A crusade for social justice
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Some interesting reads in Kannada...
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Three plays by T.N. Seetharam
Ankita Pustaka, Rs. 120
T.N. Seetharam's three plays, which were written decades ago, has been brought into print now, even as the audience are spellbound with his mega serial Mukta. With television superseding cinema and theatre as the most effective medium of communication today, the foremost question that arises is should one read Seetharam's plays — Nammolagobba Naajookaiah and Aasphota — after watching nearly 700 episodes of Mukta, which is beginning to see the end.
Corruption in the social and political system, one of the dominant themes of Mukta, is the nub of Aasphota and Nammolagobba Naajookaiah. In fact, one can find the seeds of Mukta in Aasphota and Nammolagobba Naajookaiah.
While the two plays eloquently deal with political and social life soon after the Emergency and later on, the television serial veers on the same issues in the context of globalisation and privatisation.
The fight against the corrupt system ends with mere indignation in Aasphota. Nammolagobba Naajookaiah draws to a close with the idealist hero Shivaprasad falling prey to the machinations of the corrupt politicians and businessmen, against whom he had been fighting.
But in Mukta, a mature Seetharam succeeds in providing a more meaningful finish to the fight that began in Aasphota. Honest politicians from across the political spectrum come together, jointly fight the elections and overthrow a corrupt Government, heralding a new political era.
Apart from the theme, the trappings of the plays and the television serial are also almost the same. Seetharam's sparkling dialogues are the life-blood of all the three works. While dealing with serious issues, Seetharam provides comic interludes through the dialogues of photographer Mahadeva Swamy in Nammolagobba Naajookaiah, the driver in Aasphota and Topi Seshappa in Mukta.
However, the other play in the collection, Baduka Mannisu Prabhuve, is different. The one-act play, which Seetharam wrote when he was barely 20, emphasises how difficult it is for one to live a life of one's choice, without affecting the lives of others. The protagonist Ramaswamy's statement: "Obbara baduke inobbara saavu" (What is life for one, is death for the other), carries the message of the play.
K.V. Subramanya
A Tulu lexicon
Sankshipta Tulu Padakosha
by U.P. Upadhyaya
Rashtrakavi Govind Pai Samshodhana Kendra, Rs. 100
Where is Karla in Karnataka? And Kudla? Some of you might have heard of the latter while travelling on private buses in Dakshina Kannada. It is Mangalore as called by Taulavas. The former is, of course, Karkala town. Tulu language is slowly gaining in prominence and it is time both Tulu lovers and others got to know more about the language and its significance and peculiarities.
The six-volume Tulu dictionary published in 1997 was a big step in this direction. But the need was felt for a smaller, concise dictionary and this book fits the bill. This book edited by Dr. U.P. Upadhayaya is a handy and useful compilation.
Many of the Tulu words are unique and bear no resemblance to other Dravidian languages. But some are only slightly different from their Kannada equivalent; e.g. baathkori for baathukoli, baakil for baagilu and panthi for pankthi. And some words are similar to Tamil; for e.g. pandal and kadal.
It may surprise others but Appe in Tulu means mother, not father; and Amme refers to father. Lakki means "get up." The printing is neat and the typeface is bold and easy to read. Tulu lovers convey their solme (greetings/regards) to the author.
S. Venkatesh Bhat
Leafing Through is a fortnightly column that features Kannada books.
Send in books and responses to Friday Review, The Hindu, 19&21, Bhagwan Mahaveer Road, Bangalore 560001.
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