Karichan Kunju

இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: கரிச்சான் குஞ்சு ‎

Kairchan Kunju

Karichan Kunju (July 10, 1919 – January 17, 1992) was a Tamil writer, Translator trained in Indian philosophies. The novel 'Pasitthamanudam' written by him is said to be the first Transgressive text in Tamil. The novel 'Pasitha Manudam' written by him is said to be the first allegorical text in Tamil. He has translated the famous Marxist philosopher Deviprasad Chattopadhyay's book 'Indiya Thathuvangalil Nilaithanavum Azinthanavum' (What is Living and What is Dead in Indian Philosophy) into Tamil.

Birth, Education

Karichan Kunju

R. Narayanasamy, popularly known as Karichan Kunju, was born on July 10, 1919, to Ramamrutha Shastri and Easwari Ammal couple in Thanjai District, Nannilam Vattam Setaneepuram. As his father passed away at a young age, Easwari Ammal worked as a cook at an inn in Kumbakonam. Karichan Kunju also worked as a handyman there. His maternal uncle took him at the age of eight and enrolled him in a free seminary in Bangalore. Karichan Kunju studied Sanskrit and Vedas there. He came to Madurai at the age of fifteen and learned Tamil and North Indian Language at the Devasthanam school while working in different temples and gaduated in Tamil and Sanskrit. Later attended Devasthana School in Rameswaram. He lived as a student till the age of 22.

Personal Life

Karichan Kunju

Karichan Kunju worked as a Tamil teacher at Ramakrishna School in Chennai. After that he worked as a teacher in Kumbakonam Native High School, Vishnupuram High School, Mannargudi National High School. But not having a formal degree, he often worked for meager salaries.

Karichan Kunju married Sarada Amma. They have four daughters namely Lakshmi Baby, Prabha, Vijaya and Shantha. Poverty in his youth, the unsupportiveness of his childhood relationships, his childhood spent as an orphan on the roads, and the Vedantic philosophy he studied, all combined to keep him firmly detached to worldly life. But Ravi Subramaniam notes that she was very determined to educate her daughters.

Literary Contribution

While working as a teacher in Kumbakonam, he was close friends with writers K.P. Rajagopalan, T. Janagiraman, M.V. Venkatram. He lost his father at a young age and considered his idol K.P. Rajagopalan as his father. K.P. Rajagopalan used to write articles under the pseudonym Karichan, the first bird that calls at dawn. He named himself 'Karichan Kunju' after his paternal name and started writing. Karichan Kunju's plays were compiled and published under the name "Kalugu". He wrote in many magazines like Kalamohini, Kalaimamal, Ajantha. He worked as an assistant editor in the magazine "Thanee" run by M.V. Venkatram. His short novel 'Sukhavasigal' was made into a TV serial called 'Manithargal'.

Short Stories

Kathampari Short Story

In 1940, Karichan Kunju's first short story 'Malarchi' under the pseudonym Ekanthi was published in Kalaimagal magazine. He continued to write stories in the magazine Sivaji ran by Thiruloka Sitaram from Trichy. He has written about two hundred stories, most of it was unedited.

Novels

The first novel in modern Tamil literature dealing with homosexuality is Karichan Kunju's 'Pasithta Manudam'. It is considered to be one of the Transgressive novels of Tamil literature. "Underlying the novel is a theoretical position that transcends intellectually rejected egoistic atheism and pseudo-inert theism" says critic M.V. Venkatram.

Translations

Karichan Kunju has translated many books from Sanskrit, Hindi and English into Tamil. Among his other language contributions to Tamil is 'Toni Vilakku' translation of Anandavarthanar's 'Dvanya Logavat' who lived in ninth century Kashmir. His interest in Marxist philosophies led him to translate Marxist genius Deviprasad Chattopadhyay's book "What is living and what is dead in Indian Philosophy" under the title 'Indiya Thathuvangalil Nilaithanavum Azinthanavum' into Tamil. It is noteworthy that Saratchandra's book was translated as "Pennin Perumai".

Articles

In view of Vedanta, Karichan Kunju wrote about Bharati's Atma Pakuvam, the book 'Bharati Thediyathum Kandathum', his extensive collection of essays about K.P. Rajagopalan are also important in his contribution to Tamil literature.

Demise

Karichan Kunju died on January 17, 1992 at the age of 73.

Autobiographies

Karichan Kunju Vazhkai Varalaaru - Seshatri (Inthiya Ilakkiya Sirpigal Varisai)

Literary Place

Literature explores the essence of man in two ways. One is on a virtually normal site, another, in transgression or extremity. The methodology of realism is to examine the value of man in his natural state. Judging by the extremes is the methodology of the two aesthetics. Romanticism elevates human values ​​to a peak. Taking it to its opposite extremes, transgressive writing explores human virtues. Karichan Kunju's 'Pasitha Manudam' is somewhat of the second type. This type of writing is called transgressive fiction in literary criticism. Karichan Kunju is considered to be the pioneer of Tamil transliteration.

Books

Short Story Collections

• Ezhiya Vazkkai Muthaliya Kathaigal - Kathal Kalpam (1955)
• Vamsarathinam (1964)
• Kubera Tharisanam (1964)
• Deiveegam (1964)
• Amma Itta Kattalai (1975)
• Andrirave (1983)
• Karichan Kunju Kathaigal (1985)
• Thelivu (1989)
• Ethu Nirkum (2016)
• Karichan Kunju Kathaigal - Full Collection (2021)

Novel

• Pasitha Manudam

Short Novel

• Sugavasigal (1990)

Plays

• Kazhugu (1989)
• Kalathin Kural

Translations

• Inthiya Thathuvangalil Nilaithanavum Azhinthanavum - (Deviprasad Chattopadhyay - What is living and what is dead in Indian Philosophy)
• Toni Vilakku
• Pennin Perumai - Sarathchandra
• Sankarar - D.M.B. Mahadevan
• Suriya Kanthi Poovin Ninaivu - Syed Abdul Malik

Essay Books

• Bharathiyar Thediyathum Kandathum (1982)
• Ku.Pa.Ra - Vanathi Pathipagam (1990)

References

• Tamilonline - Thendral Tamil Magazine - Writer - Karichan Kunju
• Karichan Kunju - Thottram Tharum Murangal - Venkat Saminathan
• Varumaiyilum Vazhvai Kondadiya Karichan Kunju - Ravi Subramanian
• Ku.Pa.Ra Kalaiyin Thanithuvam - Karichan Kunju
• Indhiya Thathuvangalil Nilaithanavum Azhinthanavum - Deviprasad Chattopadhyay
• Sankarar - D.M.B. Mahadevan
• https://bharathipayilagam.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post.html
• "Viduthalaikku Munthaiya Tamil Sirukathaigal (1892 - 1947)": Thervum Thoguppum: Arvind Swaminathan - 2021 - Yaavarum Publishers

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