Thunchanparamba loses his guru and guide

The demise of MT Vasudevan Nair casts a shadow of grief on Thunchanparamba, the cultural center that is the birthplace of Thunchath Ramanujan Ejuthachan, the father of Malayalam language.

As long as MT lived, no one worried about Thunchanparamba and its future, because MT led it.

Without MT, people fear about the future of Thunchanparamba. In the past, when there was an attempt to occupy Thunchanparamba, MT itself opposed it. There does not seem to be any replacement for MT in Thunchanparamba, the literary hub that the Jnanpith awardee has taken to the international level.

“By heading the Thunchan Memorial Trust at Thunchanparamba, MT surrendered his pride and fame to the father of Malayalam language. Thunchanparamba has become a symbol of MT’s foresight. It is perhaps the only such iconic cultural center without its own office vehicle,” said Kavi Manambur, who lived near MT till his last breath. Rajan Babu said.

Thunchan Memorial Trust does not provide any sitting fee or travel allowance to its members. Still its popularity transcended state and national borders, many renowned writers from home and abroad visited Thunchanparamba at the invitation of MT.

MT started its relationship with Thunchanparamba by donating one of its highest prize money. Donations in Thunchanparamba used to be pre-conditions before those who called for talks. And people happily obliged because they would have MT as a guest.

Former culture minister TK Ramakrishnan once said: “If MT makes such a demand, people will be happy to pay Thunchan and have him as a guest. If other writers say so, no one will bother.”

MT used to write to people including celebrities on behalf of Thunchan Memorial Trust. In his succinct style, he says, “Let us work together within our limitations.”

Although a man of few words and a smile, people saw MT at his cheerful best when he sat in Thunchanparamba to initiate children into the world of letters. Through his association with Thunchanparamba, he may have brought hundreds of children to the world of letters.

“Even in Vidyarambam’s days when a child was brought to him, he always showed initial curiosity and concern,” says Mr. Rajanbabu.

Once asked what he wanted to be in his later life, MT replied: “I’m not sure about the afterlife. If there is one, I want to be a writer, a poet who loves his meter.