KOCHI: For K C Suresh, humanity is an important quality missing from people these days. A lawyer by profession, Suresh began his stint as an author in 1974 when his writings appeared in Keralabhooshanam newspaper. But being posted as a legal advisor in the anti-corruption bureau of Vigilance Department kept him occupied for quite a while. Post-retirement, Suresh got back to writing and has recently released his third book called Kandiyile Kolambippookkal.
His first book was Sikharangal Thedunna Vavvalukal, was a collection of short stories. This was followed by Kaavutheendunna Karimbanakal, an anthology of four novelettes. With his latest release, Suresh has gone back to the short story genre. This third book in his oeuvre features 12 stories. “I love writing about humanity. The stories in my new book deal with different sub-themes like environment, religion, caste and migration. When compared to my previous books, this one has a wider perspective. I also believe I have become a better writer with this one,” says Suresh.
Some of the stories are titled, Barapuzhayude Theerangalil, Kandiyile Kolambippookkal, Verum Chaverukal, Facebook, Gopher Marathanalil, Kanni Banthavas, Karuka, Nettippattam, Nokkukooli, Odakkoodu, Puzhakku Priyapettavar and Vedikkettu. “Barapole (located at the border of Kerala and Karnataka) is a beautiful place that has witnessed a surge of migrants. The interesting thing about migration is that while the journey to a new land unifies people, caste and religion seep in once they are settled, That is the main plot of Barapuzhayude Theerangalil,” says Suresh.
Kandiyile Kolambippookkal narrates the story of a Sri Lankan girl and has episodes from the civil war. Facebook has an interesting plot where a Rohingyan woman befriends a Keralite pretending to be a Bengali brahmin. Both get close leading to trouble in the life of Jagannadha Panicker, the protagonist. Odakkodu, on the other hand, deals with the story of weavers. It is Puzhakku Priyapettavar, however, which haunts Suresh. “The story is based on a flood but it was written before the Kerala floods disaster. What happened was exactly as I had visualised in my story. Whatever I wrote came to life. This coincidence continues to haunt me,” he adds.
The collection which has been published by Green Books deals almost entirely with characters encountering serious situations. “I have received positive response from my readers. The preface of the book is written by Balachandran Vadakkedath, who opined that my narrative technique is distinctive,” says Suresh who is currently working on his fourth book. “I am in the process of writing, the first draft should be completed soon. The hard part, however, is to find a publisher,” he concludes.