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Why there are no Brahmin Tamil writers anymore...

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kunjuppu

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I deliberately called this thread such and not 'tamil brahmin' for obvious reasons.

Ours is the community that produced Kalki, T Janakiraman, Chandilyan, LSR, Rajaji, Deepam Parthasarathy....and maybe hundreds more in the mid to late 20th century. Sujatha being the last of this illustrious crowd, in my opinion.

Today's tamil writer group, the young ones are a very vigorous group and I occassionally peep into it. Well represented across castes and religions, both sexes, the notable absentee among them is the tamil brahmin.

Often wondered about it. But never thought deeply enough. Till today, when I came across this blog, doing more than a passing comment on this phenomenon.

Throughout the article, the article compares the status of today's tamil brahmin youngsters to that of other communities, and wonders if their urbanization and absence of village roots has something to do with it. Myself included, I have been a Madras person all my life.

The author ends the blog with this... பெரும்பாலும் வேலையும்,காதலும்,திருமணமும், குடும்ப அமைப்பும்,சமூக அமைப்பும் அது சார்ந்த சிக்கல்களும் கேள்விகளும்தான் நம்மை எழுத வைக்கிறது.இதை சார்ந்த எந்த சிக்கலும் இன்றைய பிராமண இளைஞர்களுக்கு இல்லை.சின்னச்சின்ன நெருக்கடிகளை அவர்கள் தங்களுக்கு சாத்தியமான கலைகள் மூலம் கடந்து செல்கிறார்கள்.ஒருவர் எல்லா வகையிலும் செளகரியமாக மகிழ்ச்சியாக இருந்துக்கொண்டு இலக்கிய நூல்களை உருவாக்க முடியுமா.முடியாது என்று தான் நினைக்கிறேன்.

Are our youngsters that satisfied with life, that the patronage of arts (carnatic music mainly?) good enough to make them complacent? Is the necessary sorrow, agony, loneliness, sadness and such deep feelings, which are the key to creativity, lacking in the urban tamil brahmin youth of today?

I don't know.
 
hi

now a days many brahmins are TAMIL HATERS....THANKS TO DRAVIDIAN PARTIES...

Anti brahmin sentiment has been prevalent in Tamil country since late 1800s that I know of. The writers that came to fame did so inspite of that. The question is 'why' the younger generation has not got involved in writing. Even in English for that matter

Even Bharathiar has acknowledged anti brahminism of tamil...so did Rajaji & Kalki.

Did you read the blog. I am only interested in feedback from the observation of the blog and not any other views. Thank You.

Here is Bharathiar ...from

ஆடுவோமே - பள்ளுப் பாடுவோமே:
ஆனந்த சுதந்திரம் அடைந்துவிட்டோமென்று(ஆடுவோமே)

பார்ப்பானை ஐயரென்ற காலமும் போச்சே -வெள்ளைப்
பரங்கியத் துறையென்ற காலமும் போச்சே -பிச்சை
ஏற்பாரைப் பணிகின்ற காலமும் போச்சே - நம்மை
ஏய்ப்போருக்கு ஏவல் செய்யுங் காலமும்போச்சே (ஆடுவோமே)
 
How many are studying in Tamil medium...How many are interested in reading Tamil literature..I think the only option for TB's in the 50's to 80's was writing in Tamil (mainly for Tamil magazines like Kalaimagal, Vikatan, Kumudam, Kalki, Deepam) and English (for the elite)...But now there is no recognition for Tamil....With higher awareness TB's are going in English which is a global language...TB's share their anguish, feelings, sentiments through various social media in English or Tanglish...As kunjuppu has pointed out we have moved away from villages which are ground zero for the creative expression...We are not aware about the ground reality & the native earthy flavor (which is a must for Tamil writing)..But if you ask me, have TB's stopped expressing themselves...No...They are doing it with gay abandon in the media
 
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Any writing is aimed at a community. Brahmin tamil writers of old had captive brahmin readers.With the dravidian movement gaining strength, brahmins moved over to the english medium for expressing .Some brahmins are still active in tamil cinema.Music is still their domain.But tamil writing is a big no.
 
Thank You vgane & krish44.

The second part of the blog... are today's youth very contended and so are complacent? one needs to suffer to feel pain and that pain is the fountain of creation. are we all doing so well, that our sensitivities are simply dulled off? one needs turmoil and upheavals.. look at afghanistan, which apparently is producing a set of good international writers.

i might tend to agree with this, to an extent.
 
