Eager to be a part of a virtual classroom that is a melting pot of cultures and friendships? E C Sabu, an award-winning Malayalam teacher of three decades will teach Malayalam as part of a seven-month online course to a mixed group of students including professors, doctors, homemakers, and teachers who speak Marathi, Konkani, Telugu, Kannada, Urdu or any language.
The third batch of the course titled Amirtham Malayalam offered by the World Malayalee Council, Coimbatore Province will begin soon. Every year, a number of non-native speakers attend to understand Kerala’s art and culture, its landscape, people and literature. Tamil poet Avai Nayagan is one of them. Inspired by the works of Malayalam author M Mukundan,a reputed contemporary fiction writer and Paul Zacharia, another eminent fiction writer, he enrolled for the classes.
E C Sabu | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“We are neighbours. In one hour, we are in Kerala. So, naturally we are drawn to the language,” he says at a gathering where he received his course completion certificate from author, poet and translator Sukumaran, executive editor of Kalachuvadu Publications. Over 30 students from as far as Mumbai, and also from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, received their certificates at the event.
Sabu begins with easy letters, moving on to forms, sentences, grammar and translation, also giving a peek into origins of Malayalam alphabets. “The alphabets can be from Sanskrit or Tamil, so during the course we enrich our knowledge in all three languages,” adds Avai Nayagan who aims to translate short stories of O V Vijayan. There are some who join the course after reading Tamil translations of the works of literary figures like Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, MT Vasudevan Nair, ONV Kurup, and Vaikom Mohammed Basheer.
Kochi-based Bini Koshy who spent most of her time outside Kerala enrolled for the course to learn her mother tongue, read and write, and also explore the culture deeply. “Now I understand the pathos in Sugathakumari poems better. It is so enriching. Sabu sir’s teaching methodology is scientific. You understand not just the alphabets but innumerable combinations that are used while forming sentences. He also revises regularly to brush up previous lessons,” adds Bini who enrolled for the course along with her daughter who is an advocate. “My daughter wants to litigate for which local language competency is mandatory. Many students have the tendency to get into corporate law because of lack of language skills. This course helps to bridge the gap.”
Sabu can talk endlessly about his students. “I feel energised when I am with them. Their enthusiasm rubs off on to me, especially some of the retired people. They don’t miss a single class. Many join after watching Malayalam films. When they learn the language, they appreciate it better. We have to create such opportunities for other regional languages too to have a real sense of unity in diversity.”
Online classes will be held every Sunday from 11am to 12.30pm. For details, call 9486477891/ 6380701846
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