The Poetic Language of System and Resistance: Amruthavarshini - A Marxian Reading

The Poetic Language of System and Resistance: Amruthavarshini - A Marxian Reading

Introduction: Poetic Expressions of Material Realities and Theoretical Contradictions

Literature is not born merely from a vacuum or solely from a poet's personal imagination; rather, it is also a reflection of a society's complex relations of production, class struggles, and cultural conflicts. Based on this Marxian literary philosophy, Sivadas Kanaikode's poetry collection 'Amruthavarshini' is subjected here to a comprehensive political reading.

While standing on the side of the working class regarding issues like poverty, agrarian crisis, exploitation by the ruling class, and loyalty to the mother tongue, this collection also explores the ideological contradictions of compromising with certain religious and feudal power structures on the other side. The reading of these poems progresses through Marxian-Feminist observations on how capitalism commodifies nature and the human body, and how patriarchal society renders women's domestic labor invisible.

1. Thekkupadathu (In the Teak Field)

A poem denoting agricultural labor and the resistance of the subaltern class. From a Marxist perspective, this marks the exploitation of the labor of the oppressed and the ensuing class struggle.

The power relations in the landlord-tenant (Janmi-Kudiyan) system form the main theme. 'Thevar' represents the ruling class, and the toiling masses represent the oppressed subalterns. The poem sharply criticizes capitalist/feudal exploitation where the fruit of labor is denied to the producer.

The poem strongly resists caste-feudal systems. Concepts like 'Mannappedi' and 'Pulappedi' are ideological suppressions created by the elite class. Here, the voice of the subaltern resounds.

Socio-historical context: The poem stands against the historical backdrop of Kerala's agrarian relations and caste system. It reflects the sweat and resistance of agricultural laborers.

Phrases like 'Karinju pokattedi' (Let it burn away) and 'Cherum Njarum Punaratte' (Let the mud and seedling embrace) are symbols of revolutionary change. The folk song style and rhythm strengthen the lively voice of the working class.

Questioning feudal power structures, this poem puts forward the leftist message of the liberation of the working class.

2. Naramedham (Human Sacrifice)

A poem that depicts the oppression faced by the subalterns and state/class terror. The subject is the class-based attack the ruling class unleashes on the poor. The helplessness of the working class, who fear even the basic need of hunger, and the cruelty of the capital forces that suppress them are evident here.

The phrase 'Kurunari shasthram' (Jackal science/logic) exposes the exploitative tools and pseudo-ideologies of the state. The voice of the subaltern denied justice is prominent here.

Socio-historical context: The poem reflects the backdrop of Dalit-subaltern persecution and state terror in the era of globalization. The concentration of wealth and impoverishment are reflected in it.

Images like 'Kuthivaranja hrudayam' (Slashed heart) and 'Idival vaaythala' (The blade of a thunderbolt) indicate state violence. The poem has a voice mixed with anger and sorrow.

Exposing the human sacrifices of the ruling class, the poem underlines the inevitability of a revolution against the system.

3. Thooval Karanguli (The Feathered Finger)

A poem remembering a progressive poet (O.N.V. Kurup) who faded behind the curtain of time. The Marxist idea of the social responsibility of art and literature is embedded in this.

The class consciousness here is that poetry and art are not merely for enjoyment but must become 'sharp like any golden sickle'. The poem criticizes the condition where 'women are sold' in the capitalist market.

It asks what repercussions a poet's silence brings in a society where caste discrimination and religious hatred exist. It supports progressive ideas and opposes apolitical stances.

Socio-historical context: The history of leftist cultural movements and progressive ideas in Kerala's literature forms its backdrop. Cultural decay in the neoliberal era is also a subject here.

Symbols like 'Ponnarival' (Golden Sickle) and 'Shavakudeeram' (Tomb) evoke communist ideals and revolution. The style is a blend of nostalgia and a sense of loss.

Conveying the Marxist message that art should be on the side of the working class, the poem resists right-wing deviations in the cultural sphere.

4. Kuchelam

A poem that deconstructs the Krishna-Kuchela myth. It subjects class inequalities to a rereading through a Marxist school of thought.

