Nigeria & India

I have often quoted Jeyamohan in this blog. But this time, When I read this blog post of his [warning: has disturbing picture], I wanted to bang myself. A reader asks him abt the violence in Nigeria and our man comes out with a terrific theory. Like India, Nigeria too was made up of different races, ancient culture but with the advent of Islam, violence had started. There is a huge following for him which believes every letter he writes and this type of irresponsible reply should be condemned.

"இந்தச் சூழலில் அங்கே அரேபியாவில் இருந்து இஸ்லாம் வந்தது. இஸ்லாம் எல்லா பழங்குடி தெய்வங்களையும் நம்பிக்கைகளையும் அழித்து ஒற்றைநம்பிக்கையை முன்வைத்தது. நைஜீரிய வரலாற்றில் பத்தாம் நூற்றாண்டு முதல் எண்ணூறு வருடம் ஒவ்வொருநாளும் குருதி கொட்டியிருக்கிறது. அதுவும் இந்தியாவைப்போலவே.
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இந்தியவரலாற்றில் என்ன வேறுபாடு? இங்குள்ள இஸ்லாம் அல்லாத பேரரசுகள் இஸ்லாமை கட்டுப்படுத்தி பேரழிவில் இருந்து இந்தியாவைக் காத்தன என்பதே. தங்குதடையிலா அதிகாரம் இஸ்லாமுக்கு எப்போதுமே கிடைத்ததில்லை. ராஜபுத்திரர்கள், அதன்பின் விஜயநகரம், அதன் பின் மராட்டியர்கள் என வலுவான எதிர்விசை எப்போதும் இருந்தது. எந்நிலையிலும் போர் நிகழ்ந்துகொண்டே தான் இருந்தது. ஆகவே சமரசம் மூலமே இஸ்லாமியர் ஆளமுடிந்தது. நேரடி ஆட்சி அமையவில்லை, கப்பம் கட்டும் நாடுகளின் தொகையாகவே இஸ்லாமிய ஆட்சி நீடிக்க முடிந்தது.
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அதன்பின் நைஜீரியாவில் காலனியாதிக்க காலகட்டம். இந்தியாவைப்போலவே முதலில் போர்ச்சுக்கல்காரர்கள். கடைசியில் பிரிட்டிஷார். இஸ்லாமாகாமல் எஞ்சிய மக்களை காலனியாதிக்க சக்திகள் கிறித்தவர்களாக ஆக்கினார்கள். நைஜீரியாவின் மக்கள்தொகை கிட்டத்தட்ட சரிபாதியாகவே இஸ்லாமியர்களாகவும் கிறிஸ்தவர்களாகவும் ஆகியது. இரண்டுமே தங்களுடையது மட்டுமே மெய் என்ற ஒற்றை தரிசனம் கொண்ட மதங்கள். எந்தவிதமான சமரசத்துக்கும் இடமில்லாதவை.மரபான மதநம்பிக்கை கொண்ட நைஜீரிய சாதிகள் இன்று உதிரிநாடோடிகளாக வரலாறே இல்லாமல் வாழ்கிறார்கள்.
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இந்தியாவில் என்ன வேற்றுமை? இந்தியாவை கிறித்தவ மயமாக்கும் காலனியாதிக்க முயற்சிகளை இந்துமதம் அனுமதிக்காமல் எதிர்த்து நின்றது. இஸ்லாமின் ஆதிக்கத்தை வென்றதுபோலவே கிறித்தவ ஊடுருவலையும் அது வென்றது. அதற்கான காரணம் என்ன? மிக எளிய விடைதான் ஏற்கனவே இந்து,சமண,பௌத்த மதங்களால் இந்தியாவின் சிறுவழிபாட்டுமரபுகள் தத்துவார்த்தமாக தொகுக்கப்பட்டுவிட்டிருந்தன. ஆகவே அவை நைஜீரியா போல தனித்தனி வழிபாட்டுக்குழுக்களாக தேங்கி இருக்கவில்லை. ஒன்றுடன் ஒன்று உரையாடி வளர்ந்து ஒருங்கிணைந்த சக்தியாக, வலுவான தத்துவ – வழிபாட்டு அடிபப்டையுடன் விளங்கின. ஆகவேதான் நைஜீரிய பழங்குடி மதங்களுக்கு நிகழ்ந்தது இந்துமதப்பிரிவுகளுக்கு நிகழவில்லை..."

Adichchanallur - History buried

An eye-opener ...Jeyamohan writes abt his journey to Adichchanallur, near Thirunelveli and his meeting with a local elderly person.
Issues raised:
1. Adichchanullur supersedes Indus valley civilization, why no proper research on this - dravidian - aryan conflict?
2. Why there is no museum in this historical place. no indicator what so ever?
3. All excavated items have been moved to many places, and the area is now buried again.
and many more.
The elderly person raises all these issues, cites tamil literature but the surprise is, he is not a learned person but a person who looks after cattle!!

