A pall of gloom descended on the world of thinkers and writers when the two personalities of Coimbatore S.N Nagarajan, an exceptional Marxian thinker and writer, and Duraimadangan, a noted bibliophile, writer, and translator passed away in a day’s interval last week. While the 93-year-old S.N Nagarajan breathed his last due to Covid-19, the 70-year-old Duraimadagan bade farewell to the world after suffering a cardiac arrest. It is time we remembered the two legends that lived their lives with a vision of establishing an egalitarian society through their respective researches and writings.
A pall of gloom descended on the world of thinkers and writers when the two personalities of Coimbatore S.N Nagarajan, an exceptional Marxian thinker and writer and Duraimadangan, a noted bibliophile, writer and translator passed away in a day’s interval last week. While the 93-year-old S.N Nagarajan breathed his last due to Covid-19, the 70-year-old Duraimadagan bade farewell to the world after suffering a cardiac arrest. It is time we remembered the two legends that lived their lives with a vision of establishing an egalitarian society through their respective researches and writings.
Interpreting Marxism through Indian Philosophy
Veteran Marxian scholar S.N. Nagarajan, who had interpreted theories in Marxism in the light of Indian philosophy through his powerful debates and writings for decades, was of the view that the doctrines found in Vaishavism of Aazhwars helped him understand Marxism better.
Popularly known in the political and literary circles of Coimbatore as Comrade S.N.N, the 93 year- old scholar was one of the few in India to accept Marxism after deconstructing its theories from various perspectives.
Nagarajan would often say:
“The three theories - Love the people, Serve the people and Struggle against the self, which the Chinese communist revolutionary Mao Tse Tung propagated, were not new to Tamil, as they had already been found as Kainkarya Marga in the school of Thenkalai Vaishnavism and they were put into practice over 800 years ago”
Known for his famous book Eastern Marxism and Other Essays, Nagarajan would say that most Vaishnava savants including Nammazhwar, Peyazhwar, Boodhathazhwar, Thirupaanazhwar, Poigai Azhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar were from downtrodden and backward communities and they wrote hymns in praise of God only in their mother tongue Tamil. The Vaishnavites led by Sri Ramanuja revolted against casteism, for which the upper caste Shaivites decided to persecute them.
Criticizing the trend of political parties in India accepting Western Marxism without analyzing its suitability to their land, Nagarajan used to say that Western Marxism had never been successful in India, due to its failure in understanding the pluralistic culture of the country.
A gold medalist in B.Sc (Honours), Nagarajan was a classmate and close friend of the late Indian English poet A.K Ramanujan while studying Intermediate at Mysore University.
Later, when A.K. Ramanujan translated the hymns of Nammazhwar, Nagarajan asked him whether he was aware of the Vaishnava savant Thirukottiyur Nambi’s message in getting rid of the Mukkurumbu (The egos of caste, wealth and knowledge)
Quoting Thirukottiyur Nambi, Nagarajan, then, told his friend A.K Ramanujan that one could get rid of the three egos only by serving the poor and downtrodden, as theorized in Kaingarya Marga of Thenkalai Vaishnavism.
Nagarajan, who termed Thenkalai Vaishnavism as ‘Eastern Marxism’ would often say that all Brahmin devotees visiting Sri Rangam Temple, willingly accept the custom of having on their heads the holy sandals of Nammazhwar, who was an untouchable.
In contrast to the bitter reality of the divide between Hindus and Muslims in the modern age, it would be surprising to listen to S.N. Nagarajan, whenever he narrated the event of Saint Ramanuja constructing a temple for a Muslim woman, who had a mystical love for Lord Perumal.
In the opinion of Nagarajan, the Muslim woman, who became the Vaishnavite deity in her temple at Melkote, is still called Bibi Naachiyar or Thulukka Naachiyar. Moreover, the garland worn by Thulukka Naachiyar is offered to Lord Krishna at the Shelvapillai hill Temple, where the people from downtrodden communities are allowed inside the sanctum santorum. Interestingly, Nagarajan would say that the downtrodden are called Thirukulathar (Holy people) in Vaishnavism.
