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மஹாராஜாவின் ரயில் வண்டி
அ. முத்துலிங்கத்தின் கதைகள் நவீனத் தமிழிலக்கியத்திற்கு ஈழத்தமிழ் தந்திருக்கும் முக்கியமான கொடை. நாம் அறிந்த உலகங்களுக்கு நம்மை நாம் அறியாத பாதைகளில் இட்டுச்செல்பவை. நாம் அறியாத உலகங்களின் கதவுகளையும் சாளரங்களையும் காதல்களையும் ஓசைப்படுத்தாமல் மெல்லத் திறப்பவை. வெவ்வேறு தேசங்கள், வெவ்வேறு கலாச்சாரங்கள், வெவ்வேறு மனிதர்கள் அவர் கதைகளில். ஆனால் தமிழ் வாசகனுக்கு அன்னியப்படாமலும் தீவிரம் சிதைக்கப்படாமலும் முத்துலிங்கம் படைத்திருக்கிறார். ஆப்பிரிக்கா, கனடா, பொஸ்னியா, பிரான்ஸ், அமெரிக்கா, பாகிஸ்தான், இலங்கை என்ற உலக நாடுகளின் பின்னணியில் எழுதப்பட்ட இருபது சிறுகதைகளை உள்ளடக்கியது இத்தொகுப்பு. இதில் உள்ள கதைகள் 2001ஆம் ஆண்டு வரை நான்கு வருடங்களாக கணையாழி, காலச்சுவடு, இந்தியா டுடே, ஆனந்த விகடன், சதங்கை, காலம், உயிர் நிழல், அம்மா, சொல் புதிது போன்ற இதழ்களில் வெளியானவை.
176 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
A. Muttulingam
32 books43 followersAppadurai Muttulingam (Tamil அ. முத்துலிங்கம்) (born 19 January 1937) is a Sri Lankan Tamil author and essayist. His short stories in Tamil have received critical acclaim and won awards in both India and Sri Lanka.
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December 21, 2023
This collection of stories has a wide variety of locations and emotions. There isn't one story in the collection that I felt underwhelming, each individual story was good.
In Maharajavin Rail Vandi, we meet the narrator who had to stay in George master's house for 2 days, because his accommodation was not ready. There he meets Rosalyn, who shows him the kittens that was birthed by a male cat who later became female. He later moves to a separate stay and school, but the remembrance of Rosalyn comes to haunt him frequently.
Naalai tells the story of Periyavan and Siriyavan, aged 11 and 6 who are in a refugee camp. The sound of food vehicles approaching makes everyone to stand in queue, to get their portion of roti and soup. Despite requesting for a soup with 'kari', they don't get one, which makes Periyavan think about going to Kanchu Muhaam, where they might be lucky.
In Thudakkam, the narrator is working from his high rise Office, his assistant Kosamar helping him prepare for an upcoming meeting. His firm performs manages the buying and selling of shares and due to a wrong transaction, they encounter a sudden loss. The narrator finds a bird that dies by smashing itself against the high-rise window. The bird has a ring in its right leg, from which he identifies that it is the Sacre Falcoln bird from the Moscow Paravaikal Illam. It triggers something in him and in his presentation to senior management, he tells the story of the bird, doesn't read the rest of the notes.
In Ayul, a wanderer goes to live in a mountainous village in the Rampur Valley. He gets attracted to a local girl, Holsagul, and tries to learn the local language (Kalakamul) to woo her. While wandering again, he says to her that he will be back in the local language, she ask if it is a 'tharamana nichayam' - the narrator later becomes unsure if she had understood him correctly. He doesn't come back, Holsagul marries someone else, 100 years pass, the koduvai that the narrator had brought initially, will continue to remain like that for 400 years.
In Virundhali, the narrator, who is living in Africa is visited by a guest, Jaga who missed his bus to Liberia. The cook Sanoosi makes Lankan food, that makes Jaga very happy. No other virundhali has visited since then.
In Maatru, somewhere in Africa, a woman with hair like a baby-snake invites the narrator to stay at her place. There are many other who are staying at the place, and he is waiting to be taken to Germany. During his journey and stay, he thinks about his family and Maheswari back at home.
