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Chandilyan

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இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: சாண்டில்யன்

Chandilyan

Chandilyan (Sandilyan) (R. Bashyam Iyengar) (November 10, 1910 - September 11, 1987) was a prolific writer of historical romance and adventure novels in Tamil. Influenced by Walter Scott [1] and Charles Kingsley[2], he wrote novels that include palace conspiracies and descriptions of voyages. His novels, which were serialized in Kumudam magazine, were very popular.

Personal Life

Chandilyan had a Tamil Vaishnava background. He was born Bashyam Iyengar on November 10, 1910 in Tirukovilur to Ramanujam Iyengar and Poonkovilvalli. Thiru Indalur, a village near Mayavaram, was the family's native village.

Chandilyan studied initially at Nannilam PannaiNallur Thinnai Palli (Verandah School) and later at Saidapet Model School, Chennai Pachaiyappa, and National Model Schools. He graduated from St. Joseph's College, Trichy. In college, influenced by Rajagopalachari (Rajaji), he joined the Indian Independence War and became a member of the Indian National Congress.

In 1929 he married Ranganayaki, the daughter of Srirangam Sadagopacharya. He had two sons - Prof. Sadagopan and Prof. Krishnan and five daughters - Vedavalli, Pushpavalli, Vijayavalli, Padma, and Lakshmi. Sadagopan was a professor. Krishnan retired as the Principal of Vaishnava College. Padma Chandilyan is a musician. Film Composer Sean Roldan is the grandson son of Chandilyan (Padma’s son). His first name Sean is an abbreviated version of the name Chandilyan.

Literary Life

Chandilyan's story, Art Gopulu

After graduating from college, he moved to T. Nagar, Chennai in the 1930s. He became friends with Kalki Krishnamurthy, a famous writer who lived nearby, and V. Swaminathan, the editor of the weekly Navasakthi, run by Thiru.Vi.Ka. Encouraged by them, Chandilyan started writing short stories. His first short story Sandha Seelan was published in Dravidan magazine by its editor Subramaniam. Editor Kalki published his short stories Kannammavin Kadhal and Adhirshtam in Ananda Vikatan. After that, he studied the Tamil language formerly with a Tamil scholar named Thirukkannapuram Seenivasachariyar. He continued to write short stories for Sudesamithran weekly. He assumed the name of his gotra (tribe), Chandilya, as his pseudonym.

Palaivanathu Pushpam and Shantha Deepam were both his early historical novels. Chandilyan’s first novel to gain popularity was Jeeva Bhoomi, the story of Rajput warriors with a Rajasthani background. He had already written short stories about Rajput warriors in the monthly magazine Amudasurabi. Following the fame the novel attained after being serialized in Amudasurabi, Chandilyan continued to write in the magazine. The first series he wrote in the Kumudam weekly was Kanni Madam.

Kumudam
Yavana Rani, Art Latha

Chandilyan wrote a series of historical novels for about thirty years in Kumudam weekly. His first novel to appear in Kumudam was Kanni Madam, which was published in 1956. His second, Mannan Magal (King's Daughter), was published in 1958, which was Chandilyan’s first novel to become famous. It was customary to start the next novel in the same issue in which one of Chandilyan's novels was completed. His largest novel was Kadal Pura, which ran approximately 2,000 pages. His final novel, Seenathu Singari was still being published in parts when he died without completing it.

Nationalization Controversy

In 2009, the Tamil Nadu government offered to nationalize the works of 28 writers, including Chandilyan, and to pay compensation to their heirs. Chandilyan's heirs refused to accept the offer.

Work in Films

While working for the Hindustan Times, Chandilyan developed friendship with B.Nagi Reddy of Vijaya Studio, and the actor Chittoor V. Nagaiya, which paved way for his entry into the film industry. He worked with Nagi Reddy in Vijaya Studio Story Department. He helped in writing screenplays for two films, Suvarga Seema (1945) and En Veedu (1953). He later wrote his film experiences in the book Cinema Valarntha Kathai (1985).

Organizational Work

Chandilyan served under the presidentship of Kalki in the Tamil Writers' Association in 1956. After Kalki’s regime, Chandilyan and Devan contested for the position. Devan won the election.

In 1962, along with Vikraman and T.N. Kumaraswamy, he co-founded the Writers Co-operative Society to bring writers' works into print and provide financial assistance such as loans to writers. But the society soon became defunct.

Chandilyan tried to establish an association for working journalists and started the Tamil Nadu Press Association. It later grew stronger under the name South Indian Journalists' Association.

He was instrumental in the formation and development of the two Sangeet Sabhas (Music Academies), the Thiyaga Brahma Sabha and the Krishna Gana Sabha.

Documentary

Chandilyan produced and released the documentary the Birth Of Newspaper.

Death

Chandilyan passed away on September 11, 1987 in Chennai.

Journalism

Chandilyan worked as a reporter for Swadesamitran from 1935 to 1945. Under it’s editor C.R. Srinivasan’s guidance, he worked as a news correspondent on cases pending in the High Court. He worked as an assistant editor of the English daily Hindustan Times. In 1937, he met and interviewed Mahatma Gandhi.

