalyakaalasakhi [Childhood friend] (Novel) (1944).3. Kathaabeejam [Story seed] (Play) (1945).4. Janmadinam [Birthday] (Short stories) (1945).5. Ormakkurippu [Jottings from memory] (Short stories) (1946).6. Anargha nimisham [Invaluable instant] (See Anal Haq) (Short stories) (1946).7. Shabdangal [Voices] (Novel) (1947).8. Viddikalude Swargam [Fools' paradise] (Short stories) (1948).9. Ntuppuppaakkoraanaendaarnnu [Me gran'dad 'ad an elephant] (Novel) (1951).10. Maranaththinte Nizhalil [In the shadow of death] (Novel) (1951).11. Muchcheettukalikkaarante Makal [The daughter of the card-shark] (Novel) (1951).12. Paavappettavarudaey Vaeshya [The courtesan of the poor] (Short stories) (1952).13. Sthalaththe Pradhaana Divyan [The principal divine of the place] (Novel) (1953).14. Aanavaariyum Ponkurishum [Elephant scooper and Golden cross] (Novel) (1953).15. Jeevithanizhalppaadukal [The shadows of life] (Novel) (1954).16. Vishwavikhkhyaathamaaya Mookku [The world-renowned nose] (Short stories) (1954).17. Vishappu [Hunger] (Short stories) (1954).18. Paaththummaayude Aadu [Paaththumma's goat] (Novel) (1959).19. Mathilukal [Walls] (Novel; basis for a film (1989) by Adoor Gopalakrishnan) (1965).20. Oru Bhagavadgeethayum Kuraey Mulakalum [A Bhagavadgeetha and some breasts] (Short stories) (1967).21. Thaaraa Specials (Novel) (1968).22. Maanthrikapoochcha [The magic cat] (Novel) (1968).23. Nerum Nunayum [Truth and lie] (Commentary and letters) (1969).24. Ormmayudaey Arakal [The cells of memory] (Commentary and reminiscences) (1973).25. Aanappooda [Elephant-hair] (Short stories) (1975).26. Chirikkunna Marappaava [The laughing wooden doll] (Short stories) (1975).27. Bhoomiyudaey Avakaashikal [The inheritors of the earth] (Short stories) (1977).28. Anuraagaththintaey Dhinangal [The days of desire] (Diary; originally titled Kaamukantaey diary [The diary of the paramour] and changed later on the suggestion of M. T. Vasudevan Nair) (1983).29. Bhaargavinilayam [The house named Bhaargavi] (Screenplay for a film (1964) by A. Vincent which is credited as the first horror cinema in malayalam; adapted from the short story Neelavelichcham [The blue glow]) (1985).30. M. P. Paul (Reminiscences of his friendship with M. P. Paul) (1991).31. Shinkidimunkan (Short stories) (1991).32. Cheviyorkkuka! Anthimakaahalam!! [Hark! The final clarion-call!!] (Speech) (1992).33. Yaa Ilaahi! [Oh God!] (Short stories published posthumously) (1997).
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (b. at Thalayolapparambu in Vaikom, 21 January 1908; d. at Beypore in Calicut, 5 July 1994) is a modern Malayalam fiction writer. He was a thinker, humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. The Indian government recognized his contributions by awarding him the prestigious Padma Sri in 1982.
Early life
Basheer, born in the village of Thalayolapparampu in northern Travancore, was the eldest child of devout Muslim parents. His father was in the timber business as a contractor, but the business did not do well enough for his large family to live in anything approaching luxury. After beginning his education at the local Malayalam school, he was sent to the English school in Vaikom, five miles away. While at school he fell under the spell of Mahatma Gandhi. He started wearing Khadar, inspired by the swadesi ideals. When Gandhi came to Vaikom to participate in the Vaikom Satyagraham (1924) Basheer went to see him. He managed to climb on to the car in which Gandhi travelled and touch his hand, a fond memory Basheer mentioned in many of his writings. He used to visit Gandhi's satyagrahashramam at Vaikom daily. He got punished for going late to school for this.
