Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: கு.ப.சேது அம்மாள்
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal (1908 - November 5, 2002) was a writer of short stories and novels in Tamil. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal is regarded as the first woman writer to publish collection of short stories in Tamil. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal was younger sister of renowned writer Ku. Pa. Rajagopalan. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote novels, plays and film dialogues. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal is an important female fiction writers. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote mostly stories on feminism and Gandhian thoughts. Her works were nationalized by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Birth, Education
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal (Kumbakonam Pattabhiramaiyar Sethu Ammal) was born in 1908 to Pattabhiramaiyar and Janakiammal in Kumbakonam. Her elder brother was renowned Tamil writer Ku. Pa. Rajagopalan. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal married at the age of eleven and continued her studies from her husband’s place till school final grade. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal lost her husband at an young age and Ku. Pa. Rajagopalan supported her.
Screen Life
In 1949, Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal along with Suddhananda Barathi, Sandilyan and S.D.S. Yogi contributed to the story and dialogues for the film Krishnabhakti based on the story written by R.S. Manian. The film starring P.U. Chinnappa was produced by New Tone Studio.
Literary Life
.jpg)
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal was assisting Ku. Pa. Rajagopalan in penning his stories when his vision was blurred due to cataract. Thus, she received literary training and started writing regularly. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal published her first short story Sevvai dosham in Gandhi magazine in 1935. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote stories Karuhia Kadal (charred love), Savitriyin Kaditham (Savitri's letter), Lalitha and Gunavathi in Manikodi magazine. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal published more than 500 short stories. First collection of short stories Oli Udhayam was published in 1946. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal dedicated this collection of 13 short stories to her elder brother Ku. Pa. Rajagopalan. Her first novel Ambika was released in 1962. Also, Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote short stories in magazines like Vasantham, Bharathamani, Mangai, Kalamohini, Grama Uzhiyan, Shivaji, Kaveri, Kalaimagal, Kalki, Ananda Vikatan and Amudhasurabhi. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal also wrote many short stories based on Gandhian thoughts. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote three plays and Bilhana Kavyam is notable amongst them. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal gave speeches on various topics in radio. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal played the role of judge for the various short story and novel competitions conducted by magazines.
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal created a stir at that time by writing a short story based on Pudhumaipithan's Akalikai short story, but from an alternative perspective, which depicted Indra’s wife Indrani's feelings from her point of view. "Devendran is the reason for the story of Akalikai becoming stone. This story, which depicts the thoughts of his wife Indrani is an alternative to the routine Akalikai story which is spoken and sung in many different ways," says R. Mithila.
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal was a veena artiste. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote books on Culinary arts. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal penned a three years cooking series for Ambalam e-magazine when writer Sujatha was editor.
Death
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal passed away at the age of 94 years on November 5, 2002 in Chennai.
Awards
- Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal's writings were nationalized in 2002.
Literary Significance
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote plots similar to that of popular women writers. These plots depicted the oppression of women and their ruin in the tight grip of family system. But Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal's writings deserve literary value due to the unexaggerated realistic portrayals. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal can be regarded as the foremost female litterateur of modern Tamil literature. She was a pioneer to subsequent writers like R. Sudamani.
In her works, Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal emphasized the importance of women's education, women's emancipation and Gandhian thoughts. Her works depict the life of the middle classes of that period as it was, without any exaggeration. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote short stories focusing on society, family, life, conflicts and relationship issues. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal portrayed the subtle emotions of the characters. Her works are largely based on positive thoughts .
Literary critic A. Ramasamy said, 'Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal is one of the most prominent women writers in Tamil. Her name is unmissable in the history of Tamil fiction repository that speaks of writings of woman. Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal's short stories are classical in form and, portray the scenes through dialogues without exaggeration'.
Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal was a pioneer who transcended boundaries of family life of female writers of the day and contributed in various fields including films.
Publications
Novels
- Ambika
- Mythili
- Usha
- Thani Valiye
- Otamum Nadaiyum
- Kalpana
- Kuralum Padhilum
- Unmaiyin Ullam
Short Stories
- Oli Udhayam
- Deivathin Parisu
- Veera Vanithai
- Uyirin Azhaipu
Articles
- Samayarkalai (Two volumes)
- Bharathapen
- Bodhi Madhavan
Reference
- Viduthalaikku Munthaiya Tamil Sirukathaigal - 2 (Pennezhuthu - 1: 1907-1947) - Selection and Compilation by Aravind Swaminathan - Yaavarum Publishers
- Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal Stories
- Short story pioneer Sethu Ammal
✅Finalised Page
