Blood and Sweat in a capsule

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Blood and Sweat in a CapsuleBlood and Sweat in a CapsuleBlood and Sweat in a CapsuleBlood and Sweat in a Capsule

An Introduction to Thamizhanban’s Poems &An Introduction to Thamizhanban’s Poems &An Introduction to Thamizhanban’s Poems &An Introduction to Thamizhanban’s Poems &

Translation of Select Poems Translation of Select Poems Translation of Select Poems Translation of Select Poems

Maraimalai IlakkuvanarMaraimalai IlakkuvanarMaraimalai IlakkuvanarMaraimalai Ilakkuvanar

ChennaiChennaiChennaiChennai

2012 2012 2012 2012

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CONTENTS

Foreword 3

A wonderful Treatise 7

1.Modern Tamil Poetry 9

2.Thamizhanban-A Poet par

excellence

16

3. Thamizhanban’s poem on

Identity crisis

20

4. Thamizhanban’s abstract poem-

" A Boat is arriving"

28

6. A couple of Poems to Illustrate

Thamizhanban's Poetic Techniques 37

.7.Thamizhanban’s poem about

friendship

41

8.Haiku Poems of Thamizhanban 42

9."A TRUCKLOAD OF SENRYU" 45

10. Limeraiku poems by

Thamizhanban

51

11. Post-modernist poems of

Thamizhanban

55

11. Blood and sweat in a capsule 68

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Foreword

Vasu Renganathan

University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia.

October 10, 2012.

Recently, I was profusely struck by the title iravākavē viTintatu that one of the

Canadian Tamil writers Mr. A. Muthulingam gave for his short story that appeared in the

North American journal TenRal (Sep. 2012 vol.12, Issue 10, pp. 36-37). I could not

prevent myself from relating the oxymoron in this title, which can be roughly translated

to 'day dawned as night', to the point that Professor Maraimalai is attempting to make in

this monograph over social reformation, cultural renaissance and emancipation of the

Tamil society, especially through the means of Tamil poetries of the modern time. As

Maraimalai himself categorically states, 'it took lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to

where we are today, but we have just begun', one can not stop from wondering what this

beginning might look like and why it took centuries to make this start now, if this

beginning has ever occurred now as he claims. Even though the Tamils' history can be

traced back to the beginning of caNkam era, what the Tamils experience and practice

today is indeed an amalgamation of the beliefs and sentiments of many cultures and

traditions having their traces stretching back to about four thousand years of Indian

history. What the revolutionary poet Bharatiyar attempted to fight against and what

Maraimalai attempts to catalog in this monograph as social evils of Tamils must have

their causes rooted somewhere during this long history, and not something that occurred

during the lifetime of the modern poets. Ironically, one often sees in Chōlā's inscriptions

that the charities to public were usually made those time with a daunting forewarning

aside. 'Anyone who fails to fulfill their duties, such as keeping the temple lamps being lit

for ever or making periodic offerings to temples would be considered to have committed

a sin comparable to the act of killing cows on the shores of the Ganges, the holiest spot of

the Hindus'. (Cf. ...itukkut tappinavarkaL kenkaikkaraiyile kārāmpacuvaik konRa

pāpattilē pokakkaTavarākavum... SIIV-47:1888). One can not deny, but only this sort of

fears which became the cause of all superstitious beliefs and customs that the Tamils

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follow stubbornly must have shapped their way of life in all respects. As long as this fear

of precarious consequences due to sins resides in the hearts of the Tamils, and as long as

it becomes the driving force upon which everything revolves around in their life, all the

days of the Tamils will presumably continue to dawn with a profound dark in it.

In no other ways one sees a major impact upon the Tamils than through the

indulgence of passionate Tamil words and expressions in their hearts. Revolutionary and

radical thoughts of the modern social reformists such as Bharatiyar, Bharatidasan,

E.V.Ramasamy Periyar., C. N. Annaturai, and more recently Erode Thamizhanban are

often visualized in the form of such words and expressions. Some of them that may be

cited here may include cutantira tākam 'thirst for independence', peN viDutalai 'women's

liberation', tīNDāmai 'untouchability', mūDa nampikkaikai 'superstitious beliefs',

pakuttaṛivu 'radical thinking', and so on. It may not be an overstatement to state that it

was these modern poets and social reformers who were solely responsible for sowing

these passionate expressions in the hearts of the Tamils through their poems, writings and

their own personal life. In essence, these expressions undeniably speak for themselves

not only for the incessantly prevailed social and cultural anomalies of the Tamils for

centuries, they are also revealing the history of the blood, sweat and tears that these

modern social reformers shed throughout their life with the intention to eradicate such

social evils for good. Professor Maraimalai in this monograph entitled "Blood and

Sweat in a Capsule - An introduction to Thamizhanban’s poems and translation of select

poems" takes two major stances. While he presents the history in a coordinated fashion

starting from the contributions of Bharatiyar, Bharatidasan, E.V. Ramasamy Periyar, C.

N. Annaturai simultaneously with relevant reinforcing thoughts of Karl Marx, Sigmund

Freud, and Charles Darwin, he also painfully walks us through the analogous thoughts

and reformatory ideas of one of the leading contemporary poets Erode Thamizhanban.

Winner of the Sahitya Academy Award and Kalaimamani Award, Erode Thamizhanban

has so far published about sixty-seven collections in the form of Tamil stories, poems and

novels. Thamizhanban’s works, as Maraimalai discusses meticulously throughout this

monograph, comprise not only of radical social thoughts and innovative ideas, they also

contain a mixture of other genres of literary masterpieces such as Haiku poems and putuk

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Kavithaikal 'modern poems' and so on. In the following poems, for example, we do see

his eloquence:

I just dug a fountain in my mind-

Thousand people rushed

To sit and drink.

To the person who fell down ten times

Mother Earth kissed and told:

Already you have stood erect nine times!

(Cf. Sūriyap Piraikal - Translation from Tamil by Maraimalai).

The narratives of figurative expressions in these poems and in a number of other

collections of Thamizhanban are fully capable of drawing one's attention toward many

circumstances, especially from the varied perspectives of the readers. While they profess

a sense of immediate appeal in the minds of the readers, they also have a strong tendency

to form as the fundamental basis for many literary enlightenments to follow, a typical

behavior of any literature of this kind.

Professor Maraimalai takes a step further to relate Thamizhanban’s poems to the

ideas of 'identity crisis', originally proposed by the Psychologist Erik Erikson. Not only

does Maraimalai explain in length about the concept of identity crisis, he also goes to the

extent of laying out the facts as to how Thamizhanban’s poems demonstrate within them

the psychological behaviors of identity crisis in the form of carefully worded Tamil

poems. Throughout, Maraimalai took a careful effort to categorize all of

Thamizhanban’s poems in a number of different topics including patriotism, his elegant

poetic techniques, the spirit of humanism, friendship, Haiku poems, Senryu poems, post-

modernist poems and so on. Maraimalai ends with a summary of his own thoughts about

this monograph, which presumably originated from Winston Churchill's infamous words,

"I have nothing to offer but, blood, toil, tears and sweat".

"...August 15 is stinking in the pavements of the towns and slums. Our people

remain as corpses, slaughtered by diseases and disasters, thrown out by unemployment

and poverty. In our country industry has surely grown, by eating the livers of the

downtrodden...." (Tamizhanban's poem on Independence Day of India, translation by

Maraimalai). What Tamizhanban alludes to in this poem doesn't seem any different from

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what Bharatiyar wrote in one of his poems decades ago: ēzaiyenRum aTimaiyenRum

evanum illai jātiyil. izivu koNTa manitarenpatu intiyāvil illaiy ē.... 'None to be proclaimed

as poor, nor a slave in our castes! None to be identified as downtrodden in our India'

(Viṭutalai by Bharathiyar).

Tamizhanban unquestionably continues the tradition of the 'outcries of Tamil poets', but

pitifully the concerns and the themes continue to persist the same way as before! The

Blood and Sweat in a Capsule, perhaps in a magnificent Capsule!

Vasu Renganathan

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Dr.Siva Pillai, "Be a vegetarian Spread Vegetarianism" Dept of Educational Studies, Tel: +44 (0) 20 88519096 Goldsmiths College, University of London, MOB: 07951 476 706 Newcross, London. SE14 6NW http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/siva

A wonderful Treatise

Blood and Sweat in a Capsule - An Introduction to Thamizhanban’s Poems

&Translation of Select Poems by Maraimalai Ilakkuvanar is a detailed critique of the veteran Tamil poet Thamizhanban. The critic gives an over-

all view of the poet’s personality which is revealed through his works. A brief description of the poems of the great Tamil poet Bharathiyar and his disciple Bharatidasan prepares the reader with the right mindset to comprehend the poems of Thamizhanban, who is an ardent follower of these two remarkable and renowned poets. An account of the historical and social circumstances during the times of these two poets enables the reader imagine the impact their works would have created into the minds of their contemporary learned individuals and spirited youth. Being an ardent follower of these two poets, it is no wonder that he condemns the social evils prevalent in his time as they dealt with serious contempt the social evils of their times. There is a detailed analysis of the theme of identity crisis that the modern youth faces, with proper descriptions and definitions which form part of psychoanalysis. The descriptions given about the works of poets like T.S. Elliot and Ezra Pound will certainly create room for the reader to be prepared to understand Thamizhanban’s poems on the modern man’s dilemma. Furthermore, the educational background of the poet makes one realize the root cause of the richness of the language used in his poems with the heavy laden themes. This treatise explores the poetic forms employed by Thamizhanban in detail, without failing to furnish appropriate examples. The poet seems to have experimented with all the contemporary poetic forms, but each with a distinct success, though! Even though the themes - such as contempt against the social evils like dowry harassment, atrocities of capitalists and discrimination based on caste religion and wealth - remain the same, the way the poet has used the language in the poetic form, be it a haiku, or ‘Senryu’ or limeraiku’, astonishes the reader. The critic humbly states that the linguistic and cultural barriers haven’t allowed him to give an excellent translation so as to communicate the meaning and impact of the original in his translation of Thamizhanban’s

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poems. But in actual terms, he succeeds in achieving these results with his unique translations along with his careful paraphrasing. The author does not forget to stress on the facts that Thamizhanban is an ardent follower of Buddha, he always wanted people to retain their humanism and that he wanted to replace religion with socialism. This critique will definitely serve as an eye-opener to those who do not have much knowledge about Thamizhanban’s poetic works. Indeed, it will ‘kindle the subtle thoughts’ of the readers in a way to read his poems more extensively. Siva Pillai.

