Book of Photographs 'Treasured Legacies', Photography Exhibitions several times all over Canada: www.ireneborinsash.com

Fra: Lalitha Brodie (lalitha.brodie7@hotmail.com)
Sendt: 25. mars 2010 05:42:42
Til: Shan Nalliah (shanmugappirabunalliah@hotmail.com)
1 vedlegg
LalithaPh...tif (523,7 kB)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lalitha.brodie7@hotmail.com
To: jle@mississauga.net
Subject: FW: Photo
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:41:18 -0400

Hello Julia,
This is my portrail by Social Worker / Photographer Irene Borins Ash, who photographed me with 30 shots after reading my book of poems - she used another picture in her book of Photographs 'Treasured Legacies', and also included it in her Photography Exhibitions several times all over Canada including Mayor Hazel Mac, David Suzuki & others -. www.ireneborinsash.com & Treasured Legacies which you can google and view.

It will be great if you mention that the photograph is by irene Borins Ash please if it is possible.

Thanks a lot Julia.

Love

Lalitha Brodie

Yes! I must write my story in English now....!!!

Fra: Lalitha Brodie (lalitha.brodie7@hotmail.com)
Sendt: 22. mars 2010 03:00:25
Til: Shan Nalliah (shanmugappirabunalliah@hotmail.com)

Hello Shan,

How are you? Yes! I must write my story in English now - Do you listen to Konesh's International Tamil radio - ITR 24 Hour Radio in Norway? You can listen to my voice on www.tamil.fm at 6.30 pm every Sunday for 28 minutes. You can google Lalitha Brodie and get everything.
Trust you and your family are fine.

love
Lalitha Brodie

--------------------------------------------------
From: lalitha.brodie7@hotmail.com
To: garvia.bailey@cbc.ca
Subject: FW: Please help to publish my poem in The Globe & Mail during this Multicultural Week In Toronto

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:50:12 -0400


Lalitha Brodie Marh 17, 2010
4132 Starlight Crescent
Mississauga
ON L4W 4R3



Hello Ian Brown,
How are you? I am sure you will remember meeting me at one of your readings at Toronto Reference Library a few years ago.

I am still the only Asian writer with the Older Womens Network - OWN Writers Group and I read this poem written on a random word 'WANT' to them this Tuesday.I am herewith attaching my biography and another poem on the random word 'Affirmation' for your information - you can know more about me if you google my name please.

I will be most grateful if you would please help to publish my poem during this multicultural week -At 76, I am a veteran bi-lingual writer www.vlambaram.com and still broadcast over 24 hours ITR- International Tamil Radio -www.tamil.fm and my program starts every Sunday at 6.30 pm.
With best wishes

Yours Sincerely

Lalitha Brodie
Tel: 905 270 1214


---------------------------------------------------
WANT

In retrospect, I realize that
almost every wish of mine
in life has mostly come true.
In arid Jaffna, when I was nine
how thrilled I was to pick up
a tiny pink carnation bud
from the discards of flowers
received for the College Prize-giving.
It was fulfilled, this want of mine
decades later, when I cultivated
my own carnations on estates
in the tea carpeted verdant hills
for sale to expensive Colombo florists.

In Grade Five, I map-marked America's great lakes
never realizing that I will live by lake Ontario now.
I admired many English and Tamil writers.
and in my old age, I am a bilingual published writer.

The famous honey-laden Kurinji flower
blooms only once every twelve years.
It blossomed in 1970 in Agrapatna hills,
the bees built hives all over our balcony
and workers jungle trekked to collect honey.
I always regretted that I never got down
the rare Kurinji flowers for me to see them.
As I write these lines, I just googled
and Internet reveals the bell-shaped blue Kurinji
in all its glory, satiating that want of mine too

Our life does unfurl according to our thoughts
and our heartfelt wishes usually materialise.
However, some things do remain inexplicable.
It is indeed tough to change the norms
of our Sri Lankan lifestyle inbred in my veins!
I find that I am yet rather reluctant to confess
that I want to heal the cracks in my relationships
and hope I will succeed before my departure.

I really want to know the truth and answers
for the eternal unanswered qustions
of the mystery and purpose of our life on earth.

