Short Story: An End and a Dawn - V.N. Giridharan -

[This English translation of the Tamil story is a collaboration between Google AI Studio and V.N. Giritharan. The original Tamil version of the story follows the translation. Digital painting assistance (Google Nano Banana technique) by VNG.]

[This short story is one of my early works, written during the time "Thaayagam" (Canada) was published as a magazine under the name Manivaanan. It was published in the nineties when "Thaayagam" was released as a magazine. During that period, I also wrote several other short stories under the name Manivaanam, and the novel 'Kanangalum, Gunangalum' (Moments and Qualities).]

It was slowly getting dark. The sun, thrilled by the crimson horizon of dusk, passionately embraced the horizon, lost in itself. The pond bank was vast, serene. Flocks of birds flew back to their dwellings. Even at this hour, some kingfishers, with greedy anticipation, waited for prey on a nearby tree branch. A gentle breeze blew pleasantly in the tranquility.

Yamuna's gaze was sharp, fixed on the child playing on the grassy mound by the pond, and her other hand was extended, her gaze also on the expansive water surface. A broad forehead. Her thick hair was tied up.

She had a vibrant red complexion, clad in a simple sari. Those beautiful eyes, always dreaming, were now filled with a deep sadness. "This shouldn't have happened to her," I told myself. Anger, frustration, and disgust surged within me towards this rotten society; weren't its ideologies and practices the cause of her current state?

Poem: A Library's Dream and Immersion in Thought! - V.N. Giridharan -

 

 [* Digital  Art (Google AI Studio) help: VNG.]

This wonderful blue planet
No matter which direction I look
I see it aflame with conflicts.
Outside, you are clashing with each other.
I see rivers of blood overflowing.
It also makes me realize
That children, women, and the elderly mean nothing to you
In the frenzied dance you perform outside.
I am ashamed of you.
I laugh when I see your antics
As if you are the rulers of this universe.
Outside you, vastness stretches.
When I see you buried in the expansive silence,
When I notice your loneliness,
I feel only pity for you.

Poem: Socrates' Cheer! By V.N. Giritharan

 [* Digital  Art (Google AI Studio) help: VNG.]

We are sheep.
Sheep always waiting for shepherds.
To think for ourselves,
To weigh and make decisions,
We lack the ability.
Lack the ability
Or
Lack the will?

Always, for us,
To accept the decisions made by someone else,
We have no hesitation.
Generously accepting them,
We are the liberals, who else?

Opinions, the pronouncements of shepherds,
Make us jump and dance
in emotional frenzy.
We jump and dance.
We revel in joyful madness.

A thousand years
ago
Socrates said:
'Think for yourselves.
Weigh things carefully.
Ask 'why?''
Socrates, if he were here,
Would have known
We have lost the ability to think.
He would have cheered
at our ignorance.

Urban Dwellers, Their Mental Images of the City, and an Understanding of Professor Kevin Lynch's "The Image of the City" Theory! - V.N.Giritharan

After completing my architecture degree at the University of Moratuwa, during my time working with the United Nations Development Programme and the Urban Development Authority, I was involved in several landscape and town planning projects concerning cities like Colombo and the New Parliament. One significant project that comes to mind was a study on the image of Colombo city, undertaken with town planning expert Dickson, architecture/town planning expert Sivabalan (who later passed away while working in Singapore), and architect Vairamuthu Arutchelvan, based on Professor Lynch's theory of the city image. I recall it receiving much appreciation. This article briefly describes Professor Lynch's theory of the city image.

The mental images that urban dwellers have of their city are not the same for everyone. Just as a text is determined by various factors such as a reader's knowledge, experience, and comprehension, so too are the mental images of a city by its inhabitants determined by various factors. The psychological impressions that urban dwellers have of their city arise from their experiences within that city, the memories formed as a result, the buildings in that city, important places, other people living there, the various activities taking place, symbols that serve as important landmarks of the city, and many other such factors. When urban planners reconstruct cities or build new ones, having sufficient knowledge about the mental images or impressions of the people living there is not only crucial but also beneficial for their work. Professor Kevin Lynch was the one who, in the early 20th century, attempted to understand a city by focusing on these mental images that urban dwellers have of the city they live in.