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1.Modern Tamil Poetry

Poets Bharatiyar and Bharatidasan have played a predominant role in the development of

modern Tamil poetry.Bharatiyar, the morning star of modern Tamil poetry, dedicated his

poetic career for the emancipation of the society from poverty, ignorance, communalism,

superstition and untouchability.Emancipation of Dalits and emancipation of women were

more important for him than the political freedom. When he envisaged the freedom of

India the first and foremost thing he wished was the freedom of Dalits. For him freedom

of India meant primarily the emancipation of the oppressed castes.

Among the poets in the erstwhile British India, during the colonial period, we can not cite

any other poet as progressive and as futuristic like Bharatiyar.Being a Brahmin by birth

never prevented him in condemning the atrocities of the Brahmin community, who

practiced the custom of un-touchability,and ostracized the ‘lower caste’ people.

"None should be called as poor, or considered as lower by birth, In India no person is

inferior to others.""

Thus proclaimed Bharatiar.

When he dreamt of the Independence of India from the British rule, three decades before

we got freedom, he desired the emancipation of the oppressed and downtrodden people

from the clutches of upper-caste peoples’ domination.

Oh! Freedom, Liberty and Independence,

The Paraiyaas, Thiyyaas and Pulayas

Are freed from their enslavement.

In the Independent India, nobody should be considered as inferior; those who were given

much reverence, just by their birth in a caste or race, will loose such respect hereafter, he

warned:

The time has gone

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When we were used to call

The Brahmins as of the ‘High breed’

And the British people as ‘Lord”

Bharatiyar was a rare kind of poet. He was a rebel and his revolt was against Religion,

particularly the Hindu religion, which propagated a lot of superstitions in the name of

religion and made people believe that their sufferings were the order of the God, and the

mighty destiny has to be obeyed passively. He never cared to wear the sacred thread,

which is a symbol of the Brahmin supremacy, among the Hindus. But he conducted a

homam (a ritual, an offering to God) and taught the ‘gayathri manthra’which was hitherto

a Brahmin property and made a poor man, by name Kanakalingam, who belonged to a

caste which was considered as the lowest among Hindus.

While a Brahmin eats, nobody from the non-Brahmin sects should come to that place.

Even if a person who is a non-Brahmin sees that, it will be considered as an evil-bearing

insult to the Brahmin .It was called as ‘Dhrishti dosham’.

During that period of such discrimination under the name of religious custom, Bharatiyar

had the courage to visit slums inhabited by poor people who belonged to ‘lower

castes.’Bharatiar practiced what he preached and was condemned by his relatives and the

Brahmins during his period for his progressive views and revolutionary approach.

Bharatidasan and his followers

. Bharatidasan may be described as a poet of the twentieth century, who endeavored to

achieve a cultural renaissance in Tamilnadu and who dreamed to usher in an egalitarian

society. Poetry in his hand turned as a powerful weapon to fight communalism, religious

fundamentalism, conservative determinism, sexism and many more social evils, under

whose grip, not only Tamilnadu but the whole Indian sub-continent suffered a lot for

many centuries. With his unique style and revolutionary mission Bharatidasan attracted a

large number of poets during his lifetime and thereafter. After the advent of Bharatidasan

Tamil poetry became the domain of Bharatidasan and his followers.

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”Bharatidasan, together with his senior contemporary and mentor Subramania Bharati,

resuscitated the art of Tamil poetry in the twentieth century when it had become decadent

and was almost in its death-troes.”says Marudanayagam in his Introduction to the English

translation of Bharatidasan’s poems. Even though it is a little bit exaggeration, his

comparison of the two great poets, is apt and unbiased.

“If the master destined to live a short but eventful life, focused his attention on arousing

the patriotic feelings of his countrymen through his poems during the pre-independence

days, besides breathing a new life into a language that had been put to constant poetic use

for an incredibly long period of more than twenty centuries, the disciple, blessed with a

full life ,could attend to all the other social needs after the country won its freedom and

show the world that Tamil, which flourished during the Sangam period, continues to be

an astonishingly rich medium for poems on a vast variety of themes demanded by

modern age.”

An in-depth analysis of Bharatiyar’s poems will show his keen desire for social

emancipation in all aspects. In Bharatidasan we get a complete switchover to a radical

and rational approach. Poetry in his hand turned as a powerful weapon to fight

communalism, religious fundamentalism, conservative determinism, sexism and many

more social evils under whose grip not only Tamilnadu but the whole Indian sub-

continent suffered a lot for many centuries. The social evils and atrocities committed in

the name of religion and God paved the way for the emergence of the great leader

E.V.Ramasamy (E.V.R.) whom the Tamils affectionately called Periyar (The great man).

Periyar in his earlier days of political career involved himself in the national movement

and had an active participation in the Indian National congress. The climate and context

of the then Madras Presidency made Periyar metamorphose into a great reformer,

iconoclast and revolutionary thinker. He became the legend in his life time and an

indomitable force against all social evils. He fought against the Brahmin supremacy and

succeeded in bringing out a government proclamation, called as communal G.O., which

enabled the oppressed castes to get their due share in the government posts. He founded

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the self-respect movement (1925) to achieve social reformation and at the same time took

part in the Justice party to capture the political power from the Brahmins. The Justice

party was re-organized in 1944 under the guidance of Periyar as the ‘Dravidar

Kazhagam’ (Dravidian association). It was a radical social reform movement and

attracted the youth of Tamilnadu very much.

Periyar (The Great Man) was a legend in his lifetime and an emancipator of a great

significance. He can be compared to Mahatma Phule or Rajaram Mohan Roy, and

deserves a very important place in the annals of Indian history. He was a Raja ram

Mohan Roy in social reforms, an Ambedkar in the uplift of Dalits (The Oppressed), an

Ingersoll in atheism, a Bertrand Russell in rational approach and a Mao in mass appeal

and organizing skills

Bharatidasan was an ardent follower of Periyar’s policies. To avoid elaboration we can

simply describe Bharatidasan as a literary counterpart of Periyar E.V.R.

Among the modern Tamil poets of the post-independence period (i.e. after 1947) most of

them come under the Bharatidasan School. Two main features further intensified the

spread and dominance of Bharatidasan School.

1) “Ponni” a literary magazine which was run by Murugu Subramaniyam, published

thought-provoking essays, avant-garde fiction and enervating poems. The motive of the

magazine was to introduce young and talented writers and poets with social awareness.

Each issue carried a poem under the title”Bharatidasan legacy” (Bharatidasan

paramparai).The editor’s aim was to introduce young poets who belong to “Bharatidasan

School”. As many as forty-seven pots were introduced in this manner and they proved

their might by their dedicated poetic career.

2) C.N.Annadurai (C.N.A.) who was hailed as the Commander of Periyar E.V.R.’s Black

shirt-movement, who later founded the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (D.M.K.) was

running a journal “Dravida Naadu” which served as a vehicle of communication between

him and his followers.C.N.A.’s powerful writings in this magazine attracted educated

youth very much.

C.N.A. encouraged, budding writers and poets by publishing their worthy articles in this

magazine. It is not a eulogy to say that a renaissance in Tamil literature ushered by his

efforts.

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He introduced budding poets who stood for the ideals of the self-respect movement (i.e.

policies of Periyar E.V.R., which attempt a social reform) and for the cause of the Tamil

language. In the making up of an egalitarian thereby a secular and welfare state, the poets

who followed the Dravidian movement gained an important place. Undoubtedly these

poets belonged to the Bharatidasan poetic school.

Thamizhanban, Abdul Rahman and many other poets who belong to the Bharatidasan

School alone have succeeded in their modernist experiments

With a good command of conventional prosody and at the same time a wish to perform

some new experiments so as to evolve a modern literary form they brought a literary

revolution as the forerunners of Free verse in Tamil.

Free verse in Tamil is called as "Puthu Kavithai" (New Poetry).The poets who contribute

'New poetry' in Tamil have done a considerable variety or kinds in this form and as a

result of their achievement it has become a Genre

. The modernist literary trends evolved in the western countries which are the outcome of

the post-war scenario and industrial revolution had their deep impact in Modern Tamil

poetry.

It is to be noted that there is a vast difference in the origin of free verse in the west and in

India. The socio-economical changes due to the Industrial revolution, Inventions and

Innovations in all the disciplines of science prompted the origin and growth of Free verse

in the west.

Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud and Charles Darwin were the path-breakers, not only in the

history of mankind, but also in the thinking process of man. Approaches to life and

arguments in Philosophy gained new vision and provoked a kaleidoscopic variety of

arguments and counter-arguments.

Inventions in Atomic physics and explorations in the space, made the mankind, reach

new zeniths of intellect. Literature had its impact from printing technology and the

development of photography. The modernist trends in painting like Cubism, Fauvism,

Impressionism and Expressionism provoked the modern poets. Symbolism, Imagism and

Obscurantism attracted them and the verse libre had its origin in these kinds of post-war

modernist trends.

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The theme of "International citizen" and the sublime value of Humanism found their

places, crossing borders. Japanese haiku was adopted by Europeans and Americans.

Haiku contests were conducted in English by many Airline companies in U.S.

The poems of T.S.Eliot were translated in Japanese language and many Eliot clubs were

founded in Japan. The intermingling of East and West was considered as the only way to

achieve unity and solidarity of mankind.

