Flowering Season

By G. Meenakshi

`Flowering Season’ comprises some of her chosen short stories rendered in English by Latha Ramakrishnan. The stories reveal the author’s social consciousness, humaneness and empathy. In these stories we come across men and women, simple folks knowing the real values of life and follow them in their lives, determined to lead a life of dignity against all odds. Her narrative style is simple but effective, not unduly ornamental at the same time rich and effective.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pustaka Digital Media
• Release date: May 21, 2022
• ISBN: 6580527308498

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Flowering Season

Author:

G. Meenakshi

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Table of Contents

AUTHOR SPEAKS

FOREWORD

1. BANGLE AUNTY

2. A BUNGALOW AND SOME MEN AND WOMEN

3. LEAVE IT TO HIM

4. THE FAIR - PRICE SHOP

5. FLOWERING SEASON

6. ALMS GIVING

7. CHELLATHAAYI

8. PAINLESS PATH

9. A RAINY SEASON

10. THE OTHER SIDE

11. BETWEEN EARTH AND HEAVEN

AUTHOR SPEAKS

Before stepping into the field of Journalism, I became familiar with the World of Short Stories. When I was studying in VIII Std, I wrote a short story titled ‘Anbulla Malare’ (Dear Flower!) and I sent it to Coimbatore Radio Station. When it was broadcast in my own voice in the programme called ‘Ilaya Bharatham’ (Youth Program) my joy knew no bounds. After that two more stories of mine were aired in one year.

During the same time there was a district level short story competition held in a rural school in Coimbatore district. I took part in it representing my school and won a prize.

These are some of the incidents which gave me the hope that I could write short stories, and, as days passed the hope grew stronger and stronger. But, I became a journalist instead of a creative writer. While serving in the Chennai and Coimbatore branches of the reputed Tamil Daily, ‘Dinamani’ I sent a few of my short stories to its Sunday supplement called Dinamani Kadhir, and they were published. Still, when I was engaged in other fields such as writing articles, taking interviews etc. I couldn’t involve myself in writing short story with wholehearted focus and commitment.

As I was writing short stories only on issues and events that had a deep and direct impact on me, they were not many in number. Yet, that gave me great satisfaction. As like a withered leaf drifting along the flow of river, without troubling myself with any kind of forced style or content in my writing I could create in my own pace and out of my own choice. My friends, colleagues, neighbours, people whom I chanced to meet, my own experiences have become the seeds of my stories. The decision of where to plant the seeds - in which soil - that alone was mine. Those seeds were infused with life and bloomed into shoots, and gave out fragrant flowers and are now in your hands as this volume.

The first and foremost reader of my first ever short story was my much revered Tamil teacher Mrs.Chinnakannu. That great motherly figure, who lived as the very personification of simplicity and knowledge taught us Tamil in such an exemplary way and it was her teaching that has now turned me into a creative writer. My dear Tamil teacher, Mrs.Chinakannu who was the prime reason for my falling in love with Tamil is no more, but I know for sure that she would be showering her blessings on me forever.

When I pondered over the right person to approach for a foreword to this volume, at once I remembered Amudhasurabi Editor Thirupur Krishnan. When I newly joined Dinamani as a sub-editor he was the Magazine-in-charge there. His deep and vast knowledge in the ancient works of Tamil literature and his familiarity with neo - Tamil writings have never failed to amaze me.

In the midst of his tight schedule as the editor of Amudhasurabi he had written a wonderful foreword to my short story collection and I thank him wholeheartedly for his kind gesture.

G.MEENAKSHI

Mob: [phone]

FOREWORD

THIRUPUR KRISHNAN

Editor

AMUDHASURABI

(Tamil monthly)

The growth of the literary genre called short story has been phenomenal in Tamil. Though there is dispute as regards the first and foremost short story in Tamil, there would surely be unanimous approval in mentioning the names Selva Kesavaraaya Mudaliar, Va.Ve.Su.Iyer, Bharathiar as the pioneers of Tamil short story.

The surprising thing is that one of the pioneering efforts in Tamil short story tradition, Va.Ve.Su.Iyer’s ‘Kulathankarai Arasamaram’ (The Peepal Tree on the bank of pond) was written in the form of a Peepal Tree speaking. Thus we can very say that in Tamil, the genre called short story arrived with a bang!

Form, Style and Content are the three prime characteristics of the genre called short story highlighted by literary critics. Tamil short story has evolved in all these three. In this short story collection of G.Meenakshi, the writer’s commitment towards these three chief traits and the focused attention of her in perfecting them are seen.

In content, there is no theme left unsaid. Our Tamil writers have written on innumerable themes. Writers like Mouni, La.Saa.Ra have dealt with difficult philosophical themes.

Still, new themes keep emerging in the minds of short story writers. They never seem to end. In this short story collection also we are able to witness this. And, through them we are able to understand that the perennial river called short story is still flowing.

Yet, if we observe the flow of the short stories of today, it is not flowing full-fledged, we can see. True, there are many good short story writers. But, platforms for short story are not many. Reputed magazines have abandoned the tradition of publishing short stories. And, TV and Cinema have taken away many promising writers.

All the same, just as the glittering tiny nose ring of goddess Kanyakumari, somewhere some short stories are shining gloriously. In this volume of G.Meenakshi too there are quite a handful of short stories such as ‘The Bangle Aunty’ glowing in full splendour.

If we take Form to be the foremost important factor of the art of writing short story, writers like Pudhumaipithan, Ku.Paa.Ra, Ku.Azhagirisami and some other writers like them have mastered it and have captured the hearts of readers with their mastery.

Concerning style, I feel the Tamil writers still have a lot more areas to experiment. Several years back Tamil short story field experienced a severe loss. It was the death of writer Gopikrishnan.

He was a great writer who experimented with very many styles and forms of creative writing. He created a short story in the form of a compilation of advertisements. Writer Sujatha’s famous short story called Iru Kadidhangal (Two Letters) was written in the form of two letters written by a mother to her daughter.

Such efforts are ofcourse rare. Most of the Tamil writers narrate the story as told by the author. Nothing wrong in doing so. For, in the end it is the content that makes an impact. ‘So what if it is told in any manner’ - It is but natural to think so.

Still, as short story writer is basically an artist, he should feel like experimenting with different styles. This is one area where Tamil short story is somewhat lacking.

The story, ‘The Bangle Aunty’ tells us poignantly the life of those small vendors who are absent today and the loss of it all. This is one of the best stories in this collection. The author’s lived experience has stayed in her heart as an evergreen memory. Now a mother, the heroine feels sad for her daughter who could not hope to come across such an affectionate human being. The story is not progressing from the point of view of the daughter who asks for fashion jewelry and not the golden ones. It is told from the view point of the mother. This style or technique is to be appreciated. This story gives us a beautiful feel of the nostalgia we experience thinking of our bygone golden days.

In the story titled ‘Poo Malarum Kaalam’ (Flowering Season) also the author has adopted a different style. A simple love story. But the story progresses in a new way giving us Srikanth’s view point and Thejeswini’s view point