My Early Experience with My Writings And A Pleasant Memory With A Great Poet

(A Little Writer is Born)

My Early Experience with my writing carrier. Some pleasant memories of my childhood days and my most valuable moments with my mentor, world renowned evangelist and writer and hymn writer M C Cherian Sir of Madurai. Please read on..

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Some of the co- writer's write-ups put my memory back to my school days, Yes, it happened when I was in my 6th or 7th grade. 

 I was an avid reader and whatever comes to hand, I read. Newspapers, weeklies, magazines and books were my favorites. In our village (Valanjavttom, near Thiruvalla, Kerala) there was a library Called Gandhiji Smaaraka (memorial) Library, I was a regular visitor and borrower of books from this library. I read many of the books novels short stories and poems of many major writers of the Malayalam language.

A photograph taken when M E Cherian Sir
 visited the Bahrain Brethren Assembly in1975.  MEC Sitting in the Middle
Credit: bahrainbrethren.com.© bahrainbrethren.com.
  

Malayalam newspaper's Kathukal (letters) column attracted me a lot and I started sending letters to this column. Immediately after sending letters to the newspapers I eagerly wait for the next day's paper to see my letters, but nothing published, again I send nothing published. This continued for few days without any result. Days and months passed I could not find any result. I was really frustrated at that but my passion for newspapers and writings did not stop me there, instead with more care I prepared letters and send. One fine morning as usual when I picked up the daily I found my letter printed with my name. I was overjoyed by seeing my name in print that too in one of the major and famous publication called Malayala Manorama. (The largest circulated Malayalam daily in Kerala and also the leading and largest circulated vernacular daily in India). www.manoramaonline.com

Though after a good number of rejections, the printed letter made me so happy and it made me to write more. Again I jotted down many things in my note books under the headings short stories, mini stories, poems and prose etc.

About that time I heard about a Christian magazine called "Suviseshakan" (Evangelist) published by a well known evangelist from Madurai (Tamil Nadu State). I thought of sending some of my writings to that magazine and I picked up some of the jottings from my note book and copied it in a paper and send it to the Editor. A week later I received a letter from the editor saying, 'the story which you send is good and will publish it in one of the coming issues, but the song is not up to the mark but don't give up, write more ok!! Reading the editor's letter I could not control myself, with joy I jumped up and down. My first story is going to see the light of the day, that too in M E Cherian Sir's Magazine. (A word about M E Cherian, lovingly known or called as M E C or Cherian Sir. (Before becoming an evangelist he was a high school teacher, so most of the people called him Cherian Sir).

Here is an intersting video--A narration of MEC's Paadathe Praave. Khanda Kaavyam. Please Click on the link

Paadathe Praave 

 

Later he become a well known Christian preacher, teacher, song writer and a poet in the Malayalam language. A good number of his Christian melodies are sung by the Malayalees (Keralaites) Christians in their congregations in worships as well as at other occasions all over the world. He published many books on spiritual subjects).

Here is a YouTube video, an interesting narration of the story of Ruth from the Holy Bible, 'Book of Ruth', under the title, "Paadathe Praave"

This small but great incident in my life encouraged me much. This made me to write more. Again I send another article, story and a song to Cherian Sir. With in a short span I received his reply saying, 'Your article and story I will publish it in one of the coming issues after a few corrections. It seems you are more talented in writing articles, think on that line and do write more. May God bless." This note of MEC, I read again and again. There was no limit for my happiness.

A few months later I came to know about MEC's arrival to Kumbanad (A Christian convention centre in Kerala) for the annual convention of Brethren Assemblies, as a preacher. This yearly convention takes place on December last week and goes on to January first week. Every year my parents used to attend these annual conventions. I was so eager to meet Cherian Sir and I expressed this desire to my Dad and he agreed at once. The day came, with my parents I went for the meetings at the centre. We met MEC and my Dad introduced me to Cherian Sir. He recognized the little writer and with much joy he greeted me. I expressed my heartfelt thanks to MEC for his encouragement.

Immediately he took a copy of the current issue of Suviseshakan (January) and handed over to me and said, "one of your articles is published in this issue" then he patted on my shoulder and encouraged me. The loving touch of that famous personality and those joyous moments I can't forget in my life. This was the beginning of my writing life. 

Later, after his departure from this earth the  Y M E F published a souvenir (M E Cherian Smaranika), under the editorship of Br. George Koshy, Mylapra.   The editor published this small incident in the souvenir.   A Malayalam version of that story you can read Here

Source:

M E Cherian Smaranika ( Sovenir)
Knol.Google.com's P V Ariel's Knol Pages

Pic. Credit: www.bahrainbrethren.com