INFOKARA RESEARCH ISSN NO: 1021-9056

Degeneration of Culture in Indira Parthasarathy’s High Noon (Utchi Veyil )

V. Sri Ramachandran Research Scholar Assistant Professor, Department of English National College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli – 620 001 Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024

Dr. K.S. Dhanam Research Advisor Associate Professor, Department of English Periyar E.V.R.College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli 620023 Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024

Abstract: High Noon is a novella first published in Tamil as Utchi Veyil in 1968 by Vachakar Vattam – an innovative publishing concern of the time in Tamil. It is a totally different piece of fiction portraying the distinctive cultural flavour of Thanjavur District. It has autobiographical references of Indira Parthasarathy. It was made into a film called Marupakkam by Sethu Madhavan and won the Swarna Kamal award in 1990. Translator of the novella, M. R. Sivaramakrishnan published it in The Illustrated Weekly of India. This paper aims to study how Indira Parthasarathy was successful in putting the story forth to the readers how Indian culture was degenerated? and its impact in the life of the protagonist.

Volume 8 Issue 11 2019 1601 http://infokara.com/ INFOKARA RESEARCH ISSN NO: 1021-9056

Degeneration of Indian Culture in Indira Parthasarathy’s High Noon (Utchi Veyil )

V. Sri Ramachandran Research Scholar Assistant Professor, Department of English National College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli – 620 001 Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024

Dr. K.S. Dhanam Research Advisor Associate Professor, Department of English Periyar E.V.R.College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli 620023 Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024

Laa. Sa. Raa. a well known Tamil Novelist, states about Indira Parthasarathy “I believe a writer should have one consistent avatar, but you seem to have too many conflicting avatars within you happening at one and the same time”. (Preface of High Noon and Other Stories, p. 10.)

Indira Parthasarathy a well known contemporary Indian author writing in Tamil has received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sathiya Akademi Award and Saraswathi Samman Award. He is the only writer who has received all the three prestigious awards. Translator of the novella, M. R. Sivaramakrishnan was India’s first ambassador in Viet Nam after Viet Nam War. Then he became the ambassador to Poland and High Commissioner in Canada. He started his career as an editorial staff in The Hindu, then The Indian Express, New Delhi. He translated this story and published in The Illustrated Weekly of India. High Noon is a novella first published in Tamil as Utchi Veyil in 1968 by Vachakar Vattam – an innovative publishing concern of the time. It is a totally different piece of fiction portraying the distinctive cultural flavour of Thanjavur District. It has autobiographical references of Indira Parthasarathy. It was made into a film called Marupakkam by Sethu Madhavan and it won the Swarna Kamal Award in 1990. Indira Parthasarathy uses Stream of Consciousness technique in this novella High Noon. The stream of consciousness swings to the past life of Ambi the protagonist of the novella and his father Vembu Ayar’s past life and comes to the present to make the reader to understand past and present of these major characters. Ambi’s father Vembu Iyer’s past events are printed in italics to differentiate with the present.

As usual, many of Indira Parthasarathy’s heroes are from Villages of Tamil Nadu, working in New Delhi, Ambi @ Murali is also from Kumbakonam, returning to his home town from Delhi in the beginning of the novella. He found nothing has changed in the past two years except people had become older. When Ambi entered into his house, his mother Janaki welcomed him and showed him the status of his father Vembu Ayer. Vembu Ayer, understanding the presence of his son Ambi, sitting in the swing, in silence, spoke to himself and laughed how charming life was when Ambi was young. When Ambi called him “Appa” (16), he as usual, in silence, spoke to himself about a past events of his life and laughed.

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At home, he found nothing has changed except that the things gathered a layer of dust in his absence. It reminds him of his past with his friends at this room when he was at school. Ambi’s grandfather had died when his father Vembu Ayer was just four years old. Ambi’s grandfather lived a happy and fashionable but short life. But Ambi’s father, a self educated man “determined to grow up quite unlike his own father. . . . he was variously described as the lion of Vedanta and the tiger of Vyakarana.”(17), but now it was all gone. He becomes fragile and silent. Vembu Ayer’s present status reminded him of an old man who stayed at his neighbouring house some time ago in Delhi. He looked like a high priest of brahminism.

