Desandhri Review - My Musings – Blog by SA Narayanan
First, for those who are not very familiar with Tamil writers, or those who have lost touch recently, let me say that there is a Tamil writer, S. RAMAKRISHNAN, who writes on many topics. Did I say "write"? I can't find suitable words to adequately describe his writing.. You have to read him to personally understand and feel it.
An hour ago I finished reading his book "DESANDHRI". Ramakrishnan has expressed his feelings about the various places that he has visited. Not just about the place, but the People, the Nature, Historical importance, Our Heritage, Parampariyam and Culture, and on many other aspects. Total 41 experiences, each a gem. What a writing! What a description!
Starts with Suriyan (Sun, Veyil) in his home village house. From there to Saranath Sthupi and about Bihar and its People. Then to Arjunapuram where the Nalla Thangal story happened. Nalla thangal, a poor woman unable to bear the hunger of her 7 children commits suicide throwing herself and the 7 children into a well - this is a folklore. Ramakrishnan goes to visit this well. A very touching writeup.
Many of us would have gone to Lonavala, but view the place thru Ramakrishnan's eyes about the Mazhai there. You will want to visit again there. then about Maniyachi Vanchinathan. Do you know that the Great Indian Survey, the Geological Survey of India's original version,
commenced from St Thomas Mount, near Chennai? The breadth and width of India was surveyed painstakingly by Britishers. No wonder, Mt Everest was named after Mr EVEREST, a British Survey Engineer.
Then he goes in search of rare flowers, then goes to another part of India to see rare birds, then to Thanjavur Sarasvati mahal, the large Tamil library. He wonders how people those days "wrote" on Palm leaves (Panai Olai) and, in absence of Xerox machines how they took copies ! Those who re-wrote the original Olai "writings" on another Olai were called Ezuththarkal and they lived in a separate street called Ezuththarkal Theru which still exists in Thanjavur today. Biramippu. then onto Kuttalam Aruvi.
Comes next (11th topic) is his experience at Satna (Madhya Pradesh) on one night. One of the three MOST BEST (pardon my grammar) write ups - my eyes were moist after reading this. When Ramakrishnan, on his way to Kaju Raho, got down at Satna to change trains, got "frozen" in the severe winter and was afflicted with cold fever etc. How the poor, simple, but GREAT hearted old people - unknown to him, of a different environment, different language - of Satna took the unconscious Ramakrishnan to their house and nourished him for three days, expecting NOTHING in return - if the narration of those simple but wonderful people of Satna does not make your eyes moist, well, it won't happen - you are bound to "cry". Excellent writing.
When you recover from Satna, you are taken to Sabarmati, and about Uppu (salt). Then to Kodaikanal, and then to Cholamandal Village (near Chennai). Then about open places. Onto another village where the villagers "invite" rain god. Compare your experience if you have to Banaras (Kasi) with that of Ramakrishnan in topic 17. Koovagam follows, then about Delhi. Adivasikal in Kanniyakumari Dist forms the 20th topic. Then Korkai beach, and how a great tamil Dynasty's Capital city was destroyed by nature.
After narrating about Mountains, he goes to Kayaththaru, the village where Kattabomman was hanged by the Britishers. And how today's Tamilnadu has totally neglected this place. A very good piece of writing. Then about Rivers, and then about Pazhani. A vivid description from his view of this temple town. Do you know that Pazhani is the only place today where you can find Kuthirai Vandi?
Then about Jain Priests in Karnataka. Comes next Gangai Konda Sozhapuram, the wonderful Temple City (now ruined) EXCELLENT writeup. Why do we neglect such treasures? It is said that there is a 2-year waiting list to see Da Vinci's art at Paris but our GKS is totally neglected - why?
Then two ordinary write ups later, Ramakrishnan turns into his best yet again writing about vast SANDS. Read this to understand the Manal (sand) EXCELLENT.
31st topic is Armenian Church in Chennai and its bells. Then comes another EXCELLENT, MOST BEST writeup; he visits Chikmagalur with his friend. What happens there - I will not write, I CAN NOT write. I have read it two hours ago, but my heart and mind are so heavy, my eyes are still MOIST. You read it yourself.
Another ordinary topic later, he then views Old Delhi thru his eyes. Good one. 35th topic is another masterpiece, about Ramanujam, the Mathematical Genius. How his house and the street are neglected by Tamilnadu and Tamilians. A masterpiece.
Then about Dhanushkodi beach (how many of you have seen this seashore?), then about Adyar Aala Maram. Kaalaththin Vergal is an apt title for this topic. Then Moonaru. 39th topic is Niram Azhintha Pookkal - another wonderful but now neglected Temple and its finest Oviyangal at Tiruvalanchuzhi, near Kumbakonam. Nalanda is the 40th;
The book ends with the Great Himalayan Mountain Range.