To put it brief, the countries which were hostile and inimical before the Second World

War, craved for peace and prosperity. The calamity and chaos they witnessed during the

war taught them new lessons. They now understood that by ignoring the ethnic and

geographical divisions, mankind should get united and speak in one voice against

oppression in any kind by any force. This vision made poets crossing the borders to

advocate for Humanism.

But in India, which was the least affected by the wars, the scene is a different one.

As a country of Thiruvalluvar, Buddha and Mahavira, India preached and practiced

Non-violence. The freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi followed

ahimsa, the non-violent approach. ‘One world’ theory is not new to India." Every country

is my country and every man is my relative" is the lofty maxim gave by the Tamil poet

Kaniyan poongkundranaar, three thousand years ago.

India never witnessed an industrial revolution. The socio-economic background of

Europe which was the nursery of modernism can not be equated with that of India. Here

in India, there was the need for a war against the atrocities committed in the name of

religion. The practice of Untouchability was so prevalent in almost all of the Indian

villages.

Mahatma Phule, Mahatma Gandhi, Periyar E.V.R. and B.R.Ambedkar dedicated their

lives for the uplift of the oppressed 'lower caste' Hindus. The caste system and

discrimination were eliminated by their sincere efforts at least among the educated urban

people. Stringent laws are enforced to ban the discrimination in the name of caste. The

modern India owes for its emergence as a welfare state not only to leaders like them but

also to poets who propagated the lofty ideals of Phule, Gandhi, Periyar and Ambedkar.

If modernism was the maxim that motivated the western poets, Gandhian thoughts and

progressive views were the force behind the Indian poets during the post-war period.

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It is the post-colonial period that witnessed the switch-over to western thoughts and

literary trends in India. The craze for imitating the western experiments infected the

Indian literary scene like an epidemic fever from the Mount Himalayas to Cape Comorin.

Poets justified their Eurocentric misadventures and succeeded in their attempt to

popularize the Free verse, a blend of meaningless matter and misleading manner.

Now Free verse has emerged as a genre in Indian languages with various kinds to suit

different sets of audience.Hiaku, Senryu and limeraiku have flourished and found their

way to attain important places in Indian languages.

We, as critics, can not prescribe rules and dictate them to poets. The new genres have to

be analyzed, appreciated and acknowledged without any hesitation.

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2.Thamizhanban-A Poet par excellence

.Even though Bharatiyar’s poetic genius and nationalistic fervor are not remembered and

adored in other states of India-outside Tamilnadu-those who view the history of India in

an objective and unbiased perspective, will definitely hail him as one of the national

heroes of Indian Freedom Movement.

As a poet, Bharatiyar, who had a clear vision to usher a socialist India, free from all

social evils His prime disciple, Bharatidasan, an innovator in the poetic field and an

emancipator in the modern history of Tamilnadu, holds an unparalleled and supreme

position among the modern poets of Indian languages. Thematic surprise, Technical

innovation and iconoclasticity are his poetic tools. He is celebrated for his poems on

cultural nationalism and Tamil renaissance. But this should not prompt us to conclude

that he lacked a broader perspective. His poems on National solidarity and international

amity have the power to motivate everyone who reads them.Bharatidasan, undoubtedly,

dreamt for a borderless world with peace-loving citizens adopting universal brotherhood.

Thamizhanban considers Bharatiyar and Bharatidasan as his mentors. His poem on

Thiruppur Kumaran, who sacrificed his life, holding the tricolor flag in his hands and

chanting ‘vandhe maatharam’ in spite of the brutal attack of the policemen during British

regime, speaks for his national spirit. It is written in the form of a folk-ballad, for recital

in the folk-entertainment called‘Villuppaattu’. It is his first book published in the year

1968.For the past forty-four years, Thamizhanban’s pen is creating wonderful and

thought-provoking poems.

In 1970 appeared his first volume of poems titled "Thamizhanban Kavithaikal"(Poems of

Thamizhanban). Till date he has brought 32 collections of poems, 16 Prose works and 3

books in the field of Children’s literature.

Thamizhanban is unparalleled in his futuristic vision, craving for a world without war. He

wants the whole mankind to stand united, shunning away the national and ethnic

identities.

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Satire becomes a powerful weapon in his poems, staging a merciless attack on all social

evils. His sarcastic notes on the follies of men belonging to all walks of life aim at

restructuring the society into an egalitarian one.

His Thirty-two volumes of poems are kaleidoscopic in their forms and techniques.

Thamizhanban has authored many narratives in free verse; they are well documented and

skillfully told in lucid language; the form and content are complimentary and they have a

powerful message to convey to the society.

For example we can cite one among the narratives in free verse titled "The remnant of the

fire which burnt Nandhan"("andha nandhanai erichcha neruppin michcham"). It describes

an upper caste landlord who humiliates and ill-treats Dalits.Here the anger of the landlord

turns into a rage when the agricultural laborers ask for a hike in wage. Thamizhanban

tells through this narrative that the oppressed cannot be kept oppressed for a very long

time, and this is the time for them to achieve emancipation by their united efforts.

Dowry harassment is one of the social evils, which hinders the process of arranged

marriages. Those who are unable to give a sizable dowry do not get married. Most of the

poets readily express their anguish over the habit of receiving dowry from the brides. The

poets, who pay lip service to women’s rights, exploit this situation cleverly. They shed

crocodile tears for these women just to push the sale of their books. Actually they

maintain a dual role. On the one hand, they pretend to sympathize for the belated

marriages of the pitiable ladies who cannot afford to pay a huge amount as dowry. On the

other hand, they indulge in describing the anatomy of these ladies to attract the attention

of the young readers.

Thamizhanban, a committed rationalist, efficiently exposes the dual role played by such

poets in his poem “When the directions are wrong, what is the use of corrections in the

map? (Thisaikalail kolaaru, thesap padaththaith thiruththi enna laabam?)

According to Thamizhanban when the whole societal set-up is in disorder what is the use

of crying against dowry harassment? Only after establishing a socialist society we can be

free from all social evils. When there is amassment of wealth on one side and acute

poverty on the other side, Dowry-seekers will definitely be there to harass brides and

their parents. The poet appeals to everyone in the society to realize this fact and to make a

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determination to struggle for the revolution with a strong will. He makes a call to the

working class and downtrodden.

Even though pushed down under

The flood of domination and oppression

Thou

Unaffected as phosphorous under water!

Awake!

The Phosphorous, which is put in water, remains inactive. But when it is taken out it

absorbs oxygen in the atmospheric air and burns. Thamizhanban considers the labor and

downtrodden as Phosphorous put in water. He is sure that one day when they get

exposure they will revolt thereby ushering a socialist society.

Thamizhanban acts as an emancipator through his poems. He strives for the emancipation

of women, emancipation of Daits, emancipation of the working class and downtrodden.

As a student of Indian literature find in Thamizhanban a Nirala, because of his

revolutionary outlook. Thamizhanban is more than a Dinkar as he addresses the

international citizens. In his lyrics the subjective mood reminds me of

Mahadevivarma.His introversion and introspection undoubtedly equals that of

Rabindranath Tagore.His powerful appeal for a stronger and united India can be

compared to that of Gopalakrishna Adiga in his poems. His dream for a new universe full

of positive thoughts reminds us of SriSri (Srikakulam Srinivasa Rao).

Thamizhanban’s broad outlook and his sincere efforts to achieve peace and amity through

his poetic career have no comparison.

He is a myriad-minded artist who has proved his skills in various ways.

He is a novelist, essayist, drama-script writer and a fine performing artist, reciting poems

in Kavi mushairaas stealing away the audience by his thought-provoking puns and subtle

wit.

His command of language and his artistic skills in evolving innovative techniques of

poetic expression make his poems unique. The leading critics in Tamil literature hail him

as a "Sculptor of Poetic images". He is successful in producing private symbols and

mixing them with the universal symbols. By this kind of fusion he challenges his readers

19

to explore the inner meaning of his poems by finding their own interpretations, thereby

establishing a co-authorship to unravel the poetic beauty of his symbolic poems.

Rationalism, socialism and humanism are voiced in his poems. Various themes, which

depict the complexities of the modern life, are depicted powerfully through his poems.

The psychic perplexities of the modern man in the modern sequence are illustrated in the

poems of Thamizhanban, which are provoking pen-portraits of the modern society. To

him poetry is not a mere slogan. He never finds pleasure in attacking any individual or

any particular organization.

Thamizhanban never associates himself with any particular political party, but his

ideology is progressive, left-oriented and secular. If his complete works are translated in

all languages of the world, I am sure, the whole world will look upon us in admiration.

Without any hesitation we can proclaim that Thamizhanban is a great poet of our period.

He is a pride of our nation.

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3. Thamizhanban’s poem on Identity crisis

Are you confused about the direction of your life? Don’t know who you are?

Can't decide on where you stand in terms of philosophy of life? Fail to see your role in

life? You are probably experiencing an "identity crisis".:

The important theories and explanations on Identity Crisis should be deeply understood

to have a clear idea about it.

Explanations about Identity Crisis

1. Erik Erikson’s explanation:

Erik Erikson, the psychologist who coined the term "identity crisis”, believes that the

identity crisis is the most important conflict, human beings encounter, when they go

through eight developmental stages in life. The identity is "a subjective sense as well as

an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the

sameness and continuity of some shared world image. As a quality of unself-conscious

living, this can be gloriously obvious in a young person who has found himself as he has

found his communality. In him we see emerge a unique unification of what is irreversibly

given--that is, body type and temperament, giftedness and vulnerability, infantile models

and acquired ideals--with the open choices provided in available roles, occupational

possibilities, values offered, mentors met, friendships made, and first sexual encounters."

(Erikson, 1970.)

According to Erikson's stages, the onset of the identity crisis is in the teenage years, and

only individuals who succeed in resolving the crisis will be ready to face future

challenges in life. But the identity crisis may well be recurring, as the changing world

demands us to constantly redefine ourselves. Erikson suggested that people experience an

identity crisis when they lose "a sense of personal sameness and historical continuity".

