INTERVIEW | I write for subaltern people to have equality: Sahithya Akademi Award winner Imayam

Express News Service

Imayam, a renowned writer from Virudhachalam in Cuddalore district recently won the Sahithya Akademi award for his novel ‘Selatha Panam‘. Known for his contributions to subaltern Tamil Literature, Imayam joins us for an interview. 

Excerpts from the conversation: 

Tamil literature has a very long tradition and history. In this your first book, Koveru Kazhudhaigal came out in 1994. Now your novel ‘Selladha Panam‘ has won the Sahithya Akademi award. How do you see evaluate your 25 years of journey in the Tamil Literary world. How do you feel about the award?

My first book Koveri Kazhudhaigal came out in 1994. It was translated in English as ‘Beast of Burden.’ It was also translated into Kannada. It was a lesson not only in Tamil Nadu but also in other states. When that book was launched, there was a demand from writers, reviewers, journalists,and also readers for Sahithya Akademi to be given to it. For an unknown reason, it wasn’t given at that time. Since then every year, I have been told that ‘your book has been shortlisted for the award’

Now for the year 2020, Sahithya Akademi was given to my fourth novel, ‘Selladha Panam.’ For this I feel happy. I am thankful for the selection committee and coordinator for the committee. And also to Sahithya Academy body. 

I have started reading and writing stories since 1984. My first book came out in 1994. Till now I have written 6 novels and 6 books of collection of short stories. One long story. In total, 13 books have been released. In this, Arumugam and Koveru Kazhudhaigal are translated into English. The book Pethavan is in English, French and Telugu. 

The long tradition of Tamil literature comprises of works related to the culture of the land, the salience of the culture. After all literature is writing about the culture of the land. In that sense, being a descendant of the 2000 year history of Tamil literature– I have read old Tamil literature, not fully, but I have read them.

The wealth of Tamil, the experience of Tamil writers.. I have absorbed them. The linkage of modernism and post-modernism, linking of tradition and modernism is the basic of writing. In that line, my book ‘Engadha,’ linked tradition and modernism. 

Not only this novel, but my writings also aren’t born out of imagination or thinking. Rather, it may be the story of one of my family members, or the story of a resident in my street, or the story of someone in my village. 

I write about my society and the people who live in it. I won’t write from my imagination or ghost or monsters’ story. Similarly, I don’t write stories based on superstitions. I write only about real life. A true literature is about recording real life. Whatever I have written till now is real literature about real lives. 

Like you said, your stories reflect the lives of subaltern, working class people. Your writings are in their own language and slangs. My question is, elite writing about subaltern people and on the other hand one among the subaltern people writing about their lives whether it is cinema or literature—what is the difference you see in this. 

The first one is looking down from above, the second one is looking from the same platform. That is the difference. When you look from above there will be a sense of sympathy and pity. I write not to incite the sense of sympathy. I write for subaltern people to have equality in economy, health, education and employment. I write for equal opportunity for all. A writer should aspire for that only. Everybody should live equally. There should not be any disparity in terms of education, economy and place of living. Everything should be equal for all.

Aim of a writer or a literature should be that. In literature there is no place for personal identity or personal likes or dislikes. What I write is not just imaginary stories.Why I am telling that it’s not just a story or imagination, what is happening in the real society, how society function in my period of life, in my place of living, I write that society. Through that, it will be an education for next generation. I want to create that study and the language.

My writing is the language for the future generation. I aspire to record the current way of living which will be the virtue of the next generation. Writing story is not for time-passing or earning or for popularity. I would like to create a virtue and culture for the next generation. This will be the document for next generation. 

You have won a great award, which Tamil writers inspiredred you to write. Who do you want to thank for this award? 

In the 2000-year old Tamil tradition, Justice Party aspired for the education of Dalits, backward class. The ideology of Justice Party was implemented by the Dravidian movements. Justice Party and Dravidian movements were the reasons for me to get educated and now write. 

I would like to thank the leaders of these movements. I feel glad to dedicate this award to Thanthai Periyar, Anna, Kalaigner and Dr. Ambedkar.