A Lankan woman writes in Danish
Would we know that a Lanka born Tamil woman from the North now living
in Denmark with her husband has written a creative piece in Danish? It
has in turn been translated into Tamil by her husband V Jeevakumaran.
Her name is Kalanithy Jeevakumaran, a product of the Yaalpaanam (Jaffna)
University in the mid-1980s. The title of the biographical feature in
poetic form is titled Ippadikku Anbulla Amma (I Remain, Dear Mother).
It’s a beautiful creative writing read like a novel judging by the
translation alone and perhaps it must have been equally an endearing
work in the original. The book is published by Visvasethu
([email protected]) This book is his second publication.
V Jeevakumaran had been associating with the subject of the work, a
mother and her dead son Hari, for more than six months in the capacity
of a publisher in Denmark. The heroine who hailed from his own village
in Yaalpaanam district had undergone several hardships during the
ravaging war. He too has suffered in the similar manner as a refugee in
Lanka. But they finally emigrated to live in Denmark. However, in
Denmark the 90 year old lady Yaso Amma had to live in an asylum for
cancer patients and cared for by the country she emigrated in. It is her
real story that is written as if she herself was relating it to the
readers in Danish.
Another Lanka born Danish writer A Balamanoharan, Prof Chitraleka
Maunaguru and Dr Kanthiah Sri Ganeshan had vouched for the excellence
way this poetic biography is written.
 The whole world knows the agony and the unimaginable and unbearable
sufferings the people in the regions, particularly in the North, had
suffered during the 30 years cruel war. One of the casualties in the
horrendous war was her beloved son Hari. Her tragic story is related in
an epistle form to her dead son narrating what had happened in Lanka and
what was happening in contrast in the host country. The poor lady died
of cancer in the asylum. This is not a mere story of the heroine, but a
realistic document of what besieged the people caught up in the wretched
war.
The writer Kalanithy and her writer husband Jeevakumaran had been
living in Denmark for more than a quarter century now. They are
naturally proficient in the language of the country and being writers
themselves have produced together this Danish novel by Kalanithy and
rendered in beautiful Tamil by Jeevakumaran.
Let me render into English excerpts of what Kalanithy has written in
the Foreword:
If that was the translation of the Foreword, the 10 chapters are even
more interesting. This 164 page book printed in white glossy paper
includes several photographs which record actualities in war-stricken
North of Lanka during the war times and the scenes in conflict-free
Denmark.
Lankan-born writers from different communities escaping from the
onslaught of gruesome war have tons and tons of stories of firsthand
experiences they encountered during the war.
Kalanithy and Jeevakumaran deserve praise for their literary
contributions.
[email protected]
Let me render into English excerpts of what Kalanithy has written in
the Foreword:
“My father! Even now keeps under his pillow
The letters I wrote when I was five years old
And keeps reading them.
My mother! Does not write letters
to this day
Because writing letters would bring
Tears to her eyes.
My In - laws! Spending their last days
in Denmark in anxiety
Keeping their hearts and souls near
the telephone
To hear the voices of their children.
Thousands and thousands of my mothers
Who sacrificed their children in the war-
In the line is Yaso Amma.
The heroine in ‘Ippadikku Anbulla Amma’
She is not new to you
- A mother burdened with pain
You could see similar mothers
In our houses, our streets and everywhere
Her pain. And our pain –
We suffer every day.
This pain that drove away the Tamils
Driving them still.
The pain that will continue.
The sorrow of losing sons
Is a curse for our country
This pain of my father and mother
And my Maama and Maami (the in-laws)
When I was chased out
This poem emerged from within me.
This originated in Danish language
I have lived for 25 years
In this snow-flaked country
This country held me in its palm.
It’s befitting to reciprocate in whatever form
For supporting, embracing and making me
A complete person.
But I have nothing to give her
except my writing.
I wrote it in the language
Spoken in this country I live
In the hope that it would serve
An understanding bridge
To both Danish and Thamil Society
It’s easy to say Thank You
But not forgetting it tomorrow
I would in all my life
Keep them in my heart" |
