SHARJAH: SIBF 2020; His Highness Sheikh Majid Rashid Al Mualla, Olive Publication, Gulf Coordinator and Law Representative for the UAE, presented the Arabic translation of M. Mukundan’s famous novel ‘Mayyazhipuzhayude Theerangalil,’ ‘Ala Ifafi Mayyazhi’ at the International Book Fair at the Sharjah Expo Center. The book launch took place at the pavilion of Olive Publications, the publisher. It is translated by KM Alauddin, a native of Puthanazhi, Karuvarkundu, Malappuram. Through his articles and essays in Malayalam and English, he has proved his proficiency in languages.
Mayyazhi is a Malayalam novel written by M. Mukundan, a local and novelist, is based on the French colony of Mayyazhi in North Kerala. This book was published in 1974. The novel is a time channel of Mayyazhipuzha. The protagonist in the novel is Dasan, who was born in the French-dominated Mayyazhi at the height of the Indian independence movement, as the son of Writer Damu and Kausuvamma.
Dasan gets the opportunity to enter government employment in Mayyazhi or to pursue higher studies in France after passing the Intermediate examination in Mayyazhi and the Bacchus examination in Pondicherry. But under the influence of Kunjananthan Master, a communist and nationalist, Dasan began his campaign against the French occupation, and after the defeat of the liberation struggle of 1948 was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Dasan, who sought the meaning of freedom, was bound in chains. Even though he got released after the French government left Mayyazhi in 1954, Dasan’s love interest Chandrika leaves him as her marriage gets fixed to someone else.
Lost in his memories, Dasan wished to reunite with Chandrika but he couldn’t. In the history of Malayalam novels, ‘Mayyazhipuzhayude Theerangalil’ is enlightenment. This was translated into Arabic by Alauddin with his knowledge of the language.
The book was introduced in the event by prominent writer, Ismail Meladi. Olive Publication Middle East organizer, Ashraf Atholi; author of ‘Ala Ifafi Mayyazhi,’ Alauddin; General Secretary of Sharjah Indian Association, Abdullah Mallassery; President of Eternal Cultural Center, Inkas; UAE Committee General Secretary Punnakan Muhammadali; social activist K.T.P. Ibrahim; Mundir Kalpanchery, Hamsa Kariyadan Mankadavu, Sameer Nandi, Yusra Esenter, Mariam Ahmed, Subitha, Neju, and Media Coordinator Ansheera were present at the even.
