A literary genius (1934-2015)
ONE of the most highly regarded and respected writers in Tamil, Jayakanthan who passed away recently at the age of 81, was a man of many parts. He was first and foremost a writer, but was equally proficient in various other vocations like journalism and film making, and also carved his own niche as a critic and orator as well. Jayakanthan who was born in Cuddalore, a fishing village in Tamilnadu in an agrarian family, had very little formal education, but that in no way proved to be a handicap for him in the pursuit of his literary endeavours. The writer came under the influence of Communist leaders like the late Jeevanandam and Baladandayudham quite early in life and worked for a time in the party’s newspaper Janasakthi. The fiery freedom fighter and reputed poet Subramania Bharthi too remained a great inspiration for the budding writer whose first short story published in 1953 was titled Sowbhagyavathi. As a prolific novelist and short story writer, Jayakanthan then began to pen articles and short stories for all the leading publications in Tamil before he graduated to writing full-fledged novels. As many as 40 novels, 200 short stories and 2 autobiographies flowed from the pen of this gifted writer and most of them were based on rural folk and their lives. Like one of his illustrious contemporaries, the Malayalam writer Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, Jayakanthan’s novels too carried the flavour and scent of his native soil, and his heroes and heroines usually belonged to the lowest rungs of the economic ladder like rickshaw pullers, prostitutes, ragpickers etc. Their simple joys and sorrows were often the nucleus of his novels and short stories, and Jayakanthan never failed to breathe life and spirit into their ordinary, mundane lives.
A number of his novels made their way to celluloid and Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal which fetched him the Sahitya Academy Award was made into a full length feature film by the noted director Bhimsingh and the heroine of the film Lakshmi won the National Award for Best Actress for her role of a young girl, Ganga who is raped by a rich man who later atones for his act and makes her a part of his life. Bhimsingh also directed Jayakanthan’s Oru Nadigai Natakam Paarkiraal. The writer himself had a fascination for films and produced and directed a couple of low budget black and white films titled Unnaipol Oruvan (on the plight of slumdwellers) and Yaarukkagal Azhuthaan, the latter film featuring the veteran comedian Nagesh in a serious role. Unnaipol Oruvan won a National Award for the Third Best Film of the year.
As a writer, Jayakanthan remained a firebrand often basing his oeuvres on social ills like casteism, untouchability and the exploitation of the poor and the downtrodden. Almost all his novels struck a chord with the readers and some of the more popular ones were Gangai Enge Pogiral, Oru Manithan Oru Veedu Oru Ulagam, Sundara Kaandam, Jaya Jaya Shankara and Oorukku Nooruper.
Jayakanthan also wrote a couple of autobiographies, the first titled Oru Ilakkiyavathiyin Arasiyal Anubhavangal and the second Oru Ilakkiyavathiyin Kalaiulaga Anubhavangal. The first narrated in vivid detail his brief foray into politics, while the second centred around his fleeting romance with the tinsel world. The writer’s literary works netted him a number of prestigious awards and apart from the Sahitya Academy Award, Jayakanthan or JK as he was popularly called was also honoured with the highest literary award in the country, the Jnanpith. The Padma Bhushan too came his way. A documentary Elaigalai Vistharitha Ezhuthu Kalaignan on his life and times was made during his lifetime and the film was produced by music maestro Ilaiyaraaja and was directed by Ravisubramaniam. A non-conformist all his life, Jayakanthan will be remembered for the depth of the research that went into his writing, his yearning for a classless, casteless society and for the sublime, lyrical quality of his prose. Perhaps the greatest tribute to the popularity of this talented author is that his works have stood the test of time and are certain to serve as an inspiration to all writers of the present and future generations as well.