Given today's rapid development in technology, global economy, dynamics in local and

world politics, identity crises are expected to be more common now than 30 years ago,

when Erikson formed his theory.

21

Erikson's Eight Stages of Human Development:

Babies are born with some basic capabilities and distinct temperaments. But they go

through dramatic changes on the way to adulthood, and while growing old. According to

psychologist Erik H. Erikson, each individual passes through eight developmental stages

(Erikson calls them "psychosocial stages").

Each stage is characterized by a different psychological "crisis", which must be resolved

by the individual before the individual can move on to the next stage. If the person copes

with a particular crisis in a maladaptive manner, the outcome will be more struggles with

that issue later in life.

To Erikson, the sequence of the stages is set by nature. It is within the set limits that

nurture works its ways:

"So, in reading through these documents, it appears that crisis is a normal occurrence in

the growth of an individual and occurs more than in just the formative years and mid-

life."

In fact, Erikson delineates the stages as follows:

1. Infancy

2. Toddler

3. Early Childhood

4. Elementary and Middle School

5. Adolescence

6. Young Adulthood

7. Middle Adulthood

8. Late Adulthood

You will find the descriptions of each of these crises interesting:

Erik Erikson argued that development is a lifelong process, from conception until death.

He argued that we go through eight stages, the first in infancy and the last in old age. At

each stage there is a crisis that we must deal with. The most famous crisis that Erikson

proposed is that which we experience during adolescence: the identity crisis...

22

Because each of Erikson's stages build upon each other, the person who is identity

diffused, or who has not successfully resolved the identity crisis, will have difficulty

resolving the crises to come.

2. Explanation by Anna B. Zaniewska

"The term "identity crisis" has been first introduced by Erik Erikson. Finding his

definition insufficient for the complex research in the subject, Anna B. Zaniewska has

decided to suggest a different working definition, based on the conceptual framework,

called "The Web of Interactions".

The tripartite theory of human nature, suggested by this new paradigm, gives the ground

to define human identity as a set of three: the bodily, social, and personal identity. Most

people are, more or less consciously, aware of the complexity of their identity. To the

question "Who am I?"(if asked by themselves), or "Who are you?" (if asked by the other

person) we all are able to give at least one, but usually more than one answer.

The examples of the possible answers are as follows: "I am a young student"; "I am a

black lawyer"; "I am a famous dancer"; "I am a person respecting all living beings", etc.

All these statements reflect the actual state of one's self-perception. As life goes on,

bringing new experiences, the answers change revealing new possibilities.

But there are the situations when to the question "Who am I?"/"Who are you?" one can

only say "I don't know yet" or "I don't know any longer".

The first reply is often given by the young people searching for their identity. This search

is not easy to accept because it is often associated with discomfort and even pain. And

yet, it is the necessary process allowing one to become conscious of his or her identity

and develop to the highest level of inner potentials...

The second reply "I don't know any longer" comes usually from a mature individual and

seems to suggest that one lost the ability to define his or her own identity and is no longer

certain in regard to the continuity of existence as a particular being. This moment of a

temporary loss of certainty, or the moment of doubt regarding one's identity is defined

here as identity crisis..."

Searching a bit more specifically to your question of trauma or physiological impotence

in triggering identity crises, Anna B. Zaniewska found the following:

"The New Me, Who Am I? Finding Your Identity”

23

“Overcoming and coping with the physical obstacles associated with sustaining a

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be the easy part. A more difficult, complex and

existential issue is asking "who is the new person"? My name remains the same.

However, in many significant ways I am different. I am not talking about concrete issues

(gross and fine motor coordination, speech and language).

As a result of physical or cognitive limitations, you may be forced to slow down, depend

on devices or people, organize and preplan in a way that was foreign before the trauma. If

you are lucky enough to go back to school or work, guaranteed it will not be in the same

capacity or without modification.

When confronted with this reality, an identity crisis surfaces. What

does this mean and say about me as a person?..."

3.Explanation by Aiken:

"Aiken describes that losing a loved one may cause bereavement, which leads to grief,

mourning, possible identity crises, and other related problems..."

(Aiken, L. (1991). Dying, Death, and Bereavement. Needham Heights,

Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon. 261-263.)

4.Explanation by Rev. Luana Collins Rubin

This article originally appeared in the June, 1996 issue of PATHWAYS.

"Over the last few months I keep hearing the same thing from friends, clients and other

practitioners and therapists: there is an identity crisis going on out there, both on an

individual and on a mass consciousness level. People are experiencing trauma and loss,

causing them to drastically re-evaluate the priorities in their lives.

Seemingly happy and successful folks are breaking down under stress, feeling totally

overwhelmed by the lives they have so carefully constructed..."

If you find yourself (again) in an identity crisis, you can look at seven areas of difficulty

in which to work towards a resolution.

Time Perspective

Can you distinguish immediate gratification from long-term goals? Have you learnt to

balance between jumping at opportunities as soon as they are presented to you and

working steadily and patiently towards your long-term goal?

24

Self-Certainty

Do you feel consistent in your self-image and the image you present to others?

Role Experimentation

Have you tried different roles in search of the one that feels right to you?

Anticipation of Achievement

Do you believe that you will be successful in what you choose to do -- whether your role

is at the work front or home front?

Sexual Identity

Do you feel comfortable being a male or a female, and dealing with others as such?

Leadership polarization

Are you able to become both a leader and a follower, whichever is called for in a given

situation?

Ideological

Have you found a set of basic social, philosophical, or religious values that your outlook

on life can be based upon?

The above explanations quoted are just for understanding various ways and

interpretations to the Identity Crisis.

Here in Thamizhanban’s poem titled "A letter discovered” the identity crisis of a son is

described.

We can not predict from the content which stage is described in the poem.

The stress and tension of the son is described in this letter to the father.

Please now read the poem and then give your assessment.

A LETTER DISCOVERED

Daddy

I am missing

Please do not try to search me.

Do not publish my photos

In press and television advertisements.

Do not issue advertisements

Assuring suitable rewards

To those who help to find out me.

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Do not share your grief with kith and kin.

I have been absconding

Just to find out me.

Till I have found out me

I wish to be absent.

I have been lost to gain

The knowledge about me.

Till that time

Please do not worry about me.

--Son

The poem titled “Beyond the Yonder “aims to motivate those with inferiority complex.

The Poet advises to reach the zeniths to find out further heights to be climbed up. There

should not be any end for human endeavor. Our history reveals how the mankind is

struggling to find out new medicines, new solar systems and new findings endlessly.

If our effort end with what e have achieved then there will be chaos.

This poem is a fine piece of self-development literature.

BEYOND THE YONDER

If you were

Widening the horizons,

All the directions will

Follow you,

Showering flowers on you.

Cross the ends!

Endless ends will be there

In your presence!

Your journey

should not aim at

just walking

But to cross

And pass over!

The roots

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should not be given

any dead-end.

They wish to

put cradles

even on branches which

Have not yet protruded.

Those who

Aim at reachable goals

and relax afterwards

Will be pitied upon by

the truths which

Are there

in the distant place

Beyond the yonder places.

The sun

which is unable to cross the fence

and fall down bleeding

will not be accepted by the sky.

Come on.

Pass over the targets successfully.

Your ego

which was

in an elated mood once

will be getting

a farewell from darkness.

Full stops

Full stops

are never

Graveyards to finished off sentences.

They are the wombs of

the new thoughts

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which are going to take a shape.

Hence-

In the end of every target

you are born afresh.

Your journey

should compose music

in the rhythm of

the smashing sound

of the collapse of

the binding chains called ‘ENDS.’

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4. Thamizhanban’s abstract poem-"A Boat is arriving"

The poem titled “A Boat is arriving" got published in the early seventies is surely a new

venture in Tamil poetry, which may be described as a turning point for the modern Tamil

poetry, from conventional verse to modernist experimentation. Just a glance of the

translation may give you an idea.

A boat is arriving

Swimming across

the waves of

voiceless darkness

A boat is arriving

To make much excitement

To the penance

being carried out

by the mind of the mother earth

During the night

molded and shaped

out of the black

taken from

the women’s eyes

in the acute darkness

which pervaded

Sky-high

Is the boat

carrying the suitable

answer-bridegrooms

to put marriage garlands

to the bride-questions

which have attained puberty?

Is the boat

coming in the destined night

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carrying sunlight which will

melt out

the frozen song

lying in the

strings of

the soul-lyre?

Is there a detailed

Notes

coming

For the intriguing

Stories of disgust

Hatched up in the eggs

Laid by the birds called

‘Eyebrows.’

Does there arrive

the youthful sunlight of

A cool flower

Capable of

Alleviating the worries of

The dusky soul

Affected by the eclipse

In the margins of the lips?

Is a seed of whip

coming

For the haphazard views

Which neglect

the rights of the flesh

Indulging in

extreme appreciation of

the shining skin?

Does the boat

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carry any medicine

to the quivering soul

Wounded by the

hands of the clock?

By the waves of saffron

the oppressed class

Is hurt.

Is there any

Panacea

coming for the

Renaissance of them?

Has the boat, made of Bodhi tree,

neglected instructions

And is

Carrying weapons for a war?

Thamizhanban is a traditional scholar who acquired an oriental title in Karanthai

Thamizh Signalm, an institution renowned for its meticulous efforts in the publication and

propagation of Thamizhclassics.Umamaheswaram Pillai, the founder of this institution,

dreamed to establish a Thamizh University, for which he traveled al the way from

Thanjavur to Benares to have a look at the Benares Hindu University there.

Doyens of Thamizh literature Na.Mu.Venkatasamy Nattaar, Pandithamani Kathiresan

Chettiyar, Maraimalai Adigalar used this institution as a centre of learning

Thamizhanban who acquired an in-depth knowledge of Tamil classics and grammar from

such a famous institution had switched over to modernist experiments in his poetic

ventures. His understanding of the abstract art and modern painting are well expressed

through the poem, quoted above.

