Charu Nivedita

Charu Nivedita
Born	K. Arivazhagan Nagore, Tamil Nadu, India
Pen name	Charu Nivedita
Occupation	[writer]
Nationality	Indian
Spouse(s)	Avanthika
charuonline.com

Charu Nivedita (Tamil: சாரு நிவேதிதா) is a transgressive, post-modern Tamil writer. He began writing at young age, and since then, has traversed the road less travelled, for over 35 years. He lives in Chennai.

His first novel is 'Existentialisamum Fancy Baniyanum'. It had an entirely different way of storytelling that shattered the cultural beliefs^{[citation needed]}about the body and mind, considered until then a taboo. It was about how a young man overcomes the angst of his life through his writings. The emergency regime which affected the Indian life in the seventies and the lives of a few friends which were sacrificed in the naxal movement and the French existential thought were the key factors which made him to write this novel.Presently he is writing column "Manam Kothi Paravai" in a Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan .

His next novel, his Magnum Opus Zero Degree is considered to be one of the best in transgressive fiction^{[citation needed]}, as it completely transformed what is termed as taboo - sex, violence and crime, to a very different plane^{[citation needed]}, which is a beautiful, heartwarming literature. It had also been reviewed by various magazines^{[citation needed]}and has proven its mettle^{[citation needed]}.

His next novel ‘Raasa Leela’ proved to be a satire on governmental red tape-ism and the nuances of the novel successfully portray pragmatically the cry of a man lost amidst the numerous, colossal walls and pillars of the labyrinth that the system has created, his agony and his thirst to break the shackles^{[citation needed]}.

Charu Nivedita wrote his next novel ‘Kaamarooba Kadhaigal’ as an internet novel. He says thus about the novel: "Lust is a celebration; at the same time, it's a hell where cruel dreams are executed. This is the first time conflicting thoughts emerged in my works. There cannot be any sort of parody towards such thoughts, as it is not possible to do so when these thoughts emerge from the man-woman relationship which becomes more psychological than in any other context. I can say, this is the continuation of the Greek pathos plays created 2500 years ago. According to me, it appears that this novel talks about the bestiality in a man-woman relationship. We can trace the roots back to the Greek epics and Marquis De Sade's works. Euripides’ Medea's blood-chilling ululation can be very well sensed in the near end of this novel."

He also adds, "While writing this novel, there was a crowd of young, beautiful women around me. But I experienced loneliness and emptiness to the core. On the contrary, in spite of living like a recluse currently, I do not experience emptiness now. The philistine crowd can never enter the world of a creator. They are like shells and bones without life inside them. Loneliness and other such feelings are absolutely impossible in the life of a man who traces his roots back to the numerous artists the world has seen so far. It is at this point that my autobiographical writing differs from my life, however similar they both may be. What the protagonist Perumal attains in this novel, is bitterness and when he is able to overcome the bitterness through his writing, he attains the state of bliss."

Charu Nivedita has also written numerous articles on various topics such as politics, literature, music, cinema, post-modernism, general human beliefs and many more. His essays, articles and novels have the satirical parody towards being a goat in the herd, and they convey the message of humanism, peace and harmony, as an ultimate goal in life. He is a social activist too, having participated in various movements and protests against the governmental oppression in the neighbouring state Kerala where his writings are more popular than his native Tamil Nadu and has represented the people in doing so.

