Nanjil Nadan

Nanjil Nadan (born December 31, 1947) is one of the important writers of modern Tamil literature. He has authored short stories, novels, poems and essays. He has written about life at Nanjil Nadu (at present a part of Kanya Kumari) in a realism and magical realism style. He is deeply devoted to Kamba Ramayanam. Nanjil Nadan regularly conducts classes and lectures on Kamba Ramayanam.  

Birth, Education

Nanjil Nadan’s birth name was K. Subramaniam (G. Subramaniam Pillai). He was born on December 31, 1947 in Veera Narayanamangalam, Kanyakumari district. His father was Ganapathiappillai and mother was Saraswathi Ammal.His father was a farmer (who farmed on a leased land).

Nanjil Nadan attended a government primary school in Veera Narayanamangalam from class I to V. He studied at Rachakkulam Government Middle School from class VI to class VIII. He completed his schooling at Thalakudi Government High School.

He received his Bachelor's degree (B.Sc. Mathematics) from S.T. Hindu College, South Travancore, Nagercoil. Historian A.K. Perumal and Professor Vedasagayakumar were his College friends. Nanjil Nadan received his Masters Degree (M.Sc. Mathematics) from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College, Thiruvananthapuram. While studying as a postgraduate student in Thiruvananthapuram, he also worked as a teacher in writer Nagulan’s English tutorials in Mar Iraniya Catholic College, which was right opposite to his college.

Personal Life

Nanjil Nadan was born with six siblings, a sister and five brothers.He was the eldest of the seven siblings. His grandfather’s native place was Munainchipatti which is near the village Moolaikkaraipatti in Tirunelveli district. His grandfather married his own cousin (aunt’s daughter),who passed away after having two children, and later married Valliammal. Nanjil Nadan’s grandmother Valliammal’s native is a village called Parakkai in Kanyakumari district.

After waiting for two years in Nagercoil for a government job and a job at college post college studies, he went to Bombay (Mumbai) without any plan. He worked as a day labourer in the Bombay District Collector's Office and in a private company. In 1973, the owners of the land leased by the Nanjil Nadan’s family at Vadiveeswaram in Nagercoil helped him get a day job in W.H. Brady in Bombay. In this company he was subsequently promoted to clerk, store keeper, administrator, supervisor and manager at the same company

Nanjil Nadan was married to Sandhya (birth name - Bhagawathi) on 29th August 1979 at Thiruvananthapuram, his wife’s home town. He has two children. His daughter S. Sangeetha completed MD in Coimbatore and is married to R. Vivekanandan (MS Ortho) with two sons, Sidharthan, Aravindan. His son S. Ganesh works as a supervisor in a software company and is married to Srileka.

Literary Life

Nanjil Nadan, who was used to living around people, agricultural lands, rivers and village life, overcame his loneliness in Bombay with the help of Bombay Tamil Sangam. He got into the habit of reading books in its library. Along with the reading, the loneliness also encouraged him to write. His first short story "Viradham"(fasting) was published in Na. Parthasarathy's Monthly Magazine, Deepam, in August 1975. This won the prize for ‘Best Short Story’ from ‘Ilakiya Sindhanai’, an organisation by P. Lakshmana Chettiyar and P. Chidambaram in Chennai. P. Lakshmana Chettiyar , who was on his way to ahmedabad, met Nanjil Nadan in Bombay and handed him the cash prize Rs 50/-.

After understanding the nuances of writing a short story,  Nanjil Nadan's focus shifted to novels. During those days, Kavignar Kalaikoothan and Writer Vannadasan had encouraged him to write novels. His first novel, “Thalaikeezh Vigidhangal” (Inverse Ratios), was published in 1977. Following that, Nanjil Nadan wrote many novels and short stories regularly. Later Nanjil Nadan was asked to write an article for Kalachuvadu magazine by Writer Sundara Ramasamy. On behalf of Kalachuvadu, Nanjil Nadan spoke at a conference in Nagercoil on the topic "Nanjil Naatu Vellalar vaazhkaiyil kaalam nigazhthiya maatrangal” (The changes that have taken place over time in the life of Nanjil Nadu’s Vellalars). This speech was published in the Kalachuvadu magazine as an article. Later it was published a book published by Kalachuvadu under the title “ Nanjil Naatu Vellalar Vaazhkai - Kaalam Nigazhthiya Maatrangal'' (Life of Nanjil Nadu’s Vellalars - Changes over time). This novel is a precedent for ethnographic writing in Tamil.

He received the Sahitya Academy Award for his short story collection, “Soodiya Sudarka”, in 2010. During his tenure on the jury of the Sahitya Akademi, Tamil’s senior writer A. Madhavan received his Sahitya Academy Award and young writers Abilash Chandran, Sunil Krishnan received their Yuva Puraskar Award.

From 2012, he has taken Kamba Ramayana classes in ‘Kaviya Mugaam’, which is organised in Ooty every year by Vishnupuram Literary Circle. During the Corona period he started taking Kamba Ramayana classes on behalf of the Canada Literary Circle on the second Saturday of every month, which he continues to take even now.

Literary Place

While mentioning about Nanjil Nandan’s fictional works, writer Jeyamohan says the following:

“ In Nanjil Nadan's stories, you will find that the plot’s surrounding environment is very much believable. Be it Nanjil Nadu or Mumbai, the clearly defined portrayal helps us see the environment right before our eyes. Even while considering one of his earlier stories ‘Ambarimel Or Aadu’, he has effortlessly created the buoyant atmosphere of a high-class Sabah in Mumbai.

