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Happy 113th birthday to Basheer: the unchallenged Sultan of Beypore (Tipu Sultan named Beypore "Sultan Pattanam" when he created a strategic port in this town)
P Sajith shares a Basheer doodle and a ping, "The Sultan of Beypore will be around long after all of us are gone"
P Sajith shares a Basheer doodle and a ping, "The Sultan of Beypore will be around long after all of us are gone"
Vaikom Mohammed Basheer writing toolkit was simple
He said if you think of writing, then write on a piece of paper. Expand, edit, cut, throw away, write, cut and keep reducing the words
His writings could not be classified into short stories nor novels
He said if you think of writing, then write on a piece of paper. Expand, edit, cut, throw away, write, cut and keep reducing the words
His writings could not be classified into short stories nor novels
Basheer participated in the freedom struggle
When Mahatma Gandhi visited Vaikom to participate in the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924), Basheer was in the audience. He climbed on to the car in which Gandhi travelled and touch his hand
It was one of Basheer's fond memories
When Mahatma Gandhi visited Vaikom to participate in the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924), Basheer was in the audience. He climbed on to the car in which Gandhi travelled and touch his hand
It was one of Basheer's fond memories
It was the nineties, I tried to meet him
It was the funeral of a comrade. Instead of religious homilies, readings from the Communist Manifesto were organised. Swami Marx instead of Lord Murugune. Communism was the new opium of the masses
Basheer didn't show up for the funeral
It was the funeral of a comrade. Instead of religious homilies, readings from the Communist Manifesto were organised. Swami Marx instead of Lord Murugune. Communism was the new opium of the masses
Basheer didn't show up for the funeral
Many years later, thanks to TMP Nedungadi (alias Nadir Shah), I was introduced to Basheer's story Ente Uppapaa Ku Ooru Anna Indarunu (Me Grandad 'Ad An Elephant)
Nedungadi with his fierce moustache read the story to me, twice
I rolled on the floor with mirth
Nedungadi with his fierce moustache read the story to me, twice
I rolled on the floor with mirth
Me Grandad 'Ad An Elephant is a ride through the Basheer-land of childlike innocence plus a critique of the imperfections in our society
Kunjupathumma, an illiterate village beauty falls in love with an educated, progressive Nisar Ahmed; and then there is my favourite Tuttapy
Kunjupathumma, an illiterate village beauty falls in love with an educated, progressive Nisar Ahmed; and then there is my favourite Tuttapy
We organised a play-reading of Me Grandad 'Ad An Elephant - and were blessed that we could stage innumerable shows
We performed in colleges, marriage halls, open gardens, etc. It was a tiny attempt at creating readership for Basheer's work among non-Malayalis
We performed in colleges, marriage halls, open gardens, etc. It was a tiny attempt at creating readership for Basheer's work among non-Malayalis
One of our final shows was at the Tamil Sangham on the occasion of Onam
Pre-show, I gave one of my pompous Henry IV speeches about "Today being a great day, since we shall be performing the play in front of true rasiks. That is, my Malayali brothers and sisters."
Pre-show, I gave one of my pompous Henry IV speeches about "Today being a great day, since we shall be performing the play in front of true rasiks. That is, my Malayali brothers and sisters."
The show began
It was a restless audience of 1000+
For the first 10 minutes, there was silence. And then, a gong announced lunch. On cue, all my Malayali brothers and sisters vanished, and only 13 members of audience remained in the hall
Basheer would have loved this story
It was a restless audience of 1000+
For the first 10 minutes, there was silence. And then, a gong announced lunch. On cue, all my Malayali brothers and sisters vanished, and only 13 members of audience remained in the hall
Basheer would have loved this story
Basheer created a lifetime of work out of the tiniest patch of the earth just because of his deep knowledge of it
His roots were so deep that he could take this tiny district in the north of Malabar in Kerala, and write a whole shelf-load of great books coming out of it
Salaam!
His roots were so deep that he could take this tiny district in the north of Malabar in Kerala, and write a whole shelf-load of great books coming out of it
Salaam!