The poem argues that the class division of the 'haves' and 'have-nots' is not the creation of God or fate, but a product of the social system. The contradiction between the wealth of Dwaraka and the poverty of Kuchela shows the inequality in the distribution of capital.

The poem rejects the religious hegemonic idea that views poverty as a virtue. The class consciousness of the poor (Kuchela) awakens here. This is a critique of how religion obscures realities.

Socio-historical context: Kuchela's questions become relevant against the backdrop of modern capitalist society, where an unequal distribution of wealth exists. This is the realization that poverty is not a romantic concept.

Dialectical images like 'Jeernicha olakkuda' (Decayed palm-leaf umbrella) and 'Varnnavaibhavam' (Splendor of colors) reveal class differences. The interrogative narrative style directly challenges authority.

Advocating for classless egalitarian love, the poem successfully exposes the exploitative structures within religious myths.

5. Mandaram

A poem about the tendency to possess nature and beauty. Environmental exploitation and alienation can be seen from a Marxist ecological perspective.

This is a subtle expression of the capitalist system where the non-worker enjoys the fruits of labor. Plucking a flower 'without thinking of who planted and watered it' is equivalent to the capitalist claiming ownership over the worker's product.

The poem criticizes the capitalist ideology that views beauty and nature as commodities for personal consumption. The silence of the working class is reflected here.

Socio-historical context: The backdrop is a modern society where environmental exploitation and a neoliberal consumer culture have strengthened. The tendency to acquire what is not one's own using power is seen here.

Natural scenes like 'Malayamaruthan' (Mountain breeze) and 'Shalabhachumbanam' (Butterfly's kiss) indicate the flower's naturalness and the violence of plucking it. A poetic yet critical tone.

By questioning human invasion over nature and capital's invasion over labor, the poem achieves a strong political dimension.

6. Taj Mahal

A love poem set against the backdrop of the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz's love can be subjected to a historical and Marxist reading.

Even as the poem praises love, the labor and sweat of thousands of workers who built the 'pure white marble beauty' are rendered invisible. This indicates how only the emotions of the ruling class become history.

It represents the feudal/imperial ideology that glorifies the romance and emotionality of kings. The voice of the construction workers is completely silenced here.

Socio-historical context: While the majestic power and wealth of the Mughal Empire serve as the backdrop, the class division and labor exploitation of the royal era lie hidden within it.

Symbols like 'Mughal Empire' and 'Yamunayam Qalb' (The heart that is Yamuna) are mixed images of power and love. A lyrical style.

Even while ostensibly having love as its theme, this poem leaves behind Marxist questions about the working-class history buried beneath the monuments of the ruling class.

7. Karuka (Durga Grass)

A poem set against the backdrop of post-death rituals and property division. In a Marxist view, this is an analysis of private property and economic relations within the family.

The poem shows how economic interests (property/shares) determine family relationships more than emotional bonds. The capitalist decay where even death becomes a tool for economic division is clear in this.

This is a critique of how the greed for private property commodifies human relations. Capital holds dominance, not love or empathy.

Socio-historical context: This is the reality of the Kerala middle-class society that shifted from the joint family system to the nuclear family, and from there to absolute selfishness.

Images like 'Pakuthi ventha mamsangal' (Half-cooked meats) and 'Chithalu vayichedutha kaiyaksharam' (Handwriting eaten by termites) indicate decay and death. A tone mixed with despair and mockery.

Showing how much the system of private property turns humans into animals, this poem sharply criticizes economic power structures.

8. Perunkalaperumal

A poem of strong protest against the commercialization of Kerala's identity and culture. The Marxist critique of cultural imperialism is visible here.

The lines 'The time when drinking water was sold, the time when Malayalam was sold' expose the capitalist commodification of natural resources and the mother tongue. The poem opposes neoliberal policies that turn everything into a commodity.

The poem rejects development ideas based on profit greed. Against the ruling-class bias that sells out the environment and culture, the voices of the subaltern and nature resonate here.

Socio-historical context: A backdrop illustrating the environmental destruction and cultural degradation in Kerala post-globalization. The intrusion of land mafias and corporates.

Literary techniques: Images like 'Pakshippanikkalam' (Bird flu season) and 'Irikkappindangal' (Ritual offerings for the living) represent death and destruction. A rhythmic yet extremely furious style.