His portrayal of Nanjil Nadu is in such a way that even people who have never seen it would have lived a life there through imagination. Why should he portray in detail about the red soap that was stuck to the cloth in the washing stone in a stream? It teases our imagination and brings the stream right before our eyes.

The characters in Nanjil Nadan’s stories can be easily seen in Nanjil Nadu. These are people with innate pettiness, love, and anxiety. From extraordinary characters like ‘Prandhu’ to ordinary characters like ‘Thiraviyam’ (Thalaikeezh Vigidhangal) they think what they are capable of thinking. They speak what they are capable of speaking. They thrive only as much as they can thrive naturally.

His creations show us trustworthy people’s emotions in a trusting environment. Mostly he never shows us emotions directly. He makes the reader realise it. ‘A man who is severely hungry goes to his two daughters' home. Both his daughters assume that he would have eaten and don't offer food. He goes back home hungry.’ In this entire scenario the man’s feelings are not portrayed. It has been left to the readers to feel.

There is no space for melodrama in Nanjil Nadan’s creations. There are no sentiments as well. There are emotions. Short stories like ‘Salapparindu' are an example. But his best short stories are emotional. ‘Yam Unbem’ is an example. At Least 50 such stories can be pointed out. What the reader feels there is not feelings of sadness but the thrill of experiencing the greatest morality or the wholeness of life. Nanjil Nadan is considered to be one of the greatest creators of Tamil because he wrote them. He is considered to be on par with Pudhumaipithan and Ku. Alagirisami.

Most of his stories have a credible environment, credible character, a worldly problem and his take on it. These are his normal stories. His emotional stories would have credible emotions in it. An immense human value would have been shown in his best stories.”

Awards

• Best Novel of the Year - 1993 (Sathuranga Kuthirai) Tamil Valarchithurai Virudhu by Tamil Nadu Government
• Best Novel of the Year 1993 - 1994 (Sathuranga Kuthirai), Kasthuri Srinivasan Arakattalai, Coimbatore
• Best Novel of the Year - 1993 (Sathuranga Kuthirai) , Puthiya Paarvai - Neelamalai Tamil Sangam Parisu, Chennai
• Best Short Story Collection - 1994, Peikottu, Lily Devasigamani Ilakkiya Parisu, Coimbatore
• Best Novel of the Year - 1986, Midhavai, Deiva Tamil Mandram Parisu, Mayiladudurai
• Best Novel of the Year - 1986, Midhavai, Bombay Tamil Ezhuthalar Sangam, Bombay
• Deivangal Onaigal Aadugal Short Story, Velli Vizha Sirukathai Poti, Kolkata TamilMandram Parisu, Kolkata
• Best Short Story of the Month - August 1975, Viradham, Ilakiya Sindhanai, Chennai
• Best Short Story of the Month - July 1977, Vaai Kasandhadhu, Ilakiya Sindhanai, Chennai
• Best Short Story of the Month - November 1979, Murandu, Ilakiya Sindhanai, Chennai
• Lifetime Literary Achievement Award- 1999, Amudhan Adigal Ilakiya Parisu
• Nadhiyin Pizhaipandru Narumbunal Inmai, Ulaga Tamil Aasiriyar Ninaivu Parisu 2007, Tamil Ilakiya Thottam, Canada.
• Best Short Story Collection - 1994, Peikottu, Tirupur Tamil Sangam
• Kannadasan Virudhu - 2009, Kannadasan Kazhagam, Coimbatore
• Sahitya Academy Award - 2010, Soodiya Poo Sudarka Short Story Collection
• Iyartamil Kalaignar Kalaimamani Virudhu by Tamil Nadu Iyal, Isai, Nadaga Mandram

Bibliography

Novels

• Thalaikeezh Vigithangal (1977, 1983, 1996, 2001, 2008, Kaalachuvadu Publications)
• Enbiladanai Veyil Kayum (1979, 1995, 2007, Pusthaga Digital Media)
• Mamisapadaippu (1981, 1999, 2006, Vijaya Publications)
• Midhavai (1986, 2002, 2008, Vijaya Publications, Natrinai Publishers)
• Sathuranga Kuthirai (1993, 1995, 2006, Vijaya Publications)
• Ettuthikkum madhayaanai (1998, 1999, 2008)

Short stories

• Deivangal Aadugal Onaigal (1981)
• Vaakku Porukkigal (1985)
• Uppu (1990)
• Pei Kottu (1994, 1996)
• Prandhu (2002)
• Soodiya Poo Sudarka (2007)
• Khan Sahib (2010)
• Tholkudi
• Karangu
• Ammai Parthirukiral

Poetry

• Manulli Paambu (2001)
• Pachai Nayagi (2010)
• Vazhukkupparai
• Achamen Maanudava

Articles

• Nanjil Nattu Vellalar Vazhkai (2003, 2004, 2008 - Kalachuvadu Publications)
• Nanjendrum Amudhendrum Ondru (2003, 2008)
• Nathiyin Pizhayandru Narumpunal Inmai (2006)
• Kavalan Kaavaan Yenin (2008)
• Theedhum Nandrum (2009)
• Thigambaram (2010)
• Kambanin Ambaraathuni (2014)