KALKI’S SOLAMALAI ILLAVARSI

It is unfortunate of me to have never gone beyond ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, ‘Sivagamiyin Sabatham’, ‘Alai Osai’, ‘Paarthiban Kanavu’ and few other short stories, as in reading the works of Kalki. Recently I happened to read few more of his writings and no need to say about them, they are absolutely typical Kalki’s works. In those, the ‘Solamalai Ilavarsi’ is what I am about to say.

For those who have read the ‘PS’, ‘SS’, ‘AO’, of Kalki, there may have been this thought lingering in the mind : There is a some gap between ‘PS’, ‘SS’ on one side and ‘AO’ on the other. Every Writer’s human mind evolves and travels over the time line. The works put on paper may not be following the chronological order, but the overall picture gives that evolution. There is this time gap between ‘PS’, ‘SS’ and ‘AO’, the gap of jumping from ‘Periodic Time’ to ‘Social/Present Time’. The ‘Solamalai Ilavarsi’ is that Time Evolver. Read it and you will realize that the transition from old times to the Freedom Struggle/Early Post-Independence days for this ‘Amarar’ is through this Novel.

First, the Work. Kumaralingam is on a rampage by protesting and revolutionizing around the villages against the East India Company Rule in India. He lives only with his new-found freedom thirstiness. Running away from Police after a protest-turned- violence, he finds a safe house in a ruined castle. He imagines/lives thro the incidences that happened there a century ago. The End…?? Pl read.

Now, my views. The first chapter gives the hint of the people’s mind during the 1940s. The book easily shuttles between the old age and the present days (1940s). the shuttling way is, absolutely good. Those who seen the movie Rang De Basanti (Hindi movie starring Aamir Khan), will understand the term ‘intertwining characters’. Kalki has done that so very well, makes You think Kalki has copied the idea from the movie and refined it.

The work closely examines about evolution of the British in India. It describes in milder words about their Visiting, Settling, Exploiting and Ruling of the Sub Continent. There is no mention of the Present Day differences, which is really encouraging to recommend the book. As of the saying ‘you should earn it, to know it’, this book is a treat to read knowing the various time events in details. (Sometimes back one of my friend critiqued the works of Kalki as ‘only for the elite/learned groups of the society.)

The flow, sincerity in words and the narration of the incidences and environment (especially the present day- 1940s scenario) giving a view of the various people’s thoughts, regarding the Company rule in an unbiased terms, never-able-to-lift-eyes-off descriptions and the ending (although bit dramatic if one views with 2010 time frame), everything is Typical of Kalki and I may say nothing to justify if You know him. Kalki is one of the few writers, who is able to satisfy most of the study groups (none of the constituents at improper proportions). Solamalai Ilavarsi too does that. It is the missing link between the Time frames as mentioned earlier, evolving from the Periods to Present Day.