Malar

A novelist, publisher, screen writer, freedom fighter, political activist, social reformer, teacher, musician, the list goes on………………. If one were to make a list of Tamil women of the 20th century, who truly were trail blazers, it would undoubtedly include Kothainayaki, a self-taught woman to publish the first detective novel in Tamil. She was born in 1901 in Chengalpattu district. As she lost her mother at a young age, she grew under the care of her aunt and grandmother. Childhood marriage was the norm in those days and at the age of sixgotmarried to thenine-yearoldParthasarathy. Kothai was an avid reader of Tamil literature, which led fodder to her wild imagination. As luck would favor, her father-in-law, Gopalakrishnamachariar, a Tamil teacher, encouraged her schooling at home. She formeda ‘story tellinggroup’withher friendsand would articulate imaginative extensions to stories from Puranas. She was a regular when musical dramas were staged in her neighborhood. Along withTamil, she alsomasteredTelugu – the language and its literature. Withthehelpof her close friend, Pattammal,who scribed as Kothai narrated her stories, the first ever First Detective Novelist from Tamilnadu (Courtesy: a recent article in அவள் விகடன், ஜூலை 2019 ) play by Kothai, இந்திர ம�ோகனா was published in 1924, which receivedmany accolades from leading publications. The play was staged at a number of venues. As her love for writing grew, Kothai herself learned to write in flawless Tamil, and her first novel வைதேகி materialized. Shesentacopyof வைதேகி toDuraiswami Iyengar, the publisher of மன�ோரஞ்சனி magazine, heeding to the advice of her friend Pattammal. Realizing that he had chanced upon a treasure house of talent, Duraiswamy Iyengar decided to purchase and resurrect the failed publication ஜக ோகினி, entrustingKothainayaki tomanage it. Kothainayaki took up this responsibility, and published several stories and other series in the magazine. Kothainayaki gradually turnedher interest towards the literary genre of detective stories, a genre that even men hesitated to try their hands in that era. She created the character of detective RajaramNaidu, and won the recognition of being the first female detective writer of Tamilnadu. Her novel இ ்ஸ்பெக்ர் ஏகாம்பரம won wide acclaim. Kothainayaki also gave birth to her only son, Srinivasan, around this time period. As Jaganmohini sold 1000 copies the very next year after its debut,muchtothechagrinofDuraiswamy,salesof மன�ோரஞ்சனி steadily decreased. Out of vindication, Kothai was accused by நியூ ஜெர்சி தமிழ்ச் சங்கம் 30 ஆம் ஆண்டு விழா மலர் 112