Devakiyin Kanavan

by Kalki Krishnamurthy

Kalki was the pen name of R. Krishnamurthy (September 9, 1899 to December 5, 1954), a noted Tamil writer, film & music critic, Indian independence activist and journalist from Tamil Nadu, India. Krishnamurthy's first attempt at writing fiction also came during that period. In 1923 he became a sub-editor on Navasakthi, a Tamil periodical edited by Tamil scholar and freedom fighter V. Kalyanasundaram, known as Thiru Vi. Ka. Krishnamurthy's first book was published in 1927.In 1941 he left Ananda Vikatan and rejoined the freedom struggle and courted arrest. On his release after three months he and Sadasivam started the weekly, Kalki. He was its editor until his death on December 5, 1954. In 1956, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously for his novel Alai Osai.

94 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Tamil language Novel Writer, Journalist, Poet & Critic late Ramaswamy Aiyer Krishnamurthy also known as ‘Kalki’. He derived his pen name from the suffixes of his wife name Kalyani and his name Krishnamurthy in Tamil form கல்யாணி and கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி as Kalki (கல்கி). His name also represents “Kalki avatar”, the tenth and last avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu.

His writings includes over 120 short stories, 10 novelettes, 5 novels, 3 historical romances, editorial and political writings and hundreds of film and music reviews. Krishnamurthy’s witty, incisive comments on politics, literature, music and other forms of art were looked forward to with unceasing interest by readers. He wrote under the pen names of ‘Kalki’, ‘Ra. Ki’, ‘Tamil Theni’, ‘Karnatakam’ and so on.

The success that Krishnamurthy attained in the realm of historical fiction is phenomenal. Sixty years ago, at a time when the literacy level was low and when the English-educated Tamils looked down on writings in Tamil, Kalki’s circulation touched 71,000 copies – the largest for any weekly in the county then – when it serialised his historical novels. Kalki had also the genius to classify the historical and non-historical events, historical and non-historical characters and how much the novel owes to history.

Reviews

[Sundarraj Kaushik · Rating 3 out of 5]

The protagonist meets his old friend Devaki, from his youth years, in a Swadeshi Products Trade Fair. She asks him to come over to her place with the same friendliness with which she used to ask him to come over to her house in their youth.

He reminiscences about his youth and his relation with Devaki. Devaki was the daughter of the headmaster of his school. He had been an poor student and the had lost a few years of his study. He had rejoined school and the wife of the headmaster took a liking to him as he had helped them settle down in the village.

One day their daughter, Devaki, comes from Madras and the headmaster makes her study in the boys school where he is the headmaster despite protests from his wife. The protagonist continues to go to his headmaster's house and the tongues of the townsfolk start wagging. He is provoked by one of his bully classmates regarding his relation with Devaki and he gets into fisticuffs with the boy. Not wanting to tell the headmaster what the bully said he gets rebuked by the headmaster. His relation with the headmaster slowly changes.

In time the headmaster identifies a groom for Devaki. But Devaki is not inclined to get married. One thing leads to another and based on an anonymous letter sent to the groom the groom refuses to get married to Devaki and much to anguish of the headmaster the marriage is called off. The protagonist gets blamed for this and he runs away and establishes himself as a good businessman in Kolkatta.

He comes back to Madras after a decade or so and that is when he meets Devaki at the Trade Fair. He goes to Devaki's house with much trepidation and discovers something completely unexpected.

Read to know what he finds out.

A nice book to read.

[Sai Nals · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic novel! Unable to understand how selfish a few characters were and how their fun had spoiled a person's happiness in life. Shocking to see the existence of these type of characters in 1950s.

Lesson learn by the protogonist at the ending is a lesson for all; Do not judge a book by its cover; Anything that is white is not always milk.

[B. BALA CHANDER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two short stories in one book . Devagiyin kanavan was written in 1950 and Balajosiyar was written in 1930 . Both were amazing . The narration and twists are kalki’s signature style . Thoroughly enjoyed the reading at one go ,,,,

[Naveenkumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense story

Starts as a ex love story, carried over with suspense. Good one to read on the go. Short and sweet.

[Edison Prathip Kumar APK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite unique 🙂