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R.M.Sundaram
MyPoland:
SomeofMyEvergreenMemories
IlikeandlovePoland,mysecondmotherland.IcametoPolandon20April1972
tobeginTamilstudiesintheDepartmentofIndology,UniversityofWarsaw.
IhavetothankwithrespectProf.Dr.M.KrzysztofByrski,formerheadof
Indology,whodidallhisbesttointroduceTamilandDravidianStudies.Icarried
onmyacademicworkthere,begunon4October1972,successfullyforseven
years(1972–1979).Ihadaverypeacefulandhappylifetherewiththehelpofmy
students,theirfamilymembersandmyfriends.Ispentenoughtimeinthecountry
tolearnPolish,whichhelpedmetohavegoodinteractionswithmystudents.
ThestudentswereverymuchinterestedinlisteningtoTamilpoemsand
discussingthem.Once,whenIexplainedthecompoundwordkayalkannóy
(‘fish-likeeyes’;Kóflalvari,Cilappatikóram),astudentlaughedloudly.Igot
angryandaskedher‘Whyareyoulaughing?’Shebecamequietbutafterafew
minutessaid,‘Comparingeyeswithfishisfunnyinourculture.Wecompare
eyeswithstars.Excusemeforirritatingyou.’Iexcusedherandtoldherthatin
Tamilthereisalsoanidiommuffaikkannafl(‘egg-like-eyes’)comparablewith
your‘fish-likeeyes’(‘oczyjakryba/rybieoczy’).Thisdiscussionpromptedme
towritethearticle‘Kayalkannfiy’.
AnotherevergreenmemoryofmylifeinPolandisrelatedtomytour
toDenmark,SwedenandNorwaywiththefamilyofafriendworkinginthe
MalaysianEmbassy.Sinceweplannedtotravelbycar,wecarriedthreecansof
petrol.Atthecheck-post,asecurityofficeraskedusthedetailsoftheluggagewe
carriedandIansweredinPolish.Hedirectedustomeetthechiefofficer.Healso
camewithusandtoldthechiefaboutmyinvolvementinthePolishtranslation
oftheTirukkuzal,whichhereadchapterwiseandexplainedthecontentofsome
couplets.ThechiefofficercongratulatedmeandrequestedthatIsendhimacopy
ofthebook.Hepermittedustokeepthepetrolandinformedusthatwecan
bringanythingexceptpornographicliteratureandmagazineswhenwereturn.
