N.Periyasamy is one of the well-known poets in Tamilnadu. He is fondly called as “Perusu” by his friends. He is a person with smiling face and qualities like simplicity, easily approachable, good mannerism and who loosens easily for micro emotions. He is a fast reader of whatever books he receives. That too his norm is to celebrate the creation and creator. So, he has earned the love and friendship of many creators across Tamilnadu. We will wonder with his one book “Mozhiyin Nizhal”, how he has introduced a vast range of books. His interest for poetry is exhibited clearly in the articles and we can easily experience the same. Next to poetry and articles, he has introduced the other forms of creative writing too in his book. Most of these tend to finish from one and half pages to maximum five pages.
Other than exhibiting deep human emotions for poetry collections, the way he uses modern poetry to describe the same is appreciable. We can see Periyasamy’s deep involvement in the inner world of children in his poetry book “Kutty meengal nelinthodum aagayam”. The rare ability of identifying the childhood in kids who place the ears on the floor and lisen to the murmers of the lake and pond inhabitants that has been buried long back under their house and worry about the same to their father and recording them as poems is found in very less people like Periyasamy. Roaming around with the children who paint what they observe with crayons and the unique ability to find their Sky with the little stars swimming around in a poetic way is a gifted uniqueness of Periyasamy.
When the poetry collection “Last Bench” was released, many have written articles appreciating the same, including me. Malar being a poet who read and enjoyed them, have translated them into English poems with the title “Last Bench” and has given it to the readers. The most legendary creations which has carried its fame over million years in Tamil are being translated to English in the recent times.
Last bench and the students who are forced to sit there are been avoided, as that is a punishment area. In the school classes, that is like the “No water forest”. But since this collection has arrived it has shined and traversed from last bench to the first bench. The English and Tamil books that has been jointly published by Bharathi puthakalayam and Ongil Koottam has been received well and read by the readers.
In this book, we can experience the English translation is fluent and to the point. The mother who was rigid when the kids asked wanting to play running around or pleaded for the mobile “I will return after watching for five minutes” has lied “Your eyes will be spoiled and the brain will be affected”. But locked up inside the house, the parents have forced the mobile phone to the kids, and made them sit for online classes. But the son was waiting for his freedom like a Swan. “I am waiting like a swan for a dawn so gold to free myself from the parents” says the English translation. The poem that celebrates sea as a wonder also says the boy’s eyes that resembles the sunflower which drags the Sun rays towards it, was hopeless for one or two days and the conversation begins like this “His eyes filled with rain… The class teacher compares me with someone for everything. My talent is mine, right?”. The last line in the English poem slaps on the face. It is the translation of “My talent is mine,Right?” still the depth of English language is powerful. The students pleading voice in the lines “Nowadays, I am praying to God often, to open the closed schools at least for the Corona to end” melts our heart.
He is not bothered about the last bench instead the only sorrow is not able to peep outside. In English this is the line of the last bench” Though he doesn’t feel sad for the last bench, being unable to peep out is still a sadness”. “Thothangoli” is a word used only in Tamilnadu that too specifically in certain districts local slang and I was eagerly waiting how Malar will translate it in English. The simple word “Loser” is been placed. This is a simple word, but the fact is languages differ. “Ninaivu” poem is a tragic painting. “He gave the flowers he carried to the waves..He observed the floating flowers without a blink whose eyesight was blocked with tears..” when we keep both the Tamil and English poems next to each other and read them, the pain strikes double.
Oongil Koottam has already translated Vishnupuram Saravanan’s “Kayiru” story and released the same. It got an exciting reception and now Last bench. This has to be continued.
Available @ Amazon : https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0B9L2N3HJ
With wishes,
Kamalalayan