I do also want to know why my Tamil community
that lost thousands of innocent civilians
plus a whole generation of our youth
these three decades in the ethnic conflict
continues to still suffer so much
even after the war is over, persecuted
ruthlessly as displaced refugees
in their own land and imprisoned
without trial in crowded camps
by the despotic State of Sri Lanka,
without even a glance from World Leaders.

During this multicultural week in Toronto
global media blares loud about the need
to close zoos and set captive animals free!
What about the urgent need to set free
the human captives languishing so long
without freedom in State camps of Sri Lanka?

Lalitha Brodie
March 16, 2010
Tel: 905 270 1214

----------------------------------------------

AFFIRMATION



Though Hindu by birth, as a spiritual seeker,

I delved into several faiths and religions.

Instinct confirms the presence of God

like the pervasive power of the unseen wind.

Manmade religions, surging rivers seeking

to merge into the common sea of bliss,

The Divine, that One Omnipotent Power

that is God who so skillfully orchestrates

this vast kaleidoscope of the whole cosmos

with such precision and glorious grandeur.

I realize that I too am a tiny part

of that Whole. I have no name or form

for my creator now and believe

that when in tune, God's power and grace

always envelops helps and guides me.



However, I cannot understand why my people languishing in camps in Sri Lanka

along with others worldwide,

continue to be oppressed by the heartless Powers?

Even if it is karma, surely there

should be some peace with justice!

Where is God? How can

He/She permit such atrocities?



I know some atheists who are most caring

and lead exemplery lives.

At times this makes me ponder whether

I am just blindly following the flock with my belief

in the existence of the Power that is God!

But when I retrospect and scan my life,

memory pictures flash forth,

vivid as ever in my minds eye. . .



From age 26 to 46, twenty years of Venus rule

in my horoscope did elevate, bestowing my family

a better life on Demodera Group,

the 3000 acre largest tea estate in Sri Lanka.

My daughter married well, our sons went abroad

one by one, my burdens were eased and material me, miraculously gained free access to books

quite unexpectedly in the seventies,

to nurture my spirituality which led

to the first of my nine Puttaparthi pilgrimages

when we were quite broke!

On another trip, I lost my handbag with all essentials,

help arrived from every corner,

restoring my confidence and faith in God.



However, I could not still my mind to meditate

though I tried so hard, but in 1983

started my trek with the mantra of Mahesh Yogi's

TM meditation. I who loved meat

and fish became a total vegetarian,

broke all rules and tasted different

methods of meditation.

As I progressed, I received all what

I needed and could always feel

God's guiding hand on my shoulder.



I almost died and was unconscious three days

in Colombo Accident Intensive Care with swollen head,

arm and eight ribs fractured and a collapsed lung,

when a minivan knocked me down

at a crossing in 1991, but I did arise

with all my faculties intact!



From 1992 in Canada, I grasped opportunities,

broadened my vistas and am grateful

to be what I am today. Though I am

five inches shorter with severe osteoporosis,

a crooked spine with both shoulders

and wrists fractured, I have minimal pain,

my mind is sharp and I still manage

to cope pretty well at seventyfive!


I am ashamed of my floundering fickle faith
and this reluctance to accept life
as it unfolds around me
that from time to time, I seem
to need this affirmation
that the You do exist
and reign supreme my dear God!

Lalitha Brodie
October 2009
---------------------------------
BEAUTY

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever!
Beauty does emanate from
such different facets of life.
Fluttering butterflies, frolicking lambs
fields of flowers, flitting fireflies,
the glint in a loved ones eyes,
a baby's smile, sunset painted skies
the passion of the orator
the lithesome grace of the dancer
the piety that springs forth
from the melodious singer's voice
gently invading and captivating me. . .


However, why is beauty is so fleeting
as change always distorts and destroys
every single material thing in the cosmos?
Isn't there anything that can remain
beautiful perpetually to spread eternal joy?


Why not? Our emotions can imprint
moments of infinite beauty
in our mind's eye and immortalize
them in countless ways.
The outpouring of selfless love
in the spoken and written word
the lilting melody of an instrument
the soul stirring voice of the singer
the vivid portrayal of an actor
the superb performance of a maestro
do etch lovely memories in our minds.