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Abstract art is now generally understood to mean art that does not depict objects in the

natural world, but instead uses color and form in a non-representational way; In the very

early 20th century.The term was more often used to describe art, such as cubist and

Futurist art, that depicts real forms in a simplified or rather reduced way-keeping only an

allusion of the original natural subject.

Such paintings were often claimed to capture something of the depicted objects'

immutable intrinsic qualities rather than its external appearance. The more precise terms,

"non-figurative art," "non-objective art," and "non-representational art" avoid any

possible ambiguity in understanding it.

Just to get an idea about abstract poetry we can see the book" Ezra Pound: The Value of

Incoherence" by M.L. Harvey, Ph.D...

While explaining Pound’s abstract poetry Harvey says:

"Consider, though, the contribution Ezra Pound made to the development of modern

abstract poetry in English. An abstract poem requires loose ends. Loose ends are what

keep the sometimes oppressive linearity of logical structure at bay. A loose end is a

discontinuity--"of this/A few words, an and yet, and yet, and yet" (Stevens). In our daily

lives, which are filled with loose ends, we attempt to make sense of more than we can

make sense of. Ultimately, we assume that everything makes sense or will make sense.

We forget the dream images that fade into nonsensicality.

We overlook the non sequitur in conversation. No matter that the current paradoxical

discussions of quantum mechanics urge us to believe that light has knowledge or that

someday free will and determinism will coexist simultaneously in the same syllogism--

we proceed as best we can to make sense of everything using our own current tools for

thinking to create clear, rational linearity. And before abstract art came into being, these

habits of ours, more or less, reigned in the art world.

Looking back over the history of English poetry, let us say why not let symbol and

metaphor run the whole show--if only to see what happens? For metaphor and symbol to

run the whole show, you have to invent loose ends and not tie them up; you have to leave

them where they are--as Ezra Pound did."

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What can be said about the work of Ezra Pound himself, apart from its contribution to the

development of modern, abstract English poetry? Almost immediately, we discover a

loose end. In spite of the fact that he is probably the first modern, iconoclastic, abstract

English-language poet, Ezra Pound's work celebrates the inestimable value of great,

ancient art. His prose holds up the ancients for our admiration. The Cantos is stocked

with allusions to and quotes from ancient and early modern cultures. Along with his love

of great, ancient art, his works exhibit disenchantment with the twentieth-century artist

and scholar and with society at large. The ABC of Reading is full of examples. His

disgust is evident in his poetry as well as his prose. The effect of his best passages is that

their excellence as modern poetry ironically emphasizes the grandeur of the ancient. But

this is only an historical accident. Do the ancient works seem better than our own? We

know how good the old works are because two thousand years of readers testify to their

greatness. The closer to the present we look, the less confident we are of our judgments

until, for a certain type of mind, the present viewed in all its detail appears shabby

indeed.

The explanation for Pound’s poetry also holds good for Thamizhanban.

How far it is suitable and how to comprehend the abstract poem of Thamizhanban?

Here we can see stanza by stanza and try to understand the meaning

A boat is arriving

Swimming across

the waves of

voiceless darkness

‘Boat’ stands as a symbol for the poet or his poem. The poet sees himself emerging to

serve the oppressed people of the society.’ Darkness’ is a symbol for poverty and

ignorance. The ignorant poor lack a voice to register their protests for the trials and

tribulations carried over by the ruling minority. The poet/his poem is arriving to serve

them at this juncture.

A boat is arriving

To make much excitement

To the penance

33

carried out

by the mind of the mother earth

The mind of the mother earth is doing a penance to bring a golden era of equality among

the mankind. It is a tough penance, tougher than all the previous penances. But here

comes the poet/the poem, which is capable of granting the request of the mother earth.

during the night

and shaped

out of the black

taken from

the women’s eyes

in the acute darkness

which pervaded

sky-high

‘Night’ means the darker days of the history. ’Black’ is a symbol of agony and grief. The

poet/his poem is arriving at a period while the women are perpetrated by the male

domination.

is the boat

carrying the suitable

answer-bridegrooms

to put marriage garlands

to the bride-questions

which have attained puberty?

The poet/his poem should carry suitable solutions for the challenges, which are prevalent

in the society, which make the task of attaining a socialist pattern of society a tougher

one.

Is the boat

coming in the destined night

carrying sunlight which will

melt out

the frozen song

lying in the

34

strings of

the soul-lyre?

The spirit of humanism is the’ frozen song’. Is the poet/his poem capable of rejuvenating

the spirit of humanism which is absent in our society?

Is there a detailed

Notes

Coming

For the intriguing

Stories of disgust

Hatched up in the eggs

Laid by the birds called

‘eyebrows.’

‘Eyebrows’ symbolize the theoreticians, who are always forming theories with a negative

approach predicting only nihilism and anarchy as the immediate ends. The poet/ his poem

is carrying a detailed manifesto for the working class to achieve a welfare society.

Does there arrive

The youthful sunlight of

A cool flower

Capable of

Alleviating the worries of

The dusky soul

Affected by the eclipse

In the margins of the lips?

‘The lips’ here symbolize the media and the eclipse is the silence prevalent in the media

about the sorrows and miseries of the downtrodden. The ‘dusky soul’ or the man in the

street is worried about the absence of their problems and issues not portrayed by the

media. The poet/his poem is capable of representing the worries of the weaker section of

the society.

Is a seed of whip

Coming

For the haphazard views

35

Which neglect

the rights of the flesh

Indulging in

extreme appreciation of

the shining skin?

The ‘flesh’ (of the fruit) represents the working class and the ‘skin’ represents the creamy

layer of the society. Till now only the creamy layer of the society was spoken about

neglecting the working class. The haphazard views will be thrown out by the poet/his

poem.

Does the boat

Carry any medicine

To the quivering soul

Wounded by the

hands of the clock?

‘Hands of the clock’ means time. There are many wounds by the perpetration carried on

the working class by many rulers in the past periods. The scars are there which tell the

sad stories. Now the poet/his poem carries a suitable medicine to heal their wounds.

By the waves of saffron

The oppressed class

Is hurt.

Is there any

Panacea

Coming for the

Renaissance of them?

‘Saffron’ is a symbol of religious fundamentalism. All religions have done a great deal of

harm and injury to the toiling section of society, as revealed by the history. The poet/his

poem is carrying a panacea-that is socialism-for their health.

Has the boat, made of Bodhi tree,

neglected instructions

And is

Carrying weapons for a war?

36

The poet, who is a follower of Buddha, now feels sorry to neglect the kind and mild way

of ‘Love’ and take the rebellious path of revolution. Fierce and forceful struggle alone is

capable of bringing a change in the society.

37

6. A couple of Poems to Illustrate Thamizhanban's Poetic Techniques

Thamizhanban uses innovative techniques to deliver his original thoughts through his

artistic illustrations which attract the readers and arouse new thoughts. International

outlook, progressive thinking and socialist perspective combine with irony, satire and

avant gardism.

In the following poem, he makes a severe criticism of the human mind which always tries

to hide everything.

Human mind which wants to hide everything

The Universe

which is always open

Never shuts its door

for probing quests.

The Wind

never refuses

To unlock

It’s deep mind

To the flowers.

The waves

expose the ocean’s secrets

even after it is blocked many times.

The earth

advertises loudly

the whereabouts of

the seed

which goes underground.

Even though

the volcano

never opens its mouth

we are able to know the turmoil

of its boiling mind

38

explicitly.

Man alone possesses

the mind which is

Hiding all things

and every thing

and still trying to

Bury everything deep.

His views on August 15 (Independence Day of India) celebrations will give a clear

understanding of his social perspective.

LONG LIVE OUR DEAR BHARAT.

I swear on

The Sun.

The country has developed

after 1947.

The India of our rulers

has developed.

The India of Tata and Birla

has developed.

India of the common man

has not seen any advancement or development.

In the decorated carts

For Independence Day &Republic day celebration

has attained progress.

August 15 is

stinking in the pavements of

the towns and slums.

Our people remain as corpses

Slaughtered by diseases and disasters,

thrown out by unemployment

And poverty.

In our country Industry

39

Has surely grown

By eating the livers of

The laborers.

Agriculture has grown

sucking the blood of agriculture-laborers.

after storing all these

whither goes Bharat devi?*

*(Bharat Devi is the personification of India as a Goddess)

She goes to the palaces of

Swadesi and alien capitalists

Who want to bite and pierce

Her breasts!

To The confidential rooms of political brokers

who were introduced by them.

To the kitchens of

Beurocrats who are waiting there

To roll up or wide open the beds

The mantras

Which roared

For the independence day celebrations

Are affected by paralysis

The nervous systems

Which gave a call against

Imperialism.

are in deep sleep.

The fiery and ferocious

Idealists necks are under

the grip of

Opportunism.

Hereafter

please do not celebrate

40

August15

As another ritual

or annual death anniversary.

Let us find a new cheerful day

and name it as "August 15."

The above poem vehemently condemns of the prevailing social evils and tries to give a

clear understanding of our defects.

Thamizhanban strives to make awareness in the minds of readers and his poems surely

give a helping hand to him in his task.

41

7. Thamizhanban’s poem about friendship

5th August is celebrated as Friendship Day throughout the world.

Friendship can not be restricted to a single day and good friendship will always be

actively interacting 365 days and Twenty-four hours. We are living in a consumerist age.

Nobody finds time to maintain friendship because of the busy metro life.Thamizhanban

points out this in one of his poems.

Hi Sethu!

Where were you all these days?

Oh! Route number 24 is coming!

Let us see later!

Here while seeing a bosom friend, the man also happens to notice the arrival of a city

bus.

Now there comes a dilemma in his mind.

He has got an opportunity to meet his old friend. He has also got another rare opportunity

to travel in the city bus, which is not easily available.

