Writers were in the forefront of many revolutions. Poets and novelists influenced by socialism played a major role in producing uplifting literature in the country.
As the Indian Progressive Writers’ Association completes eight decades, the Purogamana Kalasahitya Sangham (PuKaSa) has come up with a pictorial chronicle of the history of progressive literature movements in India and Kerala.
The exhibition began at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery in Kozhikode on Tuesday as part of a national seminar to be held on Thursday. Opened by artist P. Shantha in the presence of MLA Purushan Kadalundy, the exhibition features posters that portray the evolution of the progressive writers’ movements from the time of world wars.
It started as a rebellion against fascism and Nazism. The first milestone was the International Bureau of Revolutionary Literature held at Moscow in 1927. The Union of Soviet Writers was founded in 1934, and the International Congress for Defence of Culture was held in Paris in 1935. Simultaneously, revolutionary ideas had taken form in India too, and the Indian Progressive Writers Association was founded in 1934 under the aegis of a few Indian students in London who were influenced by socialist ideologies. Mulk Raj Anand, Premchand, and Sajjad Zaheer were some of the early leaders. Rabindranath Tagore, Sarojini Naidu, and even Jawaharlal Nehru had associated with the Association.
It was in 1937 that the Jeeval Sahitya Sangham was founded in Kerala. E.M.S. Namboodiripad and K.P.G. Namppoothiri were some of the earliest leaders. The Sangham changed its name to Purogamana Sahitya Sangham in 1944 with more writers such as G.Sankara Kurup, N.V. Krishna Warrier, Kesavadev, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, Ponkunnam Varkey, Vayalar Rama Varma and O.N.V. Kurup joining the fold.
The Deshabhimani study circle founded in 1971 played a major role in building up protest during the Emergency. After lying low for a few years, the Purogamana Kalasahitya Sangham came into form in 1981 with Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon as the first president.
The exhibition also pays tribute to writers like V.T. Bhattathiripad, MRB and Premji for their contribution in emancipating the Brahmin women, theatre movements that reflected the political situation of the State, the Kerala People’s Arts Club, better known as KPAC, and artists such as K.T. Muhammed, Nilambur Ayisha, Kozhikode Abdul Khader, V. Sambasivan and Kedamangalam Sadanandan. Voices of revolution such as Rohit Vemula and Perumal Murugan are remembered too. The exhibition will conclude on Thursday.
