Topic started by bb on Thu Dec 2 00:22:51 .
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A thread to discuss the author and his works. Here's an exclusive article by Sundara Ramasamy for the hub!http://www.forum hub.com/tlit/sura.htm Some of his poems are here. |
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- From: Ramji (@ 205.177.170.113)
on: Wed Dec 8 20:24:49
Both the interview with Kumudham and the Hub exclusive speech throw very interesting light on su raa the person and his outlook on life and literature. I can personally relate to the way he contrasts himself from JK. I have finished half my life -assuming I will live the other half:-)- without reading or knowing su raa because I did not seek him. I did not have to seek JK. He came to me and became part of my growing up experience.
This is not to diminish su raa's greatness. I am already seeing that in oru puLiyamaraththin ... that I am currently reading( my first su raa). How that junction town unfolds itself reflecting social and economic changes is amazing!
I am unable to participate in the discussions here on JJ etc, not having read any of them.
One place in su raa's interview that appealed to me was his approach to ideologies- He says a writer should not hold on to any firm outlook on life and should instead constantly review and renew it.
With my limited exposure to su raa, a question lingers in my mind:
Why should a writer of this caliber spend his time criticising his literary contemporaries? Was he atleast objective or did he go after personalities? This my genuine question, not a comment.
- From: bb (@ farm1-cache2.gw.uiuc.edu)
on: Fri Dec 10 02:32:49
a couple of poems by him:
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--"107 " Ϲ
- From: Kattabommu (@ ccedu194.nets.uri.edu)
on: Fri Dec 10 03:10:05
Su.Ra's interview sounds as if he has lost confidence in marxism. I still remember his interview in late 80's to an English daily claiming he is a marxist. Of course I have no problems with his faith. But I would like to know the causal reasoning behind this claim. I would like to know whether he is suffering from "Rishi Manobhavam" or in other words "armchair brhamanical marxism" with the presumption that marxism is close to ancient vedic ideals. You know, Nazis can easily hide under marxism. Stalinist soviet empire was and is a perfect example. Similarly, Indian communist movements dominated by Brahmanical idealogues, to certain extent, represent fascistic caste interests. I also don't like the extensive use of sanskrit words in his works.
I admire him as a great writer. I have doubts about his intellectual integrity.
Kattabommu
- From: ma. sivagnanam (@ 203.106.49.184)
on: Sat Dec 11 05:09:29
ᢠž θ. Ţš .á ȡ Ǣš â ġ. .á ġ , ¢(šġ á, Ģ째) ź츢ȡ.
. Ż.
- From: Kanchana (@ spider-we043.proxy.aol.com) on: Tue Dec 14 09:40:40
It is my understanding from Su.Ra.'s non-fiction, that his critiques stayed within the bounds of what is accepted as legitimate literary criticism, and did not go after personalities. I think Jayamohan's comment that Su.Ra.'s critiques are based on his subjective tastes and not objective, analytical criteria, is an observation as a fellow-critic on the mode of critiquing employed.
Like Ma.Sivagnanam, I also did not see a lack of intellectual integrity from the speech or the kumudham interview presented here; perceptions may vary.
The Karthikesu Sivathamby debate Ma. Sivagnaanam references pertains to postmodernism, post-structuralism, post-marxism etc., and involves names like thamizavan, thi.ka.si., po. velusamy and several other scholars. (Sivagnanam, please correct me if this is not what you had in mind, thanks.)
- From: venkat (@ dhcp22-25.riken.go.jp) on: Tue Dec 14 19:19:11
I do not see much of an intellectual dishonesty in old su.raa and today's. I can only see a constantly evolving person (which is very important to creativity). To change is human, we all continuously modify our opinions on issues as we get more insight into the phenomena. As long as a man tries to be honest changing opinions should not matter. Rather, Changing opinions are manifestions of intellectual honesty. To utter something and later sticking to it (even after realising that is wrong - is bad).
About subjective critiques - yes they are needed as much as the objective variety. Esp. if the critique happens to be a well read and honest. They are much easy to handle for the reader - you know well that he is subjective and you can understand the contradictions easily. I have not read much of his analyses.
kattabommu - who is a real communist anyway? An example would do good to depict what you have against su.raa in your opinion.
- From: Ramji (@ 205.177.170.115) on: Tue Dec 14 22:39:33
Venkat:
I fully agree with you on your first para. Well said.
RE: critique, as I said earlier, I just raised a question with a view to knowing more abt su raa. Thanks Kattabommu, Kanchana and Venkat for throwing light.
- From: ma. sivagnanam (@ 203.106.49.229) on: Wed Dec 15 05:23:21
Kanchana,
Yes, you caught it right. There are many occasions Su. Ra has proven our point. Recent interviwe with Sun TV in 'Vanakkam Thamizagam'is another example.
The turn 'The Sivathampi Debate' takes is giving good hopes. During the same period Jeyamohan is not stable in his openions. (You may read his "Naveena thamiz Ilakkiyam.." and his summary for Pe. Karunaakaramurthy). While I was reading Su. Ra's essay on Jeeva for first time I felt cheated-that my mind wanted to know more about Jeeva's personality since I had gathered so much from word of mouth. I was even angry with Su. Ra. When I reread it I lost myself the way he has accounted his first encounter with that giant personality. This is my experience and I do not know su. Ra personally. I too had aversions in the beginning as Kattabommu says.