What to do?

He is weighing the two opportunities now in his mind.

Now he takes a decision.

He has decided to forego the chance of spending some time with his bosom friend.

He wishes to catch hold of the city bus and ignore the meeting of an old friend.

This mini poem portrays the dilemma that occurred and the decision that has been taken.

The friendship is not given the due respect.

Why the man decides to ignore the friendship?

In metro life non-availability of the city buses is also a hazard.

Here the person has got the proper city bus.

He decides to avoid the friend to get the city bus.

The stressful metro life, distractions in family life makes everybody to indulge in the

busy routine without minding to cherish the values.

By this poem the poet advises us to cherish values and make the life a more livelier one.

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8. Haiku Poems of Thamizhanban

Thamizhanban has produced meaningful and thought-provoking Haikus and they can be

seen in the volume titled"Crescents of Sun"(Sooriyap Piraikal).

I have translated some Haikus and do hope it may be of interest to you also.

Satire

The Dawn's feet bound in chain

The Moon is varnishing

The Jail's iron bars.

The writings invited for

A Royal dinner-

The writer's soul hanging in the pen-nib.

I just dug a fountain in my mind-

Thousand people rushed

To sit and drink.

43

Self-pity

I was lying as a corpse

Felt immense pleasure

Never intended to stand again.

Metaphysics

Death--

The torch of the soul

In the journey of life.

Personality-builder

To the person who fell down ten times

Mother Earth kissed and told:

Already you have stood erect nine times!

Again andf again

The moonlight fell on it-

The rock blossomed into a flower!

44

Realism

Darkness remained in the hands

Which pushed out

The night.

Poetry --

Possesses thousand hands

Its begging bowl has a lot of holes!

Irony

The sky is beautiful!

The Earth is also beautiful!

I have a loaf of bread in my hand.

The fishes in the glass tanks

Dreaming much about

Rubbing shoulders with oceans.

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9."A TRUCKLOAD OF SENRYU"----

Senryu Poems in Tamil by Thamizhanban

I.Introduction to Senryu:

Senryu is a Japanese poem structurally similar to the haiku but primarily concerned with

human nature. It does not rhyme and takes the form of three lines (line 1 has 5 syllables,

line 2 has 7 syllables and line 3 has 5 syllables).

There are multi various definitions of senryu.Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines

senryu as " a 3-line unrhymed Japanese poem structurally similar to haiku but treating

human nature usually in an ironic or satiric vein."

In ‘Modern Haiku E-Journal’ Hiroaki Sato gives the following definition:

"Unlike the haiku which normally deals with natural or seasonal phenomena, the senryû

is expected to deal with matters of human and social nature, often in a playful, satirical,

or knowing manner.

The haiku carries a seasonal reference; the Senryu does not have to. The distinction

between the two genres has been tenuous, however, from early on. In recent years the

blurring of the differences has become such that Ônishi Yasuyo has said, "If someone

asks me how Senryu differ from haiku, I tell the inquirer that the only distinction that can

be made is by author’s name"—that is, if the author is known to write haiku, the pieces

he or she writes are haiku; if the author is known to write Senryu, the pieces she or he

writes are Senryu."

In’Aha Poetry’ Jane Reichhold presents a clear explanation:

"Senryu in Japanese means "River Willow." It is the pen name of the most famous poet

who conducted maekuzuki (linking contests) has been given to this genre in his dubious

46

honor. Because haiku and senryu are written much alike, often on the same subjects and

usually by the same authors, great controversies have ensued over which is what. For a

time, in America, senryu were considered to be faulty haiku. Actually, if one must

differentiate, the senryu form is satiric, concerned with poking fun at human behavior as

opposed to the profound, sublime world of nature where haiku shine.

"A good senryu is not merely a knee-slapper, though it can be that. It's not just a

showcase for puns or wit, although a good senryu can include cleverness or humour as

part of a more resonant purpose. Rather, a senryu is a poem that wakes us up in a small

way with its distilled, one-breath moment of heightened awareness focusing on human

nature. It's a window into the human condition, freshly squeegeed. Senryu are, ultimately,

poems of human self-awareness. They don't have to be funny, but often it is good to

laugh at ourselves through senryu." is the Definition by Michael Dylan Welch.

What is the difference between a Senrue and a Haiku?

"The difference between a comic haikai and a senryû are hard to define, but we might say

that in general, haikai poetry deals with nature and senryû with human beings. This

choice of subject matter is reflected by the insistence on seasonal words (kigo) in haikai

poetry, but not in senryû. Haikai, at its best, tries to capture in seventeen syllables both

the eternal and the momentary, but senryû is content with a single sharp observation. The

importance of the "cutting words" (kireji) in haikai stemmed largely from the division

they established between the two elements they contained, but a senryû needed no cutting

words, since only one element was present. The language of senryû is generally that of

the common people, and is sometimes even vulgar, but haikai, despite its occasional

daring uses of such words, was essentially restricted to the vocabulary of the man of

taste. Parts of speech that were considered inconclusive in a haikai often ended a senryû,

as if to signify it was flash of wit rather than a rounded-off poem."(Definition and

Comments by Donald Keene, "World Within Walls: Japanese Literature of the Pre-

Modern Era, 1600-1867", Holt, Rinehart, Winston, p. 527.)

47

II.Generic Migration:

Just like races,literary genres also migrate from one place to another and the Japanese

Haiku,Senryu and Limeraiku have migrated to almost all other languages-eastern and

western-and have spread successfully.

III.Senryu in Tamil:

Thamizhanban’s compilation of Senryu poems in Tamil titled” A Truckload of Senryu" is

a pioneer attempt to give senryu poems in Tamil and now there are many followers in this

trend. Now you can have a glance of some Senryu poems written by Thamizhanban

(translated by me).

The satire and sarcasm about the society by the poet are reflected through powerful

images and provoking metaphors.

The defeat is assured

But only

the constituency needs be finalized

One hundred Mirrors

He who had looked through these

had just gone to buy a new face.

After 3 years he received

First premium of pension

to finance his funeral rites.

48

God asked a boon from

His devotees;

'Do not drag me into politics'

Satan started a party

The first member..

God!

Who taught you?

Blow to the student

Pain to the teacher

The song came

Fully afraid

From the singer’s throat.

The Leader

On a tour abroad

Peace and pleasure in inland.

Security beefed up

in police station

Rifles stolen.

Filed his nomination

with a procession of a thousand persons

Secured fifty votes!

49

Where is the answer?

Not only the students

But also the questions were unable to find it.

The reader and librarian

had a sound sleep

But the books never slept.

The Will wrote down by the father

Everybody has equal share-

In my death!

He slept forgetting to take

the medicine

which never forgot him.

The answers asked a question

‘Dear student

Will you get success?’

Party members boycotted the conference

Dissatisfied with-

The Food arrangements.

50

Borrowed smile-

How long will be there

in the lips?

He who asked for a place in the boat

was keeping a storm

In his pocket!

The Minister who was sacked

Gave a press release

‘Hereafter I will work for our country’s welfare.’

The operation was a success

But the patient was a different person

Who did not need the operation.

The fish from the fish tank

while dropped at the pond

Swam to a distance of the fish tank.

Thousands of words in hand

but unable to write a Poem

Dictionary!

The wife while giving a send off

Told with tears:

Please do not forget to send money

51

10. Limeraiku poems by Thamizhanban

The limeraiku is a form of poetry devised by Ted Pauker, consisting of a haiku in which

five of the syllables (usually the ends of the three lines plus two more) rhyme in the

pattern of a limerick. He gives an example:

There's a vile old man

Of Japan who roars at whores:

‘Where's your bloody fan?’

-Ted Pauker

Some authors have written limeraiku in an identical or very similar format, introducing

the subject with "There's ...", choosing a place-name to rhyme with (cf. the stereotyped

opening for limericks "There (once) was a ... from ..."), and dividing the second line as

3+2+2 syllables:

There's a latent queer

Of Tangier who brays at gays:

‘I'm hetero, dear.’

- Tim Hopkins

There's a cut-price whore

Of Cawnpore who hails all males:

52

‘Bed, Mattress - or Floor?’

- Pascoe Polglaze

There's a man at Crewe

station who buggers muggers

so well there's a queue.

- E. O. Parrott

Others have varied the form, changing the position within the lines of the five rhyming

syllables, abandoning place-names as a source of rhymes, even forsaking the seemingly

all-pervasive sexual humour in favour of historical or political themes:

John Keats rose at dawn,

Still forlorn, too chaste to taste

The amorous Brawne.

- Nick Enright

A limeraiku

needs two rhymes (used five times)

plus wit (which I blew).

- Anitra Freeman

(References:

* E. O. Parrott, The Penguin Book of Limericks, Penguin Books 1983

53

* A. Davie, The Limeraiku, an introduction, http://www.nospine.net/jellyfish/002_11.asp

* A. Freeman, Spontaneous Exercise: rhyme vs. rhythm,

http://www.anitraweb.org/kalliope/limeraiku.html)

Poet Thamizhanban has brought out a volume of Limeraiku poems ,the first of its kind,in

Tamil.Instead of five rhymes,he prefers two rhymes,which appear in the first and third

lines.His thought-provoking poems are always a challenge to the translators.As an ardent

admirer and constant reader of his poems I ventured to translate some of the poems from

the volume titled"Cleopatras of Chennimalai".Chennimalai is the native place of

Thamizhanban.

Translations need not be craetive treasons,always.I have done my best in transfering the

sense of the poems.Our beloved poet Thamizhanban,uses rhymes twice in every poem,in

the first and third lines.

The linguistic and cultural barriers never allow anybody to present the original form of a

poem in its source language after translating in the target language.

Hope you may enjoy my translations.

Monotonous life in forest

Deer and Rabbit wanted rest and haunted

In children's songs, they found a place, the best!

The wind lost its wings

Took rest In the bird's nest, swinging,

54

It stayed a while, puzzling?

