I was falling. Of how Thumbelina falls into the bosom of a flower or Jack falls from the vanishing giant magical beanstalk. Like Alice tumbling down the hole, I was falling.
With my existing strongholds vanishing alongside, my beliefs and assumptions about the world scattering one after the other, I found myself in a place of nothingness, uncertain and uninspired. That's when I picked up a short story book written in Tamil, and it brought everything back to life in clearer vision.
I had fallen onto the lap of literature.
This book, called "First comes the Night" (முதலில் இரவு வரும்) by the writer Aadhavan, explored interpersonal relationships in metropolitan life, set in 70s Delhi. The first story lasted not more than five pages, but every line hooked me into the writer's world. Aadhavan is known for writing about internal thoughts, with its doubts and delusions flowing in their fullest glory. I am not alone, I thought to myself. Through the characters set in the stories, the writer alternates between dialogues, a third person narrative and internal thoughts. It happens in an effortless manner, that you often forget the external structure of the prose and are fully drawn into the head of the protagonist. In his consecutive stories featuring young couples, lovers, mothers and one with an old man, this distinctive style of flowing thoughts gives way to the wide range of emotional anxieties that one goes through while making a decision - to talk or even say something. It manages to analyse the complexities of one's character in the most intimate way possible. Following the basic structure of the modern short story, it pushes the envelop by focusing on the character's inner worlds, thus revealing the writer's inner voice. Previously, I didn't know that you could write this way.
I was trying to write a short story based on an idea a year ago. It was in the genre of science fiction and I had gotten too lost in the logical loopholes. I only had ideas but no story. I wanted to be sure of everything before I started writing. At that time, I did not know that writing allows you to discover things that you didn't know before. It is the process that gives rise to the story.
At the time, I also had a limited reading of literature, confined to a global capitalist en masse production of books. During my childhood, I was introduced to some classics, but grew further away from it as I entered the world of almost pulp fiction. Jeffrey Archer and Dan Brown lined my shelves with an occasional Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I enjoyed the short stories (The Bet by Chekov, The Sniper by O'Henry) from World Literature taught in school but it never intrigued me enough to start reading classical novels. Most of my teenage years were spent at the playground and at dance class, that library time at school was my 'sleeping time.' I read only non fiction since then for research.
Reading non fiction gave rise to a lot of ideas. But my lack of knowledge of fiction narrowed my playing ground. I was unaware of the tools and ways of writing. I also didn't know how to choose whom to read, and looked for recommendations from friends. All this while, I didn't know that what I was looking for was so close to me, at home.
Modern Tamil Literature
Tamil is a classical language that has a revered history of poetic literary writing that originated more than 2000 years ago. However, due to the focus on historicity and the presence of a government atmosphere that largely relied on using the language for politics, school textbooks follow a syllabus that only introduces students to the literature through a purely language centric lens without giving any value to the artistic or creative aspect of it. You are asked to memorise poetry and their meanings. Any chance for understanding the meaning for yourself gets completely lost in the way. If you studied in a school following the national syllabus, even that opportunity was doomed for as badly translated books and poorly written dramas are designated for prose sections. Throughout my childhood, I enjoyed writing and speaking in Tamil; I never had the chance to read or learn similarly.
The first time I read a modern Tamil short story was in 9th grade. I had a Tamil teacher who refused to follow the syllabus and handed out stories from his own curation. "The Elephant Doctor" from the writer Jeyamohan's short story collection 'Aram' (translated into English as Stories of the True by Priyamvada Ramkumar) is a fictional account of the real life Dr.K who lived in Mudumalai. Chronicling his story treating wild elephants and their reciprocation of gratitude towards him, the story entails vivid imagery that rebuilds the forests of Mudumalai and the visionary life of the doctor. Since then, I only discovered the book again last year and read the entire series. In the collection, you find stories from people who lived ordinary lives but were extraordinary by themselves and their actions. The intricate descriptions of their physical surroundings, the socio political implications on the protagonists themselves, and the inner conviction that gives rise to their actions makes them go beyond their designated roles within the family or workspace and propels them into the realm of the extraordinary. At moments we even feel the presence of the divine within them. The book has been widely read in both English and Tamil (has been translated into Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada as well).
While Jeyamohan's writings reflect an unparalleled intensity both in its width and breadth, a vast literary oevre that one finds themselves drenched in, his work in literary criticism, philosophy and history draw a picture of culture and humanity in the most eloquent form possible. His blog (jeyamohan.in) runs like an e-magazine where he writes everyday, publishing essays by readers and their letters about their reading experiences. This consistent exchange of knowledge between writer and reader, and amongst readers themselves has led to a burgeoning community of intellectuals who pursue a common quest for reading over their shared love for literature. Through his blog, a newcomer can slowly discover the literary tradition reading about the various masters of their craft. One can learn how to approach a piece of fiction, or any of the classical texts and their meanings allowing it to open within yourself unto its fullest poetic expression. His numerous books written about Ways to Read(வாசிப்பின் வழிகள் ), The Craft of Writing (எழுதும் கலை), An Introduction to Modern Tamil Literature (நவீன தமிழ் இலக்கிய அறிமுகம் ) are excellent first steps any beginner can take.
Vishnupuram Literary Festival
Readers of Jeyamohan's work came to form a global literary reading circle in the name of his novel 'Vishnupuram', and have held an annual literary festival for the past 15 years and counting. The festival honours a writer who has made a mark within the Tamil literary environment and confers the Vishnupuram award. The prize however does not contain itself to the trophy or a cheque, but is aimed at bringing about more readership and discussion about the writer's literary world. It is announced six months ahead of the festival, and during the time that leads to it, various essays, criticisms are written thereby publishing a book about the writer, released on the day of the festival. The first time I attended the festival was in 2023, with the award being conferred to writer Yuvan Chandrashekhar. The 2024 edition was awarded to writer Era. Murugan.
The festival is a two day event with multiple sessions hosting emerging writers, poets, magazine editors and translators. Each session runs an hour long with an interviewer beginning with the initial question and the floor being left open to the audience the rest of the time. Since everyone in the audience has read or devoured the works of the guests, the questions stem from their independent reading thus their unique point of view. From the session, through the q&a a viewer (who has read or not read) can understand the general themes and characteristics of the interviewee's literary world. We can also learn about their personal aspirations that led to taking certain artistic decisions within the writing. Questions that probe personal lives or their politics and long personal opinions are strictly forbidden. The ground is only open for literary questions concerning the writings.
My experience of the festival in 2023 was heartwarming. I was delighted to see a hall full of literary enthusiasts who treated everyone like their family. Another important aspect of the festival is that they provide food and accommodation for both the days like of a big Indian family wedding. (Donations of any capacity are accepted for the festival.) I do not think this could happen anywhere else in the world. Writers and readers sitting shoulder to shoulder, eating food, their faces alight with joy. Whenever you pass the hallways or even in the dining area are conversations happening - about literature. In no other intellectual space have I experienced this warmth and welcome. In my past experience visiting other festivals, overpriced food and people walking about with an air of importance intimidate me from having any valuable conversations. I have felt like a stranger.
Here, I have walked upto a poet with a 50 year old writing career and asked my questions from the depth of my heart. Even being able to sit a few feet away from my favourite writers, to being able to walk near them and greet them with a smile gives my heart multiple leaps of joy. The love that one can have for their favourite writers is immeasurable and the Vishnupuram literary festival is a bridge between hearts who beat to the tune of literature.
(to be continued)
Swarna in her fangirl era ♥️😍