Writing the root cause of environmental destruction
Having read and enjoyed the Kirghiz writer Chinghiz Aitmatov’s novels like Jamila, Duishen and Gulsary, when a book lover wanted a copy of 'Annai Vayal’ a Tamil version of Aitmatov’s ‘ Mother Earth', he searched for it at several book shops across Tamil Nadu. However, the book, which was not available anywhere in Tamil Nadu, was at last found at a private bookshop and lending library 'Yazh Noolagam' at Ramanuja Nagar near Hope College. Not only Annai Vayal but whatever book that was rare and valuable in the country could be found if a search was made inside the shelves of Yazh Noolagam. Because the person who ran the library was not only a bibliophile with possession of over 12,000 books, but a writer of over 10 books on serious themes to his credit.
Duraimadangan, the writer and librarian, translated the book ‘The Ecological Revolution’ written by John Bellamy Foster, the editor of ‘Monthly Review’ in the USA. Bearing the title ' ‘Soolaliyal Puratchi’ it was published by Vidiyal Pathipagam, Coimbatore.
Unlike fiction and poetry, the 488 page ' Soolaliyal Puratchi' is not a bedtime reading. It demands a basic knowledge of Marxism from the reader. The book, which is an output of Foster’s absolute reading of Karl Marx from his earlier writings to his masterpiece DOS Capital, answers the question of how the human race can live by having a balanced relationship with nature. With sustainability against metabolism in all living things being the basis of Marxian science, the book aims at providing the solution for global ecological issues through Karl Marx’s theory of socialism.
With capitalism creating a divide between man and nature, Foster notes that the burning issue of environmental degradation is all due to excessive exploitation of nature by capitalist countries like Britain and the USA. With metabolism being the source of life, such exploitation of nature leads to metabolic destruction, questioning the existence of the planet’s sustainability.
Proving the limitless exploitation of nature by capitalist countries like Britain and the USA, Foster points out in the book that America’s population being only 5% of the world’s population, consumes 25% of the world’s natural resources. Providing a scientific angle to view global ecological issues, Foster concludes that ecological revolution cannot be possible without setting right metabolic destruction.
Following his 1000 page biography of the Russian Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky, Madangan translated John Bellamy Foster’s Ecological Revolution, coining new scientific and technical vocabulary in Tamil adding strength to the development of the language.
Despite being a committed reader and writer with over ten books on serious social issues to his credit, Duraimadangan would hardly accept any invitation or participate in the literary meetings in Coimbatore, as he showed little interest in publicity.
Interpreting Marxism through Indian Philosophy
Veteran Marxian scholar S.N. Nagarajan, who had interpreted theories in Marxism in the light of Indian philosophy through his powerful debates and writings for decades, was of the view that the doctrines found in Vaishavism of Aazhwars helped him understand Marxism better.
Popularly known in the political and literary circles of Coimbatore as Comrade S.N.N, the 93 year- old scholar was one of the few in India to accept Marxism after deconstructing its theories from various perspectives.
Nagarajan would often say:
“The three theories - Love the people, Serve the people and Struggle against the self, which the Chinese communist revolutionary Mao Tse Tung propagated, were not new to Tamil, as they had already been found as Kainkarya Marga in the school of Thenkalai Vaishnavism and they were put into practice over 800 years ago”
Known for his famous book Eastern Marxism and Other Essays, Nagarajan would say that most Vaishnava savants including Nammazhwar, Peyazhwar, Boodhathazhwar, Thirupaanazhwar, Poigai Azhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar were from downtrodden and backward communities and they wrote hymns in praise of God only in their mother tongue Tamil. The Vaishnavites led by Sri Ramanuja revolted against casteism, for which the upper caste Shaivites decided to persecute them.
Criticizing the trend of political parties in India accepting Western Marxism without analyzing its suitability to their land, Nagarajan used to say that Western Marxism had never been successful in India, due to its failure in understanding the pluralistic culture of the country.
A gold medalist in B.Sc (Honours), Nagarajan was a classmate and close friend of the late Indian English poet A.K Ramanujan while studying Intermediate at Mysore University.
