கதாநதி - பிரபஞ்சன்

Writer Prabhanjan wrote this series for Tamil Hindu. I really enjoyed reading this series. Here is the list of writers Prabhanjan wrote about : This is a good list to start 

1	சூடாமணி	உளவியல் கலைஞர்
2	சார்வாகன்	வீழ்ச்சிகளை எதிர்த்த மேன்மை
3	பாக்கியம் சங்கர்	வடசென்னையில் இருந்து ஒரு கலைக் குரல்
4	தமயந்தி	விடுதலை பேசும் கலைக் குரல்
5	‘லிவிங் ஸ்மைல்’ வித்யா	மாபெரும் வாழ்நாள் போராளி
6	எம்.எஸ்.கல்யாணசுந்தரம்	சத்திய வேட்கை கொண்ட தத்துவவாதி
7	சீதா ரவி	நீரால் ஆன காவிரிக் கதைஞர்
8	மா.அரங்கநாதன்	நவீன எழுத்து யோகி
9	பவா செல்லதுரை	பாறையில் முளைத்த தனிச் செடி
10	ஆதவன்	மனதை மொழிபெயர்த்த கதையாளர்
11	தேன்மொழி	உலகத் தரம் வாய்ந்த எழுத்தாளர்
12	கந்தர்வன்	தேர்ந்த கதைசொல்லி
13	கோபிகிருஷ்ணன்	மனதின் புதிர் மொழி
14	க.மோகனரங்கன்	புதிர்களை ஆராயும் கலைஞன்
15	சல்மா	மீண்டு வந்த வாழ்வின் குரல்
16	சாரா	கடல் கடந்த கண்ணீர்
17	ரவிக்குமார்	அகரமுதல்வன்- தாயைப் பிரசவித்தவர்கள்
18	சா.தேவதாஸ்	உலக ஞானம் உள்ளங்கையில்...
19	தமிழ்நதி	தமிழ் தலை நிமிரும் கதை சொல்லி
20	இமையம்	சமூகத்தின் மனசாட்சி
21	சந்திரா	பனி நீர் எழுத்து
22	அழகிய பெரியவன்	மனித குலத்தை முன் நகர்த்தும் எழுத்து
23	கவின் மலர்	புதுயுகம் நோக்கிய வல் எழுத்து

Box : கதைப் புத்தகம் - ஷோபாசக்தி

நிர்வாணம் மீது நிலவு தனது ஒளியை பாய்ச்சி நீர்மேல் நிற்கலாயிற்று. குளத்தின் மையத்தில் அமையாள் கிழவி பிறந்த மேனியாக மல்லாக்க நீந்திக்கொண்டிருந்தார். அப்போது பெரிய பள்ளன் குளத்தில் கார்த்திகை மாதச் சாமமாயிருந்தது.

The very first line (above)gave me goosebumps and it sets the tone for the whole novel.  This is the story of an imaginary village called "Periyapallan kulam"  after the war between LTTE and the Srilankan army.  Almost all of them have some deficiency in their bodies - the left over of the war.

இந்த உலகத்தில் நடந்த எந்த யுத்தத்தைப் பற்றிய வரலாறும் உண்மையாக, நடந்தது நடந்தபடி எழுதப்பட்டதில்லை. அந்த பொது விதிக்கு இந்த யுத்தமும் விதிவிலக்கல்ல.

Out of nowhere a little boy came to Periyapallan kulam , people named him Karthigai. They also believed he is dumb and everyone loved him and gave food whenever he asked. He stayed in Cemetery house of Titus Lemuel, though everyone scared of that house.  They enacted the war scenes for him which is very very disturbing for the readers. At some point it become unclear for the people which is real, the enacted play or the things happening around.One day suddenly the Srilankan Army announces that Periyapallan kulam is going to be military base and all the people should leave in a week time.  Except Karthigai and Umayal remains. One died and another revealed himself as a Buddhist monk.

I really don't know why there is a scene where Karthigai do the sexual thing , what the author trying to say ? - did the boy went through some sort of bad sexual experience at the Buddhist seminary? And that was the reason for his escape? I felt the story of Santha (Karthigai) is bit cinematic specially the climax.

The story goes back and forth in time. Each story rises to another one with history of war, like that we have forty stories and some statements or confessions.  The way the Srilankan army treated the captured and suspected fighters was something one cannot explain without tears. The chopping of toes, the repeated rapes and other inhuman torture techniques were used. Another thing i noticed in this book is nakedness -  the novel starts and ends with it, in between all the captured fighters were first undressed and made naked.The author did not forget to highlight the role of LTTE too - the secret prison, the burning of bus full of Sinhalese people and the cruel torture of so called betrayers .The author also highlights the caste division among these people and how the high caste people ruled and rules till now.

