|
||
|
|
|
|
Astrology
Chat
Cityscape
Classifieds
Entertainment
Health
Matrimonial |
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
  |
A: I would put their courteousness and sense of cleanliness first. Another thing is their pride for their culture and heritage. They develop beautiful tourist spots in places that are not at all comparable with the wealth that we have. It has saddened my heart to see that we have not yet realised this. For instance, not many countries in the world can boast of a Mahabalipuram that we have here. Ancient sculpture, architecture combined with beach. It would attract more tourists if we were able to provide basic amenities to the tourists. Is it not sad that we are not able to provide these basic things and earn sizeable amount of foreign exchange, with the kind of heritage we have? The Department of Tourism has been under the charge of so many able hands - Ministers and IAS officers. Still, nothing perceptible has been done to better the conditions. Tamil Nadu has a rich number of hill resorts as compared to any other State in India. Ooty, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Yelagiri… so many. Karnataka has just one hill resort, in Nandhi Hills. The other hill resorts in the country are only in the Northeast like Darjeeling, Simla etc. The thing is, we are not utilising the best resources that we have and develop them to international standards to attract more tourists. Q: What are all the countries that you have visited in your travels? A: Almost all. With the exception South America and Antarctica, I have visited almost all the countries in all the other continents. Q: Unemployment and illiteracy are the major problems that we are faced with. What is the situation prevailing in other countries? A: Unemployment is a global problem. Even countries like America, Japan and Germany are no exceptions. As far as illiteracy is concerned, it is non-existent in the West. Similarly, poverty is not prevalent in other countries as much as it is in our country. Q: You have addressed a number of gatherings. Is there any interesting incident on the stage that you would like to share with us? A: I am avoiding public speaking these days. The main reason is that these occupy the most part of my evenings. Around 3 years ago, the Eezam Tamil writer S. Ponnudurai (Espo) said that it is the Eezam Tamil writers who are fit to be called the guides and role models for the writers here. I was in the same stage and spoke next to him. I could not subscribe to his view. There were many writers onstage and among the audience. None objected to his view. Normally I do not controvert the ideas expressed by a fellow speaker. But I could not take this. 'I agree that Eezam Tamil writers are fine among the genre,' I said. 'But it is not acceptable that they are the role models for the writers in Tamil Nadu. Such views must be substantiated with actual evidence.' That speech generated much heat in several newspapers and other periodicals. Normally I don't do this. This was a different experience, any way. Q: What are your other plans for the future? A: If you look at the society, you would find that almost every other person has a talent for writing - poetry or prose. But many do not write. If at all they write, they do not send their works to journals. And if the journals do not publish them, they assume that they do not write very well. I propose to organise a Writers' Workshop and train people to give a controlled vent to their creative talent, at an affordable fee. Further, the mental health of Tamils is not all that enviable. They do not have a clear perspective. It is only when they develop a very clear outlook on their lives and on the society that they - very hard and able workers - prosper in their lives. I am toying with the idea of developing around a 100 or 150 in the art of mental health and send them all over the State to develop others through them. There is more. But I will make them public at the right time. Q: Ra. Ki. Rangarajan, the popular Tamil short story writer and essayist conducted a camp to train aspiring writers. Is this something similar to what he did? A: He conducted training through correspondence. Mine will be a direct coaching programme, where established writers and I will conduct the classes. Q: It is said that Bharati Raja offered you an opportunity in his movies but you did not take it up. Is that true? If so what is the reason? Are you not interested or did your wife not permit you? (Wink) A: (Laughs) It happened around 12 years ago. Bharati Raja made a public announcement of it in AVM Rajeswari Hall, on the occasion of releasing a book on K. Balachander 'Iyakkunar sigaram Balachander'. People expected me to respond to his call in the same meeting. But I did not respond. Yes. My wife would not be interested in my taking to acting. But she won't stand in my way, with the slightest of persuasion from me. The thing is, I am not interested in entering the film field. I have observed during my boyhood when my father produced movies. My observation has not been a happy one. The people in that field lose their peace of mind or deprive themselves of the happiness to share with their families. In my personal opinion, not many people are happy in that field. Moreover, I am not interested in anything other than writing. I however have to agree that sometimes I do feel that I have missed something important by not responding that day! E-mail address of Lena Tamilvanan Manimekalai@eth.net --Viththagan |
| ||||||
Q: You have travelled around the entire globe. What do you feel that we are lacking as compared to other countries?