Challenging market-centric power systems, this poem is a strong leftist warning about a society heading towards complete destruction.

9. Piravam Oru Sundari (Piravam is a Beauty)

The poem 'Piravam Oru Sundari' is a perfect example of how a land's culture and literature are connected to its material conditions. The 'beauty' of Piravam described by the poet is not merely a romantic sight; rather, it is also a picture of the political economy related to the water sources that are the lifeline of the people there, and their utilization. This poem can be read against a popular-Marxian backdrop as follows:

Natural Resources as Commons: Muvattupuzha River and other rivers in the poem are not mere descriptive images. In the Marxian view, natural resources, including land and water, are means of production. The line "The river of love that flows elusively" can be read as water wealth that must be brought to the lowest strata of society through public interventions. The water projects in areas like Edappallichira, Kakkad, and Kombanamala signify how this natural resource is socialized for the basic needs of a population.

Welfare State and Infrastructure: The funds spent by the government for pipeline renovation in Edappallichira are a crucial state intervention to ensure the basic needs of the people. 'Blessed travel paths' mentioned in the poem can be connected not just as holy journeys, but as water distribution networks that deliver drinking water equally to the people. Solving drinking water scarcity is a step towards a classless society made possible through the equal distribution of resources.

Material Basis of Secularism: True unity becomes possible when the material needs of society (food, water, shelter) are equally met. When reading the line "Truths that live breaking the walls of religion" in the context of water projects, a grand political reality is revealed: the drinking water that reaches every home regardless of religion provides a strong material base for secularism in the cultural superstructure. Diverting the capital sent by expats into such basic developments indicates the economic stability of modern urbanization.

Dialectics of Tradition and Modernity: While historical images like 'Pazhoor Padippura' mark the old feudal/princely state system, the new water distribution projects represent modernity and urbanization. Piravam in the poem is the dialectical synthesis of these two eras. The evolution of a city progressing through popular development projects while retaining traditional knowledge and cultural symbols is clear here.

When analyzing the poem in the context of the basic class's life needs, it is understood that the beauty of a land is not merely nature, but 'the survival of a thirst-less population'. As clean water reaches Kakkad, Kombanamala, and Edappallichira, this political reading underlines how much basic infrastructure development makes a land a 'beauty'. In a complete sense, the beauty of modern Piravam is the synthesis of nature, labor, and state intervention.

10. Nishvasa Onam (The Sighing Onam)

'Nishvasa Onam' is a poem that depicts the invisible labor of women against the backdrop of Onam celebrations. It is a powerful political work that reveals the gender exploitation and inequality hidden within colorful cultural festivities.

Unpaid Labor: One of the fundamental arguments of Marxian feminism is that capitalism and patriarchy survive on the unpaid domestic labor of women. It is through this free service of women that the workers needed for the capitalist system are raised and their labor power is maintained (Social Reproduction Theory). When the mother in the poem sheds her sweat to prepare Onam for others, that labor is not given any economic or social value. This is a critique of the system where 'value' is assigned only to the wage-earning man's labor outside.

Ideological Masking: The poem exposes the ideology that romanticizes the hard work of women—who work longer hours in the kitchen than men—using emotional terms like 'maternal love', 'duty to family', and 'sacrifice', thereby masking exploitation. "A mother cooling her sweat to serve her children" is not merely an expression of love, but a direct view of systemic exploitation.

While the celebrations and feast unfolding outside become part of the cultural superstructure, the material conditions necessary for it are prepared in the production center called the kitchen. The image 'A small kitchen' indicates the domestic prison. The woman sweating to cook food is alienated from the fruits of her labor and excluded from the true joys of the festival.

Welfare State Policies and Class Consciousness: The realization that women's labor in the kitchen is not free, but an exploitation, leads to the modern political thought that domestic labor should be remunerated. Leftist movements and governments in Kerala discussing welfare schemes, including 'pensions for housewives', are part of officially recognizing this invisible labor as 'labor'. In this context, it becomes clear that the mother in the poem is not just a helpless woman, but a 'worker' subjected to exploitation without receiving well-deserved wages or rest.

