Re-launched 'CITY' with ‘new' South Asian fiction, prose and poetry

 A quarterly journal, 'City' covering genres of poetry and fiction inspired by  contemporary subjects was re-launched recently  at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies.

Speaking at the launch, publisher and writer Ameena Hussein took the audience back to her introduction to Sri Lankan English literature. Limited to the 35 page A/L syllabus, the few poets she encountered as a teenager brought Ameena to the sad realization that growing up in the 70s “I was ignorant”. It was only while completing her tertiary education that Ameena’s perspective was widened, finding familiar ground in her discovery of what was then known as ‘world literature’.

The latest edition of CITY, is a culmination of ‘new’ South Asian fiction, prose and poetry with a special section on contemporary Sri Lankan writing in Sinhala, English and Tamil.

For Dr. Harshana Rambukwella, Director, Postgraduate Institute of English at the Open University of Sri Lanka and Trustee of the Gratiaen Trust, ‘CITY’ offers writers and readers an opportunity to discover their contemporary artistic identity.  “It moves away from cross country influence,” he explains, the traditional view that only village life is symbolically nationalistic now challenged by urban city dwellers who also have their own stories to tell, offering a “refreshing cultural discourse”.

Inviting readers to look at urban South Asia, the journal seems to be a step towards re awakening cultural imagination and offering a network , which in contrast to bodies such as SAARC, Dr. Rambukwella describes is one that will grow more organically from within the region.

‘CITY’ a quarterly journal of South Asian literature is available at Ahasa Mediaworks Pvt Ltd, 188/8A High Level Rd, Maharagama, Tel-0772652550 or email them at info@ahasamediaworkds.com .

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