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| Wednesday, 10 November 2004 |
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Lankan writing (in English) in the late 1970s Sri Lankan writing in English is now prolific. But in the 1970s and early 1980s not many books were available. The Journal of Commonwealth Literature (JCL) edited in England and published in Germany. JCL publishes Annual Bibliography of Commonwealth Literature. For a very long time, Prof. Yasmine Gooneratne now in Australia used to contribute a comprehensive bibliography of Lankan Writing. Later, Prof. D.C.R.A. Goonetilleke used to present this feature. I am not sure whether he does so even now, since I hadn't had a copy of this journal for ages. But I laid my hands on a past issue of this journal lately and thought that 'gleanings' from this may be useful to the present generation in the early part of the 21st century. Let me take Volume XV, Number 2 of December 1980, which gives a bibliography of works published in 1979. The compiler Ranjan Goonetilleke divides his compendium under the following categories: Bibliographies, Poetry, Drama, Fiction, Anthologies, Non-Fiction, Translations, Criticism and Journals. I noticed that even translations made into English from Sinhala are mentioned there is no reference to translations from Sinhala to Thamil or vice versa or from Thamil to English or vice-versa. It was either he was indifferent to the Thamil language segment or that he was ignorant that a significant body of Lankan Thamil Literature exists in this country. Even articles written by Thamilians in English on Literature to the newspapers were not mentioned. Nevertheless, one should thank the learned professor for taking pains to compile a list amidst his academic functions. He has thanked Yasmine Gooneratne, Ashley Halpe', Margaret Gooneratrne, P.A. Piyasena, Tissa Jayatilake, M.M.M. Fassy, Bernie Hay, N. Amaresinghe and Dhanapala Gunasekera for assisting him. The writer had this to say about Sinhala writing: "...translations from Sinhala literature which embodies the hopes and fears, the perplexities and cares, of the vast majority of Sri Lankans. Indeed, the translations - Martin Wickramasinghe's " Village Craftsman", Gunadasa Amarasekera's " Going Back", A.V. Suraweera's "The game on the Sandhill" and Asoka Colomboge's "The Smell of a Baby" - suggests the variety of interest and vigour to be found in contemporary Sinhala literature and introduce the foreigner to our greatest novelist and man of letters, Martin Wickramasinghe, and to the more talented among his younger fellow writers, particularly Gunadasa Amarasekera. The compiler was referring to the book edited by Yasmine Gooneratne, titled "Stories from Sri Lanka and Poems from India, Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore". Periodicals Talking of periodicals in Sri Lanka, Ranjan Goonetilleke informs us that "Sri Lanka has been fortunate. After the dark days of the Second World War, there arose a line of distinguished little magazines such as 'Harvest', 'Symposium' and ' Community', which critically surveyed the arts and the local scene and provided opportunities for our creative writers to publish their work. When this line appeared to have come to an end,' New Ceylon writing' took up this mantle in 1970. The first number of this journal appeared in 1970, the second in 1971 and the third in 1973. After a long absence, it makes a welcome appearance in 1979, maintaining its standards of excellence... When 'New Ceylon Writing was experiencing difficulties after 1973, no doubt partly because its editor (Yasmine Gooneratne) had moved to Australia, 'Navasilu' barely stepped in to fill the breach. The first number of the new journal appeared in 1976 and, because of 'funding difficulties and staff shortages in the printing trade' the second number appeared in 1979. It looks as if 'Navasilu' will appear regularly (that is annually) henceforth: the third number appeared in early in 1980, while the fourth is with the printer. 'Navasilu' is the journal of the English association of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka branch of the Association of Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies. It provides an opportunity for the English-speaking minority in Sri Lanka "to make a conscious reassessment of its role in Sri Lanka" and to make a contribution to our local culture; it also seeks to assist Sri Lankan literature in English "to work out its destiny by providing it with a new forum and the challenge of critical examination". Commenting on M. Chandrasoma's "Five to Eight", Ranjan G makes this point: "While it is arguable that Sri Lankan literature is best written in Sri Lankan English, one cannot rule out the possibilities of the creative use 'Standard English' by Sri Lankans, especially those of older generations." Students researching on Lankan English Literature will find the notes and bibliography of Prof. D.C.R.A. Goonetilleke very useful. Pulamai 'Pulamai'(Scholarship) is a new quarterly journal in Thamil. It is concerned with, education in Thamil, learning, teaching, training and the like. It is edited by U. Navaratnam, who is a director at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and M. Kanapathipillai, head of the Thamil Section of Royal College, Colombo. The managing Editor is G. Kumaran and it is available from U. Navaratnam at 83/9B, 37th Lane, Colombo 6. The advisory board of the quarterly consists of Professors S. Santhirasekeran (Colombo University), Saba. Jeyarasa (Yaalpaanam University), and Doctors Hussain Ismail (Vice Chancellor, South Eastern University), T. Kamalanathan (College of Education, Vavuniya), M. Karunanidhi (Colombo University) and T. Danaraj (Director Thamil Section, NIE). In the first issue Marimuthu Kanapathipillai writes about challenges in today's Thamil education in the country. Educational Psychology and the Classroom is the subject of discussion by Ulaganathar Navaratnam. Managing Changes is suggested by Thaiyalmuthu Danaraj. M.H.M. Hassan describes the changing role of a teacher in the context of widened needs. The extension in the process of word structure is an article by Punniyeswari Nagalingam. Lenin Mathivaanam writes about education for all in the backdrop of the hillcountry. U. Navaratnam introduces Lawrence Kohlberg, while S. Kamalaharan writes a note on Handy Perinpanayagam (1899-1977). We learn that a society called Thamil Education Society exists which includes the following educationist: Prof. K. Sivathamby, Prof. S. Santhirasekaran, Dr. Husian Ismail, R.S. Nadarajah, C.T. Rajendran, Dr. M. Karunanidhi, U. Navaratnam, N. Nadarasa, T.Danaraj, G.Kumaran, M. Kanapathipillai, K. Gnanasekearam, Lenin Mathivaanam, Dr. Bakir Jawfur, K. Santhiralingam, Vijayalakshmi, M.H.M. Hasan and A.S. Chanrabose. Good Job indeed. Teachers, students and even other could benefit from reading the updated articles on education in Tamil itself. Payil Nilam The second issue of a new publication called 'Payil Nilam '(Learning/Training/ Ground Field). This is published from 59/3 Waidya Road, Dehiwela. This seems to be an endeavour taken by a few youngsters. One of the interesting feature I enjoyed reading was the interview with Dr. M.K. Muruganadam, author of many books on medicine and health in Thamil and above all one of the finest creative and critical writers in the country today. Dr. M.K.M. categorically states that Lankan Thamil writers write in depth social issues. The publishers need encouragement. Path to Enlightenment 'Path to Enlightenment' (The Practice of True Religion) is a booklet in English, by Lanka-born Swami Yogeshwarananda. It is a discourse delivered by him at Sivayoga Samajam in Thirukoanamalai in 1995. This was presented to me by a retired official at the NEP, when I was in Yaalpaanam recently. This gentleman, K. Sivalingam of Urumpirai is interested in spiritual values for peace and development and promotes humane and spiritual values for the future. He is also interested in developing the Siddha Ayurveda system of medicine. I found the views and interpretation of the Swami engrossing. Ultimately, all saints say that God is love. I love the humankind even if they are not 'enlightened'. Contact: [email protected] 2587617 **** Back **** |
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