- From: Katabommu (@ ccedu195.nets.uri.edu) on: Thu Dec 23 04:16:31
I have read many of SU.Ra's works. It is a pleasant experience reading his works. But when one tries to associate and contrast his literary works and commentary on political idealogies, one may realize that there is an underlying brhamanical aspirations in SU.Ra's works. Let me clarify my assumption to this forum before I make this comment. I strongly believe that Brhamanical idealogy is a form of primitive Nazism. In my personal opinion, I may be wrong, his literary ideas resemble Hitlerian world of Wagners and Nietzhes. Got it? Although he is apparently critical about Nazism and Brhamanism, I guess SU.RA is intuitively drawn to these ideas. He is somehow attached to these ideas and his litereary works reflect these aspirations. It is my personal opinion, Of course, I am not a psychoanalyst to explore and expose these connections.
- From: Kattabommu (@ ccedu195.nets.uri.edu) on: Thu Dec 23 04:16:48
I have read many of SU.Ra's works. It is a pleasant experience reading his works. But when one tries to associate and contrast his literary works and commentary on political idealogies, one may realize that there is an underlying brhamanical aspirations in SU.Ra's works. Let me clarify my assumption to this forum before I make this comment. I strongly believe that Brhamanical idealogy is a form of primitive Nazism. In my personal opinion, I may be wrong, his literary ideas resemble Hitlerian world of Wagners and Nietzhes. Got it? Although he is apparently critical about Nazism and Brhamanism, I guess SU.RA is intuitively drawn to these ideas. He is somehow attached to these ideas and his litereary works reflect these aspirations. It is my personal opinion, Of course, I am not a psychoanalyst to explore and expose these connections.
- From: Era.Murugan (@ 131.241.26.63) on: Thu Dec 23 10:59:43
Kattabommu,
you say 'He (Su Raa) is somehow attached to these ideas (Nazism and Brhamanism) and his litereary works reflect these aspirations'. Could u pl give references from Su Raa's writings for his so called Nazi/facist and Brahminical leanings?
Era.Murugan
- From: Kattabommu (@ ccedu216.nets.uri.edu) on: Wed Dec 29 23:29:19
Thiru Murugan,
Before I attempt to respond to your query, let me clarify that my criticism is not at the level that one would immeadiately associate the words Nazism and brhamanism. My criticism is based on my understanding and interpretation of su.ra's works. I may be wrong. As I said, I am not a psychoanalyst to explore the motives behind his words.
Nazism and Brhaminism(bramanical HInduism) share several things in common in their origins, philosophical foundations, and the external manifestation of socio-political structure. Nazism is anti-christ though they claimed that Jews destroy their faith. Nazism is anti-socialism though they claimed that they are socialist. Nazism is based on the dogma of racial supremacy.
Let us look at some of the ideas they had adopted to support their socio-political views. MOst of these ideas were lifted from the rantings of German intellectuals like Nietzche, Wagner etc.
1)There is no such thing as morality. Morality is a fake phenomenon. Reliogious Idealogies such as Christianity and political views such as communism are against free-spirit which is considered to be the idiosyncratic asset of Aryan race. The ultimate truth in life is will to power. As a superior individual, you can do whatever you want to exercise your free-spirit. Machiavellianism is justifiable. This idea was extended to National level and Germanic racial domination was viewed as a natural phenomenon. Nietzche's writings also had roots in epicurean pleasure seeking philosophy. To put it short, as a race, they can do whatever they want without worrying about the pains it may cause to others, of course in the name of Aryan virtue, the free-spirit. If you compare these ideas with what India had witnessed after the advent of Brhamanical hinduism in the last 2000 years in the Northern India, and for the last 1000 years in the southern India, Brhaminism had already achieved what HItler could only dream about. Brhaminism used religious tools to achieve this end. Chanakyas' work perfectly reflect these views.
I am not sure, whether NIetzche's works are merely descriptive of the human nature or a prescription for the Germanic race. According to my understanding, SU.RA's character James Joseph(J.J) and his rantings reflect the image of Nietzche and his so called search for truth and perfectionism.
Similarly, I don't know whether his literary works are mere description of human nature or a message supporting Nietzche's ideas.
I don't have the copies of su.ra's works at hand. I could not recollect the passages that resemble Nietzche's writings.
Kattabommu
- From: Vanchinathan (@ 203.197.139.41) on: Thu Dec 30 02:04:13
, .. 즸¢ ȣ. ʦȡ, , Ţġ?
Ө .á. Ţ á. ո Χ Ţ ̾
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<> I would like to know whether he is suffering from "Rishi Manobhavam" or in other words "armchair brhamanical
marxism"
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Ө ɡ Ȣ .
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<>I admire him as a great writer. I have doubts about his intellectual integrity.
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Ţƨ ȡ иȣ, .á. ġ ̨ڸȣ θ.
- From: Kanchana (@ spider-we043.proxy.aol.com) on: Tue Dec 14 09:40:40
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