by K.S.Sivakumaran

Since 2003, an annual journal in Thamil is being published by some academics from the University of Colombo. The second issue of Panuval for 2004 is yet to come. I have not heard of this journal as I was away for two years in the United States. Having seen my review in this column for Arivu, another worthwhile journal in Thamil, Dr Sasanka Perera, the chief editor of this publication asked me to give my comments on this endeavour. He is heading some scholars attached to different universities in the island and also a few other scholarly writers in the pursuit of publishing this journal. It is this group that produces this journal for a confederation.

I should mention their names, because names matter as far as the quality of the product is concerned. T.Sanathanan (Yaalpaanam University) is the chief compiler of Panuval. Ananda Tissa Kumara (University of Colombo) functions as Language Editor in general. The others in the board of editors include Ramani Jayatilaka ( Colombo 'Varsity ), Indika Bulankulame ( Justice and Social Foundation ), Asoka de Soysa ( Kelaniya 'Varsity ), Uvi Thangarasa (Eastern 'Varsity ), Kumudu Kusum Kumara (Colombo ' Varsity), Nalin Swaris ( Freelancer ), Ranjith Perera (Social Scientist Association ) and assisted by Saminathan Vimal (Yaalpaanam ' Varsity ) I happen to know personally Kumudu Kusum Kumara (who reviewed my book Thamil Writing in Sri Lanka (1974) in the then Janavegaya, and Ranjith Perera (who helps to bridge the gap among communities ). I wonder whether T.Sanathanan is the same person as the artist, who was trained in India and has to his credit some innovative paintings? If so, he might remember me as I had visited his exhibitions of paintings in Colombo, some years ago. And Sasanka Perera knows me as I meet him sometimes at art exhibitions. His wife is a well known painter. I also read avidly what he writes in the newspapers.

As a simpleton, I find the language and style of writing in this academic journal a little heavy and cumbersome. But that does not matter because usually the academics as a rule write in strict, rigid and formal language. However, I shall try to comprehend and report or interpret the contents in my journalistic style. Please bear with me.

The introduction by the editorial board reminds us that changing trends have occurred all over the world in regard to social sciences and humanities. But in our country there has been no dynamic activity for the last forty years. The reasons for this sluggishness are also given. Please read the journal to find out this. But it rightly questions how education is understood by the Thamil community in Sri Lanka. I tend to agree with the observations made in regard to this inadequacy. This journal, therefore attempts to bring in the Thamil language essential and relevant researches and also from a Thamilian perspective. Ambitious in its outlook, the board expects to take its projects to a very high level and place knowledge and the power of knowledge as the basic concepts of deeper discussion. The first issue of this welcome journal consists of 'transcreations' of studies originally written in Sinhala and English and two book reviews originally written in Thamil.

I find it difficult to put in English exactly the titles of the subjects included in this journal because the essays are written in highly sophisticated Thamil terminology in social sciences and related subjects with which I am not familiar. Had some indication was given in English as to what the essays are about, readers like me would have been helped. The strange thing is that both Panuval and Arivu excluded English. Since the subjects are new and those educated in the English medium haven't still accustomed to scientific and specialized terminology, it would have been better if a list of English equivalents of terminology in Thamil had been given at the end of the publication.

I shall now give you the topics and the writers featured in this edition:
Dr.Sasanka Perera (Senior lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology, Colombo University) - The Pattern of the Structure of Identity, Politics, Style and Chaos. I hope I got the title of the essay correct in English. This article is given in Thamil by T.Sanathanan. The essay originally included in the author's book, The World according to Me - An Interpretation of the Ordinary, the Common and the Mundane. It is an interesting article that speaks mainly of Sinhalized Thamilians, I gather.

Dr.Desmond Mallikarchchi (Senior lecturer in Philosophy and Psychology, Peradeniya University) - Murugan (Kataragama Deiyo) as the Deity of the Traders: the Body Language of the Sinhala Buddhists. Saminathan Vimal gives this in Thamil from Sinhala. It is a readable article giving new information on the subject.

