Oru Naal (Novel)
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: ஒருநாள் (நாவல்)
Oru Naal is a novel by Ka.Na. Subramaniam. Major Murthy, a soldier who fought in the World War II, comes to Sathanur Sarvamaniya Agraharam and observes the traditional and stable life at Sathanur and decides to stay there. The novel takes place during the course of one day and was therefore considered new and unique in Tamil literature at the time.
Publication
In 1946, at the request of publisher A.K. Gopalan, Ka.Na. Subramaniam finished a part of the novel. Ka.Na.Su mentions that he finished the rest of it after two years in the library of the University of Chennai. The novel was published two years later in 1950.
"This was a novel written at a pace in which the village Sathanur and its people struck me. I wanted to meet many interesting people myself and get to know them in detail. I had a high impulse for writing this novel. Furthermore, I liked this pace, even though I thought of slowing down my speed" Ka.Na. Subramaniam mentions in the preface.
The first edition was published by Jyoti Nilayam in 1951. Ka. Na. Su dedicated this novel to Jyoti Nilayam's proprietor, A. K. Gopalan.
Synopsis
Sathanur Sarvamaniya Agraharam is the venue of this novel, which is the that of many novels, including Subramaniam's Poitheivu. Major Murthy arrives here after World War II. The life of the town seems to him in temperance and unchanging. He finds that permanence of life as a solace for his roaming soul. He gets close with his uncle Sivaraman and aunt Pankajam. Furthermore, he decides to marry the bride Mangalam.
Characters
- 'Major Murthy' : Also known as Kitta. Full name is Krishna Murthy. The protagonist. Retired Major serving in the Army.
- 'Pankajam' : Aunt of Major Murthy
- 'Sivaraman' : Uncle of Major Murthy
- 'Mangalam:' Major Murthy's bride
- 'Sambamoorthy Iyer' : K.N. Subramaniam's character in both novels, Poitheivu and Oru Naal. A devotee performing Panduranga Bhajan. In the middle, he suddenly becomes a devotee again after becoming a bogey.
- 'Sama' : Storyteller. Ka. Na. Subramaniam's character.
Literary Significance
Sundara Ramaswamy notes that the design of the novel impressed him greatly, and that it was a precursor for setting the form of his novel Oru Puliyamarathin Kadai' . Oru Naal is considered as a significant pioneer of formative efforts in Tamil novels. Analysts consider this to be a theological novel. 'I believe that the elements of an eternal truth are embedded in the lives and characters of this novel,’ Ka. Na. Subramaniam mentions in his 1988 foreword to Narmada Publication.
Reference
- Oru Naal by Ka .Na. Subramaniam. Nattrunai Publications.
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