Although the poet might have written those lines as a romantic sorrow, from the perspective of Marxian political science, this is a major declaration of political rights. Resisting the patriarchal family system, this poem reminds us of the necessity for governments to assign historical value to the sweat of the silenced female worker.

11. Varoo, Thiruvoname (Come, Thiruvonam)

A poem about an Onam season filled with poverty and separation. It represents human life that does not give up hope even amidst economic deprivations.

Although Onam is a concept of equality, the poem shows how economic hardships affect common people in reality. The phrase 'Pounding sorrow into rice' clarifies the economic miseries and survival struggles faced by the poor.

The main idea is the willpower of the working/common class trying to survive, disregarding poverty. An attempt to overcome class distinctions with hope.

Socio-historical context: This could be the backdrop of Gulf migration or migration in search of jobs. The social reality of expatriate families in Kerala is reflected through the woman waiting for her beloved.

The metaphor 'Cooking it into rice on the smoky stove of imagination' beautifully portrays dreams amidst nothingness. A tone mixed with melancholy and hope.

The poem gives the message of how economic realities negate the myth of equality, yet the toiling human does not abandon hope.

12. Ruchi (Taste)

A poem that fiercely criticizes fast-food culture and consumer capitalism. In a Marxist view, this is the commercialization of food.

Food, a basic human need, becomes a toxic commodity for corporate profit. Burgers and Kuzhimanthi clarify the cultural invasion of the capitalist market and how they exploit the human body for profit.

Ideological critique: The poem strongly opposes the consumer culture promoted by global capitalism. It exposes the logic of the market that prioritizes profit over health.

Socio-historical context: The widespread shift in food culture in Kerala following neoliberal economic policies. The era when indigenous food habits were destroyed and global food chains established dominance.

Phrases like 'Rotten chicken leg' and 'The finishing point of lifespan' visualize the horror and death of capitalist food culture. A style filled with mockery and criticism.

By showing how capital conquers the human body and taste, the poem becomes a strong political critique against consumer capitalism.

13. Thottavan (The Loser)

The soliloquy of someone branded as socially failed. This poem questions capitalist metrics of success in a Marxist manner.

Capitalist society classifying people as winners and losers is part of competitive production relations. He who has to bury his face for an 'odd number beyond zero' despite sacrificing everything for others is a representative of the exploited class.

The poem rejects the ruling-class concept of meritocracy. It indirectly argues that success is often the result of exploitation, and 'the loser' is a victim of the social structure.

Socio-historical context: The backdrop of modern education and employment sectors where unhealthy competition exists. A society that gives more importance to money and success than human values.

Literary techniques: Symbols like 'Headless kite' and 'Copper plates/awards' denote powerlessness and denial of social recognition. A tone mixed with self-reproach but also disdain for the system.

By recognizing that individual failure is a creation of the system, the poem dismantles capitalist constructs regarding success and failure.

14. Shareeram (Body)

A poem denoting old age and the human body becoming something devoid of value. The commodification of human relations becomes the theme here.

In the capitalist system, a body that loses productivity (old age) becomes something to be discarded. The father's body becoming an object useful only to ants and termites shows the absolute alienation of humans.

The poem sharply criticizes the capitalist idea of utilitarianism. The reality that there is no place for elderly humans in the ledger of profit and loss is revealed here.

Socio-historical context: A direct picture of contemporary Kerala society where joint families break down to form nuclear families, and the elderly are left orphaned.

Images like 'Eating the flesh to make a shell like colored paper' and 'The sound of a kitchen knife striking a glass table' indicate cruelty and mechanicalness. A very sharp and sorrowful tone.

Proving how emotionless capital makes human relations, the poem puts the power system that only looks at productivity in the dock.

15. Oottudiyan

A poem about subaltern/Dalit cultural rituals and their deities. This is a cultural critique of class-caste inequalities.

The elite class uses the subaltern (Malapandaram/Oottadiyan) for their problem-solving and exorcisms. It is clear how those at the very bottom of the economic and social power structure are exploited.

The poem resists caste hierarchy and Brahmanical hegemony. The line 'No one should touch the rice without me saying so' is a declaration of rights by the working class and a challenge to authority.

Socio-historical context: The poem is set against the backdrop of the position of subalterns in Kerala's agrarian-social history, and the caste system that kept them away from the mainstream.

