The One and Only JK...
Here was an illustrious writer,thinker,philosopher ,orator who stopped writing as he had done so much in so short a period but observed 'silence' that became more 'vociferous'.How many answers JK had given for not writing and why wasn't it asked to any other celebrated writer?To say that he should have continued was none of anyone's business as he himself had stated all that he wanted to happen in society did really materialize-- from better living standards to women's lib but more than that what he couldn't bear-the degradation of politics also reared its ugly head .To speak against people in power now may cost one's honor and to lose honor no self respecting gentleman would wish to face-better be quiet and watch-be a spectator and not a participant.He was right and by doing so he had become more acceptable even to his detractors.
Further a man like JK had many many enemies for he had been so blunt and outspoken.He exposed human weaknesses of the rich,the orthodox, those in power, those reveled in borrowed 'light'-film idols to pseudo ideological puppets.He had also mellowed from a tough challenging angry champion of the poor to soft serene sober elderly Citizen.The eyes that saw beauty and truth on one side and injustice and inhuman too the other side began watching something so new too something unexpected too something unforeseen-they were the evils that accompany growth.The violence perpetuated by terrorism was unprecedented.That evil should spare not even those who do nothing good might have hit him badly-the killing of Indira and then Rajiv and the threat to existing political systems too on account of so many global maneuverings and local emergence of the undeserved rising to power to stifle democracy and to continue to loot the nation with 'constitutional safeguards' : these must have irked him-he became quiet.
His heart changed- it was now a poet's heart nay a saint's heart to see into the things beyond just eye sights.He became so kind and accommodative -no stubbornness -not obstinate and arrogant as most inquisitive visitors thought at times.The free time to spend at home with those who loved him and who took care of him all these years he started to enjoy-the need to write didn't rise at all -what he had got as royalty from the books that were brought out in new bound volumes might take care of his financial needs-nevertheless he spoke to his intimate and close friends who understood him. When one becomes unattached even the highest accord of recognition accosts him-in his case it came with the Gnanpith award-the highest that a writer par excellence deserved in India. .It came when his new book 'Hara Hara Sankara' a short novelette he wrote after so many years that exonerated a saint from false charges which had contemporary relevance in Tamilnadu then--with the arrest and imprisonment of the Sankarachaya of the Kanchi mutt and subsequent maltreatment meted out to the Seers.
JK met the Junior pontiff at Kanchi mutt and placed the first copy to him.The Senior too was met after he came out of prison and at Kalavai- both met after a long time.Jayakanthan was given the title 'Ezhutharasn'by the Pontiff Sri Jayedrar who placed the floral wreath on JK's head.They seemed to move in such cordiality and friendliness as Swamikal said '" I visited the slum here-we've arranged for the poor to learn slokhas in Sanskrit,- eppadi spashtamaa ucharikkara!" and JK replied,' Punoolayum maativittudungo'-that made the Seer laugh out in his characteristic manner.JK later said 'only a pure hearted soul can smile as he did". When the whole Tamil intellectual heads kept mum,when atheists and communists demanded demolition--JK not only defended the age old Kanchi mutt but met the Seers too-the Man who knew no fear and who would tolerate no injustice-he had proved once again.He was no brahmin, he was no devotee and he could have kept mum-but he recalled the meetings he had had with the Maha Periava and to one correspondent he told that he wrote the novel as the Sage had ordained him to write to defend the falsely accused successors.
Here was an illustrious writer,thinker,philosopher ,orator who stopped writing as he had done so much in so short a period but observed 'silence' that became more 'vociferous'.How many answers JK had given for not writing and why wasn't it asked to any other celebrated writer?To say that he should have continued was none of anyone's business as he himself had stated all that he wanted to happen in society did really materialize-- from better living standards to women's lib but more than that what he couldn't bear-the degradation of politics also reared its ugly head .To speak against people in power now may cost one's honor and to lose honor no self respecting gentleman would wish to face-better be quiet and watch-be a spectator and not a participant.He was right and by doing so he had become more acceptable even to his detractors.
Further a man like JK had many many enemies for he had been so blunt and outspoken.He exposed human weaknesses of the rich,the orthodox, those in power, those reveled in borrowed 'light'-film idols to pseudo ideological puppets.He had also mellowed from a tough challenging angry champion of the poor to soft serene sober elderly Citizen.The eyes that saw beauty and truth on one side and injustice and inhuman too the other side began watching something so new too something unexpected too something unforeseen-they were the evils that accompany growth.The violence perpetuated by terrorism was unprecedented.That evil should spare not even those who do nothing good might have hit him badly-the killing of Indira and then Rajiv and the threat to existing political systems too on account of so many global maneuverings and local emergence of the undeserved rising to power to stifle democracy and to continue to loot the nation with 'constitutional safeguards' : these must have irked him-he became quiet.
His heart changed- it was now a poet's heart nay a saint's heart to see into the things beyond just eye sights.He became so kind and accommodative -no stubbornness -not obstinate and arrogant as most inquisitive visitors thought at times.The free time to spend at home with those who loved him and who took care of him all these years he started to enjoy-the need to write didn't rise at all -what he had got as royalty from the books that were brought out in new bound volumes might take care of his financial needs-nevertheless he spoke to his intimate and close friends who understood him. When one becomes unattached even the highest accord of recognition accosts him-in his case it came with the Gnanpith award-the highest that a writer par excellence deserved in India. .It came when his new book 'Hara Hara Sankara' a short novelette he wrote after so many years that exonerated a saint from false charges which had contemporary relevance in Tamilnadu then--with the arrest and imprisonment of the Sankarachaya of the Kanchi mutt and subsequent maltreatment meted out to the Seers.
JK met the Junior pontiff at Kanchi mutt and placed the first copy to him.The Senior too was met after he came out of prison and at Kalavai- both met after a long time.Jayakanthan was given the title 'Ezhutharasn'by the Pontiff Sri Jayedrar who placed the floral wreath on JK's head.They seemed to move in such cordiality and friendliness as Swamikal said '" I visited the slum here-we've arranged for the poor to learn slokhas in Sanskrit,- eppadi spashtamaa ucharikkara!" and JK replied,' Punoolayum maativittudungo'-that made the Seer laugh out in his characteristic manner.JK later said 'only a pure hearted soul can smile as he did". When the whole Tamil intellectual heads kept mum,when atheists and communists demanded demolition--JK not only defended the age old Kanchi mutt but met the Seers too-the Man who knew no fear and who would tolerate no injustice-he had proved once again.He was no brahmin, he was no devotee and he could have kept mum-but he recalled the meetings he had had with the Maha Periava and to one correspondent he told that he wrote the novel as the Sage had ordained him to write to defend the falsely accused successors.
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