A must read book.
**
Uba Pandavam (Th) - S. Ramakrishnan:
This one is a collage of sorts of the Mahabharatha epic. S.R is a neat writer - he writes without fusses and frills, and pretty much comes to the point. He has rather let go in the book though (does a writer adopt different styles for books and series??)- this one's actually a collection of impressions of tales from the Mahabharatha - as seen thru the writer's eyes, on his travels all over India. I started out skeptically - but I was drawn in soon enough. Some people have weird reactions to epic tales. There's one incident, where, during a play in some rural area, one actor playing Duryodhana uses harsh words against the Pandavas, and one spectator was roused to action by this injustice (she yelled the place down, shouting abuse at the character the actor was portraying). Wow. I mean, WOW. - Odyssey of a Princess by Pavithra Sri
**
S.Ramakrishnan is one of the most famous authors of the Modern Tamil Literature. A fiction writer, an essayist, a playwright, a movie critic and a world cinema expert. He wrote four novels, five short story collections, nine collections of essays and three books on films. Ramakrishnan was born in the year of 1966 in Mallankinar, a small village zone of Virudhunagar district in Tamilnadu. He took his Masters in Literature from the Madurai Kamaraj University . Some of his plays were selected for the national theatre festivals. His most famous novel Upa Paandavam was based on the Mahabharatham epic. Nedumkuruthi, his second novel was selected as the best Tamil novel of the year 2003. His Thunai ezhuthu is a notable collection of Tamil essays. Work of S.Ramakrishnan is in various dimensions. He wrote the dialogues for many films, he translated several works from English and Malayalam to Tamil and many of his works got translated in to English, Malayalam, Kannda, Telegu, Bengali and French. His latest novel Yaamam is well received by the modern circles of Tamil literature. Traveling is not simply a pastime but a passion for him. He is 42 years now and lives in Chennai with his wife Chandrapraba and two sons.
Awards
1) Best Tamil book - Tamil Nadu State Govt. award
2) Best Novel in Tamil - Ganavani award
3) Best Short story collection - Ilakkiya Sindhanai award
4) Best Short story collection - Lilly Devasigamani award
5) Best Novel - Tamil Nadu progressive writers Association
6) Regional award for best play - Sankeeth Natak Academy
First, for those who are not very familiar with Tamil writers, or those who have lost touch recently, let me say that there is a Tamil writer, S. RAMAKRISHNAN, who writes on many topics. Did I say "write"? I can't find suitable words to adequately describe his writing.. You have to read him to personally understand and feel it.
An hour ago I finished reading his book "DESANDHRI". Ramakrishnan has expressed his feelings about the various places that he has visited. Not just about the place, but the People, the Nature, Historical importance, Our Heritage, Parampariyam and Culture, and on many other aspects. Total 41 experiences, each a gem. What a writing! What a description!
Starts with Suriyan (Sun, Veyil) in his home village house. From there to Saranath Sthupi and about Bihar and its People. Then to Arjunapuram where the Nalla Thangal story happened. Nalla thangal, a poor woman unable to bear the hunger of her 7 children commits suicide throwing herself and the 7 children into a well - this is a folklore. Ramakrishnan goes to visit this well. A very touching writeup.
Many of us would have gone to Lonavala, but view the place thru Ramakrishnan's eyes about the Mazhai there. You will want to visit again there. then about Maniyachi Vanchinathan. Do you know that the Great Indian Survey, the Geological Survey of India's original version,
commenced from St Thomas Mount, near Chennai? The breadth and width of India was surveyed painstakingly by Britishers. No wonder, Mt Everest was named after Mr EVEREST, a British Survey Engineer.
Then he goes in search of rare flowers, then goes to another part of India to see rare birds, then to Thanjavur Sarasvati mahal, the large Tamil library. He wonders how people those days "wrote" on Palm leaves (Panai Olai) and, in absence of Xerox machines how they took copies ! Those who re-wrote the original Olai "writings" on another Olai were called Ezuththarkal and they lived in a separate street called Ezuththarkal Theru which still exists in Thanjavur today. Biramippu. then onto Kuttalam Aruvi.
Comes next (11th topic) is his experience at Satna (Madhya Pradesh) on one night. One of the three MOST BEST (pardon my grammar) write ups - my eyes were moist after reading this. When Ramakrishnan, on his way to Kaju Raho, got down at Satna to change trains, got "frozen" in the severe winter and was afflicted with cold fever etc. How the poor, simple, but GREAT hearted old people - unknown to him, of a different environment, different language - of Satna took the unconscious Ramakrishnan to their house and nourished him for three days, expecting NOTHING in return - if the narration of those simple but wonderful people of Satna does not make your eyes moist, well, it won't happen - you are bound to "cry". Excellent writing.