The rhythm of Thottam Pattu like 'Thakida tharikida they' and folk images give the poem a subaltern identity. An intense and passionate tone.

By marking the subaltern's uprising against cultural suppressions, the poem speaks strong class politics.

16. Mathrubhasha (Mother Tongue)

A poem proclaiming the importance and heritage of the mother tongue. This can be read as a resistance against cultural invasion.

The poem indirectly addresses education becoming a class apparatus. Against the elitist English/foreign language invasion, the poem upholds the mother tongue, which is the language of the common man and nature.

The poem resists monolithic cultural ideas created by globalization. It supports the indigenous identity and the local dialect of the working class.

Socio-historical context: The backdrop is the contemporary cultural crisis in Kerala where English medium schools have become widespread, and the Malayalam language is marginalized.

Images like 'Pachamashithandu' (Peperomia stem) and 'Slate with broken edges' represent rurality and ordinariness. An affectionate and nostalgic style.

In an era where capital swallows language and culture, reclaiming the mother tongue is also a cultural class struggle, the poem reminds us.

17. Oru Karshakante Vilpathram (A Farmer's Will)

A poem about the end of life of a farmer trapped in debt. A direct picture of the agrarian crisis and farmer suicides in the era of globalization.

The poem shows how neoliberal economic policies impoverish farmers, and how state terror like bank 'foreclosure notices' takes lives. This is the complete alienation of the farmer from the means of production (land).

The poem sharply criticizes the capitalist development model based on profit greed. The farmer here is a helpless victim of the system.

Socio-historical context: The dark history of farmer suicides in Wayanad, Kuttanad, across Kerala, and India as a whole is behind this poem.

'The stream where leeches graze' and 'Chembavu rice field' are rural agricultural images. The phrase 'Voluntary death' shows extreme despair and a tragic end.

As the lament of the agrarian class murdered by the exploitation of the state and capital, this poem puts state power on trial.

18. Kannaki

A poem that reimagines the myth of Kannaki from Silappatikaram against the backdrop of contemporary violence against women. A strong Marxist-Feminist work.

The poem argues that it is the combination of the patriarchal system and class power that exploits women. The class politics of the subaltern woman becoming a victim to the 'blood offerings' of royal power (state) is present here.

The poem fiercely opposes the 'chariot wheel speeds of male supremacy'. The poem supports Kannaki's vengeful Durga persona to burn down the hegemonic idea of patriarchy. The anger of the woman is the main voice here.

Socio-historical context: The backdrop of increasing atrocities against women and children, and modern social realities where justice is denied. 'When fire spreads in petrol', 'Hot tears', and other intense images evoke revolution and armed struggle. A tone filled with extreme wrath and fighting spirit.

The poem declares that the revolutionary uprising of womankind is inevitable to smash established patriarchal-capitalist structures.

19. Kalaminiyumurulum, Vishu Varum.... (Time Will Roll On, Vishu Will Come)

A poem about memories and losses against the backdrop of the Vishu festival. Through personal losses, social alienation can also be read.

Vishu, which was part of the rural agricultural culture, has now shrunk to mere memories and symbols. This shows human alienation from nature in mechanical modern life.

The ideology of praising a romanticized past is in the poem. Yet, in a rapidly changing world, an approach that values human relationships and memories more than consumer goods is evident.

Socio-historical context: This reminder comes in the contemporary context of Kerala, where agricultural ties have broken and festivals have become merely market-centric.

Images like 'Vishukkanikkonna' (Golden shower flower), 'Valkindi' (Spouted pitcher), and 'Fear of death' indicate the transience of life and tradition. A melancholic yet hopeful style.

Despite the lack of bonds created by capitalism, this poem reminds us of the cultural roots and human emotions that sustain humanity.

20. Njan Football (I am Football)

The basic right of "8 hours labor, 8 hours recreation, 8 hours rest" was won by workers shedding blood at Haymarket Square in Chicago (1886). However, the poem 'Njan Football' accurately illustrates how global capitalism exploits this 'leisure time' that workers earned through historical struggles.

