The younger generation prefers brief, impactful writing, reminiscent of punch dialogues, even as social media democratised publishing, allowing writers to connect with their audience and receive instant feedback.
Published Aug 18, 2024 | 2:00 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 18, 2024 | 2:00 PM
Rema Prasanna Pisharody said interactions with readers often catalyse continued literary endeavours. (Supplied)
The sea is a recurring metaphor in Rema Prasanna Pisharody’s poems. At times water, painted in words, is alluring, and calm, but takes an unspoken savage form in her When Rivers and Streams Speak to Us.
Perhaps, Rabindranath Tagore’s Sagarika might have influenced the poet and brought her closer to nature. The poet herself has credited Sagarika with sparking her literary interest after she had made friends with words in the library of the Mount Carmel School in Kottayam — a solid foundation that made her take to literature like a mermaid to water.
What stands out in her works is brevity, words carefully chosen to paint poignant pictures in vivid hues. Her poems encapsulate the essence of nature, soothing, profound, and at times, fierce. When Rivers and Streams Speak to Us, apparently written around the 2018 Kerala floods, presents the violent nature that “silenced the loud portrait of pride”.
In six words, the poem succinctly portrays man’s greed, and how nature pricked his ballooning pride.
At the recently concluded Book Brahma Literary Festival in Bengaluru, Pisharody presented her literary journey, challenges, and the evolution of Malayalam literature.
Attending a session at the fest, Pisharody spoke about the struggles writers face, such as depression and the temptation to cease writing. Her words rekindled memories of authors like Rajalakshmi and Edappally Raghavan Pillai and their premature deaths. Edappally, along with Changampuzha Ramakrishna Pillai, had ushered in the era of Romanticism in Malayalam literature.
Pisharody said interactions with readers often catalyse continued literary endeavours, despite the challenges. She classified literature into two: intense literature, exemplified by classic works such as Homer’s Odyssey, and light literature, which is more accessible.
Legendary works such as The Mahabharata and The Ramayana are foundational, followed by classics like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude and Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, both translated into Malayalam as Ekanthathayude Nooru Varshangal, and Paavangal, respectively. Malayali readers wholeheartedly lapped up such translated works.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez. (Wikimedia Commons)
Pisharody’s literary journey includes the publication of 10 works, punctuated by a gap in her career, and a return to writing after shifting to Bengaluru, where she frequented the literary scene, gained exposure to translation, travelogues and others.
This phase introduced her to prominent figures in Malayalam literature, including ONV Kurup, Sugathakumari, Akkitham, and K Satchidanandan.
The Book Brahma Literary Festival, she noted, motivated writers through its sessions on diverse literary themes.
Author Briji KT referred to the significant shift towards brief, impactful writing, reminiscent of punch dialogues.
Briji KT voiced concerns over the younger generation’s focus on viral videos and quick content. (Supplied)
She observed that the advent of social media has democratised publishing, allowing writers to connect with their audience and receive instant feedback directly.
“Younger generations prefer content that is quick and catchy,” she noted, highlighting a departure from the traditional interest in lengthy novels.
Briji, a grandmother and author of Porbandaril Ninnum Oru Balan (A Boy from Porbandar), voiced concerns over the younger generation’s focus on viral videos and quick content, which might elbow out classic literary works by authors such as Rabindranath Tagore and Kumaran Asan.
She emphasised the richness of meaning in the works of Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada writers that are often overlooked by today’s youth. Additionally, she wished the festival included younger voices as panelists and attendees, noting the current panels’ age bias.
‘Aadujeevitam’ is an adaptation of a novel of the same name written by Benyamin. (X)
The discussion also covered the cinematic adaptation of literature. Briji highlighted the different experiences offered by book and film versions of works like Benyamin’s Aadujeevitham (Goat Days).
“In the book, we are immersed in Najeeb’s struggles, while the film’s focus shifts to (actor) Prithviraj,” she observed, illustrating how cinematic portrayals could transform literary narratives.
Incidentally on Friday, 16 August, Prithviraj won the Kerala State Award for the Best Actor for his portrayal of Najeeb in Aadujeevitham.
Another concern Briji raised was over the tendency to copy works from other languages. With her background in English literature, she advocated the festival to provide a platform for emerging writers, promoting original works and fresh perspectives.
The Book Brahma Literary Festival continues to be a vital meeting ground for discussing the heritage and future of Malayalam literature.
By integrating technology and embracing the voices of younger generations, the literary landscape is poised for expansion and diversity, promising a richer reading experience for all.
Pisharody aptly puts it: “From me and you, we get into the big canvas of the world through reading.” This year’s festival reaffirmed that literature remains a bridge connecting the past, present, and future of storytelling.
(Inputs by Saradhi Sankar. Edited by Majnu Babu).
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