When Ambi takes bath at the back yard of the house, people from the neighbouring houses enquired about his broken marriage and fragile status of his father. Ambi could not answer them. Ambi was forced by these enquires to recollected his sweet days with Sweete @ Rita Ayar. Whose mother is a Bengalie and father is from Madras – a retired army Major called Major Sundaresa Ayar from Aduthurai. Ambi’s mother was major’s first cousin. Since then they develop their love affair.

Ambi after bath, found his father still sitting in the same manner and looking at Ambi. Vembu Ayar’s consciousness again went back and thought of his disciplined life which his father never practiced. He repents now for his orthodox life, for having observed all the religious rituals throughout his life. He says

It now strikes me that I could have lived differently, done differently. When hungry, we eat. When thirsty, we drink. Why clamp down on desires then? My controlled passion has shriveled up my body, which will go up in flames one day. . . if sin is a matter of man’s intentions, show me a man without sin. I wanted to lock away carnal desires and grow up the anthithesis of my father. Did I succeed? (23)

He thought of his unsuccessful love affair with his friend Uppili’s sister, his first Wife Avayam who was beautiful, he divorced her by listening to his mother’s bad intentions, and due to her unproven illicit relationship and her inability to give birth to a child.

The current status of Mr. Vembu Aiyer, Ambi could easily understand that his father is experiencing communication with God. Ambi could not believe his father’s silence. He always chants mantras and recite slokas and performs poojas twice a day but now he is completely different. Ambi understood that his father is repenting for his past ruined life. But his mother, never had any views of her own, and lived completely on shadows of her despotic husband, who refused permission for his marriage with Sweete. His father replied in one of his letters for his request to marry Sweete, “don’t ever darken my door again in the future”. (24).

When Ambi sat down on the floor to eat, he found ants on the wall. He put a line by using his figure to stop ants come to him. Mother said looking at it as “poor things” (24). Ambi replied that “what is poor or rich about it? If they have the brains they will get across. Intelligence and courage are needed.” (24) For Ambi’s statement, his mother questioned “Do you mean to say that those who transgress do not get scattered?” (24) and moved away without expecting an answer from him. Ambi also does not want to continue the conversation. She means Ambi’s cross

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religious marriage as transgression which was broken and scattered. Ambi’s cross religious marriage was not in practice at his orthodox home town and they felt that it is forbidden.

After Ambi’s lunch, when he and his mother started talking about his broken wedding, Mangalam; one of the neighbour entered the house and enquired the status of Vembu Ayar. She directly went to him and questioned him whether he can recognize her? He stared at her and again his consciousness went back and compared Mangalam with Sarasa a cleaver woman, one of the relatives of him. He again compares Mangalam and Sarasa with Avayam. Avayam was a nice singer. But she always had tussle with her mother -in- law who had lost her husband at the early age, and loved her son Vembu. She hates Avayam for the simple reason that her son shares her love with his wife. So “Mother made up so many stories about Avayam. Not that I believed any of them. But what terrible things, I did just to reassure my mother of my affection. What an idiot and a fool I was ! Avayam, Avayam!” (26). Unfortunately, breaking the marriage was not considered as outrageous even at this orthodox society. It has become a practice with a valid reason. The reason for the break in their marriage was, Avayam unable to bear a child and her mother in law suspects her character.

Mangalam enquired about Avayam because Vembu Ayar was frequently telling the name Avayam and she herself replied that it was Ambi’s stepmother. And he remembers his first wife. But Janaki, Ambi’s mother does not want to continue the discussion anymore and decided to leave Ambi alone to take rest.

