VAIKOM MUHAMMAD BASHEER

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is regarded as one of the prominent literary figures ever existed in india. He was a legend in Kerala.He was one of those outspoken figures who revolutionized Malayalam Literature, and Thus the World Literature itself with his dauntless sarcasm, satire, and black humor.Often referred to as the Beypore Sultan (the king of Beypore) by the colleagues, he was one of the prominent figures behind the artistical, economical, and social reformation of the Kerala Culture.His novel Shabdangal (The Voices) was once banned due to its echo that cyclonized a once feudalistic society.He is also regarded as the translators nightmare. This is mainly because of the colloquial touch he added to his writings, which ethnically speaking would lose its humor and meaning when translated to other languages.He was the sufi among the writers and and the greatest exponent of Gandhian Thought.He was awarded with Padma Sri in 1982 for his overall contributions to nation as a freedom fighter, writer, and as a political activist.

    He was Born January 21, 1908, Thalayolaparambu, VaikomDied July5,1994 (aged 86), Beypore, KozhikodeOccupation Novelist, short story writer,Language MalayalamNationality IndianNotable award(s) Padma Shri Award, Sahitya Academy Award4. Vaikkom Muhammad Basheer was a Malayalam fiction writer. He was a humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. He is noted for the path breaking, disarmingly down-to-earth style of writing that won him literary critics. He is regarded as India's one of the most successful and outstanding writers. Translations of many of his works into other languages has won him worldwide acclaim. He was awarded the Padma Sri in 1982. He is fondly remembered as the Beypore Sultan.Early life Basheer, was born in the village of Thalayolapparampu in northern Travancore.

After beginning his education at the local Malayalam medium school, he was sent to the English medium school in Vaikom, five miles away. While at school he fell under the spell of Mahatma Gandhi. When Gandhi came to Vaikom to participate in the Vaikom Satyagraham (1924) Basheer went to see him. After his meet with Gandhi he used to visit Gandhi's Satyagraha Ashram at Vaikom daily. Freedom struggle involvement before journeyHe joined the fight for an Independent India, leaving his schooling. His purpose in joining the Indian National Congress was to help ensure that there was some Muslim representation in the pan-Indian movement. Since there was no active independence movement in Travancore or Kochi, he went to Kozhikode to take part in the Salt Satyagraha in 1930. He got arrested there and was sentenced to three months imprisonment and sent to Kannur prison. He became inspired by stories of heroism by revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, who were executed while he was in Kannur jail. After getting freed from prison, he organized an anti-British movement. Soon he left Kerala.JourneyAfter leaving Kerala, he embarked upon a long journey that took him across the length and breadth of India and to many places in Asia and Africa, a journey which spanned seven years, doing whatever work that freed him from starvation. His occupations ranged from that of a loom fitter, fortune teller, cook, newspaper seller, fruit seller, sports goods agent, accountant, watchman, shepherd , hotel manager to a living as an ascetic with Hindu saints and Sufi mystics in the Himalayas. There were times when, he was with no water to drink, without any food to eat, he came face to face with death.Imprisonment and afterAt Kottayam (1941–42), he was arrested.

He wrote a few stories while at the lock-up in the police station. He was sent to Thiruvananthapuram central jail for two years after trial. He wrote Baalyakaalasakhi (1944), Premalekhanam (1943) while serving his term and published it on his release. He then made a career as a writer, initially publishing the works himself and carrying them to homes in order to sell them. He ran two bookstalls in Ernakulam, Circle Book house and later, Basheer's bookstall. Once India achieved control of its destiny after obtaining Independence from British rule, he showed no further interest in active politics. Well into his forties, he surprised many of his acquaintances by marrying a woman much younger than him (Fabi Basheer) and got settled to a life of quiet happiness with his wife and two children, Anees and Shahina, in Beypore, on the southern edge of Kozhikode.During this period he also had to suffer from mental illness and was twice admitted to mental sanatoriums. He wrote one of his most famous works, Paaththummaayude aadu (Pathumma's Goat), while undergoing treatment in a mental hospital in Thrissur. The second spell of paranoia occurred after his marriage when he had settled down at Beypore. He recovered both times, and continued his writings. He died in Beypore, on 5 July 1994. Basheer is fondly called as Beypore Sultan. Though his works have been translated to English and eighteen Indian Languages, and the peculiarity of the language he uses makes the translations lose a lot of sheen.

 He is known for his unconventional style of language. He did not differentiate between literary language and the language spoken by the commons and did not care about the grammatical correctness of his sentences. Basheer was shocked that his original writings were transcribed to "standardized" Malayalam, avoiding freshness and natural flow, and he forced his publishers to publish the original one instead of the edited one. Basheer's brother Abdul Khadar was a Malayalam teacher. Once while reading one of the stories, he asked Basheer, "where are Aakhyas and aakhyathas (related with Malayalam grammar) in this...?". Basheer shouted at him saying that "I am writing in normal Malayalam and don’t correct yourself not me. This points out to the writing style of Basheer, without taking care of any grammar, he wrote in his own village language. Though he made funny remarks on himself regarding his lack of knowledge in Malayalam.ThemesAn astute observer of human character, he skillfully combined humor and pathos in his works. Love, hunger and poverty are recurring themes in his works. There is enormous variety in them – of narrative style, of philosophical content, of social comment. His association with India's independence struggle, the experiences during his long travels and the conditions that existed in Kerala, and the problems among the Muslim community – all had a major impact on them. Politics and prison, were grist to his mill. All of Basheer's love stories have found their way into the hearts of readers. The major theme of all Basheer stories is love and humanity. In the story "Muchittu Kalikkarente Makal" (The Card Sharp's Daughter), when Sainaba comes out of the water after stealing his bananas, Mandan Muthappa says only one thing- "Sainaba go home and dry your hair else you may fall sick." This fine thread of humanism can be experienced in almost all his stories.WorksAlmost all of Basheer's writing can be seen as falling under the heading of prose fiction – short stories and novels, though there is also a one-act play and volumes of essays. Basheer's fiction is very different and full of contrasts. There are purely narrative pieces of stories and others which have the quality of poems in prose. In all, a superficially simple style conceals a great subtlety of expression. His literary career started off with the novel Premalekhanam, a humorous love story between an upper caste Hindu Nair, and a Christian woman. Hidden underneath the hilarious dialogues we can see a sharp criticism of religious conservatism, dowry and similar conventions existing in society. This was followed by the novel Baalyakaalasakhi – a tragic love story between Majeed and Suhra – which is among the most important novels in Malayalam literature in spite of its relatively small size (75 pages). In his foreword to Baalyakaalasakhi, Jeevithathil Ninnum Oru Aedu (A Page From Life),  was brought out by him from run-of-the-mill love stories.

Prof. John Kurakar