The Burning Ire of the Downtrodden (Sulunthee Novel)

                                                The Burning Ire of the Downtrodden                                                    

 http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/37834793

B. Meenakshi Sundaram

The novel Sulunthee, a new arrival to the present world of Tamil fiction, brings to light the socio-political situation in Kannivadi, when it was a part of the 18th century Madurai. The author Muthunagu, a native of Aandipatti, had, for long years, gathered the ideas of penning this historical novel, whose content is hitherto untold in Tamil fiction.

“The majority of the characters in Sulunthee are from the downtrodden communities. Moreover, what attracted me in the novel is that a young man from a barber community being its hero. Though I am much familiar with the history of Madurai, many of the anthropological and cultural features discussed in the novel, are absolutely new to me” avers C.Santhalingam, eminent archaeologist and former director, Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department, in his foreword to the book.

The story revolves around the life of Maadan Naavidhan, the son of Rama Naavidhan, the respectable barber in the palace of Kannivadi. The chieftain, who is called ‘Aranmanayar’ held members of the barber community high and provided them privileges for their services as physicians and haircutters. The Aranmanayar also gifted plenty of Nanjai Nilam (Wet lands) to the barbers so that they could obtain lucrative income out of the land’s produce. Yet, in the caste-ridden society, the Aranmanayar was opposed to the aspirations of Maadan Naavidan to become a soldier in the army by renouncing his family profession of treating diseases, haircutting and shaving. The barbers were called ‘panduvars’, for they excelled in ‘panduvam’ (medical treatment)

“During the time of wars between the Madurai Naickers and the representatives of the Pandya kings, the latter bought certain chemicals from the barbers, who used them for making medicine. The representatives of the Pandya king used those chemicals as explosives against the Naickers. Angered by this, the Naickers killed members of the barber community in great number. Threatened by this nightmare, the barbers handed over their medical treatises to the Brahmin bureaucrats of the Naicker administration and escaped from being killed by the Naickers. Later on, the Brahmins translated the barbers’ medical treatises into Sanskrit and replaced the Tamil expression‘Panduvam’ by ‘Vaidhyam’ “says Muthunagu.

Inspired by the novel, the Institut Français de Pondichéry (The French Institute of Pondicherry) recently organized a symposium on Sulunthee and had an interactive session with its author Muthunagu. 

The front jacket of the book, which portrays the dilapidated Kannivadi palace, has been titled Sulunthee to mean the sticks of Sulunthu tree (Ixora parviflora) being used as flambeaus. 

Muthunagu says that the popular flambeaus made of ''Sulunthu'' sticks have a natural character of burning for hours.

“People from downtrodden communities, who were meted out injustices in the Naicker rule of the 18th century, indulged in rebellions and set fire to things. Therefore, the government brought a ban on making torches using the Sulunthu sticks. Nevertheless, the title of my book is a metaphor to the wrath of the downtrodden” winds up Muthunagu