MANAMOHI: a quarterly literary journal

At present there are nearly scores of little literary magazines being published in different parts of the country. The latest to come is from 334, E, Balagolla, Kengalla in the Maha Nuwara district edited by R Nithiyananthan, a writer, researcher and a teacher at Trinity College, Kandy. It’s a quarterly journal assisted by Ira A Raman and S Rajendra. It has only 40 pages but cramped with 12 interesting subjects printed in tiny fonts. I found it difficult to read because my eye sight is not strong.

I was also disappointed reading a longish article on Tamil cinema running g to six pages. Although one respects the freedom of expression by young cinema critic, Maari Mahendran, a hill-country film buff, yet one feels that due to his enthusiasm in condemning the business oriented Kodambaakam cinema, he fails to observe the art of writing precisely and with clarity to put his points of view with examples and following a balanced presentation which the critics are expected to do.

He also repeats himself several times mouthing ready made slogans employed by professional politicians who are on the fringe in Thamilnadu politics. I do not want to discourage him from writing on films, but he must first learn the principles of criticism and the art of writing in a sensible way. Political slogans can please his political leaders, but they are useless if he doesn’t look at his subject impartially.

According to the editor, he wants alternative views that come under the fold of philosophy and signify the existence of his journal thus. His journal wants to uplift the creator and the reader to a higher status.

There are five poems, five articles, two columns and a short story written by the editor R Nithiyananthan. The story is told through epistles exchanged between two lovers of the plantation sector in the hill country after having separated from each other soon after the expatriation of the girl under Shrima –Sasthri agreement.

Letters exchanged between them had not reached each other. But after 15 years a letter written by the boy reaches the girl who has become a widow with two children. She replies and he brings her back to Lanka and marries her. They remain lovers even at the old age. Both are warred in Maharagama.

A majority of Lankan short story writers in Tamil conveniently forget the craft in writing and are verbose in unnecessarily padding their stories with explanatory passages.

A writer has reproduced an extract from a book on an innovative poet and essayist the great Subramania Bharathi of Thamilnadu showing some of his oddities in personal life giving the impression to the reader that he has written it.

There assure many printer’s errors and in some articles passages are repeated to fill the pages. Attention to editing had been done in a haphazard manner in this first issue. Hopefully all these errors would be rectified in forthcoming issues.

Anthony Jeeva writes a note on a memorable event experienced by him and other Lankans in a literary function in Kerala state in India. R Nithiyananthan writes this time about the peculiar habits of Puthumaip Piththan, an n important short story writer in Thamilnadu.

The poems lack freshness in thought and expression. But in Lanka hundreds of poetry anthologies in Tamil are stereotyped statements rather than poetry in present times. S Sutharsan tries to explain to the uninitiated Tamil readers the Imagist Movement in Poetry in England with T E Hume, Ezra Pound and Amy Lowell. He has also attempted to translate into Tamil some lines in the Imagist Poetry

A shortened version of an article by an Indian writer Ravikumar is reproduced. To be honest I could not understand what the original writer Lucy Erikarae has said in his article titled When our lips speak together.

Memon Kavi reviews Theva Mukuntha’s collection of short stories, Kannirin Oodae Theriyum Veethi as chapters in a novel depicting the experiences of a Yarlpaanam youth in various places. Deviating from conventional practical criticism, the critic sees the collection from some of the contemporary fads like‘re-reading’ from one’s own perspective putting aside the original writer.

Most young readers, who are fascinated by the post-structuralism as learnt from Thailand magazines of that trend, would enjoy this article. Lankan poet Solaikli’s poem published in an Indian journal promoting Dalit writing- Theera Nathi - is reproduced in this issue. There is also a translation from Sinhala a poem by Nadeem Mellaveera, given by Ralina A Haq.

Whether this columnist likes the first issue of Manamohi or not, he feels such alternative magazines should be encouraged pointing out the obvious shortcomings so that the future issues could stand on their feet in reporting, writing and interpreting literature. We wish the journal all success.

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