Tamil writer Su. Venkatesan, who captured 600 years of history of Madurai between 1310 and 1920 in his debut novel Kaaval Kottam, has won the Sahitya Akademi award for the year 2011.
The 1048-page novel begins with the pillage of Madurai, known as Koodal Maanagar by Allauddin Khilji's general Malik Kafur, and the killing of Karuppu, a security guard. Subsequently, it fell into the hands of Vijayanagar kings and the descendants of Karuppu returned to Madurai as security guards, offering a unique security system till the British took over. All these have been dealt with in a gripping narrative.
Tamil film Aravaan, by director Vasantha Balan, is based on one of the sub-plots of the novel.
“The novel has its roots in the research I did on the compulsory settlement camp set up by the British in the Goodalur-Cumbum valley to lodge the security guards of Madurai after their defeat. It took 10 years to complete the novel and it was published in December 2008,” the 41-year-old Venkatesan, hailing from Tiruparankundram near Madurai, told The Hindu.
An active worker of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), he was fielded as the party candidate in Tiruparankundram in the 2006 Assembly election. He was elected the general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artistes Association this year.
“My close association with the CPI(M) for the last 20 years and my activism could be said to have shaped my novel,” he said.
Asked whether the politician in him did not come in the way of his creativity, he asserted that politics and creative literature were inseparable for anyone who loved society deeply.
Kaaval Kottam is about the security system that prevailed in Madurai Fort. It was unique in the sense that the guards would repay the money or goods if they were not able to prevent the houses from being burgled.
“In every village there are kaavalans (guards) and kallans (burglars). The question was who was great: kaavalan or kallan. But the kallan would not enter into any territory which was under the control of kaavalan from his village,” Mr. Venkatesan explains.
Kannakol poduthal (breaking into a house or palace by making a hole in the wall) is an art perfected by these kallans and one of them could even enter the palace of Thirumalai Nayakar: he decamped with the ring of the king.
In the novel, the people of Thathanoor, a fictitious village, are responsible for the security of Madurai and resist the attempt of the British to demolish the fort for the purpose of expanding the city. After defeating them, the British settle them in camps and declare them as notified communities. They were de-notified only after the country gained independence.
Another interesting aspect of the novel is its strong women characters. Whether it is the wife of Karuppu, a pregnant woman leaving the city in the wake of its defeat to raise a generation of great warriors, or the queens of Vijayanagar or the wives of kallans and kaavalans, they possess in them an extraordinary streak of independence.
Mr. Venkatesan also deals elaborately with the construction of the Mullaperiyar dam in the wake of the Thathu Varucha Pancham (drought) between 1876 and 1877.
“Around 20 per cent of the Madurai population perished in the drought and the commission constituted by the government recommended construction of a dam,” says Mr. Venkatesan, who has published six poetry collections and seven research works.
He is writing another novel based on Tamil tradition.
Keywords: Tamil writer, Sahitya Akademi Award, Su. Venkatesan, Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association
I read the book in one go lasting for five days(including holidays).This is a gripping novel. I have started to re-read the novel. This contains nava rasa. This is a people's novel. The narration is simply superb. Well-done Mr.S.Venkatesan.
Completed reading Tamil novel Kaaval Kottam by Su.Venkatesan. For
those who are not aware of, this is a 1050 page historical novel
written nearly for 10 years talking about the life and transformation
of Madurai and adjoining areas purely from masses perspective. Wow..
what a flow and I cant keep the book down and spent sleepless nights
to live with it. Still not able to come out of the characters Mayandi
Perusu, Chinnan, Viswanatha Naicken, Kaluvayii, Thirumalai Nayakkar,
Gangadevi, David Samraj, gods Sadachi and Karuppu etc etc., and the
incidents described. Addiitonal info: This novel got the Sakithya
Academy award for 2011 and if I am right Chinnan and Mayandi's story
is the baseline of tamil film Aravaan directed by Vasantha Balan. For
those who can read Tamil, it will kindle the interest in the language
again and provide a totally different experience.
I salute Thiru. Su. Venkatesan for his great achievent in having produced this researched historical book. I am trying to write a similar book about Tamils from Tanjore who migrated overseas to cointries like Sri Langka,Malaysia and Singapore. I am looking for historical record sources during the British period, and the great droughts of 1800 that made poor peasants into indentured labouers, hence forcing them to become tools of the British Capitalist, who reaped untold riches through the plantation economies on the backs of largely Tamil labourers. Can someone please provide me the E mail of Thiru Venkatesan or point me in the right direction. My E mail s_rassu@yahoo.com.sg.