Commodification of Leisure Time: Capitalism turned the free time and small disposable income workers got through strikes into a market. The lines "Galleries erupt, the fantasies of a 24.3 billion dollar increase in global GDP" point to this reality. Today's football is the face of the Culture Industry, transforming workers' leisure moments into an industry to extract money.

Society of the Spectacle: After hard work in the factory, the worker should think about the liberation of his own class. But capitalism turns sports into a hyper-real spectacle and diverts their attention. The line "The applause of patriotism in the footfalls of world nations" is a direct view of this. Sitting in the galleries and blindly shouting slogans for countries and clubs, workers forget the daily economic exploitation they suffer. Such entertainments become the new 'opium of the masses' for governments and capital forces to control people.

Technology & Idolization: The growth of technology globalized football and reduced athletes to mere products. The superstars mentioned in the poem are merely marketing strategies of this global industry. The poem sharply criticizes the neoliberal economic structure where individuals are turned into idols to sell brands, and corporates reap billions in profit.

The Proletariat and Alienation: The most powerful Marxian symbol in this poem is the 'ball' itself. The helplessness spoken by the ball in the final lines of the poem is also the helplessness of the worker: "Am I not just a pawn of achievements... destined to be kicked around!" The ball here is a symbol of the working class. While sponsors and corporates take all the profit, on the field the ball, the player, and the worker paying to watch the game in the gallery are equally exploited and alienated from the fruits of their labor.

The free time people gained as a result of the Chicago strike laid the foundation for the modern entertainment industry. But the same capitalism that exploited the worker's labor in factories later exploited their entertainment in the galleries. The poem 'Njan Football' is not just about sports; rather, it is the vigorous political voice of the ball (the worker), representing the proletariat, exploited in the name of entertainment.

21. Amma Oru Kunkumam (Mother is Saffron)

A poem describing the national flag and nationalism. From a Marxist perspective, the construction of nationalism in this can be critically approached.

Nationalism is an Ideological State Apparatus used by governments to maintain political power. The tendency to cover up people's real problems (class struggle, poverty) using emotional symbols (the flag) can be read in this.

Phrases like 'In my nation's veins' support state nationalism. When bringing diversities under one flag, the political realities of the marginalized are silenced.

Socio-historical context: In the contemporary situation in India, where nationalism and cultural symbols are weaponized politically, such romantic descriptions have complex layers of meaning.

The colors saffron, green, and white are compared to family symbols of father, mother, and child. A patriarchal national style viewing the country as a family.

Even while making it seem like celebrating diversity, the fundamental idea of this poem sustains nationalist concepts that divert public attention from real class issues.

22. Amruthavarshini

The romantic devotional poem 'Amruthavarshini', which describes the Krishna-Radha romance and nature, accurately exposes the feudal ideas and religiosity it hides. Devoid of the toiling human or material realities, this poem is a reflection of a wealthy upper-class aesthetic sense.

Feudalism and Power Dynamics: The lives of the Gopis and cows revolving around Krishna, a center of power, is an allegorical representation of the feudal master-serf relationship. The poem favors the power ideas of religion and devotion. An upper-class aesthetic that views nature merely as a playground for lovers lies hidden here. The voice of real humans is absent here.

Patriarchy and Gender Inequality: When the Krishna concept in this poem glorifies relationships with multiple women (polygamy/polyamory), it stands contrary to the 'monogamy' concept in modern democratic society. The male-female relationship in the Bhakti movement is often a transformed version of the master-slave relationship. When the 'center of power' called Krishna stands on one side, and numerous Gopis and Rukmini waiting for his favor stand on the other, the woman's individuality is denied there. A woman's love and body being divided as 'public property' under male authority is a clear sign of feudal patriarchy.

Alienation of Women: When Krishna having relations with many women is portrayed as a 'divine play', the double standard of denying such freedom to women is evident in the poem. The romantic devotional language in the poem actually covers up the emotional exploitation and invisibilized pains of women by giving them the drug of 'devotion'.

Elitist Imagery and Social Reality: By using elitist and Sanskritized images like 'Mukthaphalangal' (Pearls), 'Sarangi', and 'Navaneethachoran' (Butter thief), the poem deliberately stays away from the life realities of the common man. The poet's style is of a high lineage detached from rustic life. When describing Krishna's romantic plays, the hard work or social suppressions of ordinary women of that time are not reflected in the poem.