Saminathan Vimal again gives in Thamil an article by Dr.Osman Bope Arachi, a scientist researching in France. His article is on New Evidences of Cultural and Trade contacts between Thamilnadu and Sri Lanka in Ancient Times. It speaks of Lankan businessmen in Thamilnadu and the Indian traders in Tissamaharama, among many other revelations. Interesting.

Saminathan Vimal attached to the University of Yaalpanam is in the Linguistics department and is a lecturer in English and Sinhala.

He has rendered another article. This is an essay by Sharon Bell, Dean of Creative Arts in an Australian University. The topic: Pattern in Family: An Inquiry into Violence and Art. Saminathan has also transcreated a poem by Michael Ondaatje, beautifully.

The Nature of Linguistic Symbols by Ferdinand de Sassur is quite suitably transcreated by Dr.R.Murugaiyan, an innovative poet and dramatist in Thamil and a brilliant translator. He has also written a note on the method of rendering of this article. Very useful. I am a little backward in understanding Structuralism and the rest of it.

K.T.Ganeshalingam of the department of Political Science has reviewed Prof. S.Pathmanathan's book on Lankan Thamilian's Thesavalamai and Social Practices. Pathmanathan's book would clear some of the misinterpretations a few have on Thesavalamai. As the reviewer says, the finding of the author is subject to re-scruitiny.

Finally, a freelance art critic, Pakianathan Ahilan reviews Dr. Paramu Pushparatnam's book on Lankan Thamilians Ancient Religion and the Arts from the point of view of Archeology. This is also an interesting book judging from the review.

In sum, like Arivu reviewed in this column earlier, Panuval is also a very useful documentation of some of the relevant and intellectual pieces of writing with which I am benefited. I am sure that discerning readers in Thamil would do the same.

Demise of Gamini Fonseka!

Tributes to the late Gamini Fonseka- actor, director, politician and a humanist- have already been given by his admirers. I didn't have any close contacts with him. I usually avoid meeting celebrities and politicians. However, he seemed to have read my writings in the newspapers. This I came to know when at a gathering at the SLFI a decade ago, somebody had pointed out to him my presence there. Gamini shouted from afar 'Ado Siva, I read your columns' I was flabbergasted because I didn't realize that even mega film stars read me.

  I first saw the image of Gamini Fonseka on the screen in a filmlet in English, more than 40 years ago. It was only later, I viewed most of his films in which he either acted or directed. Sadly, I haven't still seen his film on Sinhala-Thamil relationships even to this date. This was because I wasn't in the island when it was first released.

Gamini had many fiends - mainly writers and artistes - among the Thamil and Islamic communities. When the late Zuhair Hameed, a skilled craftsman in Colombo Thamil theatre in the 1960s and 70s - was hospitalized, I saw Gamini comforting the patient. And when Sillayoor Selvarajan - a poet, critic, actor (both film and stage) and versatile in many fields - died, I saw Gamini at the funeral house.

Having been educated as a Thomian of an earlier vintage, he did not have any narrow prejudices against members of other communities. He was humane. It is those qualities that matter. Goodbye, a proud son of the soil.

Kandy Ira.A.Raman

I wish to record the services rendered by an unassuming man from Mahanuwara for the promotion of writing and writers. He is a poor man, but he has tremendous fund of goodwill, and an incessant love for the humankind. He doesn't hesitate to honour and appreciate the writers and artistes. Living in Pooranawatta as a proletarian and presently working at the thnakutal office in Mahanuwara, Raman is a voracious reader and a discriminating one at that. In late 1960s, he produced a journal called Amma depicting the lives of the downtrodden. At the same time, another journal called Nathi, a Maoist publication also came from the hillcountry capital. Inspired by this, he published a journal called Pooranm. He is an efficient organizer of literary meetings and book launches. He developed contact with academics and soon became respected for his integrity and honesty. He does services without expecting any rewards. The central Province Council Education Ministry asked to compile the Sahitya Souvenir of 2000 and he did it splendidly. He is now a flexible person accommodating what is good for the  humanity. He recently celebrated his 60th birthday. On behalf of the writers in thamil in this country, I too wish him well.

Contact: kssivan19@sltnet.lk 

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