Saturday, August 20, 2016

A lengthy essay by Director Ram on Muthkumar :Part 1 love at first sight

A write up on Muthu …Na Muthukumar by Ram,  not the Hindu  N Ram , but  Director Ram

I do not know my literary link with Na Mu.Right from his untimely demise I have been in a state of shock and  uneasiness .The question of death of the innocent and young  frighten me and make me more humble . Soloman  Pappaya would say whenever he thinks about his mother the tears will trickle down  from his eyes and I have also experienced the same.  Without any blood relationship   Muthu  made me cr on 14 Aug ust 2016; and that gave some relief and then stability.

 His finer feelings as a human ,the inherent  shyness and inclination towards simplicity of life and his strength of character  all revealed through his writing did make some impact on me. The current issue of Ananda  Vikatan(24-8-16) carries a write up on him by Ram and also Bhava  Selvadurai.I will try to approximate their views and feelings by translating them into a language read by many with due acknowledgement to the publisher.

1996.Every Friday in madras Christian college under the shadows of a tree , a poetry reading session woul d go on under the banner “vanam”.In that act of reading poetry session many outsiders also would join our college students.Muthukumar was one such person who came to  sell his " butterflies"(his poetry volume ?) in our  “vanam”.After the session we sipped tea.As there was hardly anything to talk I suggested to him:”Why can’t you stay for two days in the hostel and go home on Monday?”Sipping the tea hot , he agreed  with a  slurping sound.”A few would  take more time to befriend us.But in the case of Muthukumar it was love at first sight.At the flight of a second  he took me as his friend and there was reciprocity from my side too.


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