Socio-Historical Context: This work is a clear example of how the influence of the Bhakti movement, formed in the medieval period to escape material poverty, continues to control cultural consciousness even in modern times.

In short, 'Amruthavarshini' sustains feudal values that hide social realities and power inequalities under the veil of myths and devotion. It can undoubtedly be said that this romanticization hinders discussions on gender equality in real life.

23. Mahatmaji

A poem about the collapse of Gandhiji's values in modern India. The poem criticizes the intrusion of capitalist-right-wing ideologies.

Through "The fakir who was priced/auctioned", the poem points out how the ruling class turned Gandhi into a brand (commodification) for their economic profits. Bulldozers (state machinery) silence the wails of those at the bottom.

This poem can be seen as a resistance against fascism and imperialism. The poem strongly opposes communal/capitalist ideologies where secularism is destroyed and minorities/subalterns are hunted.

Socio-historical context: Contemporary Indian politics where neoliberal policies and Hindutva agendas work together. The reality of the poor being marginalized in the name of development.

Sharp images like 'Bulldozers', 'Bloodstains', and 'The fakir who was priced' visualize the terror of power. A critical and sorrowful tone.

This is a poem that puts on trial, from a leftist perspective, the state-capitalist terror that swallows even Gandhian symbols, and the helplessness of the oppressed.

24. Girijan Marar

This poem, which praises the art and dedication of instrumentalist Girijan Marar, is on the surface a beautiful poetic expression of sounds and rhythms. However, when read from a Marxian perspective, it becomes clear how the poem romanticizes and renders invisible the labor of the artist and the complex power-class structures within temple arts.

Art is a product, and the artist is a worker who produces it through his physical labor. But the poem elevates Marar's labor into a spiritual concept called 'Nadabrahman' (the divine sound). This ideology, which hails art as divine and superhuman, deliberately hides the material realities and economic exploitation the artist faces in the power-economic structures of festival grounds. Eulogizing images like 'The elephant trunk of Panchavadyam' and 'The jingle of Pandi rhythm' lend strength to this concealment.

The most striking Marxian contradiction in the reading of this poem exists in the use of musical instruments. The Chenda and Idakka are made of wood and animal skin. Even though they are physically the same raw materials, the system of temple rituals (Superstructure) creates a strict hierarchy between them:

The loud Chenda, requiring hard physical labor, is branded an 'Asura vadyam' (Demon instrument) and kept outside the sanctum sanctorum.

Meanwhile, the Idakka, requiring soft labor, is considered a 'Deva vadyam' (Divine instrument) and given a place at the Sopanam in front of the sanctum sanctorum.

Conveniencing forgetting the 'impurity' of the very same skin, this is an example of how savarna power structures construct purity and impurity in a way that favors them. Even when the instrument Marar plays is kept outside the sanctum, the poem praising it as 'Nadabrahman' is to justify this systemic discrimination.

Alienation: The line "Girijan forgets space and time" superficially shows an artist completely merging with his art. However, this can be read as the alienation of the worker destined to live only in the world of art, disconnected from surrounding socio-economic realities and the discriminations he faces. The artist is alienated from the material fruits of his labor.

Exploitation and Cultural Hegemony: "When the oil runs out, the hand's skill pouring the nectar of Chenda rhythm into the lamp of sound" indicates hard labor lasting all night. There is the helplessness of a traditional artist obligated to secrete the nectar of art even when physically exhausted. Also, Marar becoming "Humble/Submissive" without asking questions of the system is a sign of the submissiveness cultural hegemony perpetually expects from a serf.

This poem does not question the irrationality and power dynamics of the system that categorizes instruments made of wood and skin into Asura and Deva instruments. Instead, it merely celebrates the sweat of Girijan Marar toiling outside the sanctum by adorning it with the romantic veil of 'Nadabrahman', helping to maintain the status quo of that existing exploitative system.

25. Mambazham (Mango)

A poem recalling Vyloppilli's famous poem 'Mambazham' and the poet. It connects personal sorrow with nature.

Though there is no class struggle at first glance, in a Marxist reading, one can see the emotional alienation and helplessness a human (mother) experiences before the inevitability of death. The anxiety of future generations losing the right to the product (mango).