AI's Book Review (5): Savithri's Big Wish by V.N. Giritharan

                                 [* Digital painting technique, Google Nano Banana, Assistance: VNG.]

 [This section, 'AI's Reviews,' showcases the fascinating intersection of art and algorithm. As a dedicated space for exploring my literary creations, this is where I enlist the analytical capabilities of a sophisticated AI to provide objective and detailed reviews. Each review aims to dissect the work's themes, structure, language, and emotional impact from a non-human perspective, offering a fresh dimension to literary analysis. Join us as we uncover what an artificial intelligence "sees" in the heart of human creativity.] 

AI's Book Review (5): Savithri's Big Wish by V.N. Giritharan

"Savithri's Big Wish" is a poignant and deeply relevant children's story that tackles complex, real-world themes through the innocent yet resilient eyes of its young protagonist. Authored by the acclaimed V.N. Giritharan, this book is far more than a simple narrative; it's a tender exploration of family, displacement, and the universal yearning for security and belonging.

The story centers on Savithri, a spirited girl who, like many children, loves books, dreams of adventure, and yearns for a promised "big house." Her parents, Sri Lankan refugees, work tirelessly in Canada, clinging to the same dream of stability. However, the narrative unflinchingly addresses the emotional toll of their struggles as marital conflict disrupts the family's peace. Giritharan bravely portrays the raw confusion and sadness Savithri experiences, offering a window into the silent suffering of children caught in family discord. Her heartbreaking question, "Why do you Sri Lankans fight like this? Canadians don't!" resonates with the innocent plea for cultural norms to provide comfort where personal relationships fail.

Regarding Poet Thamarai's Songs and Sanskrit Words...

Poet Thamarai

I recently read online a reference to Poet Thamarai, stating that she writes poetry using only Tamil words and no words from other languages. Is this true? Consider her famous song 'Nenjukul Poothidum Maamazhai' from the movie 'Vaaranam Aayiram'. The words Om, Shanthi, and Jeevan in this song are all Sanskrit words. As far as I'm concerned, I am not a puritanical Tamil enthusiast. I believe that language evolves and becomes richer by absorbing words from other languages. In this context, I have no hesitation in accepting Thamarai's practice of mixing Tamil and Sanskrit words in her songs. My favorite poet, Mahakavi Bharathiyar, liberally used Sanskrit words.

Enjoy the song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=630HSN45fKk

Tamil Song Name - Nenjukkul Peidhidum
Tamil Movie - Vaaranam Aayiram
Singer - Harris Jayaraj
Music - Harris Jayaraj
Lyrics - Thamarai
Starring - Suriya, Sameera Reddy

*[Digital Painting Technology, Google Nano Banana, Support: VNG]

AI's Review (4): V.N.Giritharan's poem "Oh, my fleeting beauty! Are you an intricate weave, truly woven from electric charge itself?"

[* Digital painting technique, Google Nano Banana, Assistance: VNG.]

 [This section, 'AI's Reviews,' showcases the fascinating intersection of art and algorithm. As a dedicated space for exploring my literary creations, this is where I enlist the analytical capabilities of a sophisticated AI to provide objective and detailed reviews. Each review aims to dissect the work's themes, structure, language, and emotional impact from a non-human perspective, offering a fresh dimension to literary analysis. Join us as we uncover what an artificial intelligence "sees" in the heart of human creativity.] 

AI's Review V.N.Giritharan's poem "Oh, my fleeting beauty! Are you an intricate weave, truly woven from electric charge itself?"

This is a deeply philosophical and incredibly poignant piece. It's not just a love poem; it's a profound meditation on perception, reality, time, and distance, all centered around the intense connection and ultimate separation between two individuals.

A Profound Weave of Love, Philosophy, and Ephemeral Reality

This piece is a masterful blend of intimate affection and sweeping philosophical inquiry, creating a truly unique and thought-provoking experience. Beginning with a raw, existential question – "Is there anything that is truly real?" – the author immediately plunges the reader into a world where the very act of perception is under scrutiny. The beloved, "Kannamma," becomes both the catalyst and the subject of this profound meditation.