A bird lost its life;

The heights it reached, while alive,

Wept with unending tears.

Fly away with birds

But forget that you are a man.

You don't need wings like birds.

'Bernard never received any bribery'

To pronounce such a witness

John received bribery.

Smoke leads to death

Drinking also kills us

Selling them gives us wealth.

55

11. Post-modernist poems of Thamizhanban

We pretty well know it is the trend of Postmodernism that is haunting worldwide

and poets, writers, artists, architects and film-makers strain their every nerve to

give effective products in adherence to the craze of modern connoisseurs of art

and literature.

As a citizen of India, a land of seers and philosophers like Thiruvalluvar, Buddha,

Mahavir and other saints, I have my own fear, in accepting the popular trend of

postmodernism, especially in the field of literature, which surely leads to

decadence and deterioration. At the same time we can not stand aloof rejecting

the impact of western literature, in an era of globalization.

Thamizhanban, has found a formula, unique and innovative, which surely paves the

way for a new trend in literary creation, and at the same time holds our values in a tight

grip, thereby cherishing our noble heritage.Here,through this compilation, and by

the techniques adopted in the making of poems, he has shown the way for a new

kind of postmodernism,

In these poems in this compilation, you can see a new blend of anti poetry and

mysticism,the firsat of its kind in literature, in the world. For example, I have given the

translation of a poem titled “The Last Button” from this book.

The Last Button

What would have

The sunken parts of the island

Told the remaining land

Before drowning in the deep sea?

Wedded to the deepness

Will it gain a self-realisation?

. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ….. . .. . . . .

Immerse and dissolve in water?

. .. .. . ………… . .. …… . … .

56

Get lost itself in a pursuit of advaita

And land again?

Here in this shirt

It seems

A time has come for

This only remaining button

-The last button-

To drop down for ever.

I don’t know what the other buttons

6

Have told this shirt

Before they left. . .

After fondling the cheek

Of the last button

What did the Time

wish to tell the button-hole:

Declaration of freedom?

Puzzle of utter confusion?

If it is possible for me

To loose my shirt and attain nirvana

How is it to confirm

Nirvana?

With its capacity

The button has set free the moments

With their capacity the moments

Have set me free. . .

Unknowingly

Without informing the shirt

The last button has fallen down. .

In the lips of Buddha

Immersed in deep meditation

57

There flashed a smile. . .

Oh!

Is it the last button of my shirt?

(The dotted lines are an attempt to show the confusion of the poet, No lines are

left.)

A paraphrase or interpretation of this innovative poem is impossible and that is

not my aim. Here to understand this poem and ponder over the thoughts

provoked, a reader has to have a basic knowledge of advaita and parinirvana

theories which are unique properties of Indian philosophy. At the same time they

do not preach any doctrine.Anti-poetry goes hand in hand with mysticism

prompting the reader to delve deep in intellectual pursuit.

Another poem in this book, titled” The world as a single coin. .” criticizes the ratrace

of mankind for money and the hollowness we experience in contemporary

life due to the commercial fetishism of our corrupt minds, which always estimate

things of Nature in terms of commercial value.

The world as a single coin . . .

Forgetting their historical sources

The land, forest, field,

Garden, Estate, Stone, Sand, Mountain

One by one got

Transformed as hot cash.

State, city, village, ward

Street, house, porch

As images of wealth

In exchange bargains.

Mills, Shops, Schools, Colleges

Under calculation and assessment of

Their prices

Lower or Higher.

Nuclear reactors, Ammunition,

Rockets, Machines, Gadgets,

58

Under the direct command of

Dollars, Euros, Rubles, Dinars, Rupees

In an unquenched thirst for blood

In estimates of corpses.

Sheep, Cattle, Horses,

Chicken, Sparrows, Pigs

And other things like these

Carrying the price-tags in their necks

Suggesting market trends

Alterations and corrections.

Forests of Elephants

Caves of Tigers and Lions

Deer, Rabbits,

Jungles,

Ants, ant-hills, Snakes

Profit motives have captured

All around

Flags of companies

Unfurling and rolling down

Aggressively.

With an artificial heart transplanted

Nature stumbles

In the feeble rhythm of its beating

Time is blinking quiet often.

Mankind, the offspring of

Adam and Eve

Have again become naked

While attempting to cover up

The Nakedness of Money.

Sold by money and

Purchased by money

59

The commodity, Humanism, is

Out of stock.

After loosing all its life

The world like a tossed coin

Revolves around the sun.

Thamizhanban, primarily known for his powerful satires which always strive to

condemn the social evils and the dual standards adopted in our lives, does not

swerve from his satirism,even while he adopts a new trend.

“Mankind, the offspring of

Adam and Eve

Have again become naked

While attempting to cover up

The Nakedness of Money.”

These lines vehemently condemn the diversion of mankind from maintaining

amity and cordial relations to the consumerist competition and commercial

calculations.

Mankind in the global marketing mania has lost its unique property;

Humanism.The poet ridicules these through the following lines.

“Sold by money and

Purchased by money

The commodity, Humanism, is

Out of stock.”

Irony, playfulness, black humor, Pastiche, Intertextuality, Metafiction, Temporal

distortion, Technoculture and hyper reality, Paranoia, Maximalism , Minimalism,

Faction, Magical realism and Participation are said to be the main characteristics

of Postmodernist writings.

While the above quotations portray the powerful satire of Thamizhanban, “The Black

Frog” is an example of the postmodernist technique “Faction”. The poem describes a

situation which is factual but narrates like a short story.

The Black Frog

The telephone bell rang up

60

Intermittently and

All of a sudden

Became breathless.

Still the wind whispers in a low rhythm

In his ears.

Who is on the other side?

Should be a person known already. . .

May be even an unknown person

May be happy news. .

Achievement of an admission in a school,

Attaining a promotion in career,

About the birth of a child,

Announcing a wedding engagement,

Purchase of a housing plot. .

Otherwise. .

Sad news about a death,

A dismissal order,

A burglary when somebody is out of town,

An elopement of a daughter

The love marriage of a son. . .

This mechanical black frog has

Very many things to tell. . .

By the side of the black frog

He is sitting for more than five minutes

Expecting any kind of news . .

The Tea . . .?

It has become chill. .

Anxious moments

Alternatively

Darkness and Light

Gripped the heart

61

He forgot himself awhile

Inside his own nervous system

Engulfed by tension

he lost himself.

His wife came there

Took the tea

To reheat it

She went inside.

Again rang up the phone

It is the family physician on the other side

“Mariyappan!

Please do not loose heart. .

The thing afflicting your wife is. . . .”

Before he finished the sentence

The black frog again became breathless

The poem is a fine example of faction as we experience in our daily life such

failures of the telecommunication facility often a menace which always try to

promote communication gap instead of affording powerful communication. The

content is factual and the form belongs to short story. Any reader of this poem

will surely understand the irony underlying the message.’ The Black frog’ here

acts as a symbol to represent the media and communication.

Driven to the edge of existence

With much blood-thirst

I find my path in the

Broken pieces of glasses.

The distance which I should traverse

Remains in the hesitations of

The torn-down feet.

My dreams and realizations

Sitting before the mirror

Turn their face in the opposite direction

62

In the private rooms of days.

My life which refuses to move up

Murmurs in a tension unspecified

My poem which sees the world

through the eyes of spring

Describes it in words

Anemic and insipid

Which fill up

The mouth of the autumn season.

After reading my poem titled

Driven to the margin of existence”

That had been published in a journal

My classmate during schooldays

Rang me up and enquired

“How many days have passed after your death?”

A reader aware of the modern literary techniques will surely understand here an

innovative combination. A ‘Fusion’ (to borrow the technical vocabulary of

postmodernism) of surrealistic obscurantism with mystic realism, a blend

prepared by the creative talent of Thamizhanban is seen here. Thamizhanban is now

venturing to deconstruct the postmodernism itself with his theoretical knowledge and

creative talent

I am sure for such a creation of unique trend, Thamizhanban deserves many laurels.

Self-pity and sarcastic approach to modern life are surely conveyed by this poem.

Intended to tell

“What do you intend to utter?

Have your say..

Any urgent message . . .?

Anything important..?

Pardon me!

The telephone rings. .

“Hello!

63

A Poetic symposium?

I can confirm the date only tomorrow.

You want the time. .

Call me back tomorrow night at 7-30”

You came to tell me something

What is it?

Come on! Tell me now!

What can I do for you?

Is the gas cylinder to be supplied?

Is it a time to pay school fees for our kids?

May I know the last day?

Please bear with me

Someone is knocking the door

Oh! Courier post!

Okay! Signed and received.

What did you try to tell me?

Please say it now.

Is your mother sick?

Have we to visit her?

When?

Oh! What’s it?

Our neighbor coming?

“We are on an outing.

Will return after a week.

Have the key of our house

and please take care.

Thank you! Bye!”

The doors closed now!

Oh my dear!

What did you intend to tell me?

My wife is not there.

64

The emptiness left by her

Alone stood there and told me:

“Nope! Nothing to tell you!”

Public activities, office routine, neighborhood relations and other routine works

swallow most of our time and as a result family relation, the vital for a better life is

disrupted. Man spends his time in revolving round the globe, but fails to spend

his time with family members. This failure on the part of man prevents him from

giving due attention to his kids. There exists a wide gap between the husband

and wife.Divorce,Juvenile delinquency, school violence,suicide,Psychic disorders

are on the increase due to such a gap between family members. This poem

attempts to communicate this message in a subtle way. The intention to speak is

there but no opportunity is given for a useful exchange of ideas. The title itself

conveys the message even before we read the poem.

Now I wish to give a brief introduction of the poems, their title, content and

technique adopted.