The Sathya Sai Global 'Ahandanama Bhajan',
the annual 24 hours of devotional singing
heralding Guru Sai Baba's 84 th birthday,
was on 7nth Nov. Saturday 6 pm to Sunday 6 pm.
As I entered the Toronto Mandhir that Sunday
the throb of the pulsing spiritual vibrations
created by the fervent faith and devotion
of so many singers both young and old
did engulf and envelop me with such force,
nurturing and elevating my awareness
that I literally staggered under this experience
filled with God's love, grace and beauty.
By:
Lalitha Brodie.
----------------------------------
Lalitha Brodie: no time to slow down


Lalitha Brodie wears many hats and although she is a proud Canadian citizen, her Sri Lankan roots continue to inspire her life amongst the Tamil community here. Some of her five children live in England and Sri Lanka. She has 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She and her husband Rajah Brodie, now retired, came to Canada as landed immigrants in 1992, fleeing their troubled country. They joined two of their four sons.
Although she has never been a wage earner, her life has been dedicated to her many causes and working interests. She speaks three languages - Tamil, Sinhalese and English. Right now, she is assistant editor to the bilingual quarterly magazine Mental Wellness for Tamils, published by Charitable Universal Community Help. She is also a director of Omkara Spiritual Vedanta Centre.

Educated in Sri Lanka, Lalitha received a diploma in psychological counseling in Jaffna in 1987. She was co-founder of the Association for Health & Counselling Shanthiham associated with The Teaching Hospital in Jaffna.

During much of that period, she also expanded her involvement in her war-ravaged country to become president of the Selva Refugee Camp, which housed over 1,000 refugees from Trincomalee; and was president of a Mothers' Front in Chundikuli, Jaffna. Always a seeker on a spiritual path, Lalitha has traveled to puttaparthi India nine times: from 1992, she has been the only Tamil member of Sukiyo Mahikari, a global spiritual organization based in Japan.

Although five inches shorter in stature due to severe osteoporosis, Lalitha commands attention, bringing out from her various bags mounds of material connected with her various enterprises.

Last year, Ahilan Associates published her second book, Peace with Justice - poems that vividly portray her life and feelings about Sri Lanka, what has happened to her, her family, other Sri Lankans and people who have been important on her journey. She hopes her writing will inspire other Asian woman to join, as she has, a feminist organization – the Older Women's Network - "and reap rewards of all OWN activities, along with wings for their words."

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

Traveling the Toronto TTC
With passengers of a multicultural flare
I daily marvel at the well synchronized harmony
Evident everywhere …

Currently, she is working on another book. Although Lalitha regrets that she did not start writing earlier, she says it is rewarding that she is now a well-recognized broadcaster/telecaster, and writes extensively in both Tamil and English. According to International Tamil Radio, her broadcast influence reaches beyond the Tamil community to the mainstream.

Lalitha says her Tamil articles on individual personal growth in bi-monthly Vlambaram "seem to touch the hearts of many and bring pleas for counseling/referral."

Despite her age - she is in her mid-70s - Lalitha shows no sign of slowing down. Like other successful people, she knows the value of networking. She is involved with OWN's Creative Writing Group, with whom she shares her work in progress. She acknowledges that these women give her both practical guidance and friendship.

Dawn Hembling, chair of OWN's Creative Writing Group, acknowledges Lalitha's lifelong advocacy for women of all nationalities and all ages, and admires her tireless work and her courage in putting down her thoughts in her writings and poetry.
By
Anne Farrel
For www.coolwomen.org now www.section15.org) Past Chair Older Womens Network, Writer/Poet & and News Reporter

I enjoyed reading this opus written by a personality who deserves to be remembered and honored for his profound contribution towards Tamil literature!

Writings on a vast and varied range
ENIGMA!
Author: SM Haniffa
[ISBN 978-955-9044-05-4: Sri Lanka, Thamil Manram, 2007: pp80]

The death in recent weeks of the octogenarian author, SM Haniffa, prompts me to pen a few lines on one of his English publications titled Enigma which he personally presented to me.

Enigma, which is dedicated to the author's mother, Hajiani Safiya, comprises of over twenty-five mood pieces, a few autobiographical sketches, some fictional tales, Haniffa's love for India and especially the Gandhi-Nehru family, and his deep involvement with the Galhinna Students' Union: A compact collection of poems, short stories and opinions.

Each mood piece runs over a page or two. Haniffa's writings cover a vast and varied range from peace and proliferation to achieving good health and realizing the hand of God behind various happenings.