When you recover from Satna, you are taken to Sabarmati, and about Uppu (salt). Then to Kodaikanal, and then to Cholamandal Village (near Chennai). Then about open places. Onto another village where the villagers "invite" rain god. Compare your experience if you have to Banaras (Kasi) with that of Ramakrishnan in topic 17. Koovagam follows, then about Delhi. Adivasikal in Kanniyakumari Dist forms the 20th topic. Then Korkai beach, and how a great tamil Dynasty's Capital city was destroyed by nature.
After narrating about Mountains, he goes to Kayaththaru, the village where Kattabomman was hanged by the Britishers. And how today's Tamilnadu has totally neglected this place. A very good piece of writing. Then about Rivers, and then about Pazhani. A vivid description from his view of this temple town. Do you know that Pazhani is the only place today where you can find Kuthirai Vandi?
Then about Jain Priests in Karnataka. Comes next Gangai Konda Sozhapuram, the wonderful Temple City (now ruined) EXCELLENT writeup. Why do we neglect such treasures? It is said that there is a 2-year waiting list to see Da Vinci's art at Paris but our GKS is totally neglected - why?
Then two ordinary write ups later, Ramakrishnan turns into his best yet again writing about vast SANDS. Read this to understand the Manal (sand) EXCELLENT.
31st topic is Armenian Church in Chennai and its bells. Then comes another EXCELLENT, MOST BEST writeup; he visits Chikmagalur with his friend. What happens there - I will not write, I CAN NOT write. I have read it two hours ago, but my heart and mind are so heavy, my eyes are still MOIST. You read it yourself.
Another ordinary topic later, he then views Old Delhi thru his eyes. Good one. 35th topic is another masterpiece, about Ramanujam, the Mathematical Genius. How his house and the street are neglected by Tamilnadu and Tamilians. A masterpiece.
Then about Dhanushkodi beach (how many of you have seen this seashore?), then about Adyar Aala Maram. Kaalaththin Vergal is an apt title for this topic. Then Moonaru. 39th topic is Niram Azhintha Pookkal - another wonderful but now neglected Temple and its finest Oviyangal at Tiruvalanchuzhi, near Kumbakonam. Nalanda is the 40th;
The book ends with the Great Himalayan Mountain Range.
A must read book.
**
Uba Pandavam (Th) - S. Ramakrishnan:
This one is a collage of sorts of the Mahabharatha epic. S.R is a neat writer - he writes without fusses and frills, and pretty much comes to the point. He has rather let go in the book though (does a writer adopt different styles for books and series??)- this one's actually a collection of impressions of tales from the Mahabharatha - as seen thru the writer's eyes, on his travels all over India. I started out skeptically - but I was drawn in soon enough. Some people have weird reactions to epic tales. There's one incident, where, during a play in some rural area, one actor playing Duryodhana uses harsh words against the Pandavas, and one spectator was roused to action by this injustice (she yelled the place down, shouting abuse at the character the actor was portraying). Wow. I mean, WOW. - Odyssey of a Princess by Pavithra Sri
**
S.Ramakrishnan is one of the most famous authors of the Modern Tamil Literature. A fiction writer, an essayist, a playwright, a movie critic and a world cinema expert. He wrote four novels, five short story collections, nine collections of essays and three books on films. Ramakrishnan was born in the year of 1966 in Mallankinar, a small village zone of Virudhunagar district in Tamilnadu. He took his Masters in Literature from the Madurai Kamaraj University . Some of his plays were selected for the national theatre festivals. His most famous novel Upa Paandavam was based on the Mahabharatham epic. Nedumkuruthi, his second novel was selected as the best Tamil novel of the year 2003. His Thunai ezhuthu is a notable collection of Tamil essays. Work of S.Ramakrishnan is in various dimensions. He wrote the dialogues for many films, he translated several works from English and Malayalam to Tamil and many of his works got translated in to English, Malayalam, Kannda, Telegu, Bengali and French. His latest novel Yaamam is well received by the modern circles of Tamil literature. Traveling is not simply a pastime but a passion for him. He is 42 years now and lives in Chennai with his wife Chandrapraba and two sons.
Awards
1) Best Tamil book - Tamil Nadu State Govt. award
2) Best Novel in Tamil - Ganavani award
3) Best Short story collection - Ilakkiya Sindhanai award
4) Best Short story collection - Lilly Devasigamani award
5) Best Novel - Tamil Nadu progressive writers Association
6) Regional award for best play - Sankeeth Natak Academy
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