List of books

Novels

1. Existantialisamum Fancy Baniyanum (எக்ஸிஸ்டென்ஷியலிஸமும் ஃபேன்ஸி பனியனும்)

2. Zero degree (ஸீரோ டிகிரி)

3. Kaamarooba kadhaigal (காமரூப கதைகள்)

4. Thegam

5. Rasaleela

Short story collections

1. Madumitha Sonna Pambu Kadhaigal (மதுமிதா சொன்ன பாம்புக் கதைகள்)

2. Oorin miga azhagaana Pen - Translated short stories from world Literature (ஊரின் மிக அழகான பெண் - மொழிபெயர்ப்புச் சிறுகதைகள்)

Literary Reviews and responses

1. Dhandeyin Siruththai (தாந்தேயின் சிறுத்தை)

Movie Review Collections

1. Cinema: Alainthuthiribavanin Azhagiyal (சினிமா: அலைந்து திரிபவனின் அழகியல்)

2. Cinema Cinema (சினிமா சினிமா)

3. Naragaththilirundhu oru kural (நரகத்திலிருந்து ஒரு குரல்)

Articles on world Music

1. Kalagam Kaadhal Isai (கலகம் காதல் இசை)

Political essays

1. Azaadhi Azaadhi Azaadhi (அஸாதி அஸாதி அஸாதி)

2. Adhigaaram Amaidhi Sudhanthiram (அதிகாரம் அமைதி சுதந்திரம்)

Interview Collection

1. Ozhunginmaiyin Veriyaattam (ஒழுங்கின்மையின் வெறியாட்டம்)

Play

1. Rendaam aattam (ரெண்டாம் ஆட்டம்)

Article Collections

1. Konal Pakkangal (கோணல் பக்கங்கள்)

2. Konal Pakkangal II (கோணல் பக்கங்கள் II)

3. Konal Pakkangal III (கோணல் பக்கங்கள் III)

4. Yenakku Kuzhandhaigalai Pidikadhu (எனக்குக் குழந்தைகளைப் பிடிக்காது)

5. Kadavulum Nanum (கடவுளும் நானும்)

6. Thappu Thalangal (தப்புத் தாளங்கள்)

7. Theeraakaadhali (தீராக்காதலி)

8. Varambu Meeriya Pradhigal (வரம்பு மீறிய பிரதிகள்)

9. Dhisai Ariyum Paravaigal (திசை அறியும் பறவைகள்)

10. Moodupani Saalai (மூடுபனிச் சாலை)

11. Vaazhvadhu eppadi (வாழ்வது எப்படி?)

12. Ketta vaarththai (கெட்ட வார்த்தை)

13. Malaavi endroru Desam (மலாவி என்றொரு தேசம்)

14. Arugil Varaadhey (அருகில் வராதே)

15. Kanavugalin mozhipeyarppaalan (கனவுகளின் மொழிபெயர்ப்பாளன்)

Charu's saying on his works

• There is nothing like planning in my literature, at any point of time. It's something which gets written between the schizoid state and dreams. Hence, with this same reason, I cannot comment on my writing. Like how I don't accept the roles of a father, a son, a lover, a friend - I despise the role of a writer too. My writing is nothing but the brush strokes of a person trying to escape from hell

• If anyone think that dumping a few false allegations on me can degrade me or can pain me, there will never be such clowns like them, as I create my writing only after shredding all the cultural and personal protections and reputations which a society levies on an individual. Not a single Tamil writer can cite a blasphemy on me more than what I write on myself. I bring this up as a challenge. I sacrifice my life every time in the altar of literature. I welcome the allegations from people who use writing as a means of garnering mere fame and falsehood. This hatred is the praise and acceptance for my writing. Unless I join this herd, there is every reason for me to keep writing.^{[citation needed]}

• There are various streams in world literature. I can never write in the style of Milorad Pavić or Umberto Eco, which is like traversing back in history, or in the style of Ray Bradbury who was able to traverse ahead in time with a giant leap. But, William Burroughs, Kathy Acker or Charles Bukowski have never written a single word without experiencing it in their own lives.

Reviews

• Zero Degree book review in Tehelka magazine

References

2. Morgue Keeper - Charu Nivedita's story in Tehelka

External links

• charuonline.com
• Herzog & Kinski - Reference about Charu
• Mario Vargas Llosa - Tribute to Charu

Persondata
Name	Nivedita, Charu
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth	Nagore, Tamil Nadu, India
Date of death
Place of death