Apart from having secured a double degree, and served as an attorney-at-law, Haniffa's extensive background at Lake House as a sub-editor during the 1958-68 decade and as deputy editor at the SLBC followed by a publication of fifteen books stood him in good stead to write confidently about the subjects he touches. The apt Foreword by none other than the dean of the faculty of Education at the University of Colombo, Prof. S Chandrasekaran reveals the valuable contribution made by Haniffa to especially Tamil literature. Notable is Haniffa's book on Sonia Gandhi which he wrote in Tamil at age 78. The inspiration sprang to complete this project after he read Rasheed Kidwai's biography on Sonia.

The flashes of autobiography depicts some degree of poignancy in that of his somewhat harrowed childhood, being the only boy in a family of seven; losing his mother at age six; then seeing his father marry a second time and disappear with his spouse for over a lustrum to the Middle East, leaving him lost in the hands of his grandparents. His fiction in The Big Brother is reminiscent of that age old story of the Ant and the Grasshopper, while The Anchor shows shades of the personal trauma he endured as an 'orphan.' Amidst a swell of advice on various aspects, the one which warns "avoid eating in between" is reminiscent of the strict practice of that illustrious nonagenarian, the late Alhaj Sir Razik Fareed, Kt, Haniffa's contribution towards establishing the library and reading room for the Galhinna Students' Union, in which he was the secretary, is significant. He was one of the members with MH Jalaldeen and HL Fareed to draft its constitution in Nov-1946. Notable are the erstwhile donations generously made towards the construction of the Library and Reading Room by Commerce and Trade Minister, Hon. HW Amarasuriya, Alhaj MA Mohamed Cassim, also and Messrs WMA Wahid & Brothers, maternal uncles of the present CMC Special Commissioner Omar Kamil.

I enjoyed reading this opus written by a personality who deserves to be remembered and honored for his profound contribution towards Tamil literature.

May he attain Jennathul Firdous!

Alhaj AHM Azwer

SL-Presidential Advisor
------------------------------
dailynews.lk

Those Delhi Days (1950-54) ....!!!

Those Delhi Days (1950-54)
Book Review

Author: Trixie Marthenesz
Preamble
Trixie Marthenesz, who obtained her Bachelor’s Degree on Nursing from the College of Nursing of the University of Delhi in 1954, is in her eighties at present. In August, 2009 her book on ‘Those Delhi Days’ was launched through the Sri Lanka Federation of University Women. It is revealed that Deshabandu Dr. Wimala de Silva had inspired her to write this text. I had the opportunity to glance through this publication when she handed over to me a complimentary copy.

I was fascinated and quite attracted to read it in full, purely on its most reader friendly and the anecdotal form of presentation. The way she had skillfully manipulated the language made me to read it at a stretch. While reading the book I was automatically carried away to the scenarios she referred.

The chapters were chronologically arranged and the meticulous care that she has adopted in presenting in minute detail, the events related to the episodes that were described therein is another attractive feature of the book.

The descriptions and episodes addressed in the chapters varied from history (Chapter 10 on Growth and Development of Delhi) to humour (Chapter 24 on A Policeman Sees Ghost) sciences (Chapter 12 on First Semester Blues) to sports (Chapter 15 on Another First - India vs West Indies), professionalism (Chapter 23 on My First Cap) to patriotism (Chapter 20 on Ceylon Independence Celebrations in New Delhi - 1951), Travelling (Chapter 11 on Around Delhi) to Treatment (Chapter 32 on Tuberculosis Care in Kasauli), and Exploration (Chapter 28 on A Lesson, An Adventure and An Escapade) to Experience (Chapter 28 on In the Public Health Field). The preceding examples amply portray the wide variety of issues that were highlighted in the whole text along with the richness of the contents.

Skillful presentation
It is amazing to note after a period of almost six decades how the author has remembered all the episodes that were so meticulously described and the efforts made in preserving the relevant documents connected with the cited events. The langauge used was very much reader friendly and in simple short sentences. It sometimes portrayed a form of a novel, embodied with true life episodes.

The narrative style of presentation of an event in a mixed approach of combining description and thoughts related to the event being presented simultaneously made the reading more pleasant and sometimes stimulated curiosity. The whole publication portrayed a true description of various aspects and experience that the author had gained that were worth recording even after five decades, to be passed on to the next generation of not only nursing students but to all undergraduates.

