<i>Kali O Kolom Poush 1415</i> -- December 2008
The present volume of Kali O Kolom began on an interesting note with the lead article by Sanatkumar Saha being on three celebrated English-language novels by Bangladeshis who were deemed by him to be probashis in various degrees: Monica Ali's Brick Lane, Abid Ali's Seasonal Adjustments and Tahmima Anam's A Golden Age. However, midway through the piece, the reviewer brought in a poetry volume of a Ms. Seema Nusrat Amin, Bootsole Unbound (Dhaka: OUP, 2005), which he then proceeded to discuss in the same terms as the other three. The inclusion of this volume and poet within this particular discussion was incomprehensible--in no way is it comparable with the other three. The sample lines of poetry from the book reinforced the above thought in no small measure: "...you, slim-twigged lavender birch/thrashed but rooted in the yellow sorrow/with you I have passed, these desert stars' harrow...". It immediately and conclusively rendered suspect the reviewer's ability to deliver credible critical assessment of South Asian English fiction. It also brings into question Kali O Kolom's reviewing of English language fiction--its reviewers must be vetted for English language fluency, and knowledge of English language fiction, before being tasked with such assessments. The rest of the journal has scrupulously kept to its high standards. One of the pleasures of this volume is in observing the slow comeback of poet Shahid Quadri from his long silence. There is not only a poem by him (published in translation here) but also an interview by Adnan Syed, where the poet shows that while the body may be enfeebled the spirit is alive and well, and that he has lost none of his old verve for literary adda. Among the short stories two stand out in terms of freshness of purpose and writing–Poshak by Mahbub Talukdar, and Shonkho Shikol by Rafiqur Rashid. Here it must be mentioned that Kali O Kolom has done itself and its readers a huge favour by expanding its inside artwork roster--pointed out in a previous review--to include Rafiqunnabi and Monirul Islam (along with standard ones by the ever delightful Ranajit Das and the sylvan lines of Rokeya Sultana). The difference in terms of re-invention and overall look is obvious. May the magazine continue on its path of artistic diversity! Speaking of art, there is an unusual piece on graffiti art--that of Banksy in London--by Abul Mansur, which begins by pondering the question: In Bengali should we term it as 'poth shilpa', 'deyal chobi', or 'unmukto aakibuki'? Kali O Kolom is doing a signal contribution to Bengali art criticism and nonfiction writing in general by pushing the boundaries of Bengali writing and prose, and no doubt here thanks are due in large measure to its discerning editor Abul Hasnat. There are reviews of art exhibitions: one of Monirul Islam at Bengal Gallery, and the other at Drik Gallery of pot painter Raghunath Chakravarty. I had the good luck to catch both exhibitions, and can say that both reviews do ample justice to two fine exhibitions. Among the other pieces there is a write-up on ex-National Professor Razzaque of Dhaka University, an iconic figure who in his day was a vivid link to a bygone era of Bengali Muslim society. Though Mofidul Haq's piece refreshes memories, the article lacks real depth--the intertwining of man and legend here is too strained for any real portrait to emerge. There is an excellent translation of the Chinese writer Mo Shen's 'The Window', but as has happened before with such efforts, the journal fails to inform its readers whether the Bengali translation is of an English translation of the original Chinese. It is a practice it must eschew. The drama review takes a look at Adivasi theater, while among the book reviews at the end, two in particular (Sohrab Hasan on Hasnat Abdul Hye's Comrade Anu'r Oporanno, and Sarkar Abdul Mannan on Hayat Mamud's Probondho Shongroho) are thoughtful and well-judged. The cover art is an oil done in 1990 is by senior artist Shafiuddin Ahmed. He was born in 1922, and was a contemporary of Shilpa Acharya Zainul Abedin. He is well known for his etchings and drawings on the 1971 War of Liberation.
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