அச்சுதம் கேசவம் நாவலில் மயில் அவ்வப்போது வருவது குறித்து இலக்கிய வாசகரான ஒரு நண்பரோடு நடத்திய உரையாடல் –
நண்பர் :
Sir a little input from you will help me understanding your writing better. I asked about the peacock and its significance. When you have time please tell what was your thought process while writing it.
I am not sure whether what I understood from the book matches with what you wanted to convey. It happens with any book. But I want to understand more from different perspectives especially yours.
This is to enhance my reading experience.
Also want to know more on Neelakandan’s disappearance from a moving plane. It was difficult for me to just take it. Where did he go? Why is that disappearance?
என் பதில்:
Peacock is a leitmotif. It foretells an unique occurrence like death taking a respite in Arasur or happens before Bagawathi’s meeting with the biragi when returning from the temple, as noted in her diary entries. After that meet, she leaves a request in her diary to her descendants not to severe the Ambalapuzha connection.
It also symbolizes carnal pleasure seeking albeit with a guilt ridden conscience (splendour of the plume and the horror of the bird’s cackle and its sharp beak and nails – a charming devil).
Peacock appears in the most unusual place for migration – Calderdale, West Yorkshire and this triggers a significant happening. Teresa embarks upon her journey to India – a one way journey which she does not know at that point of time.
Mayil Nritham or Arjuna Nritham is a collateral metaphor derived from the peacock leitmotif.
Leave alone all these, you can still enjoy the story without the peacock or the bats flying around distracting you!