Dear Kunjuppu Sir,

The author writes

பெரும்பாலும் வேலையும்,காதலும்,திருமணமும், குடும்ப அமைப்பும்,சமூக அமைப்பும் அது சார்ந்த

சிக்கல்களும் கேள்விகளும்தான் நம்மை எழுத வைக்கிறது. இதை சார்ந்த எந்த சிக்கலும் இன்றைய

பிராமண இளைஞர்களுக்கு இல்லை.
சின்னச்சின்ன நெருக்கடிகளை அவர்கள் தங்களுக்கு சாத்தியமான

கலைகள் மூலம் கடந்து செல்கிறார்கள். ஒருவர் எல்லா வகையிலும் செளகரியமாக மகிழ்ச்சியாக

இருந்துக்கொண்டு இலக்கிய நூல்களை உருவாக்க முடியுமா. முடியாது என்று தான் நினைக்கிறேன்.

The highlighted portions are not totally correct.

1. Brahmins do have problems related to love, marriage, their family and the society. But seldom do they care what the

society thinks about them! The high income groups choose to study languages other than Tamil, to score high marks.

Later on, they settle abroad and lead a comfortable life. The not so rich brahmins have time only to earn to support their

family and where is time for them to write about their problems, that too in Tamil?

2. One who leads a comfortable life can very well be a good author - Sujatha is a good example. :)

P. S: ''தமிழ் இனி மெல்லச் சாகும்'' might be true! :(

 
Sujatha cannot be compared with Elite Tamil writers like Kalki, Janakiraman. He used to mix science and sex cleverly.
 
This happens to be the truth:

ஈங்கு கூறப்பட்டிருப்பது உண்மை எனினும் இதன் புறம்பேயும் பல காரணங்கள் இருக்கின்றன. இந்த யதார்த்தம்-தமிழில் எழுதுவது குறைந்து விட்டது என்ற யதார்த்தம்-பிராமணர்கள் மட்டுமின்றி மற்றும் சில இடைச்சாதியினருக்கும் பொருந்தும். இதற்கான ஒரு முதற்காரணம் மாறிவரும் காலச்சூழலில் நமக்கு அமைந்திருக்கும் கல்வியின் நிலையே.
ஆங்கில மொழியில், அதனை ஒரு ஊடகமாய் பயன்படுத்தித்தான், நாம் பல விஷயங்களையும் இன்று கற்கின்றோம். முதல் வகுப்பு முதலே நாம் நமது சிந்தனையையே ஆங்கிலத்தில் தான் செய்கின்றோம். "பூ பூக்கும் ஓசை" என்பது காதில் விழுந்து அது மனதில் ஆங்கிலம் வழியாகச்சென்று the sound of a flower blossoming என்று மனதில் பதியும் போது தான் அதிலுள்ள கவிதை புரிகிறது. அதற்குள் பாடல் மேலேசென்றுவிட அதன் சங்கீதம் மட்டுமே மனதில் அலைகளை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது. கவிதை கண்டுகொள்ளப்படுவதேயில்லை.

நமது மண்ணினையும் அதன் சுற்றுச்சூழலையும் நிகழ்களமாகக்கொண்டு மனதில் முகிழ்க்கும் ஒரு கருப்பொருள் ஏதோ ஒரு உந்துதலால் கவிதையாக பரிணமிக்கப் பரபரக்கும்போது இயற்கையாக தாய் மொழியில் வந்து விழவேண்டிய வார்த்தைகளும், உருவகங்களும் அவற்றுக்கு இணையாக ஆங்கிலத்தில் synonym களையும் syntax ஐயும் தேடவேண்டிய நிர்ப்பந்தத்துக்கு ஆளாகின்றன.

நாம் ஆங்கிலத்திலேயெ சிந்தித்து ஆங்கிலத்திலேயே எண்ணங்களை வெளிப்படுத்தி வாழ்ந்துகொண்டிருக்கிறோம். பிராமணர்கள் பெரிதும் புலம் பெயர்ந்து சென்று வாழ்வதால் அவர்களின் மக்கள் இந்த பிரச்சினைக்கு பெரிதும் உள்ளாகிறார்கள். இதனை அவர்கள் நன்கு அறிந்தே இருக்கிறார்கள் என்றாலும் அவர்கள் நீரோட்டத்தில் மிதக்கும் துரும்பைப்போல் ஒன்றும் செய்ய முடியாத கையறுநிலையிலிருக்கிறார்கள்.

நன்கு தமிழறிந்த மூத்த குடிமக்கள் (பிராமணர்கள்) இந்த சோகத்துடனே வாழ்ந்து மடிந்தும் போகிறார்கள். காலத்தின் கோலம்.

