A poetic tribute to Mohamul heroine Yamuna

Yamuna Vaazhntha Veedu, Thukkampalayam Theru, Kumbakonam is an unusual title for a poetry collection. Poet Manushyaputhiran, the author of the collection, says that a news report published in The Hindu was the inspiration for one of his poems, which later became the title of the collection published as a book.

Yamuna is the heroine of the novel Mohamul, penned by T. Janakiraman. The character was based on a woman who lived on Thukkampalayam Theru (street) in Kumbakonam. Fans of Mohamul have been visiting the street to catch a glimpse of the house – which still stands, albeit in a dilapidated condition – where their favourite fictional (and real) character once lived.

“Yamuna is an indestructible dream of generations, and there are many stories about her. The photograph of the house published in The Hindu disturbed me. It slightly damaged the image of the heroine of the epic,” writes Manushyaputhiran in his preface to the book. The collection was released by DMK MP Tamizhachi Thangapandian at the Chennai Book Fair. It was one of five books by Manushyaputhiran released on that day, along with his first novel, Oru Naal Vasantham.

Manushyaputhiran says that this experience could happen to anyone who goes in search of any Yamuna, because the characters ultimately live only in human hearts. “If we go in search of them, we may encounter only haunted, derelict houses. It is better to burn the bridges that link us to the house. In the poem, I have written about modern-day Yamunas. Their life stories may change, but the loss they cause in Babus (the hero of the novel) never changes. Yamunas either leave the dream house on their own or are evicted,” writes the author.

In the poem, he says that it is only the Babus who go in search of Yamunas. “No story has been written about Yamunas’ search for Babus. Yamunas, living without memories, remain permanently within us,” the poem reads.