Ammavin paavadai tells the story of a small village where every woman had only one petticoat. His mother, but had two of them and she was proud of it and always tried to not show her poverty when in the midst of relatives. Once, during a fight with his friends, the narrator uses the word thoomayan, which angered his mother and he got beatings. Later, a cow entered their house compound and ate her petticoat which was hung to dry, seeing which the mother said thoomayan
In Senkal, the narrator is in search of a round brick. This was because he wanted to make a round house, in which the entrance door would be at the top. The daughter suggests that she could drop her hair down like Rapunzel for them to enter. He writes to many other construction company on the availability of round bricks, and waits for it.
Kadal is set in America, where Saanthan's dad is staying with him. The dad is missing his local food especially the 'muttai kopi' that was made by Thankamma back home. Once, he meets another elder, who mentions to him about the green card, which worries him. The daughter-in-law, makes food for him and freezes it, the dad is later found dead there.
Poorvikam is set in France, where in a pattarai, there are people from different countries. Anna, a sexy outspoken woman, after getting drunk throws her breast at her colleagues. Later, the narrative hears news about the death of Cancer-ridden Annalakshi.
Karuppu anil is set in a snow-country. Dust is our enemy is the motto of a cleaning company, in which the narrator works. Despite his attempts, the supervisor Laura does not look at him or any other workers.
Pattam was a wierd story, in which a person is maybe displaying his private parts to the girls crossing the road. Every girls run away at this, but one girl goes to him and asks when the next show is. The person flees and goes to another town, working at a movie theater. Years later, he sees the same girl, with her husband, and makes small talk with her.
In Aives, the narrator is a person who loses everything, and the wife is someone who loves articles made of glass. He goes to a tour, tags along with another German tourist and despite there being a guide, they get lost and go to some village where people take care of them.
Ethiri tells the story of a person who has obtained certificate from Nairobi, but as he is not getting any job, he works at a milk store. He wants to buy a farm and marry Emil, but he has an enemy who is spoiling his plans - a snake who is eating his eggs. He tricks the snake by painting a round object as egg, but is then sad that the snake died.
In Ainthavathu kathirai, the narrator's wife wants the a kathirai made from Kashmirile walnut tree. Their marriage life was going as per usual, with the wife being a homemaker and looking after kids, while her husband works in Computers. Once when he attempts to be intimate with her, is shocked seeing the tattoo in her breast.
In Thillai ambalai pillayar kovil, a servant girl who had run away was caught and brought back. They then got to a temple in a car, and the little brother was taken to the temple tank tp play there, but the servant girl didn't bother to save him, when he was drowning.
In Kallarai, a Boston Psychologist dreams of a girl coming to meet him. There is a gravestone in the dream, with his name on it, but the date is not visible. Later, a woman comes to visit at his office and mentions the same dream he saw, and says that the death date is tomorrow.
Kombu nana, is a tamil word, which the son is finding difficult to learn. The mother is a homemaker who loves reading. On her birthday, the family presents her a gift, which she expects would be a book, but it was a Chinese wok.
Raahukalam is set in Nairobi. Velayudhan, known there as Vel D is a rich business owner. His narrator, the African Mario is perplexed about the raahukalam that his boss frequently refers to and the narrator explains about it to him. Velayudhan leaves Nairobi, Mario is left jobless, but when the narrator met him to enquire about the latest interview that he had helped schedule for him, Mario says that he did not attend the interview because it was at raahukalam
Strawberry jam bottleum, abyssinian poonayum tells the story of Doldress, who is the sophomore classmate of the narrator. She has a cat, names Calista.
In Maharajavin Rail Vandi, we meet the narrator who had to stay in George master's house for 2 days, because his accommodation was not ready. There he meets Rosalyn, who shows him the kittens that was birthed by a male cat who later became female. He later moves to a separate stay and school, but the remembrance of Rosalyn comes to haunt him frequently.
Naalai tells the story of Periyavan and Siriyavan, aged 11 and 6 who are in a refugee camp. The sound of food vehicles approaching makes everyone to stand in queue, to get their portion of roti and soup. Despite requesting for a soup with 'kari', they don't get one, which makes Periyavan think about going to Kanchu Muhaam, where they might be lucky.
In Thudakkam, the narrator is working from his high rise Office, his assistant Kosamar helping him prepare for an upcoming meeting. His firm performs manages the buying and selling of shares and due to a wrong transaction, they encounter a sudden loss. The narrator finds a bird that dies by smashing itself against the high-rise window. The bird has a ring in its right leg, from which he identifies that it is the Sacre Falcoln bird from the Moscow Paravaikal Illam. It triggers something in him and in his presentation to senior management, he tells the story of the bird, doesn't read the rest of the notes.