I am one such brahmin. I carry a regret. The regret is that I could not give Tamil to my children as a subject for study in School. I was helpless moving from state to state because of career compulsions. I will carry this regret along with many other similar ones to the grave. Yes this is காலம் செய்த கோலம் தான்.


My daughter, when she was in sixth standard was asked by her class teacher to write a piece on God and what she would want from God. She wrote out a poem in which she wrote several things about her concept of God and what all she wanted from God and finally told God " Oh God! I want to become the material with which you are made". I have several times wondered what she would have written if she were to write it in Tamil. She did not have the opportunity to study Tamil in school.

The idea/thought came in English and was expressed in English beautifully. If it had been Tamil it would have been more beautiful. But I was not lucky enough.
 
This happens to be the truth:

ஈங்கு கூறப்பட்டிருப்பது உண்மை எனினும் இதன் புறம்பேயும் பல காரணங்கள் இருக்கின்றன. இந்த யதார்த்தம்-தமிழில் எழுதுவது குறைந்து விட்டது என்ற யதார்த்தம்-பிராமணர்கள் மட்டுமின்றி மற்றும் சில இடைச்சாதியினருக்கும் பொருந்தும். இதற்கான ஒரு முதற்காரணம் மாறிவரும் காலச்சூழலில் நமக்கு அமைந்திருக்கும் கல்வியின் நிலையே.
ஆங்கில மொழியில், அதனை ஒரு ஊடகமாய் பயன்படுத்தித்தான், நாம் பல விஷயங்களையும் இன்று கற்கின்றோம். முதல் வகுப்பு முதலே நாம் நமது சிந்தனையையே ஆங்கிலத்தில் தான் செய்கின்றோம். "பூ பூக்கும் ஓசை" என்பது காதில் விழுந்து அது மனதில் ஆங்கிலம் வழியாகச்சென்று the sound of a flower blossoming என்று மனதில் பதியும் போது தான் அதிலுள்ள கவிதை புரிகிறது. அதற்குள் பாடல் மேலேசென்றுவிட அதன் சங்கீதம் மட்டுமே மனதில் அலைகளை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது. கவிதை கண்டுகொள்ளப்படுவதேயில்லை.

நமது மண்ணினையும் அதன் சுற்றுச்சூழலையும் நிகழ்களமாகக்கொண்டு மனதில் முகிழ்க்கும் ஒரு கருப்பொருள் ஏதோ ஒரு உந்துதலால் கவிதையாக பரிணமிக்கப் பரபரக்கும்போது இயற்கையாக தாய் மொழியில் வந்து விழவேண்டிய வார்த்தைகளும், உருவகங்களும் அவற்றுக்கு இணையாக ஆங்கிலத்தில் synonym களையும் syntax ஐயும் தேடவேண்டிய நிர்ப்பந்தத்துக்கு ஆளாகின்றன.

நாம் ஆங்கிலத்திலேயெ சிந்தித்து ஆங்கிலத்திலேயே எண்ணங்களை வெளிப்படுத்தி வாழ்ந்துகொண்டிருக்கிறோம். பிராமணர்கள் பெரிதும் புலம் பெயர்ந்து சென்று வாழ்வதால் அவர்களின் மக்கள் இந்த பிரச்சினைக்கு பெரிதும் உள்ளாகிறார்கள். இதனை அவர்கள் நன்கு அறிந்தே இருக்கிறார்கள் என்றாலும் அவர்கள் நீரோட்டத்தில் மிதக்கும் துரும்பைப்போல் ஒன்றும் செய்ய முடியாத கையறுநிலையிலிருக்கிறார்கள்.

நன்கு தமிழறிந்த மூத்த குடிமக்கள் (பிராமணர்கள்) இந்த சோகத்துடனே வாழ்ந்து மடிந்தும் போகிறார்கள். காலத்தின் கோலம்.

I am one such brahmin. I carry a regret. The regret is that I could not give Tamil to my children as a subject for study in School. I was helpless moving from state to state because of career compulsions. I will carry this regret along with many other similar ones to the grave. Yes this is காலம் செய்த கோலம் தான்.


My daughter, when she was in sixth standard was asked by her class teacher to write a piece on God and what she would want from God. She wrote out a poem in which she wrote several things about her concept of God and what all she wanted from God and finally told God " Oh God! I want to become the material with which you are made". I have several times wondered what she would have written if she were to write it in Tamil. She did not have the opportunity to study Tamil in school.

