Environmental and Ecological Concerns in Sri Lankan Tamil Fiction: a Study on Selected Pieces

Environmental and Ecological Concerns in Sri Lankan Tamil Fiction: A Study on Selected Pieces
- Dr. Kandiah Shriganeshan, Senior Lecturer, English Language Teaching Centre, University of Jaffna, , Sri Lanka
Destruction of the environment and natural resources is the main danger that the modern world has to face. There is an urgent need for institutional reform within modern society to safeguard the environmental resources and to maintain the ecological balance. Environmental sociologists have different views as to which institutional traits can be held primarily responsible for the environmental crisis. The capitalistic or industrial character as well as the complex, highly administrated technological system of modern society is the cause for this depressing state of affairs. This is more evident in the pieces written by Sri Lankan Tamil writers available in translation. Stories appeared in Lute Song and Lament, A Lankan Mosaic, Tamil short stories from Sri Lanka are taken for analysis. This paper attempts to highlight the writers’ concern about the safety of the environment and the ecological balance of natural resources.
Introduction
Modern society with its facilities accessed through the inventions and discoveries of science and technology faces a dangerous situation because of environmental pollution. The ecological balance is also lost due to environmental pollution. The industrialization of Society introduced to the world in the 18th century and the subsequent introduction of motorized vehicles in the 19th century, and the arrival of computers with the new concept of Information Technology in the 20th century have upgraded not only the life style of the human population but increased the rate of explosion of the human population substantially. The state of affairs has also caused an exponential growth in the production of goods and services which in a way opened a space for a tremendous amount of waste/ e-waste as by-products. The indiscriminate discharge of untreated industrial and domestic wastes into waterways, the spewing of thousands of tons of particulates and airborne gases into the atmosphere, the "throwaway" attitude toward solid wastes, and the use of newly developed chemicals without considering potential consequences have resulted in major environmental disasters. Chemical, physical, or biological waste material dumped into water resources causes water pollution that degrades the quality of the water and affects the organisms living in it. Humans have become the culprits for land pollution by degrading the Earth 's land surface through misuse of the soil by poor agricultural practices, mineral exploitation, industrial waste dumping, and indiscriminate disposal of urban wastes.
The use of pesticides has also caused considerable pollution. Basically, they are organic and inorganic chemicals invented for creating better human environment by controlling undesirable life forms such as bacteria, pests, and foraging insects. Unfortunately, it turned out to be causing dangerous side-effects. Air pollution caused by the accumulation in the atmosphere of substances endangers human health and affects other living species and raw materials. Among the major sources of pollution are power and heat generation, the burning of solid wastes, industrial processes, and, especially, emission of gases due to transportation. Last but not the least is noise pollution, a relatively recent origin which is a composite of sounds generated by human activities ranging from bomb blasts and canon fire to the roar of supersonic transport jets.
There is an urgent need for institutional reform to safeguard the environmental resources and to maintain the ecological balance. All the social reformers, writers and artistes have a duty towards creating awareness among the public to safeguard the environment and many have indicated their concern for the safety of the earth from pollution and maintenance of ecological balance through their pieces. Environmental sociologists have different views as to which institutional traits can be held primarily responsible for the environmental crisis. The capitalistic or industrial character as well as the complex, highly administrated technological system of modern society is the cause for this depressing state of affairs. Many Marxist critics blame the social system which is based on the capitalist structure for the negative and destructive attitude of the people who do not have any concern for the safety of the Globe and its environment and the resources. By ecology, it is meant the whole science of the relations of the organism to the environment including, in the broad sense, all the "conditions of existence" (Ernst Haeckel 1866).

