 Two
little Magazines from Yaalpaanam
As far as I know there are three literary magazines being published
in Yaalpaanam. They are Kalai Muham, Ambalam and Jeeva Nathi. Because of
the limited space I shall introduce only two of them. I haven't had the
chance to read the third one, Jeevanathi - 1, so far. I shall briefly
give you an idea of what the content of these two journals are and leave
out my comments on every individual items found in these two magazines
that provide both creative writing and criticism.
Kalai Muham
Kalai Muham means artistic face. This is published only twice a year
from Centre for Performing Arts at 238, Main Street, Yaalpaanam priced
at Rs.100. The Chief Editor is a scholar and a dramatist among other
things. Rev. N. Maria Xavier K. Selmar Emil edits this serious journal
embracing a catholicity of views by its writers. This magazine claims
that it is a journal for the arts, literature and society. The first
issue of the 20th year of publication (Jan-June 2009) has just arrived.
Selected and quality writing can be found in this journal. There are
essays, serials, poetry, short stories, book reviews. editorial, letters
and recording of events and a special feature. The 50th issue will
follow suit. The current issue has 62 pages with a symbolic cover page
depicting in painting the agony of the northern people in the near past.
The painting is by V. Sumanraj and the computer design is by A Judeson.
There are photographs, sketches and other snippets welcoming other
literary magazines published in the country.
Ambalam (Exposure)
The fifth issue of this magazine also from Yaalpaanam doesn't say
whether it is monthly or weekly. Its co-editors are T. Prabaharan and K.
Lakshmanan with many in the Editorial Board. Priced at Rs100 it comes
from 41, Raja Veethi, Nalloor, Yaalpaanam. The cove picture shows a
stripped man on big saucer crunching like a fetus. Within 52 pages it
carries quite a few critiques on writers and writing. There are eight
poems, three short stories, eight articles, a letter, and three notes
and readers letters. There is one long critique running to nine pages
exposing the inadequacies of an academic critic writing on expatriate
poetry. Another article of five pages analyses the poetry of an Islamic
female poet. The magazine seems to be semi-academic and bent on exposing
irregularities.
Other Little Magazines
Sengathir comes from Maddakalappu and Thirukoanamalai Neengalum,
Eluthalamand Kolunthu comes from Mahanuwara, and Padigal from
Anuradhapura. There may be other journals published in various parts of
the island, but I couldn't find them in Colombo. From Colombo come
Mallikai, Gnanam and Thaayaham.
Students in high schools and the Universities can find a lot of
material on Literature and the Arts from these journals. But many
Lankans among the Thamil and Muslim communities are not even aware of
the existence of these magazines as most of them are conditioned to a
fixed pattern of reading cheap popular magazines coming from Thamilnadu.
Lankan identity is lost because the electronic media in Thamil slavishly
apes the Thamilnadu channels in every respect and murder the Thamil
language just as the popular magazines from that state do harm to the
Lankan cultural identity.
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