Creative Neighbours:
SAARC Writings In English [Ed.]
Ram Bhagwan Singh, Kolkata: Towards
Freedom Publication, 2007 - A Book Rrview
Drawing inspiration from Prof Shaileshwar Sati
Prasad, formerly, Head, Dept of English, Patna University, Ram Bhagwan Singh
explored a new field of SAARC Writing in English. This seminal and highly
original anthology contains nineteen articles of highly reputed scholars. In the
prologue of the anthology the editor asserts:
SAARC`S political identity is founded on common cultural and historical
background. Besides geographical proximity five of these eight countries have a
common history of colonial subjugation and struggle for freedom----. Their
literatures though in different languages celebrate the same composite Asian
spirit and Eastern values. The current forces of globalization have egged them
on to forge stronger ties for mutual co-operation and progressive interaction`In the prologue the editor has provided information regarding literatures and
writers of SAARC countries. In a nutshell the editor has presented before us the
literary scenario of Bangladesh, Srilanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldiv, Afganistan
etc.
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In the chapter first entitled ‘Kazi Nazrul Islam: A
Poet Extra-Ordinary’ Samiram Kumar Paul has made us familiar with the biography
and main works of Kazi Nazrul Islam.
To know that Kazi Nazrul Islam is another great poet of Bengal, his most
remarkable poem Agnee Veena [The Fire Flute] must be perused for clear common
pursuit. The poem speaks of Nazrul`s poetic personality and magnanimity.
The author has discussed his patriotic songs and his themes of courage, bravery,
and sacrifices for human dignity, freedom and liberty. The author has assessed
the literary contribution of Kazi Nazrul Islam in these words:
He was a messenger of liberating the human spirit, of universal brotherhood, of
courage and dignity, of peace and harmony among all, of unity and co-operation,
of what is right and just, of what is true and beautiful, of love and
compassion, of non dogmatism and non-fanaticism, he concluded the preface of the
work that represented the biggest desire of his life by indentifying himself:
Khademul Islam, Nazrul Islam. |
In the second chapter entitled
‘Communalism and literature: Writings from Bangladesh’ Dr. Ram Bhagwan Singh has
attempted some of the writings from Bangladesh in respect of communal
reflections in literature. In the last part of this article, the author
describes Taslima Nasrin`s novel Lajja [1993]: Though a work of fiction, Lajja
can serve as documentation of contemporary social history in Bangladesh, It is
said that in history names and dates are true, everything else is false, whereas
in literature everything is true except the names and dates.
In the chapter three entitled ‘The Circle of Karma: Journeys of the Vagrant
Spirit’ by V. P. Singh who narrates Kunzang Choden`s first novel `The Circle of
Karma` which belongs to Bhutan: The Circle of Karma is not so much a feminist
novel as a moving narrative of human suffering told with simplicity. Yet the
nature of Tsomo`s suffering is typical of the lot of women in a patriarchal
milieu where the father and husband are figures of authority who can emotionally
and even physically roughshod women and get way with it.
In the fourth chapter entitled ‘The Balladry of the Bhutanese Lo- Zey: A
Critique of the Ballad of Pemi Tshewang Tashi’, the author Seema Murugan deals
with a specific period in the history of Bhutan. The lozey, The Ballad of Pemi
Tshewang Tashi is a special kind of Ballad. The language of this ballad is
simple and story is told through dialogue and action.
The chapter five entitled ‘Contemporary Indian Fiction In English’ by Dr. R. S.
Pathak is quite informative and in nutshell he described novelists like Ranga
Rao, Arundhati Roy, P. V. Narasimha Rao, Salman Rushdie etc.
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In the sixth chapter entitled ‘Violence, Identity and Narrative, Dr. S. S.
Prasad has raised multidimensional problems arising out of multiethnicity with
the colonial heritage as it propagated and encouraged various identities also on
the basis of language and religion. The author has discussed the novels of
Gamini Salgado`s The True Paradise, Carl Muller`s Colombo Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice
Candy Man, Kiran Desai`s `The Inheritance of Loss`, Razia Khan`s Bengali novel
Draupadi.
One of the most charming and informative article is by one of the brilliant
scholar of English Literature Dr. S. K. Arora entitled ‘Decoding the Maldivian
Milieu: A Note of the Maldivian Poetry in English. Arora has taken Abdulla
Fahumy Didi, Abdulla Sadiq, Adam Abdurrahman, Al-Usthadh, Noonu Thaa Hass Didi,
Hussain Afeefudhdheen, Hussain Salaahudhdheen,Muhammadh Jameel, Saeed Farah Didi` |
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Dr. C.N.Srinath elucidates Nepalese poetry in his scholarly paper ‘Modern Nepali
Poetry- A Note` Dr. R.B.Singh is quite innovative in selecting the theme of
partition trauma in his paper``The Pakistani Perception of The Partition Trauma`The trauma of the Partition has been a subject matter of scores of novels and
hundreds of short stories both of Indian and Pakistani Writers.
Dr. Singh has selected Train to Pakistan[1956] by Khuswant Singh Azadi [1975] by
Chaman Nahal, A Bend In Ganges [1964] and Distant Drum [1960] by Manohar
Malgonkar, The Rape[1974] by Raj Gill, Sunlight in Broken Column [1961] by Attia
Hossain, Twice Born Twice Dead [1979] by Kartar Singh Duggal, Basti [1979] by
Intizar Hussain, Shadow of Time[1987] by Mehar Nigar Masroor and Ice Candy
Man[1989] by Bapsi Sidhwa. |
Dr. Sunanda Sinha explores
Tehmina Durrani`s experiences in the novel Women, The Eternal Colony of Man:
Tehmina Durrani`s Self Experiences. The author has discussed Durrani`s novel
`Blasphemy [1998] in which she sarcastically unveils the debauchery of the so
called religious Maulanas who misuse their authority for their personal
gratification Dr. S. S. Agarwalla searches Pakistani novelist Shaukat Siddiqui`s
God`s Own Land in his paper. Dipika Sahai searches a postcolonial approach and
gender bias in Bapsi Sidhwa` The Pakistani Bride in her paper. Prabhat K. Singh
also presents a scholarly paper Pakistani Poetry in English: An Overview and
through this paper he makes us familiar with Pakistani Poetry. Dr. Rajiva
Wijesinha has also penned informative article entitled ‘Images of the
Sub-Continent in Sri Lankan Writing In English` Dr. C. L. Khatri takes Sri
Lankan novelist Carl Muller`s novel Yakada Yaka in his article Yakada Yaka Carl
Muller`s Faction –Fiction. Dr. B. R. Agarwal raises another issue of
assimilation in three SAARC novels in his article Cultural Clash, Confusion and
Final Assimilation in Three SAARC Novels` He takes Yasmine Gooneratne, Bapsi
Sidhwa and Bharati Mukherjee for this study. This anthology contains yet another
scholarly paper by Dr. S. K. Arora entitled ‘Archetypes of Cultural Homogeneity
in SAARC Poetry`
The present anthology not only creates interests in new scholars as well as
offer caviar to the serious researcher by attracting his upright notice towards
SAARC Literature. Dr. Ram Bhagwan Singh has gained success in editing a
commendable anthology but the price of the book is little bit prohibitive.
The publishers should reduce the prices for such books so that they may not be
limited to college libraries or may become rich man’s feast To sum up I can
say that this volume is a must read for scholars and lovers of English
Literature.
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Contributed By:
Dr.
Ram Sharma, Lecturer in English,
Janta Vedic College MEERUT, U.P.
dr.ram_sharma@yahoo.co.in
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