Human existence challanged by Environmental factors
This paper tries to look into four short stories namely Gone with the soil by Ottamavadi Arafath, Despondency by Al Azhoomath, Kosalai by Ranjakumar, and Watering Time by Senkai Aaliyan originally written in Tamil by Tamil and Muslim writers and translated into English by S.Sivasekaram, S.Pathmanathan and A.J.Canagaratne. They appeared in collections titled Lutesong and Lament edited by Chelva Canaganayakam (2001), A Lankan Mosaic edited by Ashley Halpe, M.A.Nuhuman and Ranjini Obeyesekara, (2003) and Tamil short stories from Sri Lanka (forthcoming in 2013) translated and edited by S.Pathmanathan. The Anthologies are represented by many Tamil writers who belong to the second set of the third generation and the selection includes Muslim writers and expatriates along with other Sri Lankan Writers. Most of the stories deal with the effects of War- bereavement, loss of habitat, displacement and exile. Some deal with very common issues related to culture and life styles. Mostly all these stories were written during a period when the country was in turmoil after the ethnic riots (1983) and the subsequent civil war which lasted till May 2009 between the armed forces and the militants belonging to the various movements which fought for the Tamil Cause.
In Sri Lanka, ethnic unity has been marred by many communal conflicts ever since Independence (1948). Subsequent political crisis such as the act of Pakistani and Indian disenfranchisement (1949), the Sinhala Only Act (1958), the Republic Constitution (1972) and the Executive Presidency (1978) contributed to the divisions and misunderstanding among the communities living in the country. The peaceful atmosphere for living in harmony in Sri Lanka was disturbed by continuous riots and discriminatory rule of successive governments. Out of this crisis emerged the Tamil youth militancy which turned out to be a force to be reckoned with.
They also caused a terrible negative impact on the ecological balance and purity of the environment. These situations are recorded in these stories. An analysis is made here on the four selected stories in detail for the purpose of this paper.

Gone with the soil by Arafath
The story Gone with the soil by Arafath is a poignant and accurate portrayal of the last days of a father who refuses to leave his home at the critical phase of the War. Because of the movements of the militants and the security forces the inhabitants of the area had to leave. The peaceful atmosphere of the village is gone. The symbolic effects of the Sodhayan Hill which stands for the stable life of the people and the Tamarind tree in front of the shop owned by the narrator’s father providing shade, never bowing before wind or rain speak a lot about people’s freedom. The cultural symbols like the Banyan tree that was home to the god Bhairava loses its sanctity due to the presence of the armed forces. The soil famed for the toil of the people and their generosity loses its splendour and majesty because of the forces which have the least concern for the people’s pride and dignity. “When the armed struggle was at its peak, this very hill served as the meeting place as well as the abode of the militants, and camps sprouted at its top.” p.248

The father of the narrator of the story was hardworking and helpful. A professional businessman with many a skill is now a bedridden feeble old man who has lost his spirit and will. But the story ends with a positive note: the narrator who answers the question raised by the father about the visibility of the Hill. The author himself symbolizes the dangerous forces which destroy the lives of the people as follows:

The beautiful village became a captive of uncertainty. The people lost heart and abandoned the village and become alienated from it. White ants made a hive in the taproot of the Tamarinrd tree. Alien war elephants lay all over the grazing grounds and prevented us from enjoying the waters of the rushing river. They encircled the people and suddenly crushed them to death. They yelled at us and demanded that we point a finger at any frog that croaked in its own voice. Our young women suffered death by rape in the grip of the elephants. p. 248.

Despondency by Al Azhoomath
Though Despondency by Al Azhoomath underlines the personal problem of an individual character it portrays the suffering and alienation of the plantation worker who is forced to move to the city because of the riots and other personal problems. A sense of uprootedness is felt by the main character and, at the same time he yearns for a sense of belonging. He says: “Every village is my own” and my heart whispered, “Matale is my own town.” (p.252). The man was born in Matale but he is an estate worker’s son whose forefathers were brought from India. He had lived there with his parents till he was 17 years old. Then he proceeded to Colombo for higher education. It is almost a case of upward social mobility. Later he makes visits to his mother on certain occasions and during the 1958 and 1983 riots. But he makes a visit now to see the land which he is able to get on lease because of the Sirima-Shastri Pact. He shows a feeling of nostalgia while he makes a visit to his town by motorbike. Though he was born in that town it is not his own. He has expressed much feeling for the rubber and cocoa trees, hills and valleys, the tributary, the Kali temple, the dispensary and many other things and places which are very familiar to him. He tries to establish a relation with these places and objects in order to claim some rights. Even the people who were living with him during his childhood shower upon him a lot of affection. In a way, he is able to sustain the human relationships which he missed during the last several years. Having led an alienated life in the city he shows an interest in village life. However, he can’t continue further. There is a conflict between his present state of life and his liking for the life of the past. The loss of people’s basic human feelings in a fast moving mechanical world is the main point discussed in this story.

