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Meeting of great literary minds

When Malayalam's most popular poet meets the language's most popular novelist, one expects a spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions couched in words that will remain etched on one's mind.

But not so when the host is the Jnanpith laureate M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and even if his guest is Malayalam's master lyricist O.N.V. Kurup. Not even if the occasion is a function to felicitate the poet on his turning a graceful 75.

MT's opening remark was "No speeches here." When silence in the air-conditioned hotel room seemed to become deafening, M.M. Basheer, literary critic and master of the show, broke the ice saying, "But there is no ban on small talk."

From then on, an air of informality prevailed. MT presented the poet with a brocaded shawl. "When I first saw Kozhikode, its streets were swarming with carts dawn by horses," reminisced the poet during a private conversation after a feast in traditional style arranged by MT in the hotel on Sunday in the company of other invitees.

In the small group were celebrated figures of State's cultural scene, including the novelist P. Valsala and Artist Namboodiri, and the young writers K.P. Ramanunni, P.K. Parakkadavu and Indu Menon and the painter Francis Kodankandath.

Basheer's wife, Suhara, presented a token of love to ONV's wife. The former Minister and MT fan M.K. Muneer had to look around the hall for some time before he was able to find a mike for ONV's granddaughter Aparna to further liven up the occasion with melodious renderings of the poet's poems. Her singing lingered in the minds for hours.

R. Madhavan Nair

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