Literary Significance

All Chandilyan’s novels were of the adventure genre. The young protagonist goes through various dangers and succeeds in the end. There is certainly an utopian hyperbole in the creation of the characters but generally there is no negativity. It is his nature to portray all historical heroes as great men. Chandilyan’s novels attracted a large number of readers after Kalki’s historical fantasy novels in Tamil. The reason for this was that he added a little too much sex in his fiction by the standards of the time. He followed the aesthetics of Sanskrit epics to write sex in his novels.

The most influential English novelists in Chandilyan’s fiction were Walter Scott and Charles Kingsley. The resemblance with Walter Scott's Ivanhoe (1819)[3] and Charles Kingsley's Westward Ho!, 1855)[4] is felt in many ways in his novels. The influence of Charles Kingsley can be particularly seen in his novels on pirates and voyages.

Features of Chandilyan’s Fiction:

  • Chandilyan was the first Tamil writer to write landscapes and battle scenes with vivid descriptions.
  • He borrowed the aesthetic elements, the scenes and emotions from the Sanskrit and Tamil epics for his fiction. He used many of the techniques of the epics in his novels.
  • He took Tamil historical adventure fiction out of the Tamil historical context. He wrote novels in Rajput and Maratha backgrounds.

Writer Jayamohan in his book Naveena Tamil Ilakkiya Arimugam (Introduction to Modern Tamil Literature) says: ‘Chandilyan’s novels take the historical periods of Tamil land to the general reader. Adventure fiction is the story form of a mindset that faces life with confidence. It was healthy to grow up with relevant works during that period. His novels are nothing more than  children's adventure literature expanded on the big screen. Reading Chandilyan's novels, which firmly imprints the message of self-confidence, the importance of self-initiative, and friendship, at a certain age is absolutely necessary.

Works

Historical Fiction
  • Kadal Pura (கடல் புறா) – III parts (1967)
  • Yavana Rani (யவன ராணி) – II parts
  • Raja Perigai (ராஜ பேரிகை)
  • Mannan Magal (மன்னன் மகள்)
  • Kanni Madam (கன்னி மாடம்)
  • Rajamuthirai (ராஜமுத்திரை) – II parts
  • Alai Arasi (அலை அரசி)
  • Avani Sundari (அவனி சுந்தரி)
  • Chandarmathi (சந்திரமதி)
  • Chithranjani(சித்ரஞ்சனி)
  • Ilaya Rani (இளைய ராணி)
  • Indira Kumari (இந்திர குமாரி)
  • Jala Deepam (ஜல தீபம்) – III parts (1973)
  • Jala Mohini (ஜல மோகினி)
  • Jeeva Boomi (ஜீவ பூமி)
  • Kadal Rani (கடல் ராணி)
  • Kadal Vendhan (கடல் வேந்தன்)
  • Madhahaviyin Manam (மதஹவியின் மனம்)
  • Malai Arasi (மலை அரசி)
  • Malai Vasal (மலை வாசல்)
  • Mangaladevi (மங்கலதேவி)
  • Manjal aaru (மஞ்சள் ஆறு)
  • Manmalar (மண்மலர்):
  • Masthaani (மஸ்தானி)
  • Mohana Chilai (மோகனச் சிலை)
  • Mohini Vanam (மோகினி வனம்)
  • Moongil Kottai (மூங்கில் கோட்டை)
  • Naaga Deepam (நாக தீபம்)
  • Naaga Devi (நாக தேவி)
  • Neel Vizhi (நீள்விழி)
  • Nila Mangai (நிலமங்கை)
  • Neela Rathi (நீலரதி)
  • Neelavalli (நீலவல்லி)
  • Pallava Peedam (பல்லவ பீடம்)
  • Pallava Thilagam (பல்லவ திலகம்)
  • Pandiyan Bavani (பாண்டியன் பவனி)
  • Raaniyin Kanavu (ராணியின் கனவு)
  • Raja Thilagam (ராஜதிலகம்)
  • Raja Yogam (ராஜயோகம்)
  • Rajyasree (ராஜ்யஸ்ரீ)
  • Rana Hammer (ராணா ஹமீர்)
  • Seran Chelvi (சேரன் செல்வி)
  • Udhayabanu (உதயபானு)
  • Vasantha Kaalam (வசந்தகாலம்)
  • Vijaya Mahadevi (விஜய மகாதேவி) – III Parts
  • Vilai Raani (விலை ராணி)
  • Raja Perigai(ராஜ பேரிகை)
Non-Historical Fiction
  • Balathkaaram (Puratchi Pen) (1958)
  • Shenbaga Thottam
  • Manamoham
  • Nangooram
  • Madhumalar
Short Story Collection
  • Raniyin Kanavu
Non Fiction
  • Cinema Valarndha Kadhai – சினிமா வளர்ந்த கதை (1987)
  • Kamban Kanda Pengal – கம்பன் கண்ட பெண்கள் (1979)
  • Sri Ramanujar
  • Cinema Valarntha Kathai

References

Links


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