Once, Ambi as a college student visiting a friend in Madras, the lady next door dropped in. Her hair was completely grey, but she looked young. She learnt from Ambi that he is from Kumbakonam, then she enquired about Vembu Ayar, Ambi replied that he is his father. She immediately responded to him that in that case, “I am your step-mother, your father’s first wife”. (27)

Now he realized that his father had wronged her. It is the same man who had stopped him not to enter into the home after his marriage with Sweete. He understood that since his father committed a blender for his first wife, he repents now by uttering her name and longing for her.

Ambi thought of his newly wedded life, his honeymoon at Kashmir and how sweet it was but after an year, the problem sprouted.

After a nap, Ambi went to Market Street where he met his old friends. At Marimuthu’s shop, his assistant Sonachalam gave him a sweet beeda. In the meanwhile, accountant Poongavanam interrupted their talk and enquired Ambi about his latest and called Sonachalam a “Sonagiri” (Fool) (30) who beats his beautiful wife to support his mother and the girl drowned in a water tank due to his torture.

After an year, both Ambi and Sweete came to Kumbakonam and stayed in a hotel and Ambi visited the house. His parents refused permission for Sweete to enter the house. This caused trouble in their married life. She said, “Do you really think your father is fair?” (30). Unable to tolerate Ambi’s Hindu, Brahminical culture and they felt that he was a country brute, she left

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Delhi immediately leaving him at Kumbakonam. Since then, his married life shattered and heaven becomes hell..

At the shop, he met Nanu Iyer, a lawyer’s clerk, Alvar a fifty year old man the owner of a book stall. On his return to home, he found Murti, a close friend of him. He learnt his arrival from his mother and visited to see him. They discussed Vembu Iyer’s present condition, Ambi’s broken family life. Ambi shared with Murthi, how his marital life broke.

Ambi find a sudden change in the attitude of his wife Sweete who wants him to leave his orthodox father and mother and get away with her. She and her mother on her father’s first death ceremony, created a scene about his being untruthful to them.

Murti in his very firm voice, said, the marriage brook due to their obstinacy. Murthy replies to Ambi that,

Your father, you know, sent his first wife away. You have not done that. Anyway you can’t do it nowadays, but you have separated. What is the difference? Male superiority was the order of the day in your father’s days. The chauvinist heroes hadn’t the guts to drive out the foreign rules; they vented their hero is on hapless women.

‘Now, in your days, it is a question of a person’s rights. What are these rights? Do you really think you can define your rights, the other person’s rights, and live fenced in by this division? Tell me!’. (36)

On request of Murti, with hesitation, Ambi narrated the crux of the problem between him and his wife. The marriage brook due to uncertainty prevailed in their life and Sweetie and her mother felt that Ambi may leave her in lurch and support his orthodox father. Ambi, could not leave his parents and finds it difficult to live with Sweete. Finally they got separated. There was another story in the family of Sweete. Her father at the last part of his life, performed Ganesh Puja at his friend’s house and said nothing for his wife and daughter Sweete going to the church. They were also separated at the end of his life due to communal clash. Changing religious values and boredom in life creates this communal clash and their ‘love’ has gone with the wind. Sweete and her mother believes that, like Sweete’s father, Ambi who possess classical values, will desert them in near future and hence, they prepare themselves for it and moved away from Ambi.

After hearing him Murti replied that,

There is only one way to solve this. You must step out of your self – imposed privacy and so must your wife. Look at your father now! He raised the walls and is struggling to breathe in the confined space. All his dramatics and quarrels have little meaning in his present state. Don’t you see? (38)

When Ambi gave a drink to his father, he saw Murti but unable to recognize him. He compares Murti’s physical features with Avayam – and repeatedly saying the name “Avayam”.

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Murti rightly understood that Avayam might be his first wife. In the mean time, Vembu’s friend visited him and enquired about his status. And departs saying, “The rest is silence”. (40). Ambi rested in silence and understood the reason for his broken married life. He cannot leave his several centuries of unchanging tradition and outdated religious practices and his wife could not forget her immediate past and historical compulsions. Now he extends his understanding with his father’s calling of his first wife’s name. He felt that his cross marriage, and it becomes broken, his father’s past life are the three important factors that affected the mental stability of his father. For the first time, it struck him that he did the same thing which his father did and felt like he might have wronged Sweete and fallen into slumber.

