Tamil is an ancient language. It is among the oldest languages in the world. The language has been a beacon light of our culture. Some of the oldest texts in our country were rendered in Tamil. The language was enriched further by the Jain monks who lived in the south.
Tamil is an ancient language. It is among the oldest languages in the world. The language has been a beacon light of our culture. Some of the oldest texts in our country were rendered in Tamil. The language was enriched further by the Jain monks who lived in the south.
Classics like 'Silappadikaram' have added to the wealth of India. Bhakti literature is full of Tamil poetry. The longings of the Alwars and Nayanmars are found in Divine Tamil. These poems are being read by the faithful all around the world.
A number of people speaking other languages like Telugu recite the 'Tiruppavai' of Andal regularly. It is amazing to see that commerce and devotion break linguistic and racial boundaries. Several writers and authors have rendered stories and essays in Tamil over the centuries.
Tamil Thatha U.Ve.Swaminatha Iyer and his impressions have been an asset to the Tamil people, lovers of Tamil and politicians alike. The Coimbatore based writer Va.Srinivasan belongs to a rare tribe. His expressions in Tamil are really a treasure. Va.Srinivasan's essays, stories and columns are neat and thought provoking. He is simple, natural, friendly and approachable. His works are interesting and offer the reader an unbiased perspective. His capacity to deliberate on a host of issues are legendary. Va.Srinivasan is a real bonus to the literary circle of Coimbatore.
His unassuming and gentle approach to life and literature will act as a guide to aspiring writers belonging to the younger generation. A discussion with Va.Srinivasan is sure to be enriching. His article ' Uthama Villanum, Kamalahasanum is thought provoking. The other one ' Tamil Cinemavin Tharam Mikka Ore Thiramai ' is a must read. The essay on the fantastic philosopher J. Krishnamurti by Va.Srinivasan is quite valuable. Each one of his essays are comprehensive and the reader can be rest assured that Va.Srinivasan has introduced him/her to every facet concerned with the person or subject.
Va.Srinivasan is among the few writers who are ready to offer their views in a refreshing manner. The works of Va.Srinivasan are thought provoking and kind for they do not thrust opinions. His criticism is backed by thought and offers a perspective to the subject or person for it is constructive.
Va.Srinivasan was born to S.Varadarajan and Alamelu of Sirukudi ( Ramanathapuram ). His father had been the Chief Administrative Officer of the Agricultural Department and the couple had begun their life from Coimbatore in the year 1941. The writer Va.Srinivasan was born in the November of 1950. Va.Srinivasan was with the Canara Bank for a few decades. He had served in Chennai, Kolkatta, Salem, Vellore and Trichy before taking a VRS in the year 2001. He is happily married to Uma and the couple have been residing in Coimbatore for sometime now.
The author was happy to share some details about his literary interests over a conversation. " Our school science teacher N.S.Raghunathan advised us to read Jayakanthan. We were in the tenth standard at that time. Many of my classmates read the works of Jayakanthan and it was love at first sight. He became our ' Guru ' thereafter. We began to attend the meetings of Jayakanthan and got introduced to ' Bharathi ' eventually.
The District Central Library on Mount Road at Chennai was a wonderful storehouse of books and translations of world literature was available in English in this marvelous treasure house. I read Pudumaipithan, Rajaji, Devan,Ku.Alagiriswamy, Thi.Janakiraman, La.Sa.Ra in Tamil and Saul Bello, Dostoevsky, Kafka in English. Of course my friends were also reading the same books.
My good friends included David Chandrashekar. The first piece of poetry from me was published by ' Kanaiyazhi ' when I was just 20 years of age. Ashokamitran was the Editor. I became a banker and continued to enjoy literature.
