His mission is to dispel myths
M. BALAGANESSIN
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Tamil works should find wider readership through translation, feels `Thoppil' Mohammed Meeran.
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`Thoppil' Mohammed Meeran.
Winner of the Sahitya Akademy award, Mohammed Meeran is proud of the prefix ``Thoppil.' It stands for an isolated piece of residential land near a graveyard for suppressed sects of Muslims in Thengapattinam village in Kanyakumari district bordering Kerala State, where he spent the most arduous part of his literary journey.
`Thoppil' Mohammed Meeran goes down memory lane, recalling how he remained undeterred by the smoke bellowing from the adjoining graveyard in his village, while authoring several novels including `Saaivu Naarkali' that brought him the Sahitya Akademy award in 1998.
On social change
Many of Meeran's novels relate to history, dealing with the social changes at different point of time. Some are based on the atrocities committed against the weaker sections of his village, as narrated by his father, M. O. Mohamed Abdul Khader. The people, places and events of Thengapattinam have influenced his novels. "Social issues form the main focus of my novels and my aim is to dispel myths clouding people's minds," he says.
Thoppil is sad that there is no `unity' among the Tamil writers, the kind found in neighbouring Kerala.
Even acclaimed writers of Tamil Nadu fail to appreciate the good work of their own colleagues, much to the distress of the lovers of Tamil literature. "In Kerala, the literary community maintains a very close and cordial relationship, acknowledging the talent of their colleagues irrespective of age groups or regional bias. Each and every literary work in Malayalam is reviewed and constructively debated in various forums, thus giving a sense of confidence to budding writers. Not only Malayalam works, good writing from other national and international languages too are accorded due recognition in Kerala."
"Noted writer Akilan was the first Tamil to win the Jnanpith award in the 1970s. It took more than three decades for another Tamil writer (Jayakanthan) to repeat the feat. Why? Is it dearth of talent? "It is more the absence of harmony among the Tamil writers," explains Thoppil.
He admits that many works of leading Tamil writers often go unnoticed at the national and international levels, because they are not translated into other languages.
Tamil writers should have first hand information of every writer hailing from the State - a basic factor to keep in step, feels Thoppil.
Significance of translation
Emphasising the importance of translation, he says that not only litterateurs even the Government should pay attention to this aspect.
His in-depth knowledge of the Holy Quran often makes him wonder why the tenets are misinterpreted by the followers. A progressive thinker supporting the cause of gender sensitisation among the followers of the Islam, he opposes discrimination and supports the starting of exclusive Jamath for Muslim women.
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