Special Column
If the Coimbatore-based novelist Ma.Na. aka Ma. Natarasan had not met with a road accident that kept him in a deep coma for over a year and took his life a couple of days ago, the avid readers of regional literature would have got an exclusive dictionary of the unique Kongu Tamil words and phrases. When the nightmare of the novel Covid 19 virus kept people indoors over a year ago, the novelist, one day, called this writer and told him that he would soon bring out a dictionary of Kongu Tamil words and phrases. The work which he was compiling came to a halt from the day he slipped into coma. However, his popular works of Kongu regional fiction including Oor Kalanjupochu, Kanthaayam, Appathalum Oru Kalyanamum, Kunnam, Mayilai Maadu, and Vishakadi are sure to give any reader the feel of Ma.Na’s passion for portraying life in the rural pockets of Coimbatore.
While many works of literature attain great heights of fame, as they deserve the quality of being translated into many languages, the uniqueness of novels and short stories written in the dialect of rural Coimbatore can hardly be translated into any other language, as the dialect is inseparably embedded in the life of rural Coimbatoreans. In such novels and short stories, when the characters utter expressions like ‘Varanakov’ ‘Endrakitta’ and ‘Mamiakari’ it would be very funny to put them in English as ‘ Sister, I am coming in a jiffy’ ‘ With me’ and ‘ Mother-in-law’ respectively.
Ma. Natarasan, who hailed from a poor agrarian family, carried on agriculture in his native village Mandiripalayam near Sultanpet, though he was a retired Tamil Professor with a qualification of Ph.D.
“Farming and cattle rearing have been our family’s occupation for ages. When I was a schoolboy, my ‘ Apparu’ ( Paternal Grandpa ) would tell me to collect cow dung from the streets on my way back home, and I used to carry the animal excrement not only in my hands but even filling it in my ‘ Thooku Posi’ ( lunch box !) What’s more, even after my graduations, I was grazing cows at my village, till I became a college lecturer” Ma. Na. would say.
On a question what made him write the lives of the Coimbatore rural people in his short stories and novels, he once said:
“When famous writers like Balakumaran and Sujatha have portrayed their Brahmin customs and culture in their short stories and novels, I thought why I shouldn’t write the lives of my people in the rural Coimbatore “
In a bitter reality of agricultural lands turning into residential plots and villages becoming towns, Ma Natarasan’s novels and short stories are valuable documents for posterity reflecting life in rural Coimbatore.
Literature was introduced to Ma.Natarasan during his college days, while he was taught by eminent teachers and writers like Ma Ra Po Gurusamy, Sirpi Balasubramaniam, and Muppalmani. Later he came into contact with Coimbatore’s Vanambadi poetry movement through poet Mullai Adhavan.
“In those days, I used to listen to the hot literary talks by Coimbatore Vanambadis like Kovai Gnani, Puviarasu and Sirpi Balasubramaniam for hours and I never understood what they were talking about “Ma. Na would innocently admit in his Coimbatore Tamil dialect.
Owing to his credit for being a novelist to the late Kongu fiction writer R. Shanmugasundaram, Ma. Natarasan would recall:
“R Shanmugasundaram was the first to pen a realistic ‘Vattara Vazhakku novel’ (Regional novel), even before other regional writers like Ponneelan, Ki. Rajanarayanan and Vannadasan were to. Shanmugasundaram’s first novel Nagammal (1941) transcends generations “
A retired Associate Tamil professor of CBM College, Ma.Na is an author of many books including the famous novels ‘Ondikaran Pannayam’ and ‘Oor Kalanju Pochu’. Several of his literary works have been prescribed in the curriculum of some universities and autonomous colleges.
Reflecting Social Life of Rural Kongu
Kaliammal, a woman from a rural pocket of Coimbatore, was forced to leave the house within days from her husband's death. The man, a musician, and harmonium maker had eked out a living at Kinathukadavu by thatching house roofs many decades ago. And the remaining part of the widow's life was with her another destitute elder sister and an unmarried younger sister, who were taken care of by their brother Arumugam, the only male member of the family.
This is a real-life incident, which happened in a family at Kinathukadavu many decades ago. But, a short story penned by Ma. Na reminds the real-life incident in Kaliammal's family.
“In any village of Coimbatore, you could see at least five or six such destitute women living in their mother's home. Such incidents bear testimony to the prevalence of male domination even in the 21st century.” Ma. Na. would point out.
