Oru Kadalora Gramathin Kathai (Novel)
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: ஒரு கடலோர கிராமத்தின் கதை(நாவல்)
Oru Kadalora Gramathin Kathai is the first novel written by author Thopil Mohammad Meeran. The story of a coastal village caught in the iron grip of economic power and religion. Superstitions, exploitation, sexual abuse, the struggle for self-respect of the poor in the midst of the power, and the collapse of the landowning society are all told in this work. It got the attention of the Tamil literary world when it was published.
Author
Thopil Mohammad Meeran recorded the Islamic life and culture in modern Tamil literature without diminishing their vigour, with artistic aesthetics and became a continuation of the tradition of Tamil realistic writing. He has written novels like Saivu Narkali, Koonan Thoppu, Thuraimugam, Anjuvannam Theru, Anandasayanam Colony. Thopil Mohammad Meeran translated the life story of Vaikkam Mohammad Basheer. His Novle Saivu Narkali won the Sahitya Academy award for the year 1997.
Creation and Publication
Oru Kadalora Gramathin Kathai was serialized in Muslim Murasu magazine and later collected and published on his own initiative as a novel in 1988. Thopil Muhammad Meeran had said in an interview that he wrote this novel from the stories told by his vappa (father). In late 1989, it was selected as the best novel by the Tamil Nadu Council of Arts and Literature. Subsequently, the novel was made a textbook for BA and MA classes by Kerala University, Madurai, Coimbatore and Thanjavur Tamil Universities.
Kalachuvadu published the novels first edition in 2004 and a revised second edition in 2007.
Synopsis
The head and the first resident of the village and he boss of the northern house is Ahmedu Kannu. The novel portrays his family, his wife, his sister Nuhu Fatima, who was widowed at the age of thirteen, her son Farheed, and the boss's daughter Ayesha, who loves Farheed. The whole village is subject to his authority. Impichigoyath Tangal is gaining influence among the villagers as a great sage. In the name of religion both Ahmedu Kannu and Tangal excersie power over the villagers. Mahmud, a shark trader, refuses to submit to their authority and is indifferent.
The government orders to build a school in the village. Ahmedu and Tangal are fiercely opposed to it as poiting religion and believe it will lead people to hell. Ignorant people buy into the idea also do not feel the need for school. Poor Mahmud gives his daughter's land which he was holding it as dowry for her marriage for the school. He is left out of town. He proudly recites Quran at home and completes the marriage of his daughter. The school opens. The village slanders the teacher Mehboob Khan and his wife who comes to teach at the school. Mehboob Khan struggles hard to make children come to school with great difficulty.
The downfall of the boss Ahmedu Kannu begins and Tangal leaves the town due to a disagreement with the boss. Ayesha gets married and returns to find that the groom is insane. Farheed also leaves town. The deranged boss sets fire to the school. Ayesha falls into the river and dies.
