"There were years when I didn’t write, but I could never stop reading. Reading is my oxygen. It helps me breathe in this suffocating life."
Puthiyamaadhavi
Prof Smitha Kranthikar Talks with Poet Puthiyamaadhavi
Madhavi, welcome to Sahitya Sammelan.
Your selected poems have been translated by me into Marathi, and the book Kala Killa has been published by the renowned publisher Lokvangmaya. I am happy to introduce you. I have many questions about this book and your writings.
Let us start with a few important points.
Madhavi: Sure. You are most welcome.
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💥 Madhavi, your real name is Mallika, and your pen name is Puthiyamaadhavi. Is there any reason for that?💥
Initially, there was no particular reason. After my studies, during my daily commutes on Mumbai’s trains, life felt suffocating. At that time, I scribbled a few lines while traveling between Dombivli and Mumbai CST. A Tamil monthly magazine, Seervarisai, was published in Mumbai, and its editor, Sanmugarajan, recognized my writings. He published my poems under a pen name instead of my real name, Mallika.
The reason? Because the prevailing thought was: "A woman who writes poetry is not suitable for family life." This mindset has not changed much even today.
The editor chose the pen name Puthiyamaadhavi because, at the age of 11, I had written a short story with that title, which he had read. The name Maadhavi comes from the Tamil epic Silappathikaram. She was a Devadasi who broke free from that system and became involved in Buddhism and social service. I admired that character. However, my educated academic friends criticized my choice, questioning why I should adopt her name. That made me even more determined to keep it.
Additionally, Maadhavi means a creeper—cut it, throw it away, and it will still grow. Thus, Mallika became Puthiyamaadhavi.
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💥 How many years have you been staying in Maharashtra/Mumbai?🔥
I am the fourth generation of Tamil migrants in Mumbai. My forefathers migrated from Tirunelveli, a southern district of India, to Dharavi when there was neither a 'Mumbai' nor a 'Bombay'. Dharavi was then a marshy land, a small village of fishermen, Koliwada.
As tannery and leather factories developed, they required more laborers, leading to mass migration of landless workers from the South. My family was part of that migration. We are part of Dharavi—you cannot separate us from it. I was born and brought up here.
For the media and others, it may not be something to take pride in, but for me, I say it proudly—I am from Dharavi. I am the daughter of Dharavi.
💥Marathi and Tamil are linguistically poles apart. Despite the lack of similarities, what prompted you to turn towards the Marathi language?🔥
Good question, Smithaji. Four generations have passed. I want to be with my fellow Mumbaikars, with my neighbors, with the sons of this soil. My children are true Mumbaikars and speak Marathi fluently. I feel that even now, I am late in embracing Marathi.
Linguistically, Marathi and Tamil may be distant, but culturally, we share deep connections. Have you heard of the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom?
The great Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, built during the Chola dynasty, later came under the rule of the Maratha Bhonsle dynasty for 200 years. Art and culture flourished under their reign. Maharashtra is neither purely South Indian nor purely North Indian—it is unique. The blend of Maratha and Tamil culture in Thanjavur created a distinctive artistic heritage, reflected in Thanjavur paintings and the Saraswathi Mahal Library.
This library, established during the reign of Maratha King Serfoji II, holds an invaluable collection of manuscripts—39,300 Sanskrit manuscripts, 3.5 lakh Tamil manuscripts, and over 3,000 Marathi South Indian manuscripts. It stands as a testament to our cultural brotherhood.
For me, as a Mumbaikar, this history binds me to my Marathi-speaking brethren.
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💥Your themes and symbolic imagery suggest that you are a well-read person. Can you elaborate?💥
Being well-read has two sides, Smithaji—academic knowledge and knowledge beyond academics. Academically, I have excelled—I even won a gold medal—but that has little to do with my writing.
My true education came from beyond the university walls. Mumbai’s roadside book stalls were my libraries. I worked at HSBC for 22 years, but my real membership was with those book stalls. I would buy books, read them, return them, and take new ones. We had an unspoken understanding—I paid a small amount while returning the books.
Owning books was difficult because we never had a stable home—small rented apartments with no space for books.
There were years when I didn’t write, but I could never stop reading. Reading is my oxygen. It helps me breathe in this suffocating life. In the world of books, I am always a student.
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💥 Most of your themes revolve around feminism and women's liberation. What inspires you?🔥
I never consciously planned to write about feminism or women's liberation. My life is my writing, and my writing reflects my life.
When a man writes about social issues, it is called social liberation. When a woman writes about women's lives, it is called feminism. Why?
Women form over 50% of the world's population. Yet, our liberation is not considered social liberation? We need to question this perspective. Women must continuously remind society that we are not separate—we are part of it, just like men.
💥Some of your poems are based on legendary characters. Can you explain?💥
Yes, legendary characters—by that, do you mean epic characters?
