The Hindu : Kerala News : Writer-reader interaction enlivens Thunchanparambu

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Monday, Feb 04, 2008
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Writer-reader interaction enlivens Thunchanparambu

Staff Reporter

Courtyard of Thunchanparambu truns into a platform of refined literary values
Iron stylus of Thunchathu Ezhuthachan taken out in a procession

TIRUR: A dozen-odd writers who came from other States stood in awe as a learned audience engaged some of the well-known writers of Malayalam in a lively interaction on Sunday afternoon. The courtyard of the Thunchanparambu here turned into a platform of refined literary values, bringing memories of the famous mangosteen tree immortalised by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.

Dozens of writers and their readers stood under the mango trees of the Thunchanparambu giving and taking topical questions. A photograph of Basheer smiled at them. There was no two opinion among the gathering about Basheer’s highest stature in the hall of literary fame.

The event marked the second day of the Thunchan Festival, a mega literary event coinciding with the Basheer Centenary celebrations.

Among the writers who parried a slew of questions from the audience were M. Mukundan, Sethu, Perumpadavam Sreedharan, Sathrughnan, P.R. Nathan, and Mundoor Sethumadhavan. Vaisakhan presided over the session. Poet Manamboor Rajanbabu welcomed the gathering.

Bala Gurumurthy, regional secretary of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi, from Bangalore, said in dismay: “I can’t imagine such a lively literary session anywhere else in the country.” That was his tribute not only to Thunchanparambu but to Basheer as well.

However, Mr. Gurumurthy wondered why the paddy fields were being either left unused or filled, and why liquor shops and bars were on the increase in Kerala. Mr. Mukundan said that globalisation had not spared Kerala, and that mechanisation was not feasible in tilling the tiny fields of Kerala.

Hindi writer Geetanjali Shree, Kannada writer Vivek Shanbhag, and Telugu writer C. Vijayasree made presentations at a seminar on ‘Narrating the nation’ held in the morning. Writer K.P. Ramanunni presided over the seminar.

P.K. Rajasekharan and N.P. Vijayakrishnan presented papers at a seminar on ‘Basheer and his times.’ Writer-translator M.N. Karassery presided. Vijayasree delivered the ‘samvatsar lecture.’ The iron stylus of Thunchathu Ezhuthachan was taken out in a procession on Sunday.

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