In Ayul, a wanderer goes to live in a mountainous village in the Rampur Valley. He gets attracted to a local girl, Holsagul, and tries to learn the local language (Kalakamul) to woo her. While wandering again, he says to her that he will be back in the local language, she ask if it is a 'tharamana nichayam' - the narrator later becomes unsure if she had understood him correctly. He doesn't come back, Holsagul marries someone else, 100 years pass, the koduvai that the narrator had brought initially, will continue to remain like that for 400 years.
In Virundhali, the narrator, who is living in Africa is visited by a guest, Jaga who missed his bus to Liberia. The cook Sanoosi makes Lankan food, that makes Jaga very happy. No other virundhali has visited since then.
In Maatru, somewhere in Africa, a woman with hair like a baby-snake invites the narrator to stay at her place. There are many other who are staying at the place, and he is waiting to be taken to Germany. During his journey and stay, he thinks about his family and Maheswari back at home.
Ammavin paavadai tells the story of a small village where every woman had only one petticoat. His mother, but had two of them and she was proud of it and always tried to not show her poverty when in the midst of relatives. Once, during a fight with his friends, the narrator uses the word thoomayan, which angered his mother and he got beatings. Later, a cow entered their house compound and ate her petticoat which was hung to dry, seeing which the mother said thoomayan
In Senkal, the narrator is in search of a round brick. This was because he wanted to make a round house, in which the entrance door would be at the top. The daughter suggests that she could drop her hair down like Rapunzel for them to enter. He writes to many other construction company on the availability of round bricks, and waits for it.
Kadal is set in America, where Saanthan's dad is staying with him. The dad is missing his local food especially the 'muttai kopi' that was made by Thankamma back home. Once, he meets another elder, who mentions to him about the green card, which worries him. The daughter-in-law, makes food for him and freezes it, the dad is later found dead there.
Poorvikam is set in France, where in a pattarai, there are people from different countries. Anna, a sexy outspoken woman, after getting drunk throws her breast at her colleagues. Later, the narrative hears news about the death of Cancer-ridden Annalakshi.
Karuppu anil is set in a snow-country. Dust is our enemy is the motto of a cleaning company, in which the narrator works. Despite his attempts, the supervisor Laura does not look at him or any other workers.
Pattam was a wierd story, in which a person is maybe displaying his private parts to the girls crossing the road. Every girls run away at this, but one girl goes to him and asks when the next show is. The person flees and goes to another town, working at a movie theater. Years later, he sees the same girl, with her husband, and makes small talk with her.
In Aives, the narrator is a person who loses everything, and the wife is someone who loves articles made of glass. He goes to a tour, tags along with another German tourist and despite there being a guide, they get lost and go to some village where people take care of them.
Ethiri tells the story of a person who has obtained certificate from Nairobi, but as he is not getting any job, he works at a milk store. He wants to buy a farm and marry Emil, but he has an enemy who is spoiling his plans - a snake who is eating his eggs. He tricks the snake by painting a round object as egg, but is then sad that the snake died.
In Ainthavathu kathirai, the narrator's wife wants the a kathirai made from Kashmirile walnut tree. Their marriage life was going as per usual, with the wife being a homemaker and looking after kids, while her husband works in Computers. Once when he attempts to be intimate with her, is shocked seeing the tattoo in her breast.
In Thillai ambalai pillayar kovil, a servant girl who had run away was caught and brought back. They then got to a temple in a car, and the little brother was taken to the temple tank tp play there, but the servant girl didn't bother to save him, when he was drowning.
In Kallarai, a Boston Psychologist dreams of a girl coming to meet him. There is a gravestone in the dream, with his name on it, but the date is not visible. Later, a woman comes to visit at his office and mentions the same dream he saw, and says that the death date is tomorrow.
Kombu nana, is a tamil word, which the son is finding difficult to learn. The mother is a homemaker who loves reading. On her birthday, the family presents her a gift, which she expects would be a book, but it was a Chinese wok.
Raahukalam is set in Nairobi. Velayudhan, known there as Vel D is a rich business owner. His narrator, the African Mario is perplexed about the raahukalam that his boss frequently refers to and the narrator explains about it to him. Velayudhan leaves Nairobi, Mario is left jobless, but when the narrator met him to enquire about the latest interview that he had helped schedule for him, Mario says that he did not attend the interview because it was at raahukalam
Strawberry jam bottleum, abyssinian poonayum tells the story of Doldress, who is the sophomore classmate of the narrator. She has a cat, names Calista.
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