Jun 27, 2010 12:45 PM
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What takes it to convert a thief is more important than the question what makes one as a thief. One becomes a thief probably out of extreme poverty. Once the ‘art’ of theft becomes his habit, it is difficult for him to come back to normalcy. For one who stays in the course of theft in one form or other, is bound to be caught, one day or other.
‘Kallan Pavithran’ (Pavithran the thief) tells the story of a thief who engage in small time theft to feed his family. He is a known thief and he is the first suspect if any theft is happens in the locality. Even though he is a thief, he follows some principles (like he do not ‘drink’ with the money of theft) which gave him a respect from policemen and from his family. He keeps one wife and one mistress. The mistress betrayed him and he didn’t think twice to divorce her. The mistress’s lover Mamachan becomes his enemy now. On revenge, Kallan pavithran steal few utensils from Mamachan and disappear. The all alert police and Mamachan personally are in search of Pavithran who not used to have such a long absence. Pavithran comes back, being a rich man. Whether he will be able to remain as a good man for ever?
A simple story is taken to heights with its beauty of narration and symbolization. The story is more metaphorical and the reader will be transported to another world. The brilliant writer succeeds in giving life to even lifeless, i.e. pots. Also the rice mill is been used as a metaphor. The store house of the crooked merchant is a storehouse of hiding secrets and the behaviour of the merchant belongs to the one of the modern day bankers. The tricks used by Pavithran are unique Padmarajan also shows how the art of ‘theft’ is in the blood of a thief.
Even though the society brand only Pavithran as a thief, all in the novel, except his wife is a thief in one way or other. Even his wife knows he steals and uses the money happily. Mamachan steals his mistress and later report a crime for which he collected amount and settled in full. His mistress betrays him. She seduces him later using her sister to let him down. The merchant is a thief who covers all thefts in a planned way. Policeman accepts bribes and hunts the poor. All in the society are thief or support theft one way or other. When the thief wants to settle with a normal life, they plan to make again him one for personal revenge. On the part of the thief, he stopped stealing in the conventional way but start the stealing in another way, the society way, i.e. going to another woman even when there is a dedicated wife at home.
The small novel impressively tells a story in fast pace, keeping the interest of the reader in each turning page. The author never stops to decorate it, but fills it with metaphoric environment where the readers can pluck from whichever tree they can.
The main thread of Kallan Pavithran, is taken from the bible, the story of Samson and Daleela. The thread was connected to all time 'great' thief of Kerala, Kayamkulam Kochunni here lands Kallan Pavithran. Then, to the merit of the writer, he adopted it beautifully adding many thoughts & metaphors. The usage of the inspiration was limited to the minimum. He creates a background of wonder which connects it to social hypocracy, habitual slavery and the difficulty to keep the moral values. Like in Thoovanathumbikal, the skill of Padmarajan to adopt is truly evident.
I am yet to watch the film ‘Kallan Pavithran’, but have read the screen play of it. Lately I noticed that Padmarajan’s novels leave a link to continue but his films seems closes the way.
Like many other Padmarajan novels, this too gives a wonderful read.