Kosalai by Ranjakumar
Kosalai by Ranjakumar is a story written in the late eighties when the war between the militants and the Sri Lankan forces was at its height based on the character Kosalai, mother of the epic hero Rama who went to the forest and had to fight the Rakshasa King of Lanka Ravanana. Kosalai is worried over Rama’s departure from the Palace, their home and the writer tries to extend the name of the character that he depicts to have the same effect on the portrayal. The plot of the story centres around the young boy who joined the militants for political reasons. He has no concern for the damage caused to the environment by his attacks but the writer has the concern for the environmental safety as he goes on depicting the plight of the mother who has to struggle for her living and to see her sons prosper in their lives.
The story has the following to record in relation to damages caused by the explosions of mines to the environment.
The village womenfolk told Amma that the boys were using the fields, the palmyra groves and the uplands-so familiar to Amma-for training in exploding bombs.
Could Seelan be one of them, she thought greatly alarmed. But not even a dog had told Amma that Seelan had been seen.
In which village was Seelan getting trained in setting off explosions? She did not know much about other villages. Amma’s world was the small hut that served as her home, the Murugan temple, the dusty lanes, the palmyra groves, the uplands, the cows and the fowls. Her children were her priceless treasure. (p.100).
Watering Time by Senkai Aaliyan
A herd of deer comprises as the main characters in the short story, Watering Time written by Senkai Aaliyan. The herd of deer lives and moves around the jungle looking for water and is terrified by the violent activities of the humans with their bombs and shells terrifying the animals around. With a single plot of the animals’ suffering the writer exposes the atrocities of the humans in the name of fighting for their own rights without having any concern for the rights of the poor animals. Thus the ecological balance is disturbed. The writer powerfully expresses the feelings with the following lines.
The peace of the jungle was disturbed by the strange sound emanating softly some distance away. Kalaiyan, which was grazing the grass that had turned brown because of the continuing drought, lifted its head majestically. It pricked up its ears and turned in the direction from which the sound came.
The space was surrounded on three sides by dense forest. On the fourth side was the breached bund of the tank……..
Kalaiyan could see, through the breach, some wild buffaloes drinking water from the middle of the tank…….
You can’t approach Kunchukulum for water. The human beings won’t spare us.The animal taking a sip will fall a prey to their hunger. They are heartless. Their crude guns and traps have taken a heavy toll of wild life.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Yet another day passed. The animals camped but could not find a drop of water. Kalaiyan’s herd could not endure the thirst. The sun was going to the west. The sound of exploding bomps rent the air. The bombers dropped bombs on the village and the jungle. The people wailed. Houses were razed to the ground. Human flesh was strewn on the streets. The survival instinct got the better of the villagers. They were leaving with whatever belongings they could lay hands on.
Thus the destruction of the jungle and the wild life by the human beings disturbs the ecological balance of the world. The peaceful atmosphere is also broken. The environment too is polluted by the bombs and the gases they emit. The writer has ingeniously moulded the characters and the plot in order to reveal the atrocities of humanity in general and the war-lovers in particular.

