An academic’s dream of inculcating love for literature among young people has resulted in an anthology of 11,000 Tamil poems written by 62 poets titled Kaalangal Pesum Kaaviyangal, that gives the phrase ‘hefty tome’ a whole new meaning.
The mega compilation is the passion project of K.R. Kalaiarasi, assistant professor, Department of Tamil, Jamal Mohamed College (JMC), who has contributed 50 poems to the book. “I was born and brought up at Vellakollai village, Pudukottai district, and was encouraged by my parents, who worked as farm labourers, to pursue higher education,” Ms. Kalaiarasi told The Hindu.
After graduating in Tamil literature from the Government Arts College for Women in Pudukottai, Ms. Kalaiarasi obtained her doctoral degree from JMC in 2014.
Showing a flair for poetry, she published two collections, Kannil Theriyuthu Vanam and Theendamaiku Oru Theervu, while still in college. But the debt incurred by her father to pay the publishing costs made her put her creative writing on the backburner for a while.
After settling in her job, Ms. Kalaiarasi, with the support of her spouse J. Maheswaran, assistant professor, Department of Business Administration at JMC, decided to start the online platform Kavipavai Kavithai Kulumam in 2023 to encourage new poets.
Kaalangal Pesum Kaaviyangal is the team’s first publishing venture.
She co-founded the venture with Tamil literature enthusiasts K. Karthik (based in Malaysia), S. Karthikeyan of Salem, and R. Sunitha of Kovilpatti.
The team held verse online competitions, and decided to compile the entries into book form, with editing by S. Brintha Srinivasan and printing done by Dharmapuri-based publisher Kavithedal Pathipagam.
“I am deeply disturbed to see the long hours spent by young people on their electronic devices, in isolation. Creative writing will help redirect their energy into reading and literary expression,” she said.
The team will be bringing out more such original works in future, said Ms. Kalaiarasi. “We hope to introduce short stories and essays around specific themes, in regular size collections,” she said.
Kaalangal Pesum Kaaviyangal is priced at ₹12,000 and was recently displayed at JMC campus.