The box is a horrible symbol for Eelam people. The torturing of people inside the box , LTTE was surrounded in a box during the Ananthpuram battle and People restricted in a box in Vanni. Each story is a box which connects to another box. The boxes continues even after the war.

Many parts of this novel made me cry but one part which made me to put down the book and stare blankly on the wall for long time is the story of "அடிமைப்புலி". There is a brothel somewhere near Colombo where ex-LTTE female fighters are forced into sex. The authors description are very disturbing . Some claims that those girls are not ex-LTTE fighters  but normal Tamil girls kidnapped and forced into it . This is one of the unwritten rule of the war- winner rapes the loser's women. The mental stigma remains forever.

இரத்த சாட்சியான பாலச்சந்திரனையும், ஈழப்போரில் மாண்ட ஆயிரமாயிரம் குழந்தைகளையும் நினைவுகொள்கின்றேன். எங்களது சந்ததியைக் காக்க நாங்கள் தவறியிருந்தோம். அந்த மாசில்லாக் குழந்தைகளின் இரத்தப்பழி நம்முடனேயே இருக்கின்றது.

One cannot just read and go past the above line.  There are many historical references in this story - the story of Vanni( the marriage between Sinhalese and Madurai King's daughter marriage gift of 60 Vanniyars), the story of Pandara Vanniyan and Titus Lemuel etc.The author beautifully plays with the words, he makes and remakes scenes and some times its puzzling but one cannot easily come out of it- that's his strength.For me this novel talks not about freedom struggle or racism but about humanity - the value of human life.

Great read..!!

அஸ்தினாபுரம் - ஜோ டி குருஸ்

The first question that came to my mind after reading this book was "how many Amudhans i knew?" and "Am i one of them?". Those who wants to live an honest and dignified life will definitely face similar problems like Amudhan in our society, ample examples are there.

The book starts with Amudhan and Punitha's marriage problem.  The divorce case is in court. Amudhan married Punitha with great expectations but everything collapsed in the very first night itself. Punitha dominates the relationship and slowly started controlling the family itself which Amudhan did not like.  He was forced into the marriage by his parents specially by his father.

தெரிஞ்சி செய்யிறதுல திரில்லே இல்ல. தெரியாம முட்டி மோதி செய்யிற பார்த்தியா அதுலதாம் திரில்லும், அதைவிடப் பெரிய பொக்கிஷமான அனுபவமும் இருக்கு. காரணம் சுயமா  சிந்திச்சிருப்ப”

He wanted to join in fisheries department but could not bear the politics and left to Mumbai, where he joined in export and import business at the port. He slowly and steadily climbed the professional later. He stood out in his work by doing some great and daring jobs. He never stop respecting others work specially the low level workers. This book has volumes and volumes of informations about Port and its politics. Never imagined these many processes involved in handling ships in the port. More the processes more the problems, so too the corruption.

Amudhan's brother and sister used him for their own good. All Amudhan did was love them. He did whatever he can to his brother in terms of finance and support but his brother without any particular reason - may be sibling jealous. He never listen to Amudhan. The portrayal of his brother is real , nowadays its very common among fisher folks. His mother's constant pressure on Amudhan  made him to think a lot  and at one point of time he was livid.  His father, Alvarz's life is interesting , typical to female dominant family, he loved Amudhan and his family , in fact he was happy that his son chose career in shipping industry.  There is a sequence in the book when Alvarz asks all sort of questions regarding his travel and stay in the city- simply good because its how fathers asks questions in this community. Amudhan treats his job and his colleagues as the extension of his family - he is same in and out. He lives his life honestly.

The gradual growth of Ananthi , Amudhan's second wife is realistic . She started as a innocent girl but slowly creates her own world with her relatives - specially with his brother and sister. The dialogue between Amudhan and his son is very important to understand Ananthi's character. And the explanation by Amudhan is beautiful.

All the characters are realistic. One memorable character which i liked was Gnanaseeli, the neighbour who helps Amudhan and Ananthi. She understood Amudhan better then his own family.Most of the dialogues are simple except some conversation on Shipping industry. The title of the book is justifiable . Historical Hastinapur was  a place of war and conflicting characters , so too this story.

"நீங்க எல்லை  மீறிப் போறது உண்மதான !