Freedom struggle involvement before journey
He resolved to join the fight for an Independent India, leaving school to do so while he was in the fifth form. Part of his purpose in joining the Indian National Congress was to help ensure that there was some Muslim representation in the pan-Indian movement. Since there was no active independence movement in Travancore or Kochi --being princely states -- he went to Kozhikode to take part in the Salt Satyagraha in 1930. His group was arrested before they could participate in the satyagraha. At the police station, they were beaten up and later remanded at Kozhikode sub-jail. Basheer was sentenced to three months imprisonment and sent to Kannur prison. He became inspired by stories of heroism by revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, who were executed while he was in Kannur jail. He and about 600 political prisoners then at Kannur were released after the Gandhi-Irwin pact of March 1931 . Freed from prison, he organised a terrorist movement and edited a revolutionary journal, Ujjivanam ('Uprising'). A warrant was issued for his arrest and he left Kerala.
Journey
After leaving Kerala, he embarked upon a long journey that took him across the length and breadth of India and to many places in Asia and Africa, a journey which spanned seven years, doing whatever work that seemed likely to keep him from starvation. His occupations ranged from that of a loom fitter, fortune teller, cook, newspaper seller, fruit seller, sports goods agent, accountant, watchman, cowman, hotel manager to living as an ascetic with Hindu saints and Sufi mystics in their hermitages in Himalayas and in the Ganga basin, following their customs and practices, for more than five years. There were times when, with no water to drink, without any food to eat, he came face to face with death. He probably travelled more miles, met more people, did more diverse occupations, saw more cultural diversity and witnessed first-hand more human misery and suffering than any other writer of the 20th century.
After the journey
After the journey, when returned to Kerala(1936-37)-- where he chose to live for the rest of his life-- he found that his family had gone bankrupt.
He tried to make a living as a sports goods agent in Ernakulam. After a bicycle accident, he lost the job, and wandered searching for a new one. He walked into the office of a newspaper 'Jayakesari' whose editor was also its sole employee. He did not have a position to offer, but offered to pay money if Basheer wrote a story for the paper. Basheer wrote his first story Ente Thankam (which was later published in the collection Vishappu under the name Thankam) at his request; the main character of the story based on a woman he saw everyday coming to draw water at a public water pipe in front of his residence.
Following this, he became a full time writer. During this period, he was near starvation most of the time, He struggled to pay rent and could not find money even for ink, paper and stamps, yet he wrote prolifically, stories, poems and political essays and sent them to various newpapers and publishers, for which he was rarely paid. (This scenario is described in detail in many of his works). He continued to contribute to the Independence movement through his articles for newspapers, most of them attacking Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, the then Dewan of Travancore. Basheer was resident in a small single room in a hotel at Ernakulam, which was part of Kochi princely state. The Travancore State Congress was fighting for responsible government , and most of its leaders frequented Ernakulam to escape from the Travancore Dewan's police. Basheer and companions were under constant surveillance of spies of both states. Basheer's short-book Hathabhaagyayaaya ente naadu[My ill-fated motherland] and one act play Pattathinte Pekkinaavu[The terrible nightmare of Pattam Thanupilla] were banned in Travancore, and a warrant issued for his arrest if he entered Travancore. His house at Thalayolapparambu was searched and his mother and siblings harassed; Travancore police threatened to break his right arm to prevent his writing.
His works during the period appeared in many publications, of which he kept clippings. After his meeting with M. P. Paul, he was offered lodging at Paul's tutorial college, and also supervised the mess at the college. When Paul's tutorial shifted to Kottayam, Basheer also went to Kottayam. It was during a meeting of writers Sahitheesakhyam at Kottayam that Basheer read his draft of Baalyakaalasakhi.
Imprisonment and after
At Kottayam(1941-42), he was arrested and put in a police station lock-up, and later shifted to another lock up in Kollam Kasba police station. The stories he heard from policemen and prisoners there appeared in later works, and he wrote a few stories while at the lock-up itself. He spent a long time in lockup awaiting trial, and after trial was sentenced to 2 years six months imprisonment. He was sent to Thiruvananthapuram central jail. While at jail, he forbid M. P. Paul from publishing Baalyakaalasakhi. He wrote Premalekhanam(1943) while serving his term and published it on his release. Baalyakaalasakhi was published in 1944 after further revisions, with an introduction by Paul.
He then made a career as a writer, initially publishing the works himself and carrying them to homes in order to sell them. He ran two bookstalls in Ernakulam, Circle Bookhouse and later, Basheer's bookstall.
Once India achieved control of its destiny after obtaining Independance from British rule, he showed no further interest in active politics, though concerns over morality and political integrity are present all over his works.