It contains the romantic idea of trying to overcome losses through nature's solace. Personal sorrow is given more importance here than social structures.

Socio-historical context: Kerala's agrarian-rural background and the importance of children in joint families. The history of old-world innocence and losses.

Natural scenes like the mango, wind, and beetles represent the cycle of life. An emotional tone mixed with nostalgia and sorrow.

Without questioning socio-political power structures, this poem is a cultural remembrance that revels in the romantic realms of human emotions and nature.

26. Buddham Sharanam Gachami

A work set against the backdrop of the story of Vasavadatta from Kumaran Asan's 'Karuna'. A strong critique of female sexuality and patriarchal exploitation. Here, the commodification of the body is key. Vasavadatta's body is merely a product for the wealthy and ruling class to experience. It holds the cruel class reality that when consumption is over, capitalist/patriarchal society throws her into the cremation ground.

The poem exposes the patriarchal power idea that views woman merely as an object of consumption. The poem argues that the legal system (judge) is always on the side of the rich, and the exploited woman is criminalized.

Socio-historical context: An ancient Buddhist backdrop pointing fingers at contemporary issues like sex work, power systems, and double standards in law. 'Voluptuous beauty' and 'The cremation ground where all ties are broken among headless corpses' are images that depict the class difference from luxury to extreme downfall.

This is a Marxist-Feminist critique that incisively questions the system where patriarchy and the state collude to exploit the female body and later discard it.

Conclusion: The Politics of Poetry - Resistance and Transformation

Sivadas Kanaikode's poetry collection 'Amruthavarshini' points towards the complex political contradictions in Kerala's social life. This work is a perfect example of how literature reflects power structures and class relations in society, moving beyond mere personal imagination.

1. Class Consciousness and Resistance

The fighting spirit of the subaltern class against capitalist-feudal systems blazes in poems like 'Thekkupadathu', 'Naramedham', and 'Oottadiyan'. When the state and capital forces collude to suppress the common man, poetry becomes a political weapon there. In accordance with Marxist philosophies, these poems uncompromisingly present the rights struggles and agrarian crises of the working class.

2. The Politics of Gender Justice and Poetic Contradictions

In a patriarchal society, the poet sharply criticizes the invisibilized domestic labor of women and the exploitation the power system conducts over their bodies. Even as the leftist government in Kerala implements revolutionary changes like providing pensions to housewives, poems like 'Nishvasa Onam' and 'Kannaki' strongly question the gender discriminations that still need to change socially.

However, the poem 'Amruthavarshini' puts forward a male hegemonic stance that is completely contrary to this. While 'Kannaki' challenges patriarchy, 'Amruthavarshini' romanticizes feudal values under the guise of devotion and myths. The Krishna concept in it glorifies the division of female bodies and love under one male center of power (polyamory). Instead of addressing the real issues of women, this poem, which reduces them to a mere plaything for men, stands as a major political contradiction in the collection's discussions on gender justice.

3. Contradictions and Polyphony

It is noteworthy that revolutionary consciousness and romantic traditionalism shadow this collection equally. While some poems challenge authority, others romanticize feudal values. This should be viewed as a reflection of society in a transitional period, rather than merely the internal contradictions of a poet.

About the Author

Sivadas Kanaikode was born as the third son of Akkaraparambil Kunjan and Bhavani in the Kanaikode locality of Edakkattuvayal Panchayat in Ernakulam district. He completed his education at Kanaikode L.P. School, Veliyanad St. Paul's High School, and Thalayolaparambu D.B. College.

Active in the world of writing for an entire era, he previously published a poetry collection titled 'Karnnavakyam'. Pride in his land's heritage, active participation in art and cultural movements, and the presence of writer friends shaped him into a litterateur.

Summary

In short, Sivadas Kanaikode's poems are a historical document; they are the voice of the common man fighting against poverty, exploitation, and loss of identity. These poems underline the leftist cultural stance that literature is not merely an aesthetic experience but also a political tool for social change. This poetry collection stands before readers as a continuous dialogue for the oppressed and marginalized.

Book Details

Title: Amruthavarshini (Poems)

Author: Sivadas Kanaikode

Publisher: Click Communications, Cochin

Price: ₹150