Later, when A.K. Ramanujan translated the hymns of Nammazhwar, Nagarajan asked him whether he was aware of the Vaishnava savant Thirukottiyur Nambi’s message in getting rid of the Mukkurumbu (The egos of caste, wealth and knowledge)
Quoting Thirukottiyur Nambi, Nagarajan, then, told his friend A.K Ramanujan that one could get rid of the three egos only by serving the poor and downtrodden, as theorized in Kaingarya Marga of Thenkalai Vaishnavism.
Nagarajan, who termed Thenkalai Vaishnavism as ‘Eastern Marxism’ would often say that all Brahmin devotees visiting Sri Rangam Temple, willingly accept the custom of having on their heads the holy sandals of Nammazhwar, who was an untouchable.
In contrast to the bitter reality of the divide between Hindus and Muslims in the modern age, it would be surprising to listen to S.N. Nagarajan, whenever he narrated the event of Saint Ramanuja constructing a temple for a Muslim woman, who had a mystical love for Lord Perumal.
In the opinion of Nagarajan, the Muslim woman, who became the Vaishnavite deity in her temple at Melkote, is still called Bibi Naachiyar or Thulukka Naachiyar. Moreover, the garland worn by Thulukka Naachiyar is offered to Lord Krishna at the Shelvapillai hill Temple, where the people from downtrodden communities are allowed inside the sanctum santorum. Interestingly, Nagarajan would say that the downtrodden are called Thirukulathar (Holy people) in Vaishnavism.
Writing the root cause of environmental destruction
Having read and enjoyed the Kirghiz writer Chinghiz Aitmatov’s novels like Jamila, Duishen and Gulsary, when a book lover wanted a copy of 'Annai Vayal’ a Tamil version of Aitmatov’s ‘ Mother Earth', he searched for it at several book shops across Tamil Nadu. However, the book, which was not available anywhere in Tamil Nadu, was at last found at a private bookshop and lending library 'Yazh Noolagam' at Ramanuja Nagar near Hope College. Not only Annai Vayal but whatever book that was rare and valuable in the country could be found if a search was made inside the shelves of Yazh Noolagam. Because the person who ran the library was not only a bibliophile with possession of over 12,000 books, but a writer of over 10 books on serious themes to his credit.
Duraimadangan, the writer and librarian, translated the book ‘The Ecological Revolution’ written by John Bellamy Foster, the editor of ‘Monthly Review’ in the USA. Bearing the title ' ‘Soolaliyal Puratchi’ it was published by Vidiyal Pathipagam, Coimbatore.
Unlike fiction and poetry, the 488 page ' Soolaliyal Puratchi' is not a bedtime reading. It demands a basic knowledge of Marxism from the reader. The book, which is an output of Foster’s absolute reading of Karl Marx from his earlier writings to his masterpiece DOS Capital, answers the question of how the human race can live by having a balanced relationship with nature. With sustainability against metabolism in all living things being the basis of Marxian science, the book aims at providing the solution for global ecological issues through Karl Marx’s theory of socialism.
With capitalism creating a divide between man and nature, Foster notes that the burning issue of environmental degradation is all due to excessive exploitation of nature by capitalist countries like Britain and the USA. With metabolism being the source of life, such exploitation of nature leads to metabolic destruction, questioning the existence of the planet’s sustainability.
Proving the limitless exploitation of nature by capitalist countries like Britain and the USA, Foster points out in the book that America’s population being only 5% of the world’s population, consumes 25% of the world’s natural resources. Providing a scientific angle to view global ecological issues, Foster concludes that ecological revolution cannot be possible without setting right metabolic destruction.
Following his 1000 page biography of the Russian Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky, Madangan translated John Bellamy Foster’s Ecological Revolution, coining new scientific and technical vocabulary in Tamil adding strength to the development of the language.
Despite being a committed reader and writer with over ten books on serious social issues to his credit, Duraimadangan would hardly accept any invitation or participate in the literary meetings in Coimbatore, as he showed little interest in publicity.