Well into his forties, he surprised many of his acquaintances by marrying a woman much younger than him (Fabi Basheer) and settling down to a life of quiet domesticity with his wife and two children, Anees and Shahina, in Beypore, on the southern edge of Kozhikode.
The sheer reality of life that Basheer witnessed in his eventful life did not allow him to lead a sane and peaceful life; he was twice admitted to mental sanitoriums. He wrote one of his most famous works, Paaththummaayude aadu (Pathumma's Goat), while undergoing treatment in a mental hospital in Thrissur. The second spell of paranoia occurred after his marriage when he had settled down at Beypore. He recovered both times, and continued his writings.
He died in Beypore, on 5 July 1994.
Basheer is fondly called as Beypore Sultan (Sultan of Beypore). Though his works have been translated to English and eighteen Indian Languages, the peculiarity of the language he uses makes the translations lose a lot of sheen.
Writing Style
Language
Basheer is known for his unconventional style of language. He did not differentiate between literary language and the language spoken by the commons and did not care about the grammatical correctness of his sentences, thus upsetting many a critic. Initially, even his publishers were unappreciative of the beauty of this language; they edited out or modified conversations. Basheer was outraged to find his original writings transcripted into "standardized" Malayalam, devoid of freshness and natural flow, and he forced them to publish the original one instead of the edited one.
Basheer's contempt for grammatical correctness is exemplified by his statement Ninte Lodukkoos Aakhyaadam! ("Your goddamn grammar!") to his brother, who sermonizes him about the importance of grammar. (Paaththummaayude aadu)
Themes
An astute observer of human character, he skillfully combined humour and pathos in his works. Love, hunger and poverty are recurring themes in his works. There is enormous variety in them- of narrative style, of presentation, of philosophical content, of social comment and commitment. His association with India's Freedom Struggle, the experiences during his long travels and the conditions that existed in Kerala, particularly in the neighbourhood of his home and among the Muslim community--all had a major impact on them. Politics and prison, asceticism, pickpocketing, homosexuality, all were grist to his mill. All of Basheer's love stories have found their way into the hearts of readers; perhaps no other writer has had such an influence on the way Malayalis view love. He was a progressive writer and wrote criticizing the superstitious practices in his religion. Despite traces of atheism in some of his earlier works and his opposition to certain aspects of Islam, he identified himself as a religious Muslim and a firm believer in God.
Autobiographical element
One contrast among his works is between those that are primarily autobiographical as far as events and characters are concerned and those that are the product of the author's imagination. This is not to say that a novel or a story will always fall clearly into one category or another; the percentage of factual truth varies considerably. Whatever the case, a book published as fiction is to be read as such, in contrast with one published as 'memoirs'.
Works
Almost all of Basheer's writing can be seen as falling under the heading of prose fiction - short stories and novels, though there is also a one-act play and volumes of essays and reminiscences. Basheer's fiction is very varied and full of contrasts. There are poignant situations as well as merrier ones - and commonly both in the same narrative. There are among his output realistic stories and tales of the supernatural. There are purely narrative pieces and others which have the quality of poems in prose. In all, a superficially simple style conceals a great subtlety of expression.
His illustrious literary career started off with the novel Premalekhanam, a humorous love story between Keshavan Nair--a young bank employee and an upper caste Hindu (Nair)--and Saramma--an unemployed Christian woman. Hidden underneath the hilarious dialogues we can see a sharp criticism of religious conservatism, dowry and similar reactionary conventions existing in society. This was followed by the novel Baalyakaalasakhi--a tragic love story between Majeed and Suhra--which is among the most important novels in Malayalam literature in spite of its relatively small size (75 pages), and is commonly agreed upon as his magnum opus work. In his foreword to Baalyakaalasakhi, Jeevithathil Ninnum Oru Aedu [A Page From Life], M. P. Paul brings out the beauty of this novel, and how it is different from run-of-the-mill love stories.
The autobiographical Janmadinam is about a writer struggling to feed himself on his birthday. While many of the stories present situations to which the average reader can easily relate, the darker, seamier side of human existence also finds a major place, as in the novel Shabdangal (Voices, 1947), which faced heavy criticism for violence and vulgarity.
