ONV KurupAs the bard leaves the world for eternal sleep, Onmanorama revisits a rendezvous with Malayalam's illustrious poet, who wove his philosophy around verse.
ONV Kurup, the Jnanpeeth Award winner who enriched Malayalam poetry with his own style, had used the medium to highlight his life’s philosophy. His contributions to Malayalam do not remain strictly within the confines of poetry. “My dreams are essentially old. Dreams arise from aspirations and apprehensions,” ONV had said.
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“My younger days were moulded by the social events of a time, which was very important for India. My University College days were between 1946 and 1948, a year before and after Indian independence. Those where times when you were happy as well as concerned as to whether your dreams would come true. The situation is the same now. One is concerned that many aspirations were never met, as if events happened exactly opposite to what one had desired." As the bard leaves the world for eternal sleep, Onmanorama revisits a rendezvous with Malayalam's illustrious poet. Excerpts from a conversation:
What challenges do you expect Kerala's culture would have to face?
Earlier, colonial forces used to approach Kerala with a haughty attitude. For example, Vasco Da Gama had threatened the Samuthiri. These days, they come with enticements and we fall for it and try to reinforce it in our life as our needs.
For example, when my doctor went to the US for research, his guide told him that 'back pain is our bread and butter.' This is their approach to everything. Those parents who take pride in their children who have settled in the US do not know that their children are being exploited.
Kerala has become a place that merely produces slavish, intellectual material for others to exploit. Only through realisation and resistance can the culture of Kerala exist on its own, and that is happening. For example, when promoters try to sell us the concept of Aranmula airport- merely for the benefit of 90 kms of aerial distance- we are learning to resist it, aware of the consequences of such misplaced developmental projects.
ONV Kurup enriched Malayalam poetry with his own styleWhat is the situation of the Malayalam language, now and in future?
I am not against English, but one needs basic education in one's mother tongue. I am pained that bad English is replacing pure Malayalam in the newer generation. While they praise daffodils and chrysanthemums, they are perhaps blind to the flowers blooming around them. Those flowers are the cultural symbols of the Malayalee.
The dark red flowers of 'Thetchi' should arouse the energy of the oracle in you, while the leaves of ‘Tulsi’ should remind you of the flowers that mothers and sisters wear in their hair. Such symbols that remind you of your roots are true cultural elements. Our culture can never be expressed in English and the government must ensure that Malayalam gets its due.
What is the next step for Malayalam which has attained the classical language status?
The intent of that award has not been attained. Official intervention in the affairs of the Malayalam University has to stop. When I went to the Hindenburg University in Germany, students were learning Hindi, Tamil, Bengali etc as the official languages of India. Many feel that the language of South India is Tamil and this should change. Malayalam should become a window to the world and it should shape our concept of humanity and oneness.
ONV with studentsHow do you assess current politicians and their deviant trends?
We have the inherent strength to recover from our problems. For example, even when corporate entities are invited by some to build an airport at Aranmula, there are others who oppose it. All living things have two states. For example, a flower is a flower as we know it, while we also know that it is ceasing to be a flower. What is needed is the capacity to discern what is right and wrong.
What is your take on teachers and students?
My teachers had prevailed on me that to teach for one hour, you had to prepare for four hours. Such sincerity and commitment is not seen in teachers these days. They are united to bargain for their rights from the UGC, but their contribution to students is suspect. Today, teachers are more concerned about money, to the extent of opening a college when they retire, in order to make more money.
Students have to primarily respect education and they need to fight for its availability to all. Today students are mere instruments of others. Their eyes are in foreign lands and that seems to be their main agenda. They need to obtain knowledge about so many things here and then expand their vision.
Kerala has become a place that merely produces slavish, intellectual material for others to exploit, said ONVYour views on age
Age is not a disease and therefore there is no treatment for it. It is the path to ultimate dissolution. You can hide degeneration, but ultimate dissolution is a reality.
What do you have to say to poets about poetry?
All should respect the poet, but there should be poetry in poems. I would say that debates on the technical prerequisites for a poem are often confusing. The basic necessity for poems is that it should have poetry in it. Nobel Laureate, Adonis, an Arab poet had come here. He was not offered an official gesture of appreciation. That is what has to change.
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