Focus
The text addressed issues related to the efforts taken by her to enroll on a course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree in nursing in order to become a truly professional nurse. It amply demonstrated the courage and self-confidence she had developed in order to face a competitive interview with dedication and determination.

She also elaborately displayed her multiple interests in history, literature, culture in addition to her chosen profession in health care. Ms Marthenesz amply demonstrated her abilities in self-expression as a novelist as well as a professional author. In many instances she was honest and humble enough to simply express her inner feelings unhindered.

For example wherever they were offered a variety of Indian delicacies how they were enjoying them and craving to have them more and more was a lively unhindered description of her natural feelings.

The book also tried to inculcate such desirable qualities as, to be engaged in many outdoor and extracurricular activities as an undergraduate to become a full blown mature person in the future.

The crux of the presentation gives an important and timely message to all allied health science professionals in this country.

Although at present we are in a dilemma to accept the duration of the degree programs in allied health sciences, even in the early fifties, India had a four year degree program conducted for allied health science personnel.

The forty-two chapters devoted in this book highlighted varied aspects that are essentially encountered by an undergraduate especially in a foreign land.

The message
This is a book which describes the ideal characteristics of an undergraduate. It embodies, maturity, intellectual capacity, ability to adapt to new environment, competency to understand different cultures, responsibility to undertake self learning, the capacity to face challenges and to be compassionate in all the activities to be performed.

In addition the book vividly describes the combination of political and socio-cultural events that had occurred during her period of stay in New Delhi with such accuracy and affection.

The text amply displayed many of the good qualities an ideal undergraduate necessarily should attempt to inculcate, as a result of experience gained in the university days and their significance and merit for the future life.

Conclusion
Even at her present age, the author is very alert and demonstrated her capabilities as a lively author with a distinct style of writing. Her details of expression and descriptions were accurate and conveyed a deeper message to all stakeholders involved in higher education.

Certainly there is ample valuable information and enriched with concepts embedded within the text which needs to be read with intense concentration and care. Definitely I gained a wealth of new knowledge on the circumstances under which the students in those days proceeded on scholarships and survived the elements and the environment.

It also portrayed the best practices involved in socialization, appreciation of nature, tolerance of varied cultures, facing the new challenges and overall to be a compassionate professional. In summary it is a book worth reading by all grades of academics as well as any undergraduate to learn about the difficulties faced five decades ago in pursuing higher education.

I wish Mrs. Marthenesz longer and healthier life to be able to continue to contribute to the nursing education in Sri Lanka in particular as well as to higher education in general.

- Prof. M. T. M. Jiffrey , Vice Chairman , UGC

dailynews.lk

Collecting the maiden book copies at book launches...!!!

Pillar of strength to the literary world

He has an exclusive hobby that any one in the world would have. It is collecting books. Not merely collecting books but collecting the maiden book copies at book launches. If there is a book launch, you see around you will surely see this wonderful person. Because he is hardly excluded in such ceremonies. Of course it is hard to exclude him when writers know his generosity. And he is the only one in Sri Lanka who undertakes in publishing maiden books of talented writers who find it difficult to bear the cost of printing totally out of his expenses.

He makes their dreams come true - those who are interested in writing and are unable to see their work in print. That is no doubt a great encouragement and a noble favour for writers whose dream is to publish a book yet wait years and years, finally frustrated and give up writing. Now, those budding writers no longer have to shed tears out of desperation having being so far unable to publish their maiden book. There is this god-sent book lover to wipe out their tears.

Puravalar (philanthropist) Hassim Omar is a philanthropist in the very sense of the word. He is a king who helps the needy and talented writers. As a king is responsible for his kingdom, this king is responsible for the kingdom of literature. Our history bears many witnesses of kings who made a mammoth contribution to the field of literature. Puravalar Hassim Omar is the latest addition in that list of kings.

Who else in the world is fortunate than Hassim Omar to possess as huge a collection as nearly 500 maiden book copies? His name should be written in the Guinness Record Book in this regard as he is the one and only person who had purchased a huge amount of first book copies at book launches. “Most of the writers in Sri Lanka are rich in talent but poor in money. That is why I buy their first copies at functions” He says. It is a custom that at a book launch the chief guest is expected to make a small monetary donation to the author of the book. Our protagonist is lavish in his donation for authors. They never receive less than Rs. 5,000. It sometimes exceeds Rs.25,000 depending on the financial status of the author.