பாக்ஜலசந்தியில எல்லைங்குற பேச்சுக்கே இடமில்லை . அதுபோக , அங்க போய் வந்து இருக்கது தேசத்துக்கான பெரிய பாதுகாப்பு . இத சிலோன்காரம் கண்டிப்பா விரும்ப மாட்டாம்."

The whole Tamilnadu talks about retaking Katchadeevu  Joe D Cruz highlights the Indian government's attitude towards Srilankan fishermen. The Indian government freely allows the the lankan fishermen to fish at the "Wedge Bank' . I never heard or read anywhere about the Wedge bank before. The authors explanation makes sense. Amudhan gives a long speech about the fishermen issues starting from the history of Srilanka.

ரட்ட மடி அடிச்சி மீன்வளத்த அழிக்கிறது தப்பு , அதுக்கான முழு முதல் காரணம் தொலைநோக்கு பார்வை இல்லாத கண் மூடித்தனமான நம்ம மாநில அரசோட தொழில் நுட்பக் கொள்கை.

Its very clear that this book is sort of Auto-fiction , as the character Amudhan resembles exactly like the author himself. Another name popsup here and there that of Deevukavi Sagayam (Pamban)- who is this Sagayam? I never heard of him, is he a real man?.  During the book release Joe D Cruz told "‘கடல், கப்பல் மற்றும் அதைச் சார்ந்த பயணங்கள், பிரச்னைகள் தான் அஸ்தினாபுரம் நாவலின் மையம். இந்தக் கடலும் கடல் சார் வாழ்வுமே என்னுடைய படைப்பு மொழி. பரந்த நீர்ப்பரப்பின் ஒரு துளியாகவே என் எழுத்து உள்ளது. இந்த நாவலும் அப்படியே. இதில் அரசியல் கருத்துக்களும் உண்டு’" .  And its exactly there in the book.

A very good  read...!!

சுடுமணல் - சுப்ரபாரதிமணியன்

This novel tells the story of a city through the eyes of an unemployed man during troubled times. Mahendran, an unemployed youth lives with his parents in a rented house in Hyderabad. Though he was born and educated there , the city treats them as an outsider. He wanted to go out and live a normal life. But unfortunately for him,the four walls are everything.

நகரமே இப்படித்தான் பிணங்களின் மத்தியில் சாவகாசமாய் இயங்கிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது

His father Venkattaiya left his hometown thirty years before and never able to go back and live his dream life . He can talk the local language but he is always scared to use his own language outside of his house. His only communication with his families and friends in native is through Pongal cards. His longing for his native made him to sent his son Mahendran to Tiruppur to be with his brother, who he contacted long time back.His mother ,a housewife but these days Mahendran does all the household work including cooking. She always laying down in her bed

காலம் கட்டப்பட்டு எங்காவது மரணப் படுக்கையில் கிடக்கும். எல்லோருக்கும் காலம் நகர்ந்து எதை எதையோ நிகழ்த்திக் காட்டிப் போகிறது. தன்னை மட்டும் அப்படியே விட்டுவிட்டிருக்கிறது. ஒரு அடி கூட நகரவிடவில்லை. வாகனத்தின் வெளிச்ச ஒளிக்குள் அமிழ்ந்துவிட வேண்டும் போலிருந்தது அவனுக்கு

Another memorable character is Damodaran - an ex-army man who lost his wife and became alcohol addict. No one  except kids like him but everyone needed him for house hold works. The author beautifully portrays how we treat people like him. People like  Damodaran is typical to any city, no one cares for them.

சமையலறையில் இருக்கின்றவரை நாலு சுவர் களையே பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்க வேண்டும். கல் சுவர்கள், நகரத்து மனிதனின் இதயத்தைப் போன்ற திடம்தான். கொலைக்குரல் பக்கத்தில் கேட்டாலும் சாவகாசமாக இருக்கச் சொல்லும் சுவர்கள்.

The author beautifully brings the essence of typical city life that too during tense communal and social unrest time. There was a murder discussed in the earlier chapters - very authentic , i myself had seen an accident in Chennai in early hours, no one stopped to help. But Mahendran think of these events and wants to help. He is baffled by the people's reactions. In this story there is a constant tension and fear among outsiders.

The curfew days were scary -language,culture and race took back seat. Venkattiya's journey to meet Mahendran during those curfew days were unimaginable. The influx of refugees from different states and the confusion of Venkattaiya about which language side he needs to go makes a exact climax. The mindset of the parents who are staying away from their children was captured realistically by the author.

Good Read!

தேடல் - பொன்னீலன்

I chose this book for only one reason - the story is about fishermen community.  This a story of love and exploitation of fishermen.

