TAMIL
Motherhood
PREMA NANDAKUMAR
JANANI — Thai-Magal-Thaymai (Creatrix: Mother-Daughter-Maternity): Rinki Bhattacharya — Compiler, Aishwaryan — Tr. in Tamil; Vikatan Publications, 757, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002. Rs. 70.
THERE IS no definition for motherhood. Pronounce ‘mother’! and all at once is said. It is not necessarily a genetic transmission of a certain quality. The vastness that embraces all creation into its fold with the loops of maternal love is, perhaps, its definition. How else explain the maternal love of Maithili Rao’s mother? And Nita Ramaiah?
Janani is primarily a record of the reflections of biological mothers and daughters. Most of them are also remarkable achievers in their chosen areas.
Going through the biographical-cum-autobiographical essays, one comes across certain identical conclusions. Daughters cannot forget the tongue-melting cuisine by their mothers; mothers invariably seem to be the main inspiration for their studies; it is the mother who steps in at the critical moment to strike a supportive stand; it is also the mother who by her constant desire to learn becomes a role model. Some daughters speak of becoming mothers to their mothers. After all, our elders slyly referred to a ”second childhood”!
Mostly from middle-class, these writers, Ambai and Shashi Deshpande among them, write with passion sieved through a clear vision.
The one disappointment is Kamala Das. Not a word about her great, gentle mother Balamani Amma! The one totally unforgettable contribution is from Urmila Pawar which conveys the Dalit experience, lacerated by unforgivable pain.