After having few dosas he found his father looking to his palms and fingers and saying his first wife’s name. As if he has decided something, he called his mother expressed his opinion of inviting his step mother Avayam here to support his father. But his mother contemptuously refused the idea with savage anger. It has become her prerogative position with her husband and she asked Ambi to live with his wife. His mother literally shiveredwith anger and he could not sleep the whole night.

Next day morning, Ambi understood that his mother is still angry with him. He found some new tenant at his opposite house. He learnt from his mother that the new tenant is a teacher’s family. The wife of the teachers is young, and she is flirting with youngsters who come to take tuitions. And people believe that Goddess Karpagamba lives in her and many visit her to have a dharsahan of Goddess Karpagaba. Many atheists won the election by her blessings and become theists.

He decided to write to his wife to invite her here. He wore a clean shirt and set out to Marimuthu’s shop to buy a news paper. On his way he met a widow Nagu whose physique resembled the name. Her husband died due to some venereal diseases and she adopted a son, who also died. She enquired of his father’s status and appreciated his scholarship in vedhas. Murti also came to the shop and they went away to a secluded place and Ambi told to Murti what he said to his mother last evening. Murti called him an idiot. In the mean while, Sonachalam, rushed there said, there is somebody from Ambi’s home to fetch him up. Murti also went with Ambi to his house. They found Dr. Ramanujam checking Ambi’s father and spoke to him without any hope. He said, he can give him a shot of cocaine to have a pain free death and consoled Ambi and his mother.

Ambi’s mother is sitting by Vembu Iyer’s side silently. Murti asked Ambi to give a Telegram to Delhi – to Sweete and Madras – to Avayam conveying the death news of Vembu Iyer. It was high noon and there were no shadows of ego. Everything is clear. It means that the death of the old man brings the family together. There are no more shadows of ego.

The entire novella can be divided into two parts. One printed in ordinarily typeset shows the protagonist’s perspective of life. And the other is printed in italics to differentiate with Ambi’s story, the inner feeling and inner world of protagonist’s father’s perspective of life. This differentiation makes the novella interesting to read and achieves the purpose of narrating the story with a moral - the ‘I’ in them is the cause of their lost life. If there is a little bit

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understanding and a shadow of love, their life would become a high noon – brightest. How the multiculturalism and degeneration of values affects the life of all the couples -1. Ambi – Sweete, 2. Vemu Iyer – His Wife, 3. Sweete’s father – her mother, Sonachalam and his wife commit blunder and lived alone at one stage of their life.

It is believed that, marriage is a age old custom and believed that it can be compared with a age old tree. A society gets established under its shadow. Breaking of marriages is equal to cutting the age old tress’s branches and killing it and subsequently creating anarchy in the society which will lead to the destruction of the society. All these couples were separated and lost their prime part of happy life, would not be so if they followed their culture establish by their society. Leaving one’s own culture and following other culture makes both the culture loost its original values and gets degenerated.

Though this is a novella, each and every sentence is packed with actions. Each and every character helps the protagonist to mend himself. Each and every action aims to move towards catharsis. Thus, this novella proves that the reason for the loss of life is the ego and nothing else. If all the four couples, lose their ego they would have won their life.

Works Cited

1. Trsns. Sivaramakrishnan, M.R. High Noon and other Stories, Chennai: New Horizon Media Pvt. Ltd., 2008. 2. http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm 3. http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/searchAuthor.jsp 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswati_Samman 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marupakkam 6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Film_Award_for_Best_Feature_Film 7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Film_Award_for_Best_Screenplay 8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Film_Award_%E2%80%93_Special_Jury_Award_/ _Special_Mention_(Feature_Film)

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