Kali O Kolom
Ashwin 1415 -- September 2008
The Ashwin issue of Kali O Kolom starts, appropriately enough, with three articles (by Rafiq Kaiser, Sarkar Abdul Mannan and Abu Hena Mustafa Enam respectively) on Mahmudul Haque, the Bengali short story writer and novelist who died recently. Sarkar's lucidly-paced piece fills in many of the gaps of Haque's life--the writer grew reclusive and tired of Dhaka literary life in the last twenty years of his life and his life became shrouded in the mystique of authorial silence. Rafiq Kaiser elucidates the author's fondness for characters who were lumpen, rootless and of what used to be called the 'lower orders,' while Enam examines the modern element in his fiction. A previously unpublished short story by Mahmudul Haque, Asroy ('Shelter') has also found its welcome way in the short story section, which also contains an alluring contribution ('Kosha') by Papri Rahman, whose use of 'vernacular' language and raw-earthy idioms is striking. The other short stories are 'Palki' by Niharul Islam and 'Desh Jokhon Naiye' by Sharshij Basu. There is a tribute to the writer Mahmood Darwish, the 'voice of Palestine,' who also died recently and whose death went relatively unmarked in the literary pages of Bangladesh dailies (including this one). Accompanying it are some of his poems translated into Bengali, though it is not mentioned whether they are double translations (translated from English translations of the Arabic), or straight from the Arabic. Art reviews are getting to be a major part of the fare provided by Kali O Kolom, with poet-architect Robiul Husain becoming a regular contributor. In this issue he dwells on the 11 Indian and Bangladeshi artists who had a show at the Gallery Kaya recently. This issue too covers two probashi artists, one in Japan and the other in the United States, while Zahid Mustafa writes on Nurul Islam's solo show at Bengal Gallery. There are three notable in-memoriums (testament to the fact how a generation of writers and artists are beginning to fade away, in the months and years after Shamsur Rahman took his leave of us), with theater being hit hard: Abdullah Al-Mamun and Selim Al-Deen, and the third being the poet Samudra. Ramendu Majumdar's write-up on Mamun is an endearing one, penned from the intimacy acquired from over a lifetime's friendship and working relationship. Among the book reviews Habibullah Shiraji takes an interesting look at Rafique Azad's latest volume Borshonay Anonday Jao Manusher Kachay, while in 'Kaajer Bua'r Kotha' AZM Abdul Ali gives his somewhat surprised take on Baby Haldar (a housemaid in India who a couple of years back wrote a bestselling biography). The cover painting 'Khole O Jhompoboti Poddo -- 2' is by Nilufar Chaman, a product of the 'Chittagong School' of art pioneered by Rashid Chowdhury.
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