Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi's Ponnar Sankar is a historical novel of epic dimensions.
It is woven around the legendary folk heroes of the ancient Kongu Velala community of Tamilnadu, a community whose contribution to the Freedom Movement of India remains etched on the pages of history. Besides, its role in the evolution of the cultural history of Tamilnadu is exemplary.
An imaginative remake of the martial exploits of the Kongu heroes, Ponnar and Sankar, this novel tells the engaging tale of the several strands of universal human interest, all rooted in the cultural mores and customs of the Tamil race in general and the Kongu community in particular.
The galaxy of characters Ponnar, Sankar, Arukkani, Thamarai, Nelliangodan, Rochiannan, Kali, Veeramalai, Muthayi, Pavalayi, Kuppayi, Malaikolunthu Gounder, Chellatha Gounder, Manthiappan, Mayavan, and several others represent the varied clans and communities, the intricacies of their bonds and conflicts, the value systems and ideals built around them and the complex web of events, all running into a natural stream-like narrative pattern, making the novel one of the finest creative achievements of Kalaignar.
Kalaignar M Karunanidhi, one among the select who is who' of contemporary India, is a ripe political personality of more than seven decade standing. a statesman and a proven administrator with the rare distinction of being the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for five terms, besides being a relentless crusader for rationalist revival and an undaunted, missionary-like fighter for social and political causes.
Notwithstanding, it is the title 'Kalaignar meaning 'an artist par excellence' by which he is identified and characterized, so much so that it is no longer a title but a proform designation of Dr M Karunanidhi, in the same way as 'the Bard' is used to refer to Shakespeare.
For Karunanidhi, whose formal education did not extend beyond the secondary school, is a multifaceted, prolific writer with an amazingly large volume of literary output to his credit. He is a poet, a playwright, a novelist and short story writer, a letter writer, an elegist, a journalist and a columnist, a script-writer, a political satirist, an essayist, a translator, an autobiographer and a social and literary critic, besides being an extraordinarily eloquent and powerful speaker. His creative and critical works have been published in 59 volumes, memoirs and autobiography in another 8 volumes, and other writings in 115 more volumes, large and small.
What astounds one is the fact that he has been writing on all these genres contemporaneously, putting the same amount of interest and energy in each kind, that too in the midst of his most exacting administrative and political activities.
I am extremely happy to know that Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, has taken the initiative to bring out a selection of my writings in English.
Bharatidasan, a formidable revolutionary poet, instilled in the Tamils an intense love for Tamil in such exhortations as May you thunder, O Conch! That the never diminishing Tamil Is our life-breath and our prosperity.
Periyar E.V. Ramasamy and Perarignar Anna devoted their entire lives to promote among the Tamils an awareness of the dignity of their race. Following in their footsteps, from my childhood to this day I have immersed myself in the task of writing in order to keep the Tamil youth ever vigilant because of my desire that the Tamil land and the Tamil society should progress rising to the level of the rest of mankind. With this end in view, my writings have taken numerous forms such as poetry, drama, fiction, essay, epistle and travelogue.
Many have admiringly observed and continue to observe that my literary output has also contributed to the onward march of the Tamils in several spheres. In such a context, let me unreservedly and to my heart's content praise Bharathiar University, especially its Vice Chancellor, Dr G. Thiruvasagam, for his efforts to publish the most significant of those writings in English.
My thoughts have always centred round the idea that the Tamils should awaken and that the Tamil land should achieve worldwide progress. May these translations effectively serve that cause dear to my heart.
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