M. Ponnambalam, 1939-

Select page numbers to listen or LCCN to display the bibliographic record. These recordings were made in the field and audio quality may vary.

Readings:

1. Kali lilai.
   Chennai: Dhwani Books, 1997
   (LCCN: 97914247)
   • "Ampuli mama"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 112
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 112
   • "Kalai atsi"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 52
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 52
   • "Inithamai melazhu"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 180, 181
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 180, 181
   • "Ciyatchi"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 90
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 90
   • "Pallil theritha thaneer"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 91
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 91

2. Katalum karaiyum.
   Colombo: Nanbargal Vattam, 1996
   (LCCN : 97900058)

   • "Arainal polutu"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 16, 17, 18
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 16, 17, 18
   • "Katalum karaiyum"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 33, 34
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 33, 34

3. Noyil iruttal.
   Chennai : Kumaran Publishers, 1999
   (LCCN: 99948495)

   • "Noyil iruttal"
     Realmedia excerpts: pp. 1-2
     MP3 excerpt: pp. 1-2

Murugesu Ponnambalam, better known by his pen name Mu. Ponnambalam, was born in Sri Lanka's northern city of Jaffna on August 26, 1939. A leading poet and respected journalist, he is considered part of Sri Lanka's second generation of Tamil writers. Prof. Karthigesu Sivathamby of University of Jaffna writes in his article, '50 years of Sri Lankan Tamil Literature', "Among the poets of the 1970s, M. Ponnambalam is considered to be highly articulate" using his poetry to experiment with language. Unlike earlier Tamil writers who looked to the actions of society and incidents of oppression, M. Ponnambalam was more concerned with the characters and their underlying humanity.

His first collection of poetry was published in 1968. He has won the Colombo North Eastern Province Literary Award in 1997 for his first collection of short stories, Kadalum karayum. In 1999, he won the State Literary Award for his first novel, Noyil iruthal.

The Library of Congress has five works by him.