The article, given below is the compilation of both Collections that I did and the views of English teachers from English Cluster, Cherthala. Mathew M.J., St.Mary's H.S. For Girls, Cherthala. [email protected] [email protected]
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K.SATCHIDANANDAN
CACTUS
Thorns are my language. I announce my existence with a bleeding touch.
Once these thorns were flowers. I loathe lovers who betray. Poets have abandoned the deserts to go back to the gardens. Only camels remain here, and merchants, who trample my blooms to dust.
One thorn for each rare drop of water. I don‟t tempt butterflies, no bird sings my praise. I don‟t yield to droughts.
I create another beauty beyond the moonlight, this side of dreams, a sharp, piercing, parallel language.
Gist of the poem Cactus
The poet K sachidananthan who always try to move away from the usual path, here he treats beauty surviving in adverse situations. Here he follows the deconstructionist technique of Michael Foucault and Jacques Derrida. According to Wordsworth, Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions recollected in tranquility. That means the wor4ld of poetry is full of imagination.
But Sachidananthan creates a new world of poetry based on the sharp reality of life, poem about a cactus full of thorns and unattractiveness which is its real power. Thorns are my language. The thoughts in my mind does not project like flowers, but like thorns because of the adverse conditions outside and my own limitations. My existence in this world is known or felt to others only through pain and blood whoever touches or sympathizes with me is cursed by a prick from my thorns.
Cactus remembers its child hood when these thorns were flowers. She says. I hate lovers who betray since it s the most irrevocable sin. The cactus criticizes the poets who praises only peripheral beauty for they abandoned the deserts in search of the beautiful plants in garden which are nursed by a gardener.But in a desert, bearing the hot sun, only camels and merchants travel. They crush my flowers to dust. They do not sympathies with me.
But only ruin me. I‟ve been living with the least facilities available. Leaves are reduced to thorns. One thorn for each rare drop of water. I don‟t tempt butterflies. Nor any bird praises me. And I know my limitations. I don‟t want them to bleed because of me. I don‟t yield to drought. My withstanding power is quite appreciable Beyond the boundaries of moonlight, I create another beauty. This is a world of dreams. In my real world, there is a sharp, piercing parallel language.
K. Sachidanan is a leading poet. He always tries to keep aestheticism in his poems. This poem has an abrupt beginning. The cactus itself can be considered as un ugly lady who always keep herself from other. We can
compare her with the black lady depicted in Shakespearian sonnets. The poem has a style of dramatic monologue propounded by Browning who confesses with pain. Cactus is a symbol of isolated beauty. Once these thorns were flowers and she had many lovers who betrayed her. So she changed all flowers into thorns which usually happens in our real life.
Now understanding her own limitations, she won‟t attract anyone. Still everyone crushes her including man and animals. Here we can see the helplessness of a lovely lady. Poet points out the realism which reminds us to pragmatism of Robert Frost. Here the poet is creating another beauty of suffering and tolerance instead of perennial chasm and that beauty is sharp and piercing which represents the reality of life. The line
“one thorn for each rare drops of water” reminds us the Ganges in
T.S. Eliot‟s waste land. The following lines
“ I don‟t yield to droughts” this unyielding mentality of virgin lady reminds us the Mother Mary in Holy Bible
Reality versus imagination in the last stanza of the poem reminds us the Wordsworth romanticism which has its roots in Aristotle's idealism. The poem as whole fulfils the idea “ language is the best means for communication. The poem has a great affinity to Kadamanitta‟s Kozhi. Even “the cactus” in desert is a beautifully brought, if we have a taste to observe the beauty in all things. “Bleeding touch” is yet another beautiful expression which projects the title
Thus literature's meaning became worthy here “literature is an interpretation of life through language or it is the life itself.
