How Political History Is Reflected in Autobiography: Reading of Kalaignar Mu Karunanidhi's Nenjukku Needhi

Abstract

The relation between autobiography and history is always strong. Exploring the extent of incorporating political history in writing autobiography is interesting feature as it reflects both self-defense and self-denial. Nenjukku Needhi (Justice to Heart) is an autobiography written by Mu Karunanidhi, popularly called as Kalaignar. He is a man of letters and a pragmatic political leader. His autobiography is rich in narrating the political history of Tamil Nadu and India. The story of his life is skillfully combined with the concrete political events of Tamil Nadu. So far six volumes have been published covering the political history of pre and post independent era. Right from the foundation of Justice Party, it narrates all major events, issues and struggles. Unlike several political leaders, who had neither time nor capacity to write autobiography, or who usually depend upon some ghostwriters and hagiographers to write their life histories, he personally wrote his autobiography in his own capacity and knowledge. Apart from the story of his life, his autobiography covers the history of Dravidian Movement, the growth of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, importance of Tamil language and culture, the struggle for social justice, the philosophy of constitutionalism and parliamentary democracy, and state autonomy. Sometimes, political history generates multiple answers for a single question. This autobiography is not free from such issue. It is true when it narrates certain events or confrontations with opposition parties and their leaders. However, deviations from facts and deliberate distortions are very meager in his autobiography. His autobiography would remain an authentic source of political history of Tamil Nadu.