CREATIVE NEIGHBOURS: SAARC WRITINGS IN ENGLISH by dr. ram sharma

CREATIVE NEIGHBOURS: SAARC WRITINGS IN ENGLISH[Ed.] RAM BHAGWAN SINGH,TOWARDS FREEDOM PUBLICATION,KOLKATA,2007 A BOOK REVIEW BY Dr. Ram Sharma Senior Lecturer In English C-26,Shradhapuri, Phase2, Kankerkhera, Meerut Cantt-250001 Mobile-09219710874

Taking 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 celeberate 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 nutshell the editor has presented before us the literary scences of Bangladesh, Srilanka,Nepal, Bhutan, Maldiv, Afganistan etc. 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 Fute] must be persued 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, wheras in literature everything is true except the names and dates`` In chapter three entitled`` The Circle of Karma: Journeys of the Vagrant Spirit`` by V. P. Singh narrates Kunzang Choden`s first novel `The Circle of Karma` which belong 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. Chapter fifth 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. 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` Ice Candy Mam`, 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` Dr. C.N.Srinath elucidates Naplese 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`s` 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 SriLankan Writing In English`Dr. C.L.Khatri takes SriLankan novelist Carl Muller`s novel Yakada Yaka in his article Yakada Yaka Carl Muller`s Faction â€"Fiction.Dr. B.R.Agarwal raises another issue of assimilation in three SAARC novels in his article``Cultural Clash,Confusion & 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` This anthology not only creates interests but also make us hungry for informations regarding SAARC Literature.Dr. Ram Bhagwan Singh is quite successful in his effort.The price of this anthology looks much which is Rs 695.In the end , I can say that this volume is must read for scholars and lovers of English Literature

About the Author

DR. RAM SHARMA IS DENIOR LECTURER IN ENGLISH