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Book Review
Humour in Kannada literature
KAILASAM JOKESOO SONGSOO: B. S. Kesava Rao; Published by Ankita Pustaka, 53, Shamsing Complex, Gandhi Bazaar Main Road, Basavanagudi, Bangalore-560004. Rs. 40.
LAUGHTER IS the best medicine. It costs nothing and has no side effects even when taken in excess. T. P. Kailasam is the literary physician who can provide this medicine without a halt. If any book can provide non-stop laughter it is this one. Kailasam, born in 1884 as the son of a High Court judge in the old Mysore State, Justice Parameswara Iyer, had been to England to study geology. He returned and got a Government job but resigned it soon to devote himself to literary activities.
He was a drink addict and he also made it appear that this habit sharpened his sense of humour — he once said that milk is liquid beef and that was why he was always drinking the very vegetarian whisky.
Humour in English writing had had a profound impact on him. He thought of introducing this in Kannada. In 1918 he published his drama Tollugatti and this is recognised as the beginning of a revolution in Kannada drama. It is also said with this, Kannada literature, which was till then the exclusive domain of kings and poets, came out in the open and to the common man.
Kailasam used the spoken language — it was his unique contribution to literary style that the spoken language is humorous enough without any embellishment. Even the painful moans of a labourer can sound humorous in his works.
It may be worth mentioning here that around the time that Kailasam started using the spoken language, Telugu scholars also began a similar movement but have ended up making a mess of the whole thing — many writings of this variety are incomprehensible, drowned in a sea of colloquialism. But Kannada scholars confined the spoken language to where it rightly belonged — drama and humour. For other purposes they have evolved a good literary style simple enough even for ordinary people.
Like all great humorists, Kailasam had a noble heart. He cared more for the sorrows of the poor. His respect for his parents was legendary.
One or two of his jokes should suffice to know the stuff he was made of. Once at a wedding someone asked him whether what the nagaswaram man was playing was Nata raga. Kailasam said "it appears to be not a raga. Nagaswaram is a delicate instrument. In right hands it can produce the Nata raga, but in incompetent hands it can only produce naayi (dog) raga".
A temple priest was addicted to drinking. He was secretly selling away the Lord's ornaments to find money for alcohol. Finally only the silver naamam on the forehead of the Lord remained. The priest sold that one too, had his fill, came back to the temple and sang "O Rama nee naamam entha ruchira" (O Rama how tasty is your naamam.) Unfortunately only those who know Kannada can enjoy the world's best medicine from easily one of the greatest humorists of the 20th century.
G.D.
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