In fact Sri Lankan writers are fortunate because they have a benevolent publisher who thinks “The plight of the Sri Lankan writers are pathetic. That is why I embarked on a task like this to help them to market their books and to recover invested money on their creations.” The buzz of his lavish contribution at book launches received feathers and flew overseas. Thus Omar constantly received invitations from India, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for book launches. “It is a great honour to me when the world famous Indian Agricultural Scientist Dr. R. Swaminathan who introduced green revolution to India invited me for his book launch. I bought the maiden copy of his book,” he proudly reminisces.

Hassim Omar is of Memon origin who was born in India. Though his mother tongue is Gujarati, he studied in Tamil language when they settled in Sri Lanka. His Alma Mater is St. Mary’s College, Kegalle. “I am not a great scholar. I studied only up to grade 10. Then I embarked on my own business,” he humbly reveals. Hard work paid off. With his hard work he stands a gigantic business figure in the country today. He is now spending time leisurely rendering various favours for the needy but with no publicity. “Now I do not have to work hard. Because the money I have earned is now earning money for me.” He smiles restfully.

He established his publishing house- Puravalar Puththaga Punga in 1999 which is a treasure park for budding writers in Sri Lanka. It has hitherto published 20 books. The theme of the publishing house is “Madham Oru Nul” - one month one book. It is not on the purpose of making profits for Omar himself by publishing books. It is absolutely for the purpose and profit of the authors. He undertakes the huge task of publishing and holding a book launch on his account. Whoever the fortunate author does not have to spend a single cent for that.

I asked him, being the owner of a publishing house, if he intends to publish any book under his authorship. “No, if I write a book, I will consider it as the best book of the world. That is the normal psychology. Then I will underestimate other writers and it is an injustice for them. And it will also ruin the purpose of publishing house.” What a philanthropic thought is that.

Yet recently ‘Puravalar Puththaga Punga’ published his biography namely ‘Puravalar Sila Padhivuhal’ Some records of Puravalar. It consists of newspaper articles so far written about him. “I was totally unaware of this at the beginning. Kaleignar Kaleichchelvan had carefully collected news paper articles written on me in all three languages and some valuable photographs. It was a huge and hectic task but Kaleignar Kaleichchelvan with the help of several others somehow accomplished the complicated task.

But you have not allocated a price for that book?

“Yes. If I allocated a price for that many would misunderstand that we try to recover the amount we have so far spent on other books. Moreover it is as I feel a priceless book”.

He recently held a felicitation ceremony for all journalists and photographers who wrote about him in newspapers whose articles were re-published in the book ‘Puravalar Sila Padhivuhal’. It was a great encouragement for the journalists whose talent is hardly appreciated and are often excluded in sophisticated and biased award ceremonies. His immediate plan is to hold a book launching ceremony for four female writers on Women’s Day next year.

He does not stop there. He has a high hope to build a separate place for writers to engage in their work, to conduct book launches and other literary related works. “I need to carry forward this task in future even in my absence. For that I am planning to start a trust fund so that this would continue to exist and help needy writers”. He remarks with a note of triumphant hope in his eyes. Sri Lanka needs more and more people of this caliber with liberality for the uplift of the literary industry. It is hoped that he alone can make a huge revolution in the literary field with Allah’s blessings.

- R.D.W. Subasinghe

sundayobserver.lk

Gifted writer and true son of Jaffna :Aloysius Jeyraj Kanagaratna ..!!!

Aloysius Jeyraj Kanagaratna:

Gifted writer and true son of Jaffna
Wijitha Nakkawita

He belonged to a rare tribe of human beings who unfortunately were the minority among us but his vision and dreams embraced all humanity and all other living beings in the environment. Recently a collection of his writings, The Conscience of Jaffna was published and brought out in Colombo. He was Aloysius Jeyraj Kanagaratna better known as AJ among a wide circle of friends and the literati of the North and South. He was a teacher, journalist and a translator.

He was born in Jaffna on August 1934 and had his primary education at St.