Ma.Na is also an author of several other books including Kanthaayam, Appathalum Oru Kalyanamum, Kunnam, Mayilai Maadu, and Vishakadi.
The short story on the title Pirava Puli ( The tamarind that cannot be born), which is found in his book Mayilai Maadu, depicts the dedication of the character Palanisamy in taking care of his two destitute sisters Lakshmi and Sarasa and their respective children. The author has appropriately titled the short story Pirava Puli - a strange tamarind tree seen at the famous Patteeswarar Temple in Perur. The tree got its name 'Pirava Puli', since its seeds do not produce shoots.
“I have compared the selfless Palanisamy with the holy tamarind tree, as he has decided not to marry a woman and beget children by her. Because he is shouldered with the responsibility in taking care of his two destitute sisters and their kids for life” Ma.Na. said once.
On his use of the natural Kongu Tamil phrases like Esili podathe, Paanga Poyittu Vaa, Ikkataala, Akkattala, and so on in his fiction, Ma.Na would say:
“In the rural Kongu society, you can come across such words and phrases mostly from women, since they only have time to chat for long hours”
The author, whose writings reflect the social life of agricultural families in the Kongu region, once shared with this writer on how he became a professor.
“Eking out a living by agriculture is hard not only these days. My father, who was a farmer at Mandiripalayam, too experienced this hardship in his days. Hence, he did not want me to continue his line, but advised me to study well and grab a 'white-collar job.”
Nevertheless, Ma. Na, despite living in the city, felt the pleasure of visiting his native village quite often and meeting his early day friends and relatives.
“What I lost in the alienation from my traditional roots after arriving at the city, I discovered them in R.Shanmugasundaram's novels Nagammal and Poovum Pinjum, as they reflected the rural social life of Kongu region. While I was a youth, I also met the great Kongu novelist at 'Chidambaram Poonga ' (V.O.C Park). I saw him being busy in a conversation with Kovai Gnani, a veteran Marxist literary critic of Coimbatore” he recalled once.
Cherishing Honey-sweet Kongu Tamil
In urban Coimbatore, one can hardly come across Kongu Tamil expressions like ‘Aasaaram’ for ‘Hall’, ‘ Velichennai’ for ‘ Coconut oil’, ‘ Appichi’ or ‘Appaaru’ for grandpa and ‘Amichi’ or ‘ Amaththa’ or ‘ Appaththa’ for grandma, thanks to the advent of modernity, which has almost wiped out Kongu’s cultural products including its honey-sweet Tamil dialect. However, Ma.Na’s short story collection ‘Appathaalum Oru Kalyananamum’ (Paternal grandma and a wedding) has documented the unique Kongu Tamil expressions so naturally through the conversations arising out of the context in all the 14 short stories of the book. Similar to his previous works like ‘Kandhaayam’ and ‘Oor Kalanju Pochu’, Ma. Na’s Appathaalum Oru Kalyananamum’ takes a reader a trip into the wonderful rural world of Kongunadu and introduces him to the innocent characters, whom Ma.Na calls ‘Vella Cholam( white corns) in the Kongu Tamil dialect.
As implied by the African poet Abioseh Nicol in his poem ‘The Continent that lies within us” that one’s country is not just a geographical land stretch, but an idea, which he can carry wherever he goes, Ma. Na has ‘carried’ his native village Mandhiripalayam near Chenjerimalai in his mind and heart, despite his life in modern Coimbatore for decades since his days of being a Tamil professor in CBM College. His short stories are not deliberate creations but discoveries from the day-to-day incidents in the lives of his kith and kin at Mandhiripalayam.
Evaluating the reality in Ma. Na’s fiction, veteran Tamil scholar and critic, the late professor Ma. Ra. Po. Gurusamy wrote in his foreword to the book that Ma.Na’s natural use of Kongu Tamil dialect in his short stories could easily inspire a reader and interest him/her to use them in speech. As advised by Ma. Ra. Po, the author allotted a few pages at the end of the book and explained some exclusive Kongu Tamil expressions to make a reader understand their meanings. The vocabularies ‘ Pottaatam Iru’ for ‘ Be quite’ ‘Naalaasarithiyaa’ for ‘ In due course, ‘ Othaasayaa’ for ‘ In support of’ and ‘ Vesanam’ for ‘Grief’ are a few interesting Kongu Tamil expressions, which the author has interpreted in the appendix of the book. Still, it’s a great pity that such a glossary is required even for a reader of Coimbatore to know the meanings of his native language!
