MURUGAN 2 LAST (MAG2)

The author, who considers poetry to be a private act says The author, who considers poetry to be a private act sayshe used to write poetry for himself and has so far publishedfour volumes of poems containing some 150 poems. Murugan, 50, also said he is mulling the reissue of hisearlier works. "I will soon begin the weary task of reviewing my books.If required I shall revise the text. I’m not sure if this isright. However, when so many things that are not quite rightare happening all over, why not this? What am I to do?," hesaid. Murugan, who has previously written six novels and fourcollections of short stories said he had at one point in timelisted out the books he planned to write and the number, theauthor said, came to 50 with over 10 novels. "I’m not now sure that I will write every one of those50-odd books. Even if I do I doubt if they will take the sameshape as conceived earlier. It’s however certain that mywriting will not be the same," he said. Stating that he needed time to gather his creativeenergies he said, "I’m not a motor pump to draw water from thedepths the moment it is switched on. I’m more a pupa in acocoon. It will require time to develop colourful wings.Please allow me the time to do so." Murugan also said he doubted whether he could continue towrite in future in the realist mode. "I might have to resortto other techniques. Only time will tell on that," he said. In a discussion following the book launch Murugan, whosefirst novel ‘Eru Veyyil’ was published when he was 25 yearsold, and whose writings have touched on the caste equations inTamil Nadu said, "No writer can write a single word in defenceof caste." In my perception caste is ubiquitous but is subtly presenteverywhere. Why does caste exist and why caste is so divisivethis is a question that has plagued me all my life," he saidto applause. Incidentally, the author who is a professor of Tamilliterature said he had edited a volume where 32 of hisstudents had considered the caste issue. The author was introduced by poet Ashok Vajpeyi, who saidit was "encouraging for poets like us that he is alive andthat he chose to write poetry instead of prose". PTI ANS RJSANSDK