|
Gleanings:
Gnanam: Literary Journal in Thamil
K. S. Sivakumaran
If you are interested to know whether there are any literary
magazines in Thamil in Lanka, yes there are.
Currently at least three such magazines are published from Colombo:
Mallikai, Gnanam and Thaayaham. There are also one or two popular
magazines and two of them are Irukkiram and Amutham.
Let's take the current issue of Gnanam to learn something of the
cultural scene here. The magazine is edited by forefront writer T.
Gnanasekeran from 3-B, 46th Lane, Colombo 6. It is in existence for the
past eight years and the February issue (No. 93) has 56 pages of
interesting reading material. The editor claims that it is an arts and
literature magazine. He is assisted by his spouse Gnanam Gnanasekeran.
Poems, articles, short stories, interviews, prose, feature, events,
columns, cinema, debate, book reviews fill the pages. The editor's page
is on New Year and Thaipongal festivals. He hopes the days to come will
generate love and delight. The cover picture in colour by Gauthaman
shows a man apparently behind bars, but the visual image does not show
professionalism, to my mind.
In the insert is a picture of the poet S. V. Panchadcharam. A
bibliographer in London has profiled the poet.
We learn that he had been a teacher for 40 years and later and a
teacher for teachers in Yaalpaanam and Kilinochchi. He had also worked
as an assistant editor for Kalaichelvi and Indusaathanam in the northern
capital 50 years ago. His first book of an epic poem, Elili received a
Sahitya Award in 1965.
His later works include Thandalai, Naadum Veedum and Inba Vaanil. He
has written 52 books. His themes in poetry were basically on caste and
dowry problems. He also wrote a novel in chaste Thamil called Koolikku
Vanthavan. His interests extended to grammar, verse, drama, children's
literature, short fiction and the like.
He migrated to Canada and last year he was facilitated by the Thamils
Information organisation.
Short Stories
Two women writers have contributed short stories: Kamalini Sivanathan
and Bhavani Sivakumaran.
Kamalini hails from Madkalapu. She has recently published her
collection of short stories titled Tholaivil Oru Kanavu (A Distant
Dream). She won the first prize in a competition held in memory of the
late Chempian Chelvan, a leading writer.
She writes the dialogues in the story as they are spoken in the
accent of the area. This is welcome. Although precision is lacking and
the method of writing is more narrative giving too many details, the
ending of the story is dramatic.
It shows the relationship between a neo-feudal father and an
ungrateful son. The title of the story is Vearadi Munn (the Soil of the
Roots).
Bhavani Sivakumaran's story is titled Solli Varuvathillai Sontham
(Relationship is Unexpressive). A collection of her stories stands to
her credit. She writes profusely at present. Though longish and more
narrative with details on a journey to a village in the north, the story
ends with a realisation of what relationship could mean if it comes from
a naThe third story is dubbed as a "Magical Realism" story written by another
important creative writer- S.Muruganandan. He is a physician. He writes
criticism and poetry as well. He has won many prizes both
internationally and locally.
The story entitled Naan Saaha Maddean (I won't Die) won a consolation
prize in a competition held in the memory of the writer the late
Puloliyoor K. Sathasivam. The story describes the hallucination and
surrealistic experiences and predicament of a forthright writer under
captivity presumably by a militant movement accusing him of writing
about the crimes around. In his traumatic experience and dreams he sees
that his life had been taken and he is born a Sinhala child in his new
birth.
The feeling of humanism transcending ethnic identities is the point
the writer makes. He could have concentrated on the structure of the
story to make it more effective.
Poems
Those who have contributed poems are: K. Sivagnanarajah, Vada Alvai
Chitra Sinnarajan, Vaaharai Vaanan, J. Premkumar, S. Niranjani, S.
Muththu Meraan and V. Thinakaran. The poems are well written and they
are very much better than the verses of slogans published in the
newspapers as "Poetry".
Articles
Saaral Naadan and Sittambalam have written factual articles. The
former gives an account of a political figure in the hill country -
Desigar Saaranaathan (1902-1950) and the latter on Rao Baghadur C. Y.
Thaamoatharam Pillai, a Lankan forerunner in many fields in Thamil
Literature.
Features
Among the other reading matter in the current issue of Gnanam is the
continuation of an interview with a Mega Lankan writer, Sengai Aaliyaan.
Also continued is the reminiscence of another important Lankan writer -
Theniyaan.
Kurunchi Naadan reports on the cultural events in Colombo.
Anthony Jeeva recounts his literary journey in Thamilnadu. Vanniyan
reviews the January issue of Gnanam. Regular columns of K. Vijayan and
Ilaya Abdullah, two prominent writers and columnists also appear.
Prhalatha Aananth and Maari Mahendran write about films. Maarkandan
Rupavatahanan and Shanthini Puvanendrrajah separately view their
opinions on two articles that appeared in the magazine earlier. Kurunchi
Naadan reviews seven Lankan books in Thamil. There are also tidbits of
news on the cultural scene.
The magazine is priced at Rs. 50 and is worth reading to gather
information and understand contemporary Lankan Thamil Literature.
[email protected]
|