(You: Yes.)
The epic characters in my writings are my politics.
World literature tells us that epics are not entirely history. They are either fictional or historical stories mixed with imagination. But in India, we are conditioned to accept them as absolute truth.
Political forces repeatedly insist on using epic heroes as role models, but these role models do not serve me or society in achieving peace. Their narratives often uphold hierarchies, inequality, and division.
My cultural politics are shaped by two great thinkers—Periyar from the South and Mahatma Phule from Maharashtra.
My writing is my political statement, and that is why I continuously engage in dialogue with epic characters.
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💥What inspired you to name your book Kala Killa?🔥
Mumbai is the gateway to India, and Kala Killa is the gateway to Mumbai.
Kala Killa is an area between Sion and Dharavi. My father was born there. The Riwa Fort, built of black stone, was nicknamed Kala Killa. Hidden in Dharavi’s slums, with the Mithi River flowing beside it, this fort was meant to protect Mumbai from sea invasions.
The media portrays Dharavi as a slum of crime, but I know better. Dharavi is the cultural and secular heart of Mumbai.
Beyond the location, the name Kala (black) holds meaning. Society calls white pure—fine. But does that mean black is impure?
Kaala asuth nai hai.!
Kaalaa is beauty
Kaalaa is original
Kaalaa is strength
Kaalaa is power
Kaalaa is protection
Kaalaa is weapon
Kaalaa is natural beauty
Kaalaa is art
Kaalaa is literature.
Kalakilla is my poetry.
💥Being a Tamilian, we Marathi people are extremely grateful & happy to have you being associated as a part and parcel of this Marathi Litarary world. So can you tell us, Who are the ideal authors or poets for you in this Marathi litaray world?💥
Before saying who are my ideal poets in Marathi , I would like to share how tamil literature Wrote about Marathi manush. Writer naanjil naadan , famous tamil writer sahitya academy award winner for his short story wrote a story named “mohite” this story mohite BEST conductor his neigbour is thalavai, a tamil . who got transfer to Mumbai. He used to travel in the BESt but where mohite was the conductor. Mohite never came to him to collect ticket. This man felt bad because others thinking he is travelling without tickets. So he went to mohite house and asked him. Mohite said, as a BEST conductor I can take my relative without ticket in the bus. Still thalavai not satisfied. He said, so… The story end with like this.. Still what… U R Not my brother, kya annaa..? Nanjil wrote last line I felt ashamed of my thinking. This is how tamil literature honoring Marathi manush.
My ideal writers in Marathi literature first is always Namdeo dhasal. I adore his poems. He is the best poet of this century. Kavitha mahajan and malika amarsheikh this two also .. I translated few of their Poems into tamil. Sarankumar limbale, his akkarmashi, And urmila pawar, sharmila rege, pratiba matukar,,, the long list.. Few right now I can remember.
Apart from poems what are the other forms u write ? Short stories, novels and non fictions like literary criticism and contemporary politics few translation works.. I did.
💥What is your future Plan in your writing? 💥
Writing the autobiography of my Dharavi is my dream .. hope I can do it.
💥What would you like to suggest to the next generation who’s more interested in technology rather than art and literature?💥
There is nothing permanent. , except change. We say change is the only constant. மாற்றம் ஒன்றே மாறாதது. So I accept all changes including the changes in technology world. So technology is unavoidable. It changes everyone life. Can we imagine a day without our cell phone. Can we spent a day without wifi. All this changes our generation came across and we accept it. we started publishing our books in kindle and we started reading in kindle and cell phone. But at the same time I want to say kindle cannot replace my writings. Kindle cannot replace any poet. Our technology will help us in art and literature but it cannot replace that. Our technology can write a code to our language usages but this technogy cannot discover any language for us. Language can be written in Unicode. But Unicode can never become language or art
PM: Is there anything more Smithaaji..
Yes. But ur Kalakilla will say more about U. ur writings will describe who U are ! This talk is just an introduction part. Thanks Madhavi.
PM:
Yaa. U r most welcome. Thanks to U and shatiya Sammmelan for this opportunity , and my special thanks to writer Arjun Dangle ji who initiated this translation work. Thanks to all our friends and well wishers. Before leaving I would like to know from u smithaji, what is the problem u face in translation of poems to Marathi.
நேஷனல் கல்வி நிறுவனம் வைரவிழா நிகழ்வில் -
NES sahitya sammelan
15 oct 2022 காலகில்லா மராத்தி கவிதை நூலை வெளியிட்டு சிறப்பு செய்தது.
தேர்ந்தெடுத்த என் கவிதைகளை மராத்தியில் மொழியாக்கம் செய்த பேரா.சுமிதா கரந்திகர் கேள்விகளும் என் பதில்களும்.
Thanks to NES, Dr Varadharajan 🙏
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