Book Review: Perilla Prashanangal

Chandramathy- the reputed writer from Kerala presents yet another gem in the form of "Perilla Prashanangal" (Nameless issues)- a collection of essays penned by the writer for "Malayalam Pathram"- a Malayalam daily published from New York.

It is difficult to slot this book into a category since it is a collection of articles that appeared in the weekly column of a newspaper. However, each of these have been written from the vast experience of the writer- a teacher by profession- and clearly highlight her outlook towards life- sometimes you see Chandaramathy as a concerned citizen, sometimes you see her as a compassionate human being and at other times as a confused mother, but what binds these articles together is her sincerity- both in her approach towards issues as well as in putting them down in words.

The book starts with the problems she faced with her psuedonym and how it ruffled a few feathers in the beginning. One can see the human side of the writer when she writes about her experiences with a problem kid in college, her relationship with the inhabitants of an old age home she frequently visits and her interaction with a chat friend over internet. She looks at the generation gap in literature, the widespread Beauty Parlor mania and the criminalization of politics with the eyes of a concerned citizen. Her motherly instincts and family values come clearly to the fore when she worries about the future of her daughter and her friends. She has also shared her vast experience as a writer visiting various parts of the country and the world and her apathy towards the so- called "Intelligentia" in the Malayalam literary circle.

What strikes you most about Chandramathy's prose is its sheer sincerity. There is no effort taken to intellectualize things. Instead, she puts her ideas forward in clear, simple and understandable language. There is not even an iota of pretensiousness that one associates with writers when they turn columnists and that is a big relief for the reader! Perilla Prashanangal is a good read, entertaining and thought provoking at the same time...