Somavathy or Ilangai India Natpu (novel)
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: சோமாவதி அல்லது இலங்கை இந்திய நட்பு
Somathy or Ilangai Innthiya Natpu (1939-40), written by Sri Lankan Tamil writer H. Nellaiah, was an early Sri Lankan novel written about the India-Sri Lanka relations. Later, with the Eelam war, this novel gained prominence.
Creation, Publication
H. Nellaiah, the editor of the Tamil daily in Ceylon Virakesari, serialised this novel in it in 1939 and published it in 1940. "Everyone knows that there has been a rift between Sri Lanka and India in recent times. I am publishing this book on the occasion of the efforts being made to remove the undesirable misunderstanding and unite the two countries in love. This novel is written with the belief that India-Sri Lanka relations can only ever be a loving friendship" says Nellaiah in his preface to the novel.
During the period 1931-1940 A.E. Gunasinghe, a Sinhala politician, was making harsh anti-Tamil speeches. K. Natesa Iyer severed trade union ties and left the Sinhala political alliance. Sri Lanka's first Prime Minister D.L. Senanayake had declared that the Tamils would not wield any power over Sri Lanka. Thelivathai Joseph says that the novel came out in this political context.
Synopsis
It is a short novel (120 pages) about a Sinhala woman named Somavathy from Kandi, who falls in love with a Indian Tamil man named Chandrasekaran. Hearing about this, Somathy's brother a Sinhala politician named Vijayaratna and her father strongly oppose their union. Through speeches and political fliers, Vijayaratna nurtures hatred between the two communities but the two lovers unite in spite of it.
Literary Significance
It details the rise of anti-Tamil hatred in Sri Lanka during the period.
References
- Malaiyaga Sirukadhai Varalaaru - Thelivathai Joseph
- Tamil Novel Sidhi Sivapatha Sundaram
- Eelam Puthina Ilakiyam
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