Koyamparambath Satchidanandan
He was born in 1946 (born 28 May 1946) in Pulloot, a village in Kodungallur in the Thrissur district of Kerala. He is a major Indian poet and critic, writing in Malayalam, and English. Satchidanandan has established himself as an academician,
editor, translator and playwright. He was a Professor of English and Editor of Indian Literature, the journal of the Sahitya Akademi (India‟s National Academy of Literature) and the executive head of the Sahitya Akademi for a decade (1996–2006). He was one of the pioneers of modern poetry in Malayalam and is well known for articulations of socio- political contexts in his poetry. He resists all kinds of mass ideas and conditioning”, and “celebrates his inner freedom even while respecting the real values of man and his soul”
After his early education in the village schools, he studied biology at Christ College, Irinjalakuda and had his Masters in English from Maharajas College, Ernakulam. He obtained his Ph.D in Post-structuralism poetics from the University of Calicut. He joined as a lecturer in English at K.K.T.M. College, Pulloot in 1968, and moved to Christ College in 1970 where he became a Professor of English. He voluntarily retired from this post in 1992 to take up the Editorship of Indian Literature, the English journal of the Indian National Academy in Delhi. In 1996 he was nominated Secretary, the Chief Executive, of the Academy, a post from which he retired in 2006. Later he served as a Consultant to the Indian Government's Department of Higher Education and to the National Translation Mission. His life in Delhi, after he took up the editorship of Indian Literature, influenced his poetry in many ways. He kept on writing, translating and editing; a good part of his literary output at this time was in English, as he was addressing a national readership, but he wrote poetry only in his mother tongue, most of which he, along with others, translated into English.
Awards and honours
1. Kerala Sahitya Akademi C.B. Kumar Award for Essays, Kerala, 1984. 2. The Best Public Observer Prize, Indian Youth Association, Kerala, 1986. 3. Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry, Kerala, 1989. 4. Sreekant Verma Fellowship for Poetry Translation, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, 1990 5. Oman Cultural Centre Award for Total Literary Contribution, Oman U.A.E., 1993. 6. Mahakavi Ulloor Award for Poetry, Kerala, 1996. 7. Mahakavi P. Kunhiraman Nair Award for Poetry, Kerala, 1997. 8. Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Samvatsar Award for Poetry, Kolkata, 1998. 9. Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama, Kerala, 1999 10. Senior Fellowship from Department of Culture, Govt. of India, 1999 11. Ganakrishti Puraskar for Poetry, Kolkata, 2000 12. Kumaran Asan Award for Poetry, Chennai, 2000
13. Odakkuzhal Award for Poetry, Kerala, 2001 14. Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Travelogue, Kerala, 2001 15. Manaveeyam Cultural Mission (Govt. of Kerala) memento for „Service to Humanity through Literature‟, 2001. 16. Bahrain Kerala Samaj Award for Total Literary Contribution, Bahrain, U.A.E., 2002 17. Gangadhar Meher National Award for Poetry, Sambalpur University, Orissa, 2002 18. Pandalam Kerala Verma Award for Poetry, Kerala, 2005 19. Bappureddy National Award for Literature, Hyderabad, A.P. 2005 20. Vayalar Award for Poetry, Kerala, 2005 21. Friendship Medal, Govt. of Poland, 2005 22. Sahityasree, Hindi Sammelan, Delhi, 2006 23. Knighthood of the Order of Merit, Govt. of Italy, 2006 24. Sree Kerala Varma Sahitya Puraskaram, 2006 25. K. Kuttikrishnan Memorial Award for Poetry, Kerala, 2007 26. Subrahmanya Shenoi Memorial Award for Total Literary Contribution, 2008 27. Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan Memorial Award from Bahrain, 2009 28. Patmaprabha Puraskaram, 2009 29. Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award for Translation, 2009