Michael,the owner of the engine boat uses  Dhasan and others for his own growth. They all shared whatever they catch  and was very happy until the engine boat comes into picture. Michael broke his promise with his fellow fishermen that leads to lots of problem among them. The changes in Michael is radical.

Silvy was loved by Ruben and Dhasan but Silvy loved Ruben and was cheated by him . Though Dhasan was very angry on Ruben and Michael, he slowly understood everything and was ready to marry Silvy.  The portrayal of Dhasan as a hardworking and ever loving is typical to many in Fishing community. For people like Dhasan sea is everything and love is eternal.The two female characters Silvy and Mary plays very important role, specially their relation to the boy.

The story talks about fish agents a little , in fact Ruben himself is one such agent. The relationship between Ruben and Boodhanathan is one of the highlights of the business of fish trading . The author also highlights the role of church in the fishermen's life - specially in relations to marriage. Its surprise to know the traditional punishment for cheating a girl - carry the cross during the mass before the alter and marry the girl.

The title of this book is very apt. The search for life and the search for love continues for the fishermen, in this story search for justice continues for Dhasan and others.The language is very simple and easy. The story is even simpler.  This is a small book which one can read in one sitting.

Another book to add to the fishermen stories collection.

Euro - 2016

Euro - 2016 will start tomorrow in France amid lots of security risks.  After a long and hectic domestic and regional championships the players are coming as one  - under ones country's banner.  I love La Liga and Premier League a lot.  My favourite team is FC Barcelona for the last 6+ years  but i love watching Man U , Juve ,  Real and to some extend Atletico.  Now whom to support?

As a non-playing country's fan I have big dilemma to choose the team to support, me being a football fan loves good matches.  we always support of Italy- i really  don't know why. I used the word WE because the whole of my street supports them. Another two teams which gets the same support are Brazilian football team and West Indies Cricket team.  I have asked my uncle many times why we support these three teams always, he replied " don't know" , it was like that for a long time. No one knows the answer.

Italy will remains  our favourite for this tournament also. Personally I think France has good chance to win the championship, they have good combination of youth and experienced players. Also home advantage and familiarity will help France. Next comes Spain - lately they struggled but if everything goes well they will be devastating on that day, they have enough fire power to do that. Then comes Germany -same like Spain they are struggling lately but they are very dangerous .

I don't know why something in my mind says Poland will surprise everyone this time. My dark horses are Poland and England. England are perennial under achievers. Most Singaporeans support England - I always intrigued by this, may be because of Premier League.  Rashford is a good young player . It will be very interesting how Hodgson is going to use Vardy, Kane and Rooney along with some youngsters.

Players to watch :

1) Antoine Griezmann (France)
2) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
3)Thomas Muller (Germany)
4)Paul Pogba(France)
5)Leonardo Bonucci(Italy)

Hoping for exciting and controversy free matches.

Gujarat Files : Anatomy Of A Cover Up - Rana Ayyub

One hell of a book. I have read many reports on Gujarat riots but this one is chilling and to think of how a group of people can control everything in the state is scary.  The author Rana Ayyub has done some wonderful reporting about Gujarat Riots at Tehelka and she is the main reason for the arrest of Amit Shah ,then home minister of Gujarat.

The author went undercover for eight months to investigate about the riots and encounter killings. The author along with her friends conducted sting operations on most of the officers who were involved. All are high profile officers. Most of the details are well known - discussed and written widely. These sting operations confirms many of the details came out after riots. The common thread in that connects all these officers testimonial was Amit Shah.

“You know this Haren Pandya case is like a volcano. Once the truth is out, Modi will go home. He will be jailed, not go home. He will be in prison.”

One of the highlight of this book is the exposure of  how the government used Dalit officers for 'fake' encounters and threw them out after -like "use and throw". Officer Priyadarshi  says “I mean a Dalit officer can be asked to commit cold-blooded murder because he (apparently) has no self-respect, no ideals. Upper castes in the Gujarat police are the ones in (everyone’s) good books.”  Another officer Pandey says "there were riots in 85, 87, 89, 92 and most of the times the Hindus got a beating. And the Muslims got an upperhand. So this time in 2002, it had to happen, it was the retaliation of Hindus."  The book clearly shows the communal divide among the police departments.

Its remarkable for a Muslim woman to pretend like a Hindu girl (Maithili Tyagi) , wearing all those dresses with hidden cameras and asking some uncomfortable questions to those high profile officers - an ode to investigative journalism.  Rana Ayyub says she will handover the materials collected to investigators if asked.

