The literary scene

THE EARLY NOVELS IN THE SOUTH INDIAN LANGUAGES: Dr. Sankaran Ravindran _ Editor; Publication Division, University of Calicut. Rs. 100.

THIS BOOK is a collection of papers presented at a seminar held under the jointauspices of the University of Calicut andthe Nedungadi Bank Ltd., Calicut. A biographical sketch of Appu Nedungadi, author of Kundalatha, the first novel inMalayalam, and founder of the Nedungadi Bank, is given in the introduction bythe Vice-Chancellor of the Calicut University, Dr. K.K.N. Kurup. Dr. AyyappaPaniker, in his paper, which provides the setting for the other papers, identifies the factors that stimulated novel writing in the four regional languages in South India in the second half of the 19th century.

The impact of Western education, the immediate influence of English literature, the growth of periodicals, a growing reading public, the writings of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the reform movements in Bengal and the revolutionary ideas about democracy, social justice, and the position of women - all these formed a cumulative source of inspiration to South Indian writers.

The general climate of the times provoked them to employ the novel as a medium to articulate their protest against social maladies like "sati," child marriage, child widowhood, and religion overlaid with savage customs, blind superstitions and rituals. The early novels in the South Indian languages were born against such a background.

The term novel has its South Indian equivalents _ "Kadambari" in Kannada, "Navala" in Telugu, "Puthinam" in Tamil, besides novel. The term novel is retained in Malayalam. Another term signifying novel is "Akhyayika."

Though prose narrative in Kannada may be traced back to the early part of the 19th century, the pride of place for being the first novel, strictly so called, goes, according to Dr. C. N. Ramachandran, to Indira Bai (1899) by Gulvadi Venkata Rao. The early Kannada novel, besides illustrating the multitude of influences already referred to, also bears the imprint of the tradition of Yakshagana.

The reformist Kannada novels beginning with Indira Bai exemplify the "insider turned outsider or critical insider" syndrome. Dr. Chellappan dwells on the three early Tamil novels- Prathabha Mudaliyar Charitram (1879) by Vedanayagam Pillai, Kamalambal Charitram (1896) by Rajam Iyer, and Padmavathi Charitram (1893- 95) by Madhavayya, and their concern in their respective ways with contemporary social issues and the quest of women for their identity.

The papers by Dr. Laxmana Murthy and Dr. Rangan complement each other. Which was the first novel in Telugu- Sri Ranga Raja Charitra (1872) by Narahari Gopala Krishnamma Chetty or Raja Sekhara Charitra (1878) by Kandukuri Veeresha Lingam Pantulu? Historically the former enjoys precedence and the Fort St. George described it as "apparently the first attempt ever made in this part of India at novel writing in Telugu prose." The author called it Navina Prabandham (an original story in a new prose style). The consensus, however, is that Pantulu's Raja Sekhara Charitra, described as "Vachana Prabandha" (prose narrative), was the first novel in Telugu. The novel, besides being a realistic portrayal of the 19th century Telugu society, reveals Pantulu's reformist zeal. Chilakamarthi Lakshminarasimham looked on Pantulu as his literary mentor. For his novels, Lakshminarasimham received the award instituted by the journal Chintamani.

While inviting entries for novel writing, the journal spelt out at length the guidelines to be followed by the participating writers. Dr. Rangan surveys this early literary scene in greater detail and subjects the novels, particularly Pantulu's, to extended critical treatment to illustrate the influence of Goldsmith and Surft on Pantulu. Pantulu was a trendsetter in the field of Telugu novel.

He was a novelist with a purpose. His novels exemplify the bilateral relationship between literature and society. "Literature is not only the effect of social causes; it is also the cause of social effects."

The focus in Indulekha (1889) by O. Chandu Menon is different. Dr. Sreejan examines it from the point of view of translation. The novel underscores "the eternal conflict between two generations, the aged and the young, the passing and the rising." Besides, it presents the clash between the old and the new, divided by the languages they speak.

The characters are distinguished from one another on the basis of their choice of language. Indulekha may be considered as a novel with "languages as characters."

It carries a message: "The English and the Indian will coalesce and become one nation. At that stage, translations will become redundant as Malayalam and English will coalesce into one and the same language. At the level of faith, a new religion will come into existence abrogating the religions prevailing in India and substituting a transcendental religion."

Close attention could have been paid to proofreading and quite a few glaring lapses in expression.

S. JAGADISAN

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