Monday, November 1, 2010

A song of drunkards whose throats will be cut in a moment


(Translation of Sri Balachandran Cullikkad's jottings in Face Book as reported by Malayala Manorama on 26th October 2010. The jotting was a sequel to and in response to the controversy in regard to the funeral of the deceased poet Ayyappan)
Dear Friends,
When I die, immediately give my corpse to the Medical College.
do not place my corpse for public viewing
nor display it on the Channels.
Don't disgrace flowers by placing any on my corpse,
nor ever permit State honours or a ceremonial gun salute,
please don't condole nor praise me.
Don't utter a blatant lie like my death is an irreplaceable loss
and sully memories of me,
thousands of new poets write much better than I did.
Let nobody share the grief of my wife,
that is my Holy relic for her alone.
Don't institute any award in my name,
nor hang my photo on the Academy wall
or build any memorial.
If my poems cannot sustain memories of me,
I prefer to be forgotten
by everyone…. forever.

 
There is an advantage in dying in comparative anonymity. You do not have to worry about the possible inconvenience and nuisance you may cause to others even in death. Balachandran Chullikkad is an icon and has to take precautions while still alive. Most newspapers must be ready with obituary material on him to be given to the printing section at a moment's notice and this must be constantly being updated. Only the 'shocks' 'memories' 'reactions' of the netas, cultural leaders, film and serial artists have to be collected. Balachandran meanwhile appears to be determined to spoil the show. He seems to be unaware of the extra number of copies of newspapers that can be sold and the greater number of eyeballs that can be attracted. Some people are contrary all the time.
I respect his sentiments. I commend the following lines from Czeslaw Milosz' titled "Dedication" to Chullikkad

 
They used to pour millet on graves or poppy seed
To feed the dead who would come disguised as birds
I put this book here for you, who once lived
So that you should visit us no more.

 
This is the only poem of Milosz which I have read.

5 comments:

  1. If all the other potential candidates for state funeral also take a similar stand, it may trigger a stock market crash if not an economic recession.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ram Mohan to raju
    6:11pm

    Thanks, great to read !

    ReplyDelete
  3. K.G.Mukundan's comments

    Fwd: [swapnalokam] A song of drunkards whose throats will be cut in a moment

    From:
    mukundan k.g
    View Contact
    To: Ambalakat RamMohan ; amiisnow@googlemail.com; Anjana Sanjith ; anoop nair ; Chandran Marar ; Deepthy ; DEEPU ... more
    VKN must have put these contents in his own style from his grave.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rajagopalan Kozhipurath K ‎"Ghatam bhithwa, padam chhithhwa
    Matharam praharannapi"

    (A man should earn a name whether) by breaking the pots in the house or tearing the clothes or beating your mother. " Ayyappan certainly earned a name by his Bohemian way of life. But t...
    See More
    October 27 at 8:25pm
    Unnikrishnan Vappala for once prof sukumar azhikode was bang on. as for the poetry I have heard more profound ones around the BEVCO.
    October 30 at 10:04pm
    Jayasankaran Sv The ultimate laugh is Ayyappan's.He made the hypocrites preserve and carry his decaying corpse and finally, walk around it, not to speak of the ceremonial gunshots.

    ReplyDelete
  5. these lines are really interesting and utmost sincere....thanks sir

    ReplyDelete

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