Anthology of Kumudini
ASHOKAMITRAN
Kumudini represented the new woman envisaged by the great thinker, reformer-poet, Subramanya Bharati
THE INNER PALACE — An Anthology of Select Writings of Kumudini: Translated by Ahana Lakshmi; Pub. by Srirangam Srinivasa Thathachariar Trust, 91/152 South Chitrai Street, Srirangam-620006. Rs. 300.
Kumudini, pseudonym for Ranganayaki Thatham (1905-1986), was one of the visionary, self-taught women writers of the period, 1935-1965. Along with modest, self-effacing Tamil women like Guhapriyai, Anuthama, and K. Savithri, she was a regular contributor to magazines such as Ananda Vikatan, and Kalaimagal, which though meant for a large circle of readers also provided a forum for original and intense articles and short stories. The context is important. That was a period when middle-class families were just beginning to read journals dealing with contemporary issues. These women, self-taught but courageous in placing their ideas and views for public debate, contributed to these magazines in a small but significant measure.
Kumudini — as did the other women writers — gave importance to translation. She translated Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Joga Jog’ from its Hindi edition. The translation was serialised in Ananda Vikatan and later appeared in book form, and won much acclaim.
Gender equality
As for her creative writing, Kumudini subtly campaigned for gender equality and social reformation as early as the pre-Independence days. She first had to elucidate where and how men stifled the individuality of women as a matter of course. This was done not only in essays like ‘The New Woman,’ but also allegorically while retelling episodes from the epics. Her message was embellished by an exceedingly clever sense of humour.
The banter between the husband and wife in the story ‘Made for Each Other’ is a subtle exposure of how men slight even simple requests of women and bluff through, not realising that their counterpart had already detected it. Kumudini represented the new woman envisaged by the great thinker, reformer-poet, Subramanya Bharati.
‘Inner Palace’ is where the highest of women confined to a life of claustrophobic reflections write imaginary letters. They are lofty women like Sita and Damayanti. Kumudini does not mince words. With consummate tact, she conveys startling truths. There is a piece on her use of the dictionary. This should be a lesson for children and adults alike for all times. Simple and practical, but enormously beneficial.
The volume has the whole text of Kumudini’s novel ‘Diwan Magal’ in translation. In the novel, there is a delicate stricture on parents who name their children thoughtlessly and the children spend an entire life in embarrassment. There is a delightful piece on Srirangam, the home-town of the writer.
The anthology is a product of methodical selection, tact, and scholarship. The translation is fluid without missing nuances. The collection has an extremely useful and well written foreword by Paula Richman of the Oberlin College, Ohio, United States. There is also a brief glossary with approximate English equivalents given to some local terms. But it has to be stressed again that the reader should be mindful of the context — the times and the social milieu in which Kumudini lived and wrote enunciating her ideas with admirable tact and humour.
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