Ntuppuppaakkoraanaendaarnnu is a fierce attack on the superstitious practices that existed among Muslims. Its protagonist is Kunjupathumma, a naive, innocent and illiterate village belle. She falls in love with an educated, progressive, city-bred man, Nisaar Ahamed. Illiteracy is fertile soil for superstitions, and the novel is about education enlightening people and making them shed age-old conventions. Velichathinentoru velicham (a crude translation can be 'brightness is very bright!') one of the most quoted Basheer phrases occurs in Ntuppuppaakkoraanaendaarnnu. People boast of the glory of days past, their "grandfather's elephant's, but that is just a ploy to hide their shortcomings.
Mathilukal deals with prison life in the pre-independence days. It is a novel of sad irony set against a turbulent political backdrop. The novelist falls in love with a woman sentenced for life who is separated from him by insurmountable walls. They exchange love-promises standing on two sides of a wall, only to be separated without even being able to say good-bye. Before he "met" Naraayani, the loneliness and freedomlessness of prison life was killing Basheer; but when the orders for his release arrive he loudly protests, "Who needs freedom? Outside is an even bigger jail". The novel was later made into a film (MATHILUKAL, 1989) by Adoor Gopalakrishnan with Mammootty playing Basheer.
Sthalaththe Pradhaana Divyan, Aanavaariyum Ponkurishum, Muccheettukalikkarante makal and Ettukaali Mammoonju featured the life of real life characters in his native village of Thalayolapparambu (regarded as Sthalam in these works)
Published Works
1. Premalekhanam [The love letter] (Novel) (1943).2. Baalyakaalasakhi [Childhood friend] (Novel) (1944).3. Kathaabeejam [Story seed] (Play) (1945).4. Janmadinam [Birthday] (Short stories) (1945).5. Ormakkurippu [Jottings from memory] (Short stories) (1946).6. Anargha nimisham [Invaluable instant] (See Anal Haq) (Short stories) (1946).7. Shabdangal [Voices] (Novel) (1947).8. Viddikalude Swargam [Fools' paradise] (Short stories) (1948).9. Ntuppuppaakkoraanaendaarnnu [Me gran'dad 'ad an elephant] (Novel) (1951).10. Maranaththinte Nizhalil [In the shadow of death] (Novel) (1951).11. Muchcheettukalikkaarante Makal [The daughter of the card-shark] (Novel) (1951).12. Paavappettavarudaey Vaeshya [The courtesan of the poor] (Short stories) (1952).13. Sthalaththe Pradhaana Divyan [The principal divine of the place] (Novel) (1953).14. Aanavaariyum Ponkurishum [Elephant scooper and Golden cross] (Novel) (1953).15. Jeevithanizhalppaadukal [The shadows of life] (Novel) (1954).16. Vishwavikhkhyaathamaaya Mookku [The world-renowned nose] (Short stories) (1954).17. Vishappu [Hunger] (Short stories) (1954).18. Paaththummaayude Aadu [Paaththumma's goat] (Novel) (1959).19. Mathilukal [Walls] (Novel; basis for a film (1989) by Adoor Gopalakrishnan) (1965).20. Oru Bhagavadgeethayum Kuraey Mulakalum [A Bhagavadgeetha and some breasts] (Short stories) (1967).21. Thaaraa Specials (Novel) (1968).22. Maanthrikapoochcha [The magic cat] (Novel) (1968).23. Nerum Nunayum [Truth and lie] (Commentary and letters) (1969).24. Ormmayudaey Arakal [The cells of memory] (Commentary and reminiscences) (1973).25. Aanappooda [Elephant-hair] (Short stories) (1975).26. Chirikkunna Marappaava [The laughing wooden doll] (Short stories) (1975).27. Bhoomiyudaey Avakaashikal [The inheritors of the earth] (Short stories) (1977).28. Anuraagaththintaey Dhinangal [The days of desire] (Diary; originally titled Kaamukantaey diary [The diary of the paramour] and changed later on the suggestion of M. T. Vasudevan Nair) (1983).29. Bhaargavinilayam [The house named Bhaargavi] (Screenplay for a film (1964) by A. Vincent which is credited as the first horror cinema in malayalam; adapted from the short story Neelavelichcham [The blue glow]) (1985).30. M. P. Paul (Reminiscences of his friendship with M. P. Paul) (1991).31. Shinkidimunkan (Short stories) (1991).32. Cheviyorkkuka! Anthimakaahalam!! [Hark! The final clarion-call!!] (Speech) (1992).33. Yaa Ilaahi! [Oh God!] (Short stories published posthumously) (1997).
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