The idea/thought came in English and was expressed in English beautifully. If it had been Tamil it would have been more beautiful. But I was not lucky enough.

thank you dear vaagmi for this well thought out analysis and reply. this makes a lot of sense.

i was looking for something like this. i see that you have already shared this thought in the original blog :).
 
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Dear Kunjuppu Sir,

The author writes



The highlighted portions are not totally correct.

1. Brahmins do have problems related to love, marriage, their family and the society. But seldom do they care what the

society thinks about them! The high income groups choose to study languages other than Tamil, to score high marks.

Later on, they settle abroad and lead a comfortable life. The not so rich brahmins have time only to earn to support their

family and where is time for them to write about their problems, that too in Tamil?

2. One who leads a comfortable life can very well be a good author - Sujatha is a good example. :)

P. S: ''தமிழ் இனி மெல்லச் சாகும்'' might be true! :(


dear raji, good lady,

i have never claimed that the author is right. nor should anyone including the author.ok?

he is presenting a pov. he is not a brahmin and has looked at us, what he felt, simply as an observation. of us versus other tamil groups.

myself, i tend to agree with vaagmi. i studied 4 classes in tamil medium. we moved from triplicane to mandavelli, a new gentrified neighbourhood where the kids went to st bede's or rosary matric. to my parents, that appeared to be a path to upward mobility. i lost two years in the process, judged that class 4 in tamil medium was equivalent to 2nd standard in english.

still, my 4 years in tamil, gave me a root and love of the language, considering that both my parents could not write tamil, dad could not read tamil. malayalam was their language of learning.

in my street, growing up in late 1950s onwards, there was just one kid going to p.s. high school, one to raja muthiah. all the rest went to english medium schools, brahmins, xtians and everyone else. most of them took hindi and hence lost the touch of tamil. forever.

the neighbourhood was the new pos independence middle class. re your comment about the poor, infact poverty have been the fountain of creativity, i think. most of tamil writers of yore, including lsr, ka na su, k p neelamani all lived close to poverty or at the mercy of relatives.
 
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thank you dear vaagmi for this well thought out analysis and reply. this makes a lot of sense.

i was looking for something like this. i see that you have already shared this thought in the original blog :).
Dear kunjuppu,

Though what is posted there and copied by me here as a reply are my words, the monicker in the website "vicious slumdog" is not mine. When I finished writing down the matter and clicked to upload it perhaps the monicker of someone else was open there and my posting went under that name. when I realised the mistake there was no way I could correct it as the matter had gone already for moderation and approval. I left it at that as I had not even added my monicker there. So the VSD is not me. I saw your clarification on that in the website and so thought this would help.Thank you.
 
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Dear Kunjuppu Sir,

I was fortunate to get good Tamil teachers in school and had Tamil as the second language in my college.

Hence I enjoy Tamil literature to a great extent and still remember the poem '
நாரை விடு தூது' word by word! :)

Poverty creates good literature because most of the Tamil poets were very poor! :(
 
Dear Kunjuppu Sir,

I was fortunate to get good Tamil teachers in school and had Tamil as the second language in my college.

Hence I enjoy Tamil literature to a great extent and still remember the poem '
நாரை விடு தூது' word by word! :)

Poverty creates good literature because most of the Tamil poets were very poor! :(
RRji,
That one is a good kavithai and I cherish memories of the class room experience when I learnt it from my Tamil teacher. Particularly the visualisation "pazhampadu panaiyin kizhangupilanthanna pavalakoorvaai chengaal naaraai" because I hail from a village which had an overwhelming presence of palm trees(panai maram ), Thanks for bringing back the memories.
 
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All of us in the age group of 70 plus do feel that the Wonderful writers in Tamil, especially Novels & short stories really feel In the absence of New writers, we have to be content with

the available Tamil Novels,Short stories . I have read recently Short stories written by Anupama & I feel extremely happy because each story picturzes the reality to the core. one can easily relate the same what he/ she would have undergone/ seen/ heard.
I would like that all of us to make it a to get or buy books of older writers,from libraries & read occasionally & enjoy

A. Srinivasan
 
I want to suggest an alternative theory. Is it not true in history that such distinguished writers and artists are dicovered past their life time - There
are too many examples http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-people-who-became-famous-after-death.php https://mic.com/articles/62651/9-incredible-writers-who-only-became-famous-after-death#.1nKuVij18

If one looks around, one sees very talented Tamil writers - unable to publish their articles in standard outlets.
Here is a venpA written in the style of abirAmi andhAdhi ( looks excellent to me- not so well trained Tamil exponent)
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=213271#p213271
 
Knowledge of tamil does not get brahmins five figure salaries.

