by K.S. Sivakumaran
It is gratifying to note that the late A. J. Canagaratna, a literary critic from the North has been appreciated by at least a few people in the South and by one or two in Thamilnadu, India, particularly when Historians of Lankan English Literature do not appear to have even heard of him.
Cover page of the book, AJ: The Rooted Cosmopolitan
Somewhere last month the ICES (International Centre for Ethnic Studies), courtesy the chief librarian, P. Thambirajah, organised a meeting to introduce a book in English a Festschrift titled AJ: The Rooted Cosmopolitan. I wasn’t there but I heard about it. Chaired by Haig Karunaratne, the speakers included scholars in the calibre of Dr Wilfrid Jayasekera, Dr Sumathy Sivamohan, Seelan Kadirgamar and journalist Lynn Ockersz.
The 250 page book is neatly divided into two sections: Collection of Essays on A J Canagaratna and Essays and Reviews by A J Canagaratna. The book also includes photographs of the late AJCA Lanka born Canadian academic, Chelva Kanaganayagam, has edited this volume.
The Southern writers who have written so gloriously on AJC are Regi Siriwardena, S. Sivanayagam, Harsha Gunewardena, Navaliyoor S. Nadesan (his was a translation from Thamil), S. V. Rajadurai (a Marxist critic from Thamilnadu), Thamilavan (again from the neighbouring country), K. Sivathamby, M. A. Nuhman (his article originally written in Thamil is translated into English), Suresh Canagarajah (Lanka born academic in the U.S.), A. S. Panneerselvan (from Thamilnadu), M. Pushparajan (his article in Thamil is also translated into English), Nirmala Rajasingam (Lanka born Londoner), Rajan Philips and A. Sabaratnam.
I was not sure whether the late AJC was a Marxist in the classic sense but most of those who had paid tributes to him happened to be Marxists of one kind or the other.
What was surprising to me was that when I read the second part of the book, I found that AJC had written excellent essays and reviews in English mostly to a particular and not so well known publication called Third Eye that was published in the East.
He has written reviews of books by Lanka born Londoner A. Sivanandan, Lanka born Canadian Shyam Selvadurai, Lanka born Londoner Rohini Hensman, Regi Siriwardena, Tissa Abeysekera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Lanka born the late Guy Amirthanayagam. AJC also had reviewed some Thamil books in the English language. Those Thamil writers are Mu Ponnambalam, M. Pushparajan, S. Pathmanathan, Santhan, S. Jeyasankar’s edited book, K Sivathamby and S.Ratnajeevan H. Hoole. AJC also as reviewed a book by a Thamilnadu writer named S. Jeyamohan.
Apart from the above AJC wrote an Introduction to Neelan Tiruchelvam Commemorative Conference Papers and above all a Preface and Introduction to the two volumes of Selected Writings of Regi Siriwadena.
Some of his other articles include Tambi and poetry, London, Some Heretical Thoughts on the Proposed Educational Reforms, Naatsaar Vedu Vs Proscenium Stage, Annai itta Thee: Ome Impressions, Some Reflections, Kimathi’s "Trial" was No Ordeal, From Decaying Aristocrats to Lumpens: Cine Yatra - a festival of Sri Lankan Cinema, A One-Woman Show: Rani Moorthy’s pooja and The Man who said "NO".
The late A. J. Canagaratna was not only a writer and critic in English but also an author of a few books in Thamil. He was an English Honours graduate from the University of Peradeniya. He had worked for the Daily News as a journalist. He edited a Yaalpaanam Co-Operative journal. He had taught in schools in Yaalpaanam and in the East. He was an Instructor in English at the University of Yaalpaanam.
AJC has written the following books in Thamil: Maththu, Marxiavaathikalum Theshiya Ina Pirachchananium, Avasarakaalam ‘ 79 Part 1, Maerxiamun Ilakkiyamun : Sila Noakkuhal, Ellalan Samathiyum Varalaatu Mosadiyum, and Senkavala Thalaivar Jesunathar.
The Illustrated Weekly of India, Times of Ceylon, Ceylon Observer, Third Eye and The Little magazine have carried translations of Lankan Thamil short stories into English by AJC.
The following anthologies also include AJC’s translations of Lankan Thamil stories and poems: Lute Song and Lament, A Lankan Mosaic, Favourite fiction: Stories from South Asia-Part 1 and Part 2.
