Review: കൂട്ടം തെറ്റി മേയുന്നവർ | Koottam Thetti Meyyunnavar

കൂട്ടം തെറ്റി മേയുന്നവർ | Koottam Thetti Meyyunnavar by M. Mukundan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read several works from M. Mukundan's Biblography, and perhaps this is the first one, which I read that was not read in the author's beloved Mayyazhi (Mahe).

Kootam thetti Meyyunnavar (Those who graze away from the flock), is written more in the vein of something that his contemporaries such as M T VASUDEVAN NAIR or Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai would've penned. Yet still, there is the spiritual signature of our writer evident. Whether it be in the cruel indifferent passage of time, or the hapless protagonist who is a victim of their own choices and ideals.

One of the defining conflicts in the life of our protagonist, Prakashan, is poverty, something which she shares with protagonists written by most writers at the time. Whether this is a reflection of the dire, pitiable state of the Indian society at the time, or a common string which inspired the muse of much of our prolific Malayalam writers.

The other major conflict is his seemingly innocuous decision to grow his hair out. In the society that was largely conforming, conservative and somewhat bigoted, this somehow turned from a superficial facet of one's personality, to a defiant delinquent which rankled the egos of those in positions of power. Ones who, unfortunately could dictate key tenets of education and employment for our hero. Essentially turning him into a social pariah, as well as an object of ridicule and derision.

It reminded me, of another, more comedic and satirical work, വിശ്വവിഖ്യാതമായ മൂക്ക് Viswavikhyathamaya Mookku (The world-renowned Nose), by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, where a Nose, not hair, began wars and toppled regimes.

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