My work kept me busy for I was a successful banker. I liked my job immensely and therefore did not have the time to submit my work to publishers for a long time. Thirty years later ( 2008 ) , I began writing for the magazine ' Vaarthai ' which was being published by P.K.Shivakumar ( USA ). Subsequently I began to be a part of the editorial board of ' Solvanam ( a digital magazine - http://www.solvanam.com ). Sethupathy Arunachalam took me into it and in the last ten years about two hundred issues have been published. The readership exceeds 5000.
The magazine shares articles on a number of subjects which include - technology , science, economics, literature, cinema, art etc., Stories, poems and articles on other subjects are also part of this publication. I write on a number of subjects including cinema, " smiled Va.Srinivasan while showing his collection of books. He has also read books from at the C.Vijayaraghavachariar Library ( Salem ) and the Kasthuri Srinivasan Library ( Triplicane - Chennai ).
Va.Srinivasan and Uma are blessed with a daughter Varsha. She is married to Mathuranathan and the couple are now busy with their child Advaith. Lord Uppiliappan at Kumbakonam is the family deity. The author has never been to his native Sirukudi. He remembers having seen nearly 50 movies in Kalpana Theatre while at Salem. The theatre had been built by K.C.Sampath Kumar, the son of the famous imported liquor merchant K.L.Chinnikrishna Chetty. They used to be known as the ' Brandy Shop ' people before independence. Va.Srinivasan remembers his bank parties that had taken place at the National Hotel in Salem. Going around Salem in the horse drawn carts are ever green in his memory.
The brilliant writer used to listen to J. Krishnamurti from his college days. The speeches used to be at ' Vasanta Vihar ' in Chennai. The philosophers book on education was translated by him into Tamil and it was published by KFI. Quite a few publications have shared the works of Va.Srinivasan. ' Indha Nootrandil Sirukadhaigal ' ( complied by Vittal Rao ) contains his story ' Kinatril Vizhundha Soham '. It is found alongside the works of Bharathi and Pudumaipithan. ' Tamilar Puthagangal - Or Arimugam ' complied by Subbu contains another fine article by Va.Srinivasan.
Nowadays he is associated with ' Siruvani Vasagar Maiyam ' at Coimbatore as its advisor and they have published two books written by him ( Kanakidaithavai & Edhai Patriyum ( a ) Idhu Madhiriyum Therigirathu ). G.R.Prakash burns midnight oil to keep Siruvani Vasagar Maiyam establish itself in the world of Tamil literature.
He shared some more information about ' Solvanam 'and other connections , " Ravishankar is one of the founding editors ( he was the editor of ' Pragnai ' , a reputed little magazine which was known in the seventies of the last century ). About ten of us living in the USA, UK and India are behind the publication. Poet Pramil was quite close to me and so was Ashokamitran. Jayakanthan and Nanjil Nadan are my other close contacts.
Nanjil Nadan is like an elder brother for me. I am a follower of Rajaji and Gandhi when it comes to politics. J. Krishnamurti, Nisargadatta Maharaj and Ramana Maharishi are my spiritual influences. N.Ramachundhiran ( N.Ramu Brothers ) , the Founder of the J. Krishnamurti Study Centre in Coimbatore was very well known to me. Jayakanthan shaped my political ideas. Cho.Ramaswamy was brilliant and far sighted. Jayakanthan was a true nationalist. He was first an Indian and then a Tamilian".
Va.Srinivasan cherishes the works of a big list of directors - Satyajit Ray, Akira Kurosava, Robert Bresson, Louis Buluel, Tarkovsky, Roman Polanski, William Wyler, James Cameroon, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Alfred Hitchcock, Mel Brooks, Laurel & Hardy, Charlie Chaplin. " I consider the one who supports what is ' right ' for the ' Universe ' to be a ' rightist ' and this includes ' leftists ' and ' centrists ' provided they satisfy the condition, " stated Va.Srinivasan while sharing his views.
The committed author was born at the dawn of the republic and became a ' Coimbatorean ' at the dawn of the twenty first century. Thanks to writers like Va.Srinivasan, Coimbatore is adding to the literary flavor of India.