Tamil literature produces some excellent writers periodically. These writers stand tall and become a guiding star for the generations to come. Thiruvalluvar [2000 BC], Illangovadigal [200 BC], Kamban [1000 AD], and Subramanya Bharathi [1882-1921] are known to all. Two more writers were not known because of their political affiliations. They are Kannadasan [24 June 1927 – 17 October 1981] and Jayakanthan [JK].
Jayakanthan (24 April 1934 – 8 April 2015) was a Tamil writer, essayist, journalist, filmmaker, and critic. Jayakanthan is a giant amongst the modern writers of short stories and novels. And a short story writer par excellence! The only other writers in the same league – quality and quantity-wise, are Pudhumaippiththan and T. Janakiraman.
Jayakanthan [JK] was born in a middle-class family near Cuddalore. He studied till standard 5, and ran out of home. He joined his uncle, a communist, and started to live in the Communist Party office. In the party office, he learnt Tamil grammar and many other literatures. He started writing stories before he turned 20. His stories were published in Communist Party newspaper Janasakthi and magazines like Sarasvathi, Thamarai, Santhi, Manithan, Sakthi, Samaran, Anantha Vikatan, and Dinamani. It is said that people used to wait for the magazines to read JK’s stories
Oru Nadigai Naadagam Paarkkiral, Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal, Angi Pravesam, Oorukku Naalu per, Gangai Enge Pogiraal, Jeya Jeya Sankara are some of his classics.
For the movie buff, Jayakanthan is K.Balachander of modern Tamil literature. He touched the issues that others feared/failed/ignored to raise. As KB did to Tamil film industry, JK did to modern Tamil literature. He provoked intellectual discussions through his characters.
JK’s characters were the people from downtrodden/neglected section and the urban middle class. If I am not wrong, only after JK, characters in Tamil short stories started to speak in English. When someone asked why he writes only about people of lower-strata, JK said – Haven’t I really been writing about high level people among the so-called lower strata. Who belongs to the higher strata and who to the lower strata? That cannot be determined by their position or by their place of living. It is by how they are – how they live – that a determination should be made.
He never minced with words in front of public, he was blunt and straight forward. Only JK could say that I am a communist and the Communist Party of India was not following the principles of Communism. In a literary meeting in Trichy, Dravida Kazhagam [DK] chief E.V.Ramaswamy [E.V.R] said what/how a writer should write. The communists are atheist, and so the DK. But, JK was not an atheist. JK opposed E.V.R in the public forum. He openly said how DK’s atheist/anti-Hindu views are flawed, what is the history of this country, and so on. Only a personality like Jayakanthan who could have the courage and wisdom to oppose Mr. E.V. Ramasamy openly in a public forum. A prolific writer during 1950s means the writer should praise CN.Annadurai. But, at a meeting organised at Sathyamurthy Bhavan to condole the death of Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, he made the leaders squirm by lambasting Annadurai and the DMK.
During the rise of DMK, JK charged that writers in DMK are using Tamil as a tool to win bread and butter and also as a political tool to satisfy their ambition rather than enriching literature and kindling thoughts of the readers. To do a self-analyze or to confirm that he doesn’t belong to that brand, he stopped writing for some years. He ensured that his writings never reflected the party ideology he belongs to. His characters spoke what is needed for the society and the country as a whole.
When the majority of the literary community in the mask of Tamil nationalists lined up behind the LTTE, JK denounced LTTE and termed it as a fascist organisation at every opportunity. Though he was a hard core communist, after his visit to US, he never felt shy to admit that the welfare of a working class will improve in a capitalist country.
Those who read his following autobiographical works, will start liking his adamant-arrogant-communist behavior:
- Oar Ilakkiyavaadhiyin Arasiyal Anubavangal
- Oru Ilakkiyavaadhiyin Kalaiyulaka Anubavangal
- Oru Ilakkiyavaadhiyin Aanmeega Anubavangal
My views on some of the JK’s books are
- Jayakanthan Kadhaigal
- Once An Actress
- Oru Manidhan Oru Veedu Oru Ulagam
- Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal
- Unnai Pol Oruvan
Jayakanthan is no more…But, through his writings, he will influence the writers of the new generation.
For those who have not read his stories, check this documentary series:
ஒரு துளி 
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