NetturP’s literary activitiess span more than half a century. Commencing from discussions and debates conducted at various fora such as school and college associations, young men's associations, intercollegiate debates, he moved on to journalism and matured to become a seasoned author.
He published many articles on contemporary affairs in leading periodicals of the country, and his works were serialised by some. As the Chief Editor of the daily :Dinaprabha”, his editorials were marked for their content as well as strong and flowery language.
Highlights of his books can be seen in the following pages ….
Narmadayude Nattil ( In the land of Narmada ) – A travelogue covering the course of the Narmada river.
Drawing from his vast and varied experience as a freedom fighter, active politician, member of the first Lok Sabha and above all – a humanist, deeply committed to the welfare of the tribal people of India, the author had penned this book in the late sixties. The book takes the reader through a largely unknown area of the country with one common link that of River Narmada, from its origin all through its free-flowing course in central India up to Hirankood. Written long before the emergence of ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ struggle, this book presents the story and first hand information on the pre-‘Sardar Sarovar’ realities, as it existed there half a century ago.
This is the English Translation of NetturP’s first publication in Malayalam, “Narmadayude Nattil”
Translation has been done by Pradeep Nettur, the author’s eldest son. ‘In the land of Narmada’, originally published in Malayalam in 1973 as a travelogue, is a work wherein the author shares a mix of experiences and thought processes that he lived through during his extensive travels in the lands where River Narmada flows. It is a fine literary product from a mind conscientiously moulded in the crucible of freedom struggle. The free-flowing narration not only touches the places he visited but also holds a mirror on the beliefs, traditions, history, geography, culture and the emerging developments of the places and life of the people.
This book was prescribed by the University of Kerala as a text book for graduate studies for a number of years during the seventies. Late S. K. Pottekkat, an accomplished travelogue writer himself and a Jnanpith Awardee, had this to say, while initially introducing the book to the readers: “…this work amply proves that Nettur is a good travelogue writer. Keen observation, knowledge of history and propensity for deft narration are the essential attributes of a travelogue writer. All these attributes can be seen inwoven well in this book…”
(Scrolls of My Life Experiences)
The book is a reminiscence of the life that the author lived from childhood to the day, when the country was getting ready to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Independence. It vividly gives the ring side view of the happenings on the ground, seen by the author as a school boy, a highly motivated student leader, a budding journalist, a full-time freedom fighter, an evolving writer, a cultural ambassador and a political leader. The surging spirit of the freedom struggle around him and the ground level happenings during the period that formed the early part of his life are traced with details of the events and the participants, including leaders who guided the events.
This memoir gives information on every struggle undertaken by the people in quest of freedom, from boycott of Simon Commission in 1927, Salt Satyagraha in 1930, Individual Satyagraha, Do or die call by Gandhiji to Quit India movement in 1942, his own participation in the latter ones with meticulous details, as seen and felt by a freedom fighter. It also contains the jail life and the fellow prisoners, some of them meeting with tragic ends in the prison itself. Later the coverage shifts to the early evolution of the nation, his becoming one of the cogs in the wheel, the first general election, his Parliament days, followed by different administrative roles that he meritoriously served.
Anubhavachurulukal is a unique literary piece, containing the first-hand narration from a person moulded in the crucible of freedom struggle, possessing the flair for writing, and who has lived through one of the most eventful periods of history of this great nation. The book also sketches the personalities of various leaders, literary, social and cultural figures of the period with whom he comes into contact with from close quarters. The book also traces the history of the places and personalities that emerged in his mind while passing different places on his way to the jail. In a nut shell, the author, through this book, bares not only his life story but the story of a nation and its people in a period spanning most part of the twentieth century.
An authoritative compilation of speeches, debates and submissions made by Nettur P. Damodaran in Indian Parliament
Compilation was carried out by his son, Pradeep Nettur, based on the documents issued by Parliament Secretariat, New Delhi.
A valuable publication, that sheds light on the happenings in the state and the country during the years following independence.
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