Though Ma.Na was sincere in penning his short stories, the publisher, who brought out the book ‘ Appaththaalum Oru Kalyanamum’ has committed an error in the book wrapper by printing the picture of a southern district old woman wearing her ‘ Paambadams’ ( Heavy ear ornaments) hanging down her ears - a style which is not in vogue among the grannies of rural Kongunadu.
While many works of literature attain great heights of fame, as they deserve the quality of being translated into many languages, the uniqueness of novels and short stories written in the dialect of rural Coimbatore can hardly be translated into any other language, as the dialect is inseparably embedded in the life of rural Coimbatoreans. In such novels and short stories, when the characters utter expressions like ‘Varanakov’ ‘Endrakitta’ and ‘Mamiakari’ it would be very funny to put them in English as ‘ Sister, I am coming in a jiffy’ ‘ With me’ and ‘ Mother-in-law’ respectively.
Ma. Natarasan, who hailed from a poor agrarian family, carried on agriculture in his native village Mandiripalayam near Sultanpet, though he was a retired Tamil Professor with a qualification of Ph.D.
“Farming and cattle rearing have been our family’s occupation for ages. When I was a schoolboy, my ‘ Apparu’ ( Paternal Grandpa ) would tell me to collect cow dung from the streets on my way back home, and I used to carry the animal excrement not only in my hands but even filling it in my ‘ Thooku Posi’ ( lunch box !) What’s more, even after my graduations, I was grazing cows at my village, till I became a college lecturer” Ma. Na. would say.
On a question what made him write the lives of the Coimbatore rural people in his short stories and novels, he once said:
“When famous writers like Balakumaran and Sujatha have portrayed their Brahmin customs and culture in their short stories and novels, I thought why I shouldn’t write the lives of my people in the rural Coimbatore “
In a bitter reality of agricultural lands turning into residential plots and villages becoming towns, Ma Natarasan’s novels and short stories are valuable documents for posterity reflecting life in rural Coimbatore.
Literature was introduced to Ma.Natarasan during his college days, while he was taught by eminent teachers and writers like Ma Ra Po Gurusamy, Sirpi Balasubramaniam, and Muppalmani. Later he came into contact with Coimbatore’s Vanambadi poetry movement through poet Mullai Adhavan.
“In those days, I used to listen to the hot literary talks by Coimbatore Vanambadis like Kovai Gnani, Puviarasu and Sirpi Balasubramaniam for hours and I never understood what they were talking about “Ma. Na would innocently admit in his Coimbatore Tamil dialect.
Owing to his credit for being a novelist to the late Kongu fiction writer R. Shanmugasundaram, Ma. Natarasan would recall:
“R Shanmugasundaram was the first to pen a realistic ‘Vattara Vazhakku novel’ (Regional novel), even before other regional writers like Ponneelan, Ki. Rajanarayanan and Vannadasan were to. Shanmugasundaram’s first novel Nagammal (1941) transcends generations “
A retired Associate Tamil professor of CBM College, Ma.Na is an author of many books including the famous novels ‘Ondikaran Pannayam’ and ‘Oor Kalanju Pochu’. Several of his literary works have been prescribed in the curriculum of some universities and autonomous colleges.
Reflecting Social Life of Rural Kongu
Kaliammal, a woman from a rural pocket of Coimbatore, was forced to leave the house within days from her husband's death. The man, a musician, and harmonium maker had eked out a living at Kinathukadavu by thatching house roofs many decades ago. And the remaining part of the widow's life was with her another destitute elder sister and an unmarried younger sister, who were taken care of by their brother Arumugam, the only male member of the family.
This is a real-life incident, which happened in a family at Kinathukadavu many decades ago. But, a short story penned by Ma. Na reminds the real-life incident in Kaliammal's family.
“In any village of Coimbatore, you could see at least five or six such destitute women living in their mother's home. Such incidents bear testimony to the prevalence of male domination even in the 21st century.” Ma. Na. would point out.
Ma.Na is also an author of several other books including Kanthaayam, Appathalum Oru Kalyanamum, Kunnam, Mayilai Maadu, and Vishakadi.
The short story on the title Pirava Puli ( The tamarind that cannot be born), which is found in his book Mayilai Maadu, depicts the dedication of the character Palanisamy in taking care of his two destitute sisters Lakshmi and Sarasa and their respective children. The author has appropriately titled the short story Pirava Puli - a strange tamarind tree seen at the famous Patteeswarar Temple in Perur. The tree got its name 'Pirava Puli', since its seeds do not produce shoots.