Brahmins love for high paying job is far more than love of tamil.

They would learn latin if it pays them more.

In delhi ,last generation tamil brahmins studied in tamil schools catering mostly to brahmins and maintained high standards.

This generation ,they have opted enmasse for convent school as they have better standards . Tamil school standards fell because it opened its gates to local NBs who were

mostly of domestic labour class and recruited north indian teachers who are less dedicated as compared with brahmin teachers.The local Dravidian party MPs also

moved in and pushing their agenda in school.

Brahmins want 99% marks in school final not tamil proficiency.

We can shed crocodile tears for tamil and go to hollywood movies and enjoy western pops on MTV.
 
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hi

even though i never studied tamil in school...but i was teacher in mylapore cbse school...i used to read AMUTHASURABHI

publications...i collected a lot of tamil novels in my collection.....especially deepavali malar of vikatan...the AMUTHASURABHI

PUBLICATION office very close to my home in mylapore...i use to visit many times...i think....now its closed....
 
RRji,
That one is a good kavithai and I cherish memories of the class room experience when I learnt it from my Tamil teacher. Particularly the visualisation "pazhampadu panaiyin kizhangupilanthanna pavalakoorvaai chengaal naaraai" because I hail from a village which had an overwhelming presence of palm trees(panai maram ), Thanks for bringing back the memories.
Dear Vaagmi Sir,

The best part I like in that poem is the poet comparing himself to a 'pEzhaiyuL uyirkkum pAmbu'! :thumb:
 
I think instant communications is the villain. It does not allow people think. Those days things were very slow and writers could think fast. Today's world is money oriented and emotions are only in emoticons. Nevertheless this forum and many, many, many websites provide deep insight into our peoples' thinking. Moreover, art of conversations is dying out which has been the fountain of many varied and weird thoughts. It looks that there is no going back. Lucky are the ones of 70/80/90 to cud on yesteryears.
 
Let all of us in heart of hearts realize & also accept the truth most of us (older ones must have studied Tamil not as a subject,but, all other subjects were learnt in Tamil. We could ever make any of our children to learn, let alone make them read/write in Tamil.We all took pride in that though many would have felt the helplessness.
Ultimately I would say that we are all totally Hypodrates & become totally Selfish ,in the sense we only concentrate on the progress of our own children & ensure they go to U. S study M.S. settle in a Job Buy a Flat for them in India, do the Baby- sitting in America & feel tired when you get really OLD then facing reality in that you could be happy if the grown-up Son / daughter takes care in their own way
Many are lucky & many , repeat many are unlucky feel Insecure in India, Join Old age Homes 7 re-wind the life spent for Half Century.
Are we to rejoice what we have done or ---------
Sincerely,
A.Srinivasan
 
All of us in the age group of 70 plus do feel that the Wonderful writers in Tamil, especially Novels & short stories really feel In the absence of New writers, we have to be content with

the available Tamil Novels,Short stories . I have read recently Short stories written by Anupama & I feel extremely happy because each story picturzes the reality to the core. one can easily relate the same what he/ she would have undergone/ seen/ heard.
I would like that all of us to make it a to get or buy books of older writers,from libraries & read occasionally & enjoy

A. Srinivasan

asoka mithran's entire collection of short stories has been put together and just been released... if you are interested, i can give you more details.. or you can google it and find out.
 
Dear kunjuppu,

Though what is posted there and copied by me here as a reply are my words, the monicker in the website "vicious slumdog" is not mine. When I finished writing down the matter and clicked to upload it perhaps the monicker of someone else was open there and my posting went under that name. when I realised the mistake there was no way I could correct it as the matter had gone already for moderation and approval. I left it at that as I had not even added my monicker there. So the VSD is not me. I saw your clarification on that in the website and so thought this would help.Thank you.

dear vagmi,

i thought that was a pretty neat moniker myself :). wanted to clarify to the blogger, and was more written with tongue in cheek, but in the context of your explanation, am glad, that i did the write up.

good stuff!!
 
Before lamenting on that there is no Tamil writers, we would take stock of the situation that as on date, how many TBs are purchasing Tamil novels and reading.
 
Before lamenting on that there is no Tamil writers, we would take stock of the situation that as on date, how many TBs are purchasing Tamil novels and reading.
Do you know that many of our forum members can NOT read Tamil and

those who KNOW Tamil, make tons of spelling errors while posting?

ஐயோ, தமிழ்த் தாயே!! :Cry:
 
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