A review of Anoop Varghese Panthirayithadathil's poem 'Adukkala thozhilalikal'

Adukkala thozhilalikal

Delareyville,South Africa
3 May 2013

Today is a happy day for me not only because it's a weekend,the weather
condition rating is 10 out of 10,but because today I have found my match in the matter of long names.Anoop Varghese P. has beaten me with
one letter.Welcome to South Africa.You will be warmly received here because of your long name,especially at Immigration Counters and road
blocks.Even if you drive at 220 kms/per hour,you won't be charged because traffic cops will forget your offense,busily discussing your python-like name.Mine is a padavalanga only.

After reading AVP's poem 'Adukkalathozhilalikal',I wrote in my diary:

" A poem is a spark that starts a wildfire of reflections,''

Ithu alankarikamayi paranja oru karyamalla.Adukkala Thozhilalikal oru
lalithamaya kavithayanenkilum athmayi bandhappetta pala chinthakalum
ente manassiloode kadannu poyi.When I learnt that AVP is a Catholic
priest,ente manassu oru kurangineppole arivakunna van vrikshathinte chila sakhakalil chadiyum marinjum njannum chila abhyasangal nadathi
oduvil land cheythatu 1963l ente edavaka aya Paika palliyil oru njayarazhcha kurbanayude idykkanu.

Fr.Mathew Varakiparambil is delivering his Sunday sermon to the swelling congregation,who sit on the floor,and a horde of half-believersoutside poised like Usain Bolt on the blocks,ready to run away as soon as possible.Fr Mathew is a self-taught,extraordinary genius.His speech touches a wide range of issues such as the threat
of Communism,the moral degeneration of society,etc.Most of the audience
don't understand him.A few educated persons,including my elder brother
( Chettan)Dr N.K.Joseph( Former Head of the Department of Hindi,STC Pala) understand Fr mathew . I'm also in the church as a 14-year old.I
understand 60% of the vicar's sermon because,at home after evening prayers,all the family members took part in a discussion about current affairs.For most of the believers,the vicar's lengthy speech was a bitter pill to swallow.The sound of snoring occasionally disturbed those who were paying attention.

Can you believe this?Fr Mathew varakiparambil was a poet-in English.He
was ahead of his times.If my memory is correct,he didn't have a university degree.He published a collection of his poems.My Chettan
bought a copy of that book.I read the book,but understood only30% of it.

The unfortunate part of this is that,because Fr Mathew was a Catholic
priest,his book of poems didn't receive the attention that it deserved.
The memories about Fr Mathew pained me due to the fact that there's
communalism in the Malayalam literary scene.Yesterday I wrote extensively about it,but set it aside as a subject of future research.
I'm determined to trace Fr mathew's book and study it thoroughly.His themes were love of God,nature and human relations.

AVP's poem triggered in me memories of my mother and other mothers
during my childhood,who devoted their entire lives for caring for the
family,in Dickension conditions.I'll deal with this subject in the future.

The wildfire that I referred to can produce 40-50 pages in one sitting
because AVP's poem raises many issues,eg 1.The hardships of housewives
2.The impact of Cinema on people's attitudes 3.Communalism on the
Malayalam literary scene.After my return to India,I intend to do research about the 3rd subject.


I left Kerala on 22 December 1974.Due to nearly 4 decades of living overseas,I haven't had access to Malayalam books.But I have maintained my knowledge of malayalam,like the little 'thulasi'plant in a flowerpot
that you carry with you ,when you shift house.I intend to start Malayalam typing shortly.


AVP has the 'varam' of poetry in him as it's evident from the rhythmic flow of the lines in "Adukkala thozhilalikal'.A gentle,
pleasant tone permeates the poem.Right from the start,the lines mainatains a musical quality,as in the lines:

onnu chernnnathinnaghosaravam
May onninu thozhilali dinam

The first stanza unravels the festive mood in Rome,where workers are on
the streets,enthusiastically drinking and dancing.The festive mood
catches up with the poet,but not in Rome.His thoughts are with the the
millions of housewives,who are not officially recognised as 'workers',but who struggle tirelessly,to put food on the table,to
cook,wash ,clean etc etc It's an irony that women,work long hours
but they don't fall under the term 'thozhilali'.The poem is a plea to
everybody to acknowledge that the housewives are also 'thozhilali'.

Significantly,the poet doesn't focus on his own mother,as some other
poets do.Instead,he regrads all women as his mother,and prays for them
to achieve recognition and appreciation.

Theen mesayil sneham vilambumen
ororo ammamarilekkavar

The poet showers flowers of appreciation and love on all mothers.

Nenchodu cherkkam asamsa neram

All the lines are beautiful,but the line I like most is

mumpeyunarnnu pimpeyurangi

The gentle,peaceful tone of the poem is significant.The poet doesn't
embark on a crusade against the social evil of gender discrimination.
Instead,he opens a kilivathil for us to see the sacrifices of the women
who sustain the family despite all odds.

The influnece of cinema to influence people's way of thinking positively is worth mentioning here."Veruthe alla Bharya" is a
landmark in the history of malayalam films,highlighting the
sufferings of a young house wife.Perhaps AVP also has been influenced by the theme of "Veruthe alla Bharya."

The visuals are very suitable for the poem.The picture of a North Indian is most fitting.The blue and white colours are very eye-catching,particularly for me because it's the uniform at my school.

This poem is a big step forward for AVp.Keep up.