Patrick's College, Jaffna and secondary education at St. Joseph's College, Colombo and higher education at the then University of Ceylon Peradeniya obtaining an English Honours Degree.

He started teaching English in a number of schools after graduation and joined the Jaffna based Standard Review as a sub editor till it was brought to Colombo. He also served the Daily News editorial and the Times of Ceylon editorial. In 1974, when the University of Jaffna was started, he joined it as an English tutor and served in that capacity till his retirement age.

AJ was a selfless man who asked very little for himself and was generous to a fault. When his people were suffering in the throes of the war, he often gave what little he had to others and went without many things for himself. He was not inclined to climb the social ladder though he was gifted much above the average person and he would not sacrifice his principles for any reason whatsoever.

He was a Marxist to the very end and lived in Jaffna even at the height of the terrorist war refusing to leave his people even when he had to suffer hardships.

Regi Siriwardena writing about some of his experiences in Jaffna says: "During the darkest years of the war I suggested to AJ through a friend since he was not only experiencing the privations of the beleaguered Jaffna but was circumscribed in his activity, he should migrate to Colombo, where I was sure fruitful and satisfying work could be found for him. He responded by saying he was a stick-in-the-mud who didn't want to transplant himself. I realized then that, together with the cosmopolitan culture and broad international awareness, AJ was also intellectually deep rooted in the soil of Jaffna, in its life, experience and language and for him to leave in its time of greatest ordeal, may have seemed a kind of betrayal."

Surprisingly AJ who was steeped in the Western culture and was grounded in English, Latin and Western classics, starting his primary education in a convent in Jaffna could not read or write in his mother tongue Tamil and his beginning to learn Tamil came only when he was 22 years and that also when criticisms were being written about Sinhala being made the official language.

He decided to learn Tamil to read the news and views in the Tamil newspapers and used to quip that Sinhala being made official language made him learn his mother tongue. Of course his application to learning a natural gift he had from his childhood made him a competent Tamil writer.

AJ was an indefatigable critic of capitalism and studied and challenged Western economists calling their bluff most of the time. He was also a true environmentalist and firmly believed that the so-called modern methods of agriculture destroyed the environment.

He did not seek limelight and lived a quiet life but his devotion to teach what he knew - a wide variety of subjects from English literature, Marxism, arts and the culture of his own people - and to the very end of his life he remained wedded to Jaffna sharing the joys, troubles and anguish of his people.

Among his books were Matthu (1970) Marxvadikalum Theshiya Inappirechchineiyum (1977) Avasrakalam 79 (1980) Marxiamum Illakiyamum Silanokkulal (1981) Ellamum Samathiyamum Varlatru Mosadium (1981) and Senkavalar Thalaivar Jesunadar (2000) and a series of his Tamil articles are to be published shortly.

DAILYNEWS.LK

To speak, listen and write is one of the most natural and comfortable things a person could do....!!!

VIOLENCE IS EASY; IT ALSO LIMITS PEOPLE SAYS FATIMA BHUTTO

By Melanie Bamunusinghe

Seated at a quiet corner in “The Walawwa,” a hotel just off the Minuwangoda Road, she looked young, petite–and simple, but when she starts speaking, people realise that she is wise beyond her years. For her 27 years she is full of experiences; some not by choice but others due to exact and significant choices she made; her choice to become a poetess and a writer; her choice to become a journalist; her choice to travel out of Pakistan to the far corners of the earth.

Her interest in people is immeasurable. The depth and intensity with which she describes a persons’ character, actions, words, personality, talents and more specifically their emotions, perils, and opinions is vast. This is what she is here for, in Sri Lanka–to discuss her writing, her life and her views on a political dynasty.

“Whispers of the Desert”

She, the niece of the late Benazir Bhutto, arrived in Sri Lanka on an invitation to speak at the Galle Literary Festival, 2010.

Fatima Bhutto is an Afghan born Pakistani writer. Her first collection of poetry, “Whispers of the Desert” marked her rise to popularity as one of Pakistani’s new literary voices and won her critical acclaim. Her second book, “8:50 a.m. 8 October 2005” looks at a turning point in modern Pakistani history when a devastating earthquake swept through Islamabad to the valleys of Azad Kashmir. Fatima Bhutto is a regular columnist for “The Daily Beast,” “The New Statesman” and other publications.