Conclusion
The old man in Gone with the soil, and the man in Despondency struggle in their respective spheres. The pieces become literary evidences in exposing human suffering through the issues discussed and the indirect impact due to the pollution of the environment and the loss of ecological balance. The ignorance of the people and their fear psychosis led them face more struggles in their efforts to find a peaceful life. Further, humans are trapped by life itself like the man in the story Despondency. All the characters seem to be captives of many social agents which have no social commitment. Their struggle for a better life is to be taken care of by the so-called forces in the future. The mother in Kosalai suffers for the son’s misconduct which is created by the social agents which move in the background. The animal character in Watering time too struggles due to the inhumane activities of the Humans. All these institutions have not got any dedication towards the society and the environment and is not worried over the loss of ecological balance. More than the scientists and the researchers in this field it is the writers’ duty to make awareness among the public through their writing about what we have to do with our mother nature. The stories taken for analysis suggest that the prime concern of the humanity should be towards the safety of our earth.
References
1. Goonetilleka, D.C.R.A. 1986. Modern Sri Lankan Stories--Anthology.Delhi, India. Sri Satkuru Publications. 2. Goonetilleka, D.C.R.A 1992. The Penguin New Writing in Sri Lanka. India, penguin Books 3. Goonetilleka, D.C.R.A. 1998. Sri Lankan Literature in English 1948-98. Sri Lanka. the Department of Cultural Affairs. 4. Halpe Ashely (et.al)2002. A Lankan Mosaic. Colombo.Three wheeler Press. 5. Jayasuriya, Wilfred. 1994. Sri Lanka’s Modern English Literature. New Delhi Navarang. 6. Sanathan Aiyaththurai (2000). In their Own words-A Collection of Short Stories, Colombo. Godage and Brothers. 7. Shriganeshan Kandiah (2001) Silva Neluka and Wijesinghe Rajiva. 2001. Across Cultures. Colombo. Godage and Brothers. 8. Silva Neluka and Wijesinghe Rajiva. 2001. Across Cultures. Colombo. Godage and Brothers. 9. Sturrock John 1997. The Oxford Guide to Contemporary World Literature, Oxford. Oxford University. 10. Wijesinhe Rajiva. 1998. Breaking Bounds: Essays on Sri Lankan Writing in English.Belihul-Oya. Sabragamuwa University Press. 11. Halpe, Ashley. 1993 (1987). ‘Brief Chronicle: Some Aspects of Recent Sri Lankan Literature in English’ in Wijesinha 1993, pp 160-6 12. Jayasuriya, Wilfred. 1994. Sri lankan’s modern English Literature. New Delhi: Navrang

Biographical sketch:
Kandiah Shriganeshan holds a Ph.D. in English Language Education from the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad, India. He is a Senior Lecturer in English attached to the Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Sri Lanka. He is also the Co-ordinator of the English Language Teaching Unit and Academic Co-ordinator for Extension Programmes in English. He has presented papers at conferences in India and Sri Lanka and published articles in local and Indian Journals. He has edited two books titled Classroom Theatre scripts and Santhan’s world in a flash, a journal Shuttle and a magazine Oasis published in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka. His interests are English language education/ teaching, language studies, English for general and academic purposes, business communication, literature in English and theatre studies. He conducts theatre workshops for language communication.

References: 1. Goonetilleka, D.C.R.A. 1986. Modern Sri Lankan Stories--Anthology.Delhi, India. Sri Satkuru Publications. 5. Jayasuriya, Wilfred. 1994. Sri Lanka’s Modern English Literature. New Delhi Navarang. 6. Sanathan Aiyaththurai (2000). In their Own words-A Collection of Short Stories, Colombo. Godage and Brothers. 7. Shriganeshan Kandiah (2001) Silva Neluka and Wijesinghe Rajiva. 2001. Across Cultures. Colombo. Godage and Brothers. 8. Silva Neluka and Wijesinghe Rajiva. 2001. Across Cultures. Colombo. Godage and Brothers. 10. Wijesinhe Rajiva. 1998. Breaking Bounds: Essays on Sri Lankan Writing in English.Belihul-Oya. Sabragamuwa University Press. 11. Halpe, Ashley. 1993 (1987). ‘Brief Chronicle: Some Aspects of Recent Sri Lankan Literature in English’ in Wijesinha 1993, pp 160-6 12