ಕಸವರವೆಂಬುದೇಂ ನೆರೆ ಸೈರಿಸಲಾರ್ಪಡೆ ಪರಧರ್ಮಂ ಪರವಿಚಾರಮುಮಮ್

ಕೇರಳ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳ ಸಾಹಿತಿಗಳ ವಿಚಾರ ಸಂಕಿರಣವೊಂದನ್ನು ಏರ್ಪಡಿಸಿದ್ದರು

ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ನೀಲಾ ಅವರನ್ನು ಆಹ್ವಾನಿಸಲಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರು ಮಂಡಿಸಿದ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ

Communalism and writing

First and foremost, I would like to thank Kerala Sahitya Academy for having put together an event to remind the writers of their responsibility during the times when the writers are faced with a lot more hostility than ever before. Writers have a duty towards finding the voices of unrest and help create a space of harmony and coexistence for all.

When I was a small girl, my most lovable neighbor Amina Begum would give me Surkhumba (a sweet made of dry fruits and milk) when it was Ramzan and Chongya (wheat flour based sweet) when it was Muharram. The stunted compound between our houses was anything but a barrier. It acted as a bridge to exchange our festive preparations.

Because when it was Deepavali or Dasara, our traditional sweets and savouries such as Karajikayi, Laddu, Kodubale etc would travel the same route of that compound -wall – turned – bridge and enter her house. The sparkle in her eyes, the melodious sounds her bangles would produce, her hands perpetually stained with mehandi dots, and most importantly, the manner in which she spoke urdu laced with Hindi, had turned me into her biggest fan. My mother and Amina Begum would converse for hours together. My mother would speak in Kannada and Amina would reply in Urdu-hindi, and vice versa. Both communicated perfectly well with each other. That they were conversing in many languages was something that never bothered them.

Now, when I say I don’t know Malayalam and yet I have gathered courage to speak infront of all of you, this is where my inspiration comes from. From my mother and Amina Bi who used many languages to share their lives with each other. That also goes to say when thoughts are genuine, one can speak to anyone else in any language and it will strike a chord.

I mentioned of that small stunted compound wall between my house and Amina Bi’s. When I started writing, I had demolished this wall in one of my notes of expression. Even now, I often dream that I am demolishing that wall. That is my most comforting thought. That of, demolishing the wall and creating spaces where minds can meet without fear. It makes me immensely happy. Let us hope the day is not far when we can see this dream turn into reality.

Now, before arriving at the context of this speech, I would like to remember the noblest soul -- Guru Narayana. Another person who has to be commemorated is writer Kulakunda Shivaram, who was known through his pen name ‘Niranjana’. He immortalized the saga of farmer revolution through his novel ‘Chirasmarane’. Owing to him, we often remember Kerala as Kayyur.

This year’s Onam festivities saw the whole country welcome King Bali. I also did the same. My heart does not accept the idea of welcoming this festival as Vaman Jayanthi. At this point in time, we have witnessed the silent sorrow of scores of writers. Killings of Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kalaburagi have left a lot of us severely impaired. In order to prove that humanity is a value that’s above all else, writers, scientists and artists along with many others have returned their awards and protested against the injustice meted out on them.

A faint whisper that indicates that all movements have died, keeps getting louder often. The post-modernism that is a result of globalization keeps nourishing individual glory over mass movements by denying their existence.

But it is not any matter of fantasy that the award vapasi did shake the powerful corridors of the government, along with a particular chest that’s symbolically measured in inches.

To deny this, a march was taken out in Delhi to state or prove that award vapasi was a sham and that there was no intolerance in the country. All this hurried response was to hide the fact that intolerance was growing. Just when the other writers tried proving that intolerance was a figment of imagination, Akhlaq was murdered over his choice of food. Elected representatives got down to the level of defending this murder. Dalits were attacked in Una, women from Dalit community were raped. Even as you begin to list examples, your heart sinks with hopelessness.

Are we going to leave behind some days of unabated equality and happiness to our future generations? If the days of love and affection are scarce, what’s the point in writing, speaking or practicing any art?

You are aware of that circular from central government that is meant for Urdu writers. The writers in Urdu language have been asked to……………….

This is not a mere stereotype or bias. Instead, this is a part of the bigger agenda where the central government will work to destroy the freedom of writers. We don’t even have to travel far in that case. In the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, we saw writer Perumal Murugan was attacked by communal interests over his works.

Now a gradual rise of attempts of occult that we have been witnessing is on the Vachana Sahitya that was created in 12^th century. This literature was created as part of people’s movement that was the result of reformative thoughts that surfaced with a lot of passion during that time.

How do you begin to understand the fact that state becomes a witness to an event or a seminar where puranas are being referred to, and science if being ridiculed or made light of? Puranas are being projected as facts for public consumption. The epics that were created at various phases of time, are being appropriated and projected as accounts of reality. This pulling of wool infront of people’s eyes is happening in broad daylight. It’s happening right in front of us.

The culture of Harmony in Karnataka is something that fills my heart with immense pride. The first ever novel in Kannada according to historians, Kavirajamarga was written under the watchful eyes of a kingly state. And yet, the novel goes beyond its limitations and speaks greatly for the people.

 The poet in this ‘Kavirajamarga’ novel says: 

ಕಸವರವೆಂಬುದೇಂ ನೆರೆ ಸೈರಿಸಲಾರ್ಪಡೆ
ಪರಧರ್ಮಂ ಪರವಿಚಾರಮುಮಮ್