Poetry in Translation – Oct 25, 2019

Saras, Priya, KumKum

The Poetry in Translation session refreshes us with the words of a range of poets who have given voice to their inspiration in many languages. This year the languages of India, and its union of diverse tongues and cultures, were in the foreground. The original languages featured were Odia, Tamil (or Tamizh), Sanskrit, and Bengali with one poet each; Urdu with three poets and Malayalam with two; Spanish and French, besides, with one each. 

Devika, Pamela, Saras

Significantly, several of the poets were recited in the original with an English gloss provided for understanding. Delving into the poetry of the world in this manner yields an intimate feeling for the images couched in the lovely words of another tongue. They can penetrate our understanding because it is poetry; indeed, the love for another language can be fostered by poetry.

October was the month of three birthdays of our readers: Kavita, Devika, and Joe, the last two falling on the same day. How unlikely is that! Devika invited us all over to her place with spouses to enjoy a lunch next day. Devika and Achu hosted the lively afternoon of conversation and food;  the Samsung S8 mobile of Abbas has captured bright group pictures. These and some others will be added in another post.

Arundhaty, Geeta, Pamela, Saras, Devika

November is the month to announce the novels for the coming year and readers are casting around among the rich possibilities to excite our reading hunger. One of our readers is on a private mission with a couple of others to conquer Ulysses by James Joyce in an edition where the text is 552 pages of small font, and the explanatory notes are half as long again. No doubt a novel like that is beyond the pale of our reading group to handle in a single session. 

Priya, Hemjit, KumKum, Kavita, Thommo

In this connection it is worth noting how the obscenity charge against the novel got over-ruled by Judge John Woolsey in 1933 in New York. He said:
“Whilst in many places the effect of Ulysses on the reader undoubtedly is somewhat emetic, nowhere does it tend to be an aphrodisiac.”

Amen. How can one evade an author who writes like this (p. 251 of Ulysses):
The summer evening had begun to fold the world in its mysterious embrace. Far away in the west the sun was setting and the last glow of all too fleeting day lingered lovingly on sea and strand, on the proud promontory of dear old Howth guarding as ever the waters of the bay, on the weedgrown rocks along Sandymount shore and, last but not least, on the quiet church whence there streamed forth at times upon the stillness the voice of prayer to her who is in her pure radiance a beacon ever to the stormtossed heart of man, Mary, star of the sea.

(Photo: courtesy KumKum)

The group photo at the end of the session was diminished by a couple of readers, who had to leave for Diwali functions elsewhere. The birthday people (Devika, Kavita, and Joe) are holding giant anthurium flowers.

Devika, Pamela, Kavita, Saras, Geeta, Shoba, KumKum (standing) Joe, Hemjit (sitting)

The Case That Shook the Empire – Sankaran Nair and the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

David Hall presented a program of book reading by authors Raghu and Pushpa Palat. Their book The Case That Shook the Empire: One Man's Fight for the Truth about the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (JBM), was presented to a keen audience of thirty people or so. Our own KRG reader Thommo (Thomas Chacko) interviewed them and elicited the important points.

Thommo introducing the authors

Raghu Palat, Pushpa Palat, & Thommo

Mr Jose Dominic of CGH Earth received the first copy of the book. While doing so he suggested a number of historical subjects concerning Kerala that could engage the authors’ interests in future. Courtesy of CGH Earth, excellent refreshments consisting of organic biscuits and parippu vada were served with chukku capi (black coffee with dry ginger).

Jose Dominic receiving the first copy of the book

Thommo, Raghu Palat, Jose Dominic, & Pushpa Palat hold the book

It was obvious from the outset that Pushpa Palat could talk her husband Raghu under the table; our moderator intervened on occasion to balance the proceedings. Pushpa bore a faint resemblance to our KRG reader Priya, who was also present along with Pamela, Geetha, KumKum, and Arundhaty.

Jose Dominic (back to camera) with KumKum & Pamela

The life of Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, great grandfather of Raghu Palat, illustrates how many rich insights into Indian colonial history lie hidden in the archives until they are popularised by modern authors who care to dredge up the interesting highlights from dry and dusty old archives. Our thanks must go to such authors for enlightening the modern mind. The history they narrate from a century ago throws light even on contemporary events. 

Questions and comments from the audience enlivened the participation and extended the discussion into further areas of British-Indian colonial history, more ignominious even than the JBM.