Writer Sujatha's passing away was shocking inspite of the knowledge about his poor health and hospitalisations in the recent years. For many of my generation, reading(novels) mostly meant in English language but the limited reading in Tamil would definitely include his works. I really admired the balance with which he dealt with science and religion.
Long time back he did a Q & A in Junior Vikatan. I remember someone asked him about 'maru jenmam'(rebirth) and I vaguely remember his explanation about how it can't be true sighting that the human population has always been on the increase. Now thinking about it, according to Hindu religion, rebirth can be as any creature and not necessarily human, right? So, if we take the total count of all life forms on this earth, will it be a constant no? That all those extinct animals are reborn as humans now?
Vaimaiye (sila samaiyam) Vellum was my very first attempt in reading a 'thodar kadhai' and not surprisingly it was Sujatha's. Talking of truth, when I read reports about person(s) confessing to a crime in India, I can't help doubting if (s)he is the real culprit? Is (s)he being framed? etc.(too much of movie influence?) Similarly, I can't help wonder why and what prompts people to confess to their crime after many years!
தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்து - தமிழ்நாட்டில மட்டும் சொல்லாதீங்க!!(Tamil new year wishes - say not in TN!)
21 comments:
Aparna-
Sujatha's loss is huge to not only tamil cinema, but to the literary world. As you mentioned, he really brought out the balance between science and religion.
happy new year..
Sujatha was a great writer and he is solely responsible for taking science to the streets of TN - wrote about difficult concepts in chaste tamil in an easily understable way. True loss!
Thamizh puthaandu nal vaazhuthukkal!
I haven't read any of Sujatha's book owing to my not very great Tamil reading skills.. but now I think I should get past that and try!
i have read sujatha's thodar kadhais in ananda vikatan. last read was 'irandaavadhu kaadhal kadhai'. some of his stories(involving technology) r inspired from english novels.. anyway nobody can beat his way of writing..
mitr, his association with tamil cinema was only in the recent years, isn't it?
me, veppam poo/maanga pachidi unda?
akay, 'taking science to the streets' - nicely put! It was from his article that I learnt the word 'kaNiNi'!!
gayatri, for starters, his books are a good choice.
ramya, If not regular, I tried to catch up with his 'Kathradum petradhum' in the recent years. 'Inspired' doesn't evoke as much shock as it used to!
..maanga pachidi yes...but no veppam poo...
me, vazhapoo maadhiri veppam poo-vum pudichiduveengannu nenachen!
there was veppam poo available at the stores for ugadi but no veppam poo for tamil new year...don't know why..
There was a similar argument about the discrepancy with reincarnation in my fav movie "Before sunrise". You can watch that part from the 4th minute onwards in this clip.
About the new controversy on tamil new year, I think some people are going insane as if they dont have any better things to do. The only +ve out of this is that we have one less public holidays from a quite large list..
yekkov...post pls...
me, like rice, may be the veppam poo was hoarded too!! ;)
And for some more time, ennaley commenta dhaan mudiyum!
raju, "I think some people are going insane as if they dont have any better things to do." - totally!!
Link
Unfortunately most do not work :(
But this does work :)
ttm, you are back with a bang, huh? Super find, asusual! :)
me2,
in first comment, I was trying to link to www.chennailibrary.com. Though many links wont work, it will save you good amount of luggage space after india trip :)Esp if it happens during the January book festivals in TN.
I was asking abt your fave desi grocery stores/farmers/organic markets in the previous post.
ttm, for another couple of years, my India luggage will consist of only diapers and other baby stuff!
I don't have any favourites but we frequent Cherians(did you know they have moved to a bigger place now?) in Decatur once in a while(Udupi being the main attraction!). There are a couple of new and good Desi stores in Alpharetta(Little India), Johns creek(Suvidha) areas that are worth recommending.
me2,
Cherians reminds me of the time I played tour guide and escorted a mallu family there...I stood scratching my packs of maggi and desi biscuits for an extra 45min at the counter while the wife completed her prawns, shrimp, salmon, crab and nearly ruined the Stone Mountain trip for the rest of us :( :(
Cherians used to be my #1 till I found Patel Bros opposite..they give good discounts. Udupi is the only restaurant i saw where they made fresh on-the-spot items(dosas) for the buffet
Aparna-
see my blog to pick up your award.
ttm, guess, you have a lot of memorable Cherians' moments cos I remember you mentioning about it before too(or is it the same family?)!
mitr, thanks a bunch! That's so nice of you!!
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