Muslims were more dominant. In 2002, more Muslims were killed. See with Muslims it’s like this. Especially in 2002 it was like this, Muslims were killing Hindus all these years so whatever happened in 2002 was a retaliation for all those years of being beaten by Muslims. And everybody across the world created havoc. They did not see the situation in which the Hindus were killed.

I finished the book in less than three hours, it was like reading a crime thriller. The language is simple and engaging.  I felt very sad for those courageous police officers who were put in a moral dilemma- those who toed the line were rewarded and others were thrown out. Its like in movies -complete disregard to law and order by the top police and government officials.

The book does not give any idea on which those unfortunate events happened, rather it gives thoughts of those who involved in it -in their own words and leave the readers to judge. Definitely things were not as clear as one would like to believe in events during and after the riots and encounters. I believe the author may have some more information which she do not want reveal at this point of time ? Also anyone working behind this author because one cannot ask all the questions without some kind of backup? Whatever it may be this is a brilliant book.

A chilling read ! 

Signs Preceding the End of the World - Yuri Herrera

Very short book with so much emotion. This is the journey of a sister searching for his brother.  The journey is through different geographical plains. She is from Mexico crossing the border illegally to USA . She is observant,curious and street smart. The first line "I’m dead, Makina said to herself when everything lurched"  sets the tone for story. That line gives lots to think even before one proceed further.

Makina, who runs the only switchboard in miles was asked by her mother to deliver the letter and bring his son back . She had a way to fix everything and readily talks to anyone and she knew three languages. She helped many in her village in their relationship through her work.  She knows how to to stay in the correct side of the local gangsters ,she meets a gangster who gave her a package to deliver. Will she return back ? or does she have any intention to return ?

You are the door, not the one who walks through it.

She is the door, she knew it and she cannot go through it, that's the reason why she was able to gain access to any where.She is a conduit , everyone relies on her. She journeys from Village to little town to big Chilango . Her plan was to come back as soon as she meet her brother. After meeting her brother she realized that she cannot go back and she remains there.

Makina risks her life in search of her brother using all her skills in fighting the immigrants and security forces. She also understood the life of her brother after her brother explained his complex life in  United States. She also realizes there is no escaping from the reality that she will stay in the unknown land may be forever as her brother. The end is inevitable.

“All families had started off in some mysterious waay: to repopulate the earth, or by accident, or by force, or out of boredom; and it's all a mystery what each will become.” 

This is a strange story but memorable.The crossing of border is a allegory.The writing is poetic. Lots of overlapping words in a sentence - rain and snow ,anglo and latin . The journey itself moving in two ways -forward and backward sort of Inferno and Paradise. The contradiction is explained beautifully in this passages - "They speak an intermediary tongue that Makina instantly warms to because it’s like her: malleable, erasable, permeable; a hinge pivoting between two like but distant souls, and then two more, and then two more, never exactly the same ones; something that serves as a link. . . . More than the midpoint between home grown and anglo their tongue is a nebulous territory between what is dying out and what is not yet born. . . . In it brims nostalgia for the land they left or never knew when they use the words with which they name objects; while actions are alluded to with an anglo verb conjugated latin-style, pinning on a sonorous tail from back there."

The sinkhole which devours a man, a cat and a dog is a sign at the beginning of the story which talks about the end. The names of each chapters describes how the places looks like and it geographical features "The Place Where The Wind Cuts Like A Knife," , “The Place Where People’s Hearts Are Eaten.” and "The Place Where Flags Wave" etc.The author also highlights the need of some kind of paper whether its for crossing or for marriage of any sorts - "perhaps they just want the papers, she said to herself, any kind of papers, even if it’s only to fit in" . 

Below quote is a very powerful message and this is the only lengthy monologue by Makina which explores anti-immigration and xenophobia. 

We are to blame for this destruction, we who don’t speak your tongue and don’t know how to keep quiet either. We who didn’t come by boat, who dirty up your doorsteps with our dust, who break your barbed wire. We who came to take your jobs, who dream of wiping your shit, who long to work all hours. We who fill your shiny clean streets with the smell of food, who brought you violence you’d never known, who deliver your dope, who deserve to be chained by neck and feet. We who are happy to die for you, what else could we do? We, the ones who are waiting for who knows what. We, the dark, the short, the greasy, the shifty, the fat, the anemic. We the barbarians.

I'm reading "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari , in this book the author describes the eternal differences of "us" and "them", the above quote confirms that. I think the translator did a very good job in bringing the essence of the original. 

Read the book for its language and the sense of hope and kindness.