Own works in Malayalam Poetry 1. Anchu Sooryan (Five Suns, 1971) 2. Atmagita (The Song of the Self, 1974) 3. Kavita (Poetry, 1977, 82, 84) 4. Indian Sketchukal (Indian Sketches, 1978) 5. Ezhuthachan Ezhutumbol (When the Poet Writes, 1979, 85, 87, 89) 6. Peedana Kalam (Times of Torment, 1981, 89) 7. Venal Mazha (The Summer Rain, 1982) 8. Randu Derrgha Kavyangal (Two Long Poems, 1983) 9. Satchidanandante Kavithakal 1962-82 (Poems 1962-82, 1983,87) 10. Socrateesum Kozhiyum (Socrates and the Cock, 1984) 11. Ivanekkoodi (Him, too, 1987, 89, 90, 95, 97) 12. Veedumattam (Changing House, 1988) 13. Kayattam (The Ascent, 1990) 14. Kavibuddhan (The Poet as Buddha, 1992) 15. Eenta Satchidanandan Kavitakal, Ed. Balachandran Chullikkad (Selected poems 1993)
16. Desatanam (Going Places, 1994, 1995) 17. Malayalam (1996, 1998, 2003)) 18. Apoornam (Imperfect, 1998) 19. Theranjedutha Kavitakal (Selected Poems, 1999) 20. Sambhashanathinu Oru Sramam (An Attempt to Converse, 2000) 21. Vikku, (Stammer, 2002) 22. Sakshyangal (Witness, 2004) 23. Ghazalukal, Geetangal (Ghazals and Geets, 2005) 24. Satchidanandte Kavithakal (Poems 1965-2005, 2006) 25. Anantam (Infinite, 2006) 26. Onnaam Padham (The First Lesson, 2006) 27. Ente Kavita (My Poems, 2008) 28. Marannunacha Vasthukkal (2009) Plays 29. Saktan Thampuran (One-act Plays, 1983) 30. GANDHI (Full-length Play, 1995) Prose 31. Kurukshetram (Studies in Modern Poetry, 1970) 32. Janatayum Kavitayum ((Poetry and the People, 1982, 84) 33. Marxian Soundarya Sastram (Marxian Aesthetics, 1983, 90) 34. Thiranjedutha Lekhanangal (Selected Essays, 1985) 35. Pablo Neruda (A Lecture on Pablo Neruda, 1985, 1990, Revised, 2007)) 36. Samvadangal (Dialogues: on society, culture, politics, religion education, ecology and literature, 1986) 37. Sameepananangal (Approaches, 1986) 38. Samskarathinte Rashtreeyam (The Politics of Culture, 1989) 39. Sambhashanangal (Conversations: a collection of Interviews given, 1989) 40. Brechtinte Kala (The Art of Bertolt Brecht, 1989, Revised, 2007) 41. Padavukal (Steps: Early articles, 1990) 42. Kazhchakal, Kazhachappadukal (Sights and Visions: Travelogues, 1991) 43. Anveshanangal (Enquiries, 1991) 44. Veenduvicharangal (Rethinkings, 1992) 45. Soundaryavum Adhikaravum (Beauty and Power : on Aesthetics and Politics, 1993) 46. Muhurtangal (Moments, selected Essays on Malayalam Literature, 1996) 47. Pala Lokam, Pala Kalam (Many Times, Many Worlds, Travel Writings, 1998) 48. Kalayum Nishedhavum (Art and Dissent, 1999)
49. Bharateeya Kavitayile Pratirodha Paramparyam (The Tradition of Dissent of Indian Poetry, 2002) 50. Moonnu Yatra (Three Travels, Travelogues, 2004) 51. Kizhakkum Padinjarum (East and West, Travelogues, 2005) 52. Adithattukal (Foundations, Essays, 2006) 53. Mukhamukham (Interviews, 2006)
Poetry in other languages
1. Andha Admi Jisne Soorya Khoja (Selected Poems, Hindi, Delhi, 1987) 2. Selected Poems (Gujarati, Ahmedabad1989) 3. Irachasakshigal (Selected Poems, Tamil, Coimbatore, 1990) 4. Summer Rain: Three Decades of Poetry (English, Delhi, 1995) 5. Voh Jise Sab Yad Tha (Selected Poems, Hindi, Delhi, 1996) 6. Nanna Mai Nagara (Selected Poems, Kannada, Bangalore, 1996) 7. How To Go To The Tao Temple (New Poems, English, Delhi, 1998) 8. Sachidanandan Kavitaikal (Selected Poems, Tamil, Madras, 1998) 9. Sareeram Oru Nagaram (Selected Poems, Tamil, Madras, 1999) 10. Apoorna Aura Anya Karitayem (Poems, Hindi, Delhi, 2000) 11. Imperfect and Other New Poems (Poems, English, Calicut, 2000) 12. Sagar Teerer Kavita (Poems, Assamese, Guwahati, 2001) 13. Sachidanandaner Kavita (Poems, Bengali, Calcutta, 2001) 14. So Many Births (Poems, English, Delhi, 2001) 15. Kavitai Meendum Varum (Poems, Tamil, Madras, 2002) 16. Peele Pathe Da Supna (Poems, Punjabi, Delhi, 2002) 17. Ghar O Anyanya Kabita (Poems, Oriya, Cuttack, 2002) 18. Tant De Vies: L‟Incomplet et autres poemes (Poems, French, Paris, 2002) 19. Haklahat (Poems, Hindi, Delhi, 2004) 20. Ham Jazeeraun Mein Rahte Hein (Poems, Urdu, Hyderabad, 2004) 21. Sareeram Oka Nagaram (Poems, Telugu, Hyderabad, 2004) 22. I Riti Della Terra (Poems, Italian, Rome, 2004) 23. Suruatem (Poems, Hindi, 2005) 24. Stammer and Other Poems (Poems, English, 2005) 25. Ich Glaube Nicht An Grenzen (Poems, German, 2006) 26. Luknat (Poems, Urdu, 2008) 27. How Did Mayakovsky Commit Suicide(Poems, Arabic, 2009)