Muttathu Varkey and My Reading Habit
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| Muttathu Varkey |
By the time I completed my school education, I had
read all the books of Muttathu Varkey (1913-1989) that were available in my
father’s personal library. They were all novels in Malayalam. Varkey was the
most famous novelist in Kerala during my adolescence. His novels were described
by Malayalis, not without the derision that comes too easily to them, as painkili
literature. Sentimental romance, that's what it was.
Padatha Painkili [The nightingale that would
not sing] was one of Varkey’s first novels, published in 1957. Varkey’s oeuvre
came to be known as painkili literature ever since the success of this
novel whose film adaptation was a roaring success. The movie won many
prestigious honours including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in
Malayalam.
The novel told the love story of Chinnamma
(the painkili who never sang) and Thankachan. Those were hard days of grinding poverty,
oppressive conservatism, and mindless sectarianism. Amidst emotional twists,
family hardships, and moral dilemmas, the plot highlighted themes of unwavering
love, faith, sacrifice, and the triumph of goodness over greed.
Thankachan belonged to a wealthy
family while Chinnamma was the daughter of a poor school teacher. Such class
differences mattered much in Kerala back then. Even now, Malayalis value wealth
more than anything else and they love to show off their wealth too. Back then,
anyway, a love affair between a wealthy young man and a poor young woman would
have met with a lot of opposition unlike today. Added to that problem was the
love of Lucy, a woman from a rich family who wanted to marry Thankachan. Lucy’s
father exploited the vulnerabilities of Chinnamma’s family to the hilt making
the plot gripping.
Most of Varkey’s novels had similar
themes though the settings changed vividly. Most of his novels became hit
movies in Malayalam. I’m quite sure that Varkey shaped the reading habits of
quite many Malayalis of his time. I confess that I fell in love with reading
because of him. I also confess that I fell in love with Jayabharathi, the
actress who played the role of the heroine in those painkili movies. But
my love for Jayabharathi died too soon like all calf loves. My love for books survived.
And flourished, eventually.
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| From my bookshelf |
I moved from Varkey to Dostoevsky as
I grew up. I may not enjoy reading Varkey anymore. Sentimental stories don’t
appeal to me at all now. I prefer the intellectual as well as spiritual agonies
of Ivan Karamazov and the confrontation with the silence of Camus’s universe.
I read quite many excellent works
after my youthful forays into the philosophical angsts of those titans. I loved
many of them too. Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy and Ken Follett’s masterful
historical epics rise prominently in my consciousness as I look back at my middle-age
reading. There are a lot of other excellent books too. But what left deep
impressions on young minds towers above everything else.
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| From my bookshelf |
PS. This post is a part
of ‘Plot Twist Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters
blog hop series.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to look back on one's reading track, isn't it? Mine has definitely been eclectic... YAM xx
What surprises me is how reading as a hobby or habit has vanished from the young generation.
DeleteI like sentimental books. And hey, whatever got you reading in the first place is worthy of praise.
ReplyDeleteYes. Moreover, Varkey was a charming writer. Prolific too. Many of his works are still extant.
DeleteI read non fiction. I am glad you are an avid reader as well!
ReplyDeleteI remember you telling me this earlier - that you read nonfiction. I read history and popular philosophy too.
DeleteWe all start somewhere and most times, we cannot retrace our reading journeys as we have evolved.
ReplyDeleteA point beautifully drawn. I'm.glsd your love for reading persists, and also turned into writing.
Old age returns to childhood. I'm now reading Me & Emma.
DeleteIt is quite hard for me to imagine you not only reading but also liking a romantic drama. But as you said, your reading preferences have changed and I only know that reader :)
ReplyDeleteI still hear this phrase 'painkili' literature spoken with scorn by people. Sad, because one does need to go through the romantic stage before one matures enough to read other genres! Besides, isn't it true that there is romance in the greatest novels ever written, be it Gone With The Wind and Wuthering Heights (albeit twisted!), the plays and sonnets of Shakespeare and in much of vernacular literature as well? It is always a joy to turn from a reader to a writer, as you have done! An interesting post!
ReplyDeleteRight now, after a very long time romance as a genre has finally become something I pick up, by choice. I am sure, I would find English translated versions of his illustrious works.
ReplyDeleteOur favourite genres/writers might shift as we grow. I truly hope that reading remains the constant thread for all of us, readers!
ReplyDeleteI like how stories evolve alongside us, yet the comfort of a book stays the same.
It's fascinating how our reading choices evolve as life progresses. Books are major contributors in shaping the person we are today. I am curious about Hilary Mantel's work, (from one of your comments on my blog)hence got a few of her books.
ReplyDeleteI can never imagine you without a book Sir :-) It is interesting to see that as one progresses in life, how the patterns & preferences change too.
ReplyDeleteI find myself reading various kinds of books. Somehow, I have never found a favourite genre. It was good to read about your reading experience.
ReplyDelete