Scholarly effort

CALL IT "Padaippulagam" (creative world) or "Oru Paarvai" (a bird's-eye view) or by any other name, but it seems a new venture in Tamil book publishing. The works are vintage stuff. The effort by the Kalaignan Pathippagam to present the works of great writers such as Laa. Sa. Raa, Ki. Rajanarayanan et al is indeed a bold step.

The best works of five writers - Laa. Sa. Raamamirtham, Ki. Raa. or Ki. Rajanarayanan, Asokamitran, Sundara Ramaswamy and Jayakanthan - were released in book form at a function held the other day.

Each of the writers had made a mark in his heyday - Laa. Sa. Raa. through his existentialism, Ki. Raa. by taking the readers to villages in the South in the "Karisal Kaadu" (black soil tract) Sundara Ramasamy for his realism, Asokamitran for his story telling ability and Jayakanthan for his realistic portrayal of characters.

After an introduction by Mr. K.S. Subramanian, former official of the Asian Development Bank and the compiler of Jayakanthan's works, nonagenarian Chitti (Pe. Ko. Sundararajan) said he and Laa. Sa. Raa. were associated with Tamil writing right from the Manikkodi days, which marked a new era in Tamil writing over 60 years ago. Laa. Sa. Raa's stories gave one the experience of attending a good musician's concert.

Sundara Ramasamy and Jayakanthan followed in the footsteps of Pudumaippithan, though each of them has his own style.

Laa. Sa. Raa. was greatly moved by the kind words spoken about him and said it was a homage to the Goddess of Learning.

As far as he was concerned, he felt that his life as a writer had come full circle with the publication of this book.

Jayakanthan urged the older generation to encourage the youth to read his novels and short stories.

Asokamitran, in his brief speech, was all praise for the publishers whose effort marked a new step in the field of Tamil publishing.

The written speeches of Sundara Ramasamy and Ki. Rajanarayanan were read out in their absence. Gnani, another Tamil writer and one of the compilers, welcomed the gathering while G. Masilamani of the Kalaignan Pathippagam proposed the vote of thanks.

T. A. SRINIVASAN

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