Being an active member of tamil nadu progressive writers association iam glad that you have received this award for your debutant novel-mohanamoorthy,vellore
Congratulations. Shri Su. Venkatesan has won this award for his very
first novel. He is from the lefties family. The lefties have always
produced such a fine writers like Ponneelan, Vizhi.Paa. Idayaventhan,
Melanmai Ponnusamy, sridhara ganesan...
the voluminous book was gifted to me by kolappan spl correspondent of Hindu a few months back and read at a stretch which gave me a total knowledge of Madurai's 600 years history. kannakol poduthal, the art handled by the kallans even capable of penetrating into forts and similar incidents handled by the writer is so impressive and so no wonder that the YOUNG writer is well rewarded for his hard work and pain.
The award to Su. Venkatesan`s novel is the victory for his labour for
Seven years. He visited archeological sites and verified records
available with Govt and also with public and had done a very good
research work and then only sit to write the novel.Professors and
students of History have commented that this novel is a very good
document which supplement so many reliable informations for
histereography. Further it is a unique catogory deals with the
people`s history and it cannot be equated to our earlier historical
novels in Tamil which were written in praise of kings and kingdoms.
Surely the literary people of Tamil heartly welcome the award to
Venkatesan and celebrate the same. Your article also well written and
covers all the important points.
VAZHTHUKKAL. After reading your article, I realised the great mistake done by Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabai Patel, in dividing the country on linguistic basis. If the country was not divided on liguistic basis, the problem of water sharing between the states would have not arisen and the unity of India would have been more stronger than now. I don't know what made them to divide the states on language.
Congratulatoins to Venkatesan and Sanu Master. Both won this year's Sahitya Akademi award from TN and Kerala respectively. More heartening is that both are from Progressive writers association.
'Kaval Kottam' by Thiru. Su. Venkatesan reminds me of immortal historical novels like Ponniyin Selvan, Parthiban Kanavu & Sivagamiyin Sabatham by Kalki Krishnamurthi & Ponnar Sankar by Dr. M. Karunanidhi which are unputdownable. Tamil Nadu has a great history & culture of its own & it is good to learn that Thiru. Venkatesan has used it for the benefit of the readers. Having won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book in Tamil, Thiru. Venkatesan has made all Tamilians proud by his achievement. I am sure that in a year or two, his work will be translated into other languages like Malayalam, Hindi or English for the benefit of readers who cannot read Tamil.
Congratulations to Thiru. Venkatesan for his achievement !
Congratulations to Mr. Venkatesan! 'Kavalkottam' is one of my all time favourite books... I enjoyed reading this book and this has created a greater interest in me to look out for such books... I learnt quite a lot from that book... Hope this kind of recognition encourages more writers come up with good informative books about our culture and history.
It is a recognition by Sahitya Akademi for a debut novel based on local narrative about the 16th century Madurai. The history of British India and the treatment meted out to the oppressed people of the southern part of India are the hallmarks of the novel represented by numerous characters. Some portions are of imminent and topical importance such as the Mullaiperiyar dam construction in the undivided South India!
Congratulations to Thiru Su Venkatesan. I like his saying " Politics and creativity are inseparable if one loves the society deeply.I hope to buy and read it someday.A good coverage by The Hindu. Gives a nice feeling overall .
Great to hear that a novel based on Madurai's history is selected for Sakithya Academy. Congrats Mr Su.Vemkatesan.
Congratulations to Mr. Venkatesan! This award is a great encouragement to new upcoming writers. If the subject is thoroughly researched then it makes a compelling case for the reader to read it. The very introduction and synopsis of this book has created lots of curiosity in me and I'm ordering one right away. Also looking forward to the movie Aravaan; hope Vasantha Balan would have created his own magic in it! Overall a happy holiday season with great creative stuff on the offer for both entertainment seekers and knowledge seekers!
Congratulations Su. Venkatesan. A remarkable achievement to write such an epic novel and to be recognized by Sahitya Akademi. I wish I have time to read the 1048 page tamil novel. A full audio version of the novel (like Audible) read by eminent speaker/reader would be wonderful.
Congratulations to Thriru Su.Venkatesan.
Congratulations. Its truly an incredible feat.
I wish it gets translated to English or Malayalam for me to read. Tamil
has very good historical novels.
The re-rise of Tamil has begun!
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