“I have compared the selfless Palanisamy with the holy tamarind tree, as he has decided not to marry a woman and beget children by her. Because he is shouldered with the responsibility in taking care of his two destitute sisters and their kids for life” Ma.Na. said once.
On his use of the natural Kongu Tamil phrases like Esili podathe, Paanga Poyittu Vaa, Ikkataala, Akkattala, and so on in his fiction, Ma.Na would say:
“In the rural Kongu society, you can come across such words and phrases mostly from women, since they only have time to chat for long hours”
The author, whose writings reflect the social life of agricultural families in the Kongu region, once shared with this writer on how he became a professor.
“Eking out a living by agriculture is hard not only these days. My father, who was a farmer at Mandiripalayam, too experienced this hardship in his days. Hence, he did not want me to continue his line, but advised me to study well and grab a 'white-collar job.”
Nevertheless, Ma. Na, despite living in the city, felt the pleasure of visiting his native village quite often and meeting his early day friends and relatives.
“What I lost in the alienation from my traditional roots after arriving at the city, I discovered them in R.Shanmugasundaram's novels Nagammal and Poovum Pinjum, as they reflected the rural social life of Kongu region. While I was a youth, I also met the great Kongu novelist at 'Chidambaram Poonga ' (V.O.C Park). I saw him being busy in a conversation with Kovai Gnani, a veteran Marxist literary critic of Coimbatore” he recalled once.
Cherishing Honey-sweet Kongu Tamil
In urban Coimbatore, one can hardly come across Kongu Tamil expressions like ‘Aasaaram’ for ‘Hall’, ‘ Velichennai’ for ‘ Coconut oil’, ‘ Appichi’ or ‘Appaaru’ for grandpa and ‘Amichi’ or ‘ Amaththa’ or ‘ Appaththa’ for grandma, thanks to the advent of modernity, which has almost wiped out Kongu’s cultural products including its honey-sweet Tamil dialect. However, Ma.Na’s short story collection ‘Appathaalum Oru Kalyananamum’ (Paternal grandma and a wedding) has documented the unique Kongu Tamil expressions so naturally through the conversations arising out of the context in all the 14 short stories of the book. Similar to his previous works like ‘Kandhaayam’ and ‘Oor Kalanju Pochu’, Ma. Na’s Appathaalum Oru Kalyananamum’ takes a reader a trip into the wonderful rural world of Kongunadu and introduces him to the innocent characters, whom Ma.Na calls ‘Vella Cholam( white corns) in the Kongu Tamil dialect.
As implied by the African poet Abioseh Nicol in his poem ‘The Continent that lies within us” that one’s country is not just a geographical land stretch, but an idea, which he can carry wherever he goes, Ma. Na has ‘carried’ his native village Mandhiripalayam near Chenjerimalai in his mind and heart, despite his life in modern Coimbatore for decades since his days of being a Tamil professor in CBM College. His short stories are not deliberate creations but discoveries from the day-to-day incidents in the lives of his kith and kin at Mandhiripalayam.
Evaluating the reality in Ma. Na’s fiction, veteran Tamil scholar and critic, the late professor Ma. Ra. Po. Gurusamy wrote in his foreword to the book that Ma.Na’s natural use of Kongu Tamil dialect in his short stories could easily inspire a reader and interest him/her to use them in speech. As advised by Ma. Ra. Po, the author allotted a few pages at the end of the book and explained some exclusive Kongu Tamil expressions to make a reader understand their meanings. The vocabularies ‘ Pottaatam Iru’ for ‘ Be quite’ ‘Naalaasarithiyaa’ for ‘ In due course, ‘ Othaasayaa’ for ‘ In support of’ and ‘ Vesanam’ for ‘Grief’ are a few interesting Kongu Tamil expressions, which the author has interpreted in the appendix of the book. Still, it’s a great pity that such a glossary is required even for a reader of Coimbatore to know the meanings of his native language!
Though Ma.Na was sincere in penning his short stories, the publisher, who brought out the book ‘ Appaththaalum Oru Kalyanamum’ has committed an error in the book wrapper by printing the picture of a southern district old woman wearing her ‘ Paambadams’ ( Heavy ear ornaments) hanging down her ears - a style which is not in vogue among the grannies of rural Kongunadu.
