Caste
Caste
Sitting at Ethiraja Kalyana Mandapam waiting for Sanjay
Subrahmanyam concert to begin, saw someone sitting infront of me read The Hindu
article on the controversy over ‘Madhorubagan’. Asked for the paper from the
person and quickly read it. Two days later at the Museum book shop saw this
bright red coloured cover of the
book - it was a small book and immediate
inclination picked it up. Hectic travel followed it and the book travelled with
me to Mumbai unread. Last afternoon after seeing the author’s reaction to
threats and the overwhelming support of intelligentsia decided to leave other
works aside and read it.
As a student of literature and avid reader, over the years
one has encountered all sorts of books ranging for serious adultery to free sex
to whatnot. So, was not shocked or surprised to read this book which mainly
deals with fertility issue and an open free sex day at a temple as a way to
solve it. From the so called “animists” to Hindu Gods fertility related deities,
worship has not been unknown … various temple sculptures themselves are a
witness to the issue of fertility and childbirth. We have had a long discussion
on such photos on the Ancient Monuments group on facebook. The Lajja gauri
images are one of the most stark examples of it.
This book deals with a childless couple taunted by relatives
and society for being so, and when science was not advanced had no other option
but to look for a solution that was available at hand. The book says the
Thiruchengode temple festival, specifically the 14th, the last day
of the festival was a venue for free sex that indeed produced several “God
children” in the area.
If Tamil society was such an open and free society a 100
years ago, only historians should say yes or no. Even if historically it was
not the case there is no issue about an artist coming up with an imaginary
situation. But mixing history with fiction creates problems. Castes disappeared from street names in Tamil
Nadu some 40-years ago but came back with vengeance in the form of caste based
parties. Today, every denomination has its own political party and some of them
very powerful.
In that backdrop look at what the author has done – he sets
the book in a real place, says based on research. The characters are very
clearly mentioned by their caste names, and they infact show their caste bias
by passing comments on untouchables, and one passing reference to a Brahmin
chief minister who robbed them of their “kal”. We live in a politically correct
world. Today if I were to call someone a “chakkili” I can be immediately
arrested. So, can you then place the
characters set in real castes, in real settings and get away with what can be termed
an abuse?
Some of the caste remarks which may not be comfortable to
everyone, ofcourse the only one I don’t see protesting are Rajaji’s family.
The authors leaves the issue of what happens to the heroine
who finally ends up to have free sex on the 14th day without the
husband’s approval, rather it leaves him fuming. For the main castes in the book the Gounders so
conscious of their caste, were they really ok, mixing with any caste to produce
kids? If not having a progeny resulted in such serious taunts did those who
conceive and produce children through other unknown men get away easily without
any trouble in the society?
These are the questions and issues that cropped up reading
the book. Also, why is that the book that was first published in 2010
encountering such serious threats in 2014 Dec and 2015. The edition I have says
the second edition was a corrected edition, only those who have the first
edition can compare and say what are the parts that the author corrected.
Periyar and Rajaji two of Thiruchengode’s sons are not around
to stand testimony to the facts of the book, but someone may be around to talk.
One appeal to the author, instead of going overboard with your counter threats,
please stand by your book and count on all the support you have got.
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