A.J.Canagaratna.
“Large streams from little fountains flow,
Tall oaks from little acorns grow.”
- David Everett
Those who knew him considered him a tall oak but he was such an embodiment of self- effacement that he considered himself a reed. At the same time, when reeds pretend to be oaks, his anger would be expressed in his reddened cheeks - the only sign of displeasure in the little sage’s face. I had one or two occasions when I witnessed, A.J’s cheeks reddening. His voice would be a little raised and coarse. That’s all! No other _expression of hate or anger in his bright eyes. What a wonderful man, who has eschewed hatred!
I had heard about this short Agastya- like English teacher from my friends at St. Patrick’s College, but I never met him. I read his translations of contemporary Tamil short stories in the Colombo news papers. That was a time when the English- educated elite looked down upon vernacular writers. Here is a man who had himself delved deep into the ocean of world literature but had the time and temperament to devote some time for selecting the best in Tamil writing and presenting it to world readers. It was, perhaps, after his English translation, that these writings were made available in East European languages. I had occasions to wonder whether these writers were elevated to world class for their political persuasion. No, A.J.’s wide and deep reading embedded in the solid ground of discrimination would not permit that. He is an expert in choosing the grain from the mass of chaff. He will not care to present unworthy literarary products, because they are “ours”. Linguistic and political chauvinism was not his nature. He might have had political convictions, but they would not mar his literary conviction. This thought developed into as certained conviction as I began to move close to him.
My first personal observations of the man began during his participation in the public meetings held in the University of Jaffna. Then, we, who had not entered the portals of a university, were happy to join the literate crowd of participants and enjoy the vigorous intellectual activities of a devoted group. The young university had a set of intellectuals who were active in acquiring knowledge and disseminating it to thirsty knowledge seekers. They invited the best of their co-travelers from the South and added a new impetus to our cultural life. Reggie Siriwardene was one of the frequent speakers who adorned the stage. And, A.J. would be there to attend any type of meeting, as his tastes were varied. His meaningful participation would add much lustre during the question time. When the audience was reluctant to ask questions from the intellectual giants, A.J. would rise after a brief silence after giving room for others. His questions would be pertinent, often reflecting what is in the minds of the listeners. The speakers would be happy that a point they failed to clarify was taken up for further elucidation.
Once a local young Ph.D. holder was giving a talk on the problems faced by the Jaffna English students in the secondary classes regarding pronunciation. She was summarizing her experiences in the field. There were no questions as linguistics was a new field and questioners were reluctant to tread on unfamiliar ground. From the back, a pair of glittering eyes showed up above the turning heads and put forth a pertinent question : “Madam, the declared aim of teaching English has been presented as ‘English as a library language’. The government educationists think that the students should use English for reading technical books. Then, why should we bother about correct pronunciation ?” The speaker had not thought of the fundamental aim of emphasizing correct pronunciation. She was at a loss to reply. The Professor who presided had to explain with an apt personal anecdote. “ Last week, some of our medicos had a chat about a case. The most brilliant among them was from a rural background with a poor English pronunciation. He said, “We reat this case this way”. The poor young man couldn’t pronounce ‘tr’ correctly as many of the Jaffna students. All laughed… We still have a majority of students who pronounce English fairly well. They will laugh at a person who makes a mistake. This is found in our society. So, it is better to guide the students to acquire a tolerably good pronunciation”.
In the early eighties, while I was President of the Kayts Literary Circle, I had arranged some discussions on the famous western men of literature, for the sake of Advanced Level students. One of the founders of the Circle insisted that what I write for the literary novices should reach a wider circle and forced me to send them to “Mallikai”, a Tamil monthly journal. One late evening I went to the office and gave the article to a compositor and hurried out saying that I should not miss the last bus to Kayts. There was no name and address in the script, and it was published under the pseudonym, ‘Kavalnagaron’ ( Kaytian). Later I heard that A.J., who was helping Dominic Jeeva, coined this name for me.
When I was on the Board of Management of “Saturday Review”, I had occasions to move closely with A.J. and viewed him as a devoted editor. The Editor was invariably away in Colombo and A.J. had to bear the burden of editing the controversial weekly during its most difficult days during the I.P.K.F. episode. While others enjoyed many privileges, cars, autos and the rest, A.J. would only get the help of the office-boy to take him upto his residence in Nallur, on that boy’s way home.
“Every inch a gentleman” is not a good enough _expression to describe him. I witnessed it once – perhaps the best occasion to measure his nobility. There was a minor skirmish between the Chairman and a member of the Board over a trifle. Both would not give in. On the road, I met A.J.. He said, “Let them do anything. We, as workers, should not take sides. Our concern is that the paper should come out regularly”. He was really towering as an oak among the reeds.
His deep devotion to literature was immeasurable. He regularly read the ‘Times Literary Supplement’, page by page; Not even reviews outside his field would be overlooked ! A remote topic on Indian philosophy, if discussed in a new book reviewed, would not miss his keen eyes. I was often by him reminded of a book, I missed. He knew what my tastes were.
“Biting the tip of grass leaves ……..”, is a common idiom about the so-called Tamil literati of today. He never called himself a scholar of contemporary Tamil, but he was again an oak among acorns. Once, during the mass exodus from Jaffna, a reader had left with him a long novel of ‘Pirapanchan’, to be returned to the Public Library. I obtained and read it from A to Z as it dealt with the Tamil social life of Pondicherry during the Seven Years’ War. I returned it to him. I noticed him keeping it on his table after returning from exodus in 1996. He said he would return it after reading it. Reading and discrimination was part of his inner nature.
As a friend said, he was a real Siddha. His achievements (siddhies) were Himalayan, but he strode like Agastya, in his small physical stature ignorant of his greatness. He is immortal among mortals. May his memory live for ever in the world of letters.
A.Sabaratnam
**A.Sabaratnam is an active but silent intellectual and activist. Another rare kind of living personality of our community.
Photos:Kanchanai R.R.Srinivasan of Thirunelveli, South India.
S.Jeyasankar
11.11.2006