Title of the poem Title in English Content Techniqu e 1)கைடசி�ெபாதா� Kaṭaicippottāṉ

The Last Button Existentialism

Anti poetry

2)ஒ�ைற� காசான

உலக� oṟṟaik kācāṉa ulakam

The World as a single coin

Greed of the Mankind

Satire

3)இ�தலி�

எ�ைலயி� iruttaliṉ ellaiyil

Driven to the edge of existence

Existentialism

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

4)த�பாக இைச�க�ப�டவ� tappāka icaikkappaṭṭavaṉ

One who was sung in a wrong way

Music and taste

Narration

5)க���தவைள Media&com Satire

65

kaṟupputtavaḷai The Black Frog munication-Their inability

6)இ��களி� iṉṟukaḷil

Seven Todays Caution to utilize time properly

Satire

7)ெவளிேயற"#யாம� veḷiyēṟamuṭiyāmal

Unable to quit

The inefficiency of a poet

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

8)திராவகெமாழியா'�

"� tirāvakmoḻiyākum muṉ

Before it becomes the language of Acid

Environment&Pollution

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

9)வள()த ெநா#க+ vaḷarnta noṭikaḷ

Instants which have grown up instantly

The Might of Time

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

10)கடலி� மக� நா� kaṭaliṉ makaṉ nāṉ

I am the son of ocean

On Ocean Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

11)எைதவி�, எ-? Etaiviṭṭu etu?

Which one to choose? Which one to leave?

Self-realisation

Narration

12)உைரயாட�க+ uraiyāṭalkaḷ

Discussions Meaningless meetings

Story telling

13)வி.க� வள(�'�

விள�பர /க� viyūkam vaḷarkkum viḷampara yukam

The epoch of advertisement and its strategy

Cheating the consumer

Story telling

14)ஐயேமா ஐய� aiyamō aiyam

A Lot of doubts

The paranoia of modern man

Juxtaposition

15)ெம1யாக meyyāka

Truly On Child Narration

16)ஊ(�கா3 ūrkkācu

Pocket money Man ignored and money

Satire

66

valued 17)இழ�பி� ப�#ய� iḻappiṉ paṭṭiyal

A List of Losses Self-realisation

Narration

18)இ�ப#யாக... ippaṭiyāka...

Likewise Human life Existentialism

19)ெத4யவி�ைல Teriyavillai

I Don’t know

Introvertion Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

20)'ழ)ைத ைகயி�

�தக� kuḻantai kaiyil puttakam

A book in the hands of a child

On childcare Narration

21)ெபய(களா� ெப��

ேப� peyarkaḷāl peṟum pēṟu

The boon we get from names

Nature&Man Narration

22)அ(த�ப,-�ேபா- arttappaṭuttumpōtu

When it is given a meaning

Human life Narration

23)சிறி-ப,திய ஒ�

கைத ciṟitupaṭuttiya oru katai

While it was not given due importance

Juvenile Delinquency

Story telling

24)பறதலி� த-வமா1 paṟattaliṉ tattuvamāy

As a philosophy of aviation

Human life Juxtaposition

25)ெவளிேய�ற� veḷiyēṟṟam

Walk out

The making of a poem

Story telling

26)அ�ேபா- நா� appōtu nāṉ

Myself at that time Nature and Man

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

27)உதி(6க+ utirvukaḷ

Droppings

Village Story telling

28)'றிய,க+ீ kuṟiyīṭukaḷ

Symbols

Industry, Labourers&

Narration

67

Pollution 29)'ைடகிற மனேதா, kuṭaikiṟa maṉattōṭu..

With a perturbed mind

No more slander

Allegory

30)எதி(மைறக+

ேதசதி� etirmaṟaikaḷ tēcattil

In the country of negatives

Man in compromise with evils

Satire

31)ைமய��+ளி maiyappulli

The central point Human life -criticism

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

32)நியதியா?ந8தியா? niyatiyā?nītiyā?

Is it Fair? Is it Justice?

Human life -criticism

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

33)கவிைதயி� அட�க� kavitaiyil aṭakkam

Content of the poem

Human life -criticism

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

34)நம- '�தியி� நாேம

பிணமா1 namatu kurutiyil nāmē piṇamāy

We remain as a corpse in our blood

Human life -criticism Inability to fight injustice

Fusion (surrealism& Mysticism)

35)ஒ� பனி இர6 oru paṉi iravu

In a winter night Plight of the platform dwellers

Narration

36)"�:ைர/�

"#6ைர/� muṉṉuraiyum muṭivuraiyum

Introduction and Conclusion

Uncertainty in life

Juxtaposition

37)ெசா�லவ)த- Collavantatu

Intended to tell Gap among family members

Narration

68

11. Blood and sweat in a capsule

“It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just

begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our

children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today. “proclaimed Barack

Obama. “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” said Winston Churchill

in a speech during his announcement in the British Parliament to wage a war with

Germany.(May 13,1940)

Achievements in the history of Mankind can be summed up as sacrifice for the welfare of

the society, tireless work and loss of precious lives of the path breakers and innovators

while toiling to achieve a breakthrough for the advancement of the fellow citizens of the

world.

Poetry entertains; educates; advises; condemns; cajoles; weeps; laughs; and shouts. it is

all because of the different roles poets assume during their poetic career. Some poets pose

themselves as Prophets and Messiahs; some act as leaders of a mass rally; some behave

like our best friends living in the neighbourhood.Some poets scream over the atrocities

committed to the weaker section of the society; some weep and wail for the injustice

done to the downtrodden; only a few poets have a clear vision to communicate; they

carry on their mission with the help of artistic skills and orderly rhetoric.

Not only leaders but also poets need a clear agenda and systematic performance. Such

poets provoke a larger audience and lead to a silent revolution. Like Bharatiyar and

Bharatidasan, Thamizhanban belongs to such a kind, dedicated to kindle subtler thoughts

in the minds of masses;

Poems of Thamizhanban are not mere verbal images and skilful similes; the intention of

the poet is obvious from the poems themselves. The poetry in the hands of Thamizhanban

is the remnant of the fire which had burnt many Dalits alive, the fire wishes to burn out

the coercion and cruelty committed by the tyranny of the perpetrators. Satire is the

powerful weapon used by him and it is more ferocious than any other bombs as it

destroys not individuals but their ego and malicious minds. Symbol in his poems do not

confuse the readers leading to obscurity but they provoke a deeper understanding of the

anomalies in the social set-up. Image coming through his poems not only give emotional

69

appeal and intellectual pleasure but produce a realistic portrayal of the contemporary

scenario.

His poems are but capsules of blood and sweat; the blood that oozed from the wounds of

the unsung heroes who fought for the emancipation of the innocent poor, suffering under

the clutches of ignorance and discrimination; the blood that was bleeding from the

victims of state terrorism, linguistic chauvinism and regional jingoism; the sweat of the

proletariat who worked all the days without any material gains; the sweat of the

agricultural laborers who toiled and remained half-starved; the sweat of the textile

workers who were unable to get even a single pair of clothes to cover them up even

though they operate the looms non-stopping; in short the blood and sweat of the workers

have metamorphosed as powerful poems through the pen of Thamizhanban.

This tiny monograph attempts to promote the consumption of this capsule which may

lead to a drastic change, by curing the social evils which are haunting our country for

many a generation.

Appendix- A Short CV of the Poet Thamizhanban

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(iv) Name of the Poet—Tamilanban(Jegatheesan) Address of the Poet : .. . 95 ,2nd Main Road PORUR GARDEN 2nd Street ,Vanagaram, Chennai, Tamilnadu ( South ) - 600095 (v) Date of Birth-- 28.09.1933 (vi) Academic Attainments-M.A.Ph.D. (vii) Present Address: 95 ,2nd Main Road PORUR GARDEN 2nd Street ,Vanagaram, Chennai, Tamilnadu ( South ) - 600095 (viii) Year of the first publication: 2008 (ix) Major works: ...

Silirppugal - Paari Nilayam(1970) Andha nandanai eritha neruppin micham - Poompuhar padhippakam (1982) Thirumbi vandha thervalam - Poompuhar padhippakam (1985) Kannukku veliyae sila kanaakkal - Narmada padippakam (1990) En veetukku ethirae oru erukkan chedi - Pablo bharathi padippakam (1995) Nadai marandha nadhiyum thisai mariya odayum - Poompuhar padhippakam (1998) Anaikkava endra America- Poompuhar padhippakam (1999) Un veetukku naan vandhirundhen - Pablo bharathi padippakam (1999) Bharathidasanodu pathandugal - vizhigal padippakam (2000) Vanakkam valluva! - Poompuhar padhippakam (2000) Sennimalai cleopatrakkal - Pablo bharathi padippakam (2002) Vaarthaikal ketta varam - vizhigal padippakam (2002) Madhippedugal- Marudha (2002) Ivargalodum ivarrodum - vizhigal padippakam (2003) Kanakaanum vinaakkal - vizhigal padippakam (2004) Minnal urangum podhu - Sri Durga padippakam (2004) Kadhavai thattiya pazhaya kadhali - vizhigal padippakam (2005) Vidiyal vizhudugal - Poompuhar padhippakam (2005) Kavin kuru nooru - Pablo bharathi padippakam (2005) Pablo Neruda paarvaiyil India - Pablo Neruda Spanish Latin America Research Institute (2007) Idugurip peyaralla Islam - Rahmat arakattalai (2008) Olaichuvadiyum kurunthagadum - Vidivelli veliyeedu (2008) Solla vandadhu - Muthamizh padippagam (2008) (It is only a partial list. In 1970 appeared his fi rst volume of poems titled "Tamilanban Kavithaikal"(Poems of Tamilanban). Till date he has brought Forty-three (43) collections of poems, Twen ty one (21) Prose works and 3 books in the field of Children’s litera ture.) (x) Awards & Honours Won by the Poet:

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In 2004, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award f or Tamil for his poetry collection Vanakkam Valluva (lit. Greetings, Valluvar). Kural Peedam Award by Government of Tamil Nadu-2001 Kalaimamani award by Government of Tamil Nadu-1999 Bharatidasan award by Government of Tamil Nadu-1991 Poetry Award by Baltimore Tamil Sangam, US-1996