The granddaughter of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and niece of former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, she has famously said, “I don't believe in birth-right politics. I don't think, nor have I ever thought, that my name qualifies me for anything”. In “Songs of Blood and Sword,” to be released next year, Fatima gives an account of her famous family and the events that have befallen it, including the murder of her own father–she believed–by people within the family. When asked of Benazir Bhutto, on a personal note she paused before saying, “You have to wait for the next book to come out,” referring to “Songs of Blood and Sword.”

Coming from an elite family, she is surprisingly modest and humble. Her explanations for some of the profound topics were the results of “out of the box” thinking, such as her ideas of politics. “Politics is about how people live: it’s the people’s imagination. Actually it’s one’s imagination of what a country should be or what society should be,” she said contemplatively. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, her Grandfather, in her point of view had that imagination, but not Benazir Bhutto. “For her, politics was about her, her dynasty. She was very ‘personality driven,’ which was not unique since we see that all across the world,” she said with an expression on her face that was quite hard to read. She agreed that her poetry is about herself and how she views things. “I’m specifically interested in those who are under the radar, the stories of those who don’t make it to the news. They are all around us, we just have to reach out to them,” Fatima said with a wry smile.

Writing is about memories

Speaking of “under the radar,” Fatima said that she hopes to find out what Sri Lankans read and which writers speak for and to the people of Sri Lanka–especially the local writers who don’t make the New York Times or become best sellers but who have reached out to the hearts of Sri Lankans. “I think it’s an interesting time to be here. With the end of the war, I want to see how Sri Lankans are dealing with the post war situation, how people are reacting, their mentality, both sides of the story, of the Sinhalese and of the Tamils,” she said.

Sri Lankans are moving on with their lives and many local writers are writing about the war or the war itself, thus Fatima’s definition of writing is timely and also appropriate. “Writing is about memories, a struggle to preserve things that happened to people. The ones that are overlooked by the fast flow of news, where words are controlled,” she said with determination and a tint of regret. According to her, many stories are misplaced, languages are lost, injustices collected, bravery wrongly highlighted. Thus writing gives an opportunity to correct them,” was another of her views. There was concern in her eyes when she said that writing is an art born from people’s difficulties in their community, politics and family. She is proud of South Asian women explaining brave traditions common among South Asian countries, specifically the emerging voice of the women. She had both the air of confidence and a whimsical smile only a South Asian woman could have, when she said, “I think many Non-South Asians are surprised how brave our women are in speaking to the public through writing and poetry. We see many female writers in South Asia who write about pressing and conflicting matters. They are strong and creative,” Fatima explained with a smile.

Warmth of Sri Lankans

She told me that this was one of the reasons for her to start writing and pursuing it. “I would write to cope with emotions I didn’t understand such as fear. On the other hand, poetry was the easiest way to express confusing emotions,” she said. She sadly explained that growing up in a frightening city, writing about what surrounded her, and how she felt about it, was her means of expressing herself. Expressing how overwhelmed she was by the warmth and friendliness of the Sri Lankans she said, “If you go to a Western country, let’s say America, you are just a number in the crowd.” She admired that here like in other South Asian countries, travelling is made memorable because of the warmth of the people. “When we head back home we take friendships, cultures and lifestyles with us,” she smiled. “Among South Asian countries there are similarities, as in cultural and traditional backgrounds and coming to Sri Lanka will give me an opportunity to talk about Pakistan, what is common in all of us, and share some ideas to bridge the gap between Sri Lanka and Pakistan,” she explained.

Fatima is a warm, sensitive person, full of life and inspiration for others. She perks up with happiness when she talks of people she had met and places she has been. Her hand movements vividly express her thoughts and her eye brows knot together in a worried expression when discussing some grave situations. It was easy to understand that she loves to read write and travel, that she is genuinely interested in reaching out to the people, or to be a voice to them or listen to their voices. In that light Fatima concluded that opportunities like the Galle Literary Festival will help foster communication as neighbouring countries; express what we have in common; what is important to our countries and engage in discussions regarding what is happening here as well as in Pakistan.

“Why?” she asked herself. “It’s because violence is too easy, it’s limiting people. But writing, speaking or listening is not restricted by the government. To speak, listen and write is one of the most natural and comfortable things a person could do.”

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