Noted writer TD Ramakrishnan’s translated novel Uhuru to be launched at London Book Fair on April 19

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON April 13: Malayalam’s beloved novelist, translator and screen writer TD Ramakrishnan’s novel Mama Africa’s English translation ‘Uhuru’ will be released at the London Book Fair on Wednesday, April 19.

The London Book Fair is London’s biggest event for writers, publishers and production channels of all kinds. It will be held from 18th April to 20th April at Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, London, W14 8UX.

T. D. Ramakrishnan is the author of four best-selling Malayalam novels: Alpha, Francis Itty Cora ,Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki and Mama Africa. He is the recipient of many awards including Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and prestigious Vayalar Award. He has written the script and dialogues of Olu, the opening movie of Indian Panorama in IFFI Goa 2018 directed by veteran director Shaji N Karun.

Translated by Priya K Nair and published by Ivory Books, London, ‘Uhuru’ is now available for pre-order via Amazon. Dr Priya K Nair teaches English at St Teresa’s College Kochi.

T.D. Ramakrishnan’s novel, Mama Africa, translated to English as Uhuru is a narrative that blurs the boundaries of history and myth. The narrative unfolds in the form of letters and diary entries written by Tara Vishwanath.

Tara is a writer from Uganda of Keralite origin and she was a pen-friend of the author during his college days. Ramu the author meets Sophia, Tara’s daughter at a book fair in the UAE. She tells Ramu that she has her mother’s letters, diaries and a novella and that she wants him to edit all this in order to publish it. As Tara had written in Malayalam she seeks Ramu’s help. As the narrative unfolds it is Tara who is speaking to the reader through her letters and through her fictional narrative.

Tara’s grandfather had migrated from Kerala to Uganda in 1898 when he was hired by the British for construction of railways. He married a native woman and settled down in Uganda. Later he participated in various trade union activities, and began an organization called ‘Uhuru’. Uhuru is a Swahili term meaning freedom or independence. The organization he began was based on communist ideals. His son, Tara’s father, Doctor Panicker also supported Uhuru.

Tara and her brother were brought up in a household that gave a lot of importance to politics and literature and they kept their indigenous traditions alive. She repeatedly tells us that they could recite the Ramayana and that her ancestors were scribes who were permitted to transcribe the Ramayana. There is a chapter in the novel where the iron stylus used to transcribe the holy book has a conversation with a manuscript of the Ramayana. This conversation raises questions about authorship and production of texts.

The day on which Idi Amin imposeed his rule over Uganda turns out to be a dark day for Tara who was a young schoolgirl. She is kidnapped and raped as violence is unleashed on the streets.

Tara’s life changes completely when Idi Amin’s men take her father away and kill him. Tara, her mother and brother have to receive Dr.Panicker’s dead body and we are told that after that day Tara’s brother stops speaking.

Tara turns to Mama who is the embodiment of female power for help and it is her unwavering faith in this creation of her imagination that helps her to survive the brutalities she has to face in the course of her life.

Later, Idi Amin abducts her and takes her to his village. She has to undergo genital mutilation in order to be accepted as one of the tribe. But Idi Amin is portrayed in a very different light. He is not the villainous cannibal that the western media projected him to be. Amin is an ardent and sensitive lover and Tara sees a completely different side of the feared despot. As Amin makes love to her he tells her that Asian women have always looked upon Black men with revulsion. It is the outburst of a man who has been the victim of racial prejudice in his own land.

Tara manages to escape from Idi Amin and decides to join the Uhuru. Mama continues to exert a great influence in her life, and she turns to Mama for solace.

From Mama’s perspective Tara narrates the story of the first man and woman created by God. The version of the story of origin is juxtaposed with the trauma that Tara undergoes in life. The author has succeeded in creating different planes of narration using the technique of magical realism.

Slowly Tara gains the courage to live life on her own terms without compromising or accepting any ideology that stifles her sense of identity. She realizes that despite having lived her entire life in Africa she would never be considered an African writer. She finds that Uhuru also has moved away from the founding principles that had guided their activism. Tara always remains truthful to herself and the ideals that she upholds.

T .D. Ramakrishan has written the story of Tara, but it is also the story of all women who live under despotic regimes. It is the story of people like K. P. M. Panicker who migrated to Africa in search of employment. It is the story of brutal politics as well and Tara’s body becomes the site on which toxic masculinity writes its dictates.

Towards the end of the novel as Tara is dying of AIDS she is determined to tell her story to the world as she feels that it is only by narrating the self that she can resist regimes of despots and the multiple dominator systems that choke ordinary people.