SundaraRamasami to Sujatha

Casually opened the State board Class XI Tamil supplementary reader that my mother had got, was pleasantly surprised to see short stories from eminent people in the literary world. It covered the entire gamut - Pudhumai Pithan, SundaraRamasami, Vanna Nilavan, Sivasankari, Thopil Muhamed Meeran, Dr.Mu.Va, Jayakanthan, Sujatha...
How lucky are the present set of students..they get initiated into a world of books so early..(heard from 9th class itself they have these kind of stories).
For a CBSE student, who had tamil till Xth class only (that too some boring mundane stuff), this came a whiff of fresh air
What more entire textbooks are available online
http://www.textbooksonline.tn.nic.in/

Washington-il Thirumanam

For long, I kept this book by Savi pending..finally managed to finish it. Man..for the hype surrounding the book, I found it boring. Its a story abt a US lady wanting to conduct an Indian marriage in US - Kind of West meets East line. It failed miserably on its USP - Comedy. I have heard my grandpa saying that AnandaVikatan made roaring business while serializing this story...May be the humor worked in those times..Every single joke was stretched to the maximum. I found the cartoons by Gopulu interesting..thats it.

History at its best

Re-Re-Reading Ponniyin Selvan. Amazing stuff. Every time you read it, you are hooked to it..This is what is called immortal classic.

Kurinji Malar - Na Parthasarathy

Finally finished reading Kurinji Malar purchased at the Chennai Book Fair. It is considered a classic among Tamil novels. It quite lived up to its name.
Na. Pa moves ahead of just telling a captivating story - the novel is more of moral science in disguise. The lead characters - Aravindan & Poorni are described as epitome of goodness. The keywords - Ozhukam, thuimai, nermai, mangalam, kolghai are constantly seen through the narrative. It has this old world feel...the money is discussed in annas & paisas..;-)) Good one time read.

Trivia: M.K.Stalin, the Tamilnadu C.M in waiting, acted in the DD - Serial Kurinji Malar as Aravindan. I still remember flashes of it.

Blog to read

Not many Tamil writers have their own blogs. Jeyamohan is a very articulate person - he writes at http://jeyamohan.in/. Worth adding to your feeder.

Chennai Book Fair

Had a good harvest of tamil books in the ongoing chennai book fair. The crowd was decent. Was able to move around leisurely. Some of the books in my kitty
Madan's Ki.Mu.Ki.Pi -Kizhaku Padhipagam
Madan's vandhargal vendrargal - Vikatan Padhipagam [ half way thro..a great book!]
Washington'il thirumanam -Vikatan Padhipagam
M.R.Radhayanam - Kizhaku Padhipagam
Jeeva -Kizhaku Padhipagam
Ponniyin selvan
Na.Paarthasarathy's Kurinji Malar
U.ve.Swaminatha iyer's autobiography - En Sarithiram - Aiythinai Padhipagam
Sanga kaalathil Tamizh Samayam

Kurudhi Punal - Indira Parthasarathy

A powerful Tamil Novel. Kuruthi Punal is based on the dalit struggle against upper caste, culminating in a climax that depicts the burning of dalits in kezhvenmani, an obscure village in Thanjavur ( a tragic real incident).

I particularly liked the satire style. Politics & politicians are ripped apart even though they don't play a big part in the novel. It was panned by many for not highlighting the true nature of the struggle (In the novel - it paints personal vendetta as against social upheaval) The author, Indira Parthasarathy justifies that ..it is a novel based on the incident & it does not have to follow the original. Whatever, only very few mainstream novels dare to take sides on a very tragic gruesome incident. Kudos for that.

Wiki link to the kezhvenmani massacre. Incidentally, yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the atrocity. From Hindu

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Kilvenmani atrocity, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) will open a training school for agricultural workers and a new memorial hall at the village.

On December 25, 1968, 44 Dalit agricultural workers, including women and some children, were burnt alive by local landlords and their hirelings in reprisal against the agitation led by the All India Kisan Sahba demanding higher wages

Must read!

Remix Songs

The latest trend in Tamil Filmdom is to remix old popular songs. But only very few click. Take the case of the songs that were released recently.

Ye Aatha Aaathorom-a: [Malaikottai] is strictly OK.

Engaiyum Eppothum: [Polladhavan] is below average for the simple reason, the original is still a big hit. It is not a joke to tamper with a cult classic.

Ponmagal vandhal: [Aghaghiya Tamil Magan] is easy on the ears. They have stuck to the original tune for the best part of the song with some rap interludes thrown here & there. Foot Tapping number. Watch Vijay imitating Sivaji in a black & white scene. Cool.

My Name is Billa: [Bila 2007] Disaster. I could just hear the sound only. Infact the entire Billa album lacks soul. Except for seval kodi, I didn't like any of the songs. Hope atleast the picturization of the songs save the day.

Poem Time

Priyan's Kavidhai

English in Schools & Universities

Hmm.. Somebody dared to speak differently.

TamilNadu Higher Education Minister, Mr.Ponmudi while speaking at a function in Presidency College, stressed the need to make English Syllabus easier. This is to facilitate the students to learn and speak English in a better manner.

Tamizh kUrum Nal Ulagham Enna kUrumo?