Malar

Duraiswamy of plagiarism! He had the audacity to claim in his own journal மன�ோரஞ்சனி that வைதேகி as hiswork. Kothai didnot lend credence to this false accusation; instead, she focusedonherwritingandintroducingnewfemalewriters through ஜெகன்ம ோகினி. She published the sequel to வைதேகி , effectively silencingher accuser. மன�ோரஞ்சனி declined inpopularityandeventuallyceased toexist. Kothai’s popularity steadily grew sustained by her steady stream of publications. Aturningpoint inKodhai’s lifewaswhensheoncehad the opportunity tomeet and converse withGandhi. Encouraged by the Mahathma, through her writings, she expressed her views on several social issues such as child marriage, dowry, untouchability, caste- based barring of temple entry, and widow remarriage. Her novel புதுமை க�ோயில் reflected her deep Gandhian values. மகிழ்ச்சி உதயம brought the issue of untouchability to the fore. The novels வாழ்க்கயின் நாதம, வானககுயில் reflectedher alignmentwith the ‘Swadeshi movement’, urging people to boycott f o r e i g n g o o d s . H e r n o v e l க�ோபால ரத்தினம turned the spotlight oncrueltiesof thedowrysystem. சியாமள நாதன், and உணர்ச்சி வெள்ளம probed into the issues of remarriage faced by wi dows . ம கி ழ் ச் சி உ த ய ம and கிருபா ந்திர் gaveanexposeontheplight of orphaned and abandoned children. All these incendiary literary works, mirroring issues endemic to prevailing Tamil culture, stirreduprawemotions among themass, some resorting tovandalizingherworkby settingher books onfire. Response from the defiant Kothai was, “at least they have to buymybooks and read inorder toburn them, and thatmakes mehappy!” Her fervor for freedomincreasedandshepartook actively inthe freedomstruggle. Her involvement intheLodhi Commission resistance brought her face-to-facewithBritish police brutality and landed her in Velur Jail in 1932. Kothai was determined that even during her prison life, thepublicationof ‘Jaganmohini’must proceedunobstructed. Through her husband, clandestinely she sent her stories written in scraps of paper. The novel ோதனையின் க�ொடுமை tookshapeduringherprisonstay, and it attracted the attention of the then Chairman of the Congress party, RajagopalaChari. Following this,Kothai had theopportunity to speak at several meetings of the Congress party where she shared the stage with Rajaji and Sathyamoorthy. She also did the scene narration for the short documentary “Gandhi’, produced by A.K.Chettiar. This was followed by her foray in to the Tinsel Town! Her novel அநாதைப் ண் was produced as amoviebyJupiterProductions, followingwhich i n succession her other novels ராஜ்மோகன், தயாநிதி, தியாகக்கொடி, நளின கரன் werealsomade intofilms. It was the novel தயாநிதி, produced as themovie சித்தி that actress Padmini made her reentry into films. Kothainayaki was posthumously honored with the national award for the best screenplay. Evenwhennormal lifewas severely compromisedduring the Second World War, publication of ஜகன்ம ோகினி continued unabated. The magazine remained in publication for some 35years, untilKothainayaki’s sufferedhealth issues in her final days. Following Gandhi’s death in1948, shewaspresentwhenhisashes were immersed in the ocean. On the 7th of thefollowingMarch,shestarted மகாத்மாஜி ச வா ங்க in Triplicane, Chennai. Through this organization, she provided service to displaced women, other needy citizens and children. She taught music, sewing, and weaving. She prac t iced midwifery free of charge and trained other women to perform this service. When she was gifted a piece of land by the government in appreciation of her services, she donated it to Vinoba Bhave’s land gifting movement. Her captivating singingwereproducedas gramophone records. She even introducednewragas such as ஹம்ச ராமரி and தாராதரி. ShewasBharatiyar’sneighbor, andhis favorite singer! It is said that Bharatiyar’s famous lines ‘ஆடுவ�ோமே ள்ளு டுவ�ோமே’ were penned with Kothai’s voice inmind. Kothai was instrumental in bringing D.K. Pattammal in to limelight. Female musicians were not common in those days. Aware of Pattammal’s enormous talent, Kothai worked assiduously in convincing her family to allowher toperforminpublic. But for her themusicworld wouldhavemissedoutonPattammal’sprowessasaperformer. Kothainayaki never rebounded from her grief following thedemiseof her dear sonSrinivasan in1956. She contracted several illnesses, including tuberculosis. Treatments failed and she passed away on Feb 20, 1960. In her lifetime, she authored115novels andbrought 100women into the literary world.Hailedbypoet SuddhanandaBharati as புதினஅரசி, Kothainayaki is a pioneer that history has largely forgotten! Ravi Subramanyam சி ற ப் பு ம ல ர் ஆம் ஆண்டு ◆ நியூ ஜெர்சி தமிழ்ச் சங்கம் 30 ஆம் ஆண்டு விழா மலர் 113