Eminent poet and lyricist Gulzar on Wednesday released the last volume of a mega literary project that has spread over 16 years. He said “The book serves as a guide to the vast Indian literature,” on the occasion of the release of Ms. Sivasankari’s book Knit India through Literature Volume IV, The North.

Gulzar mentioned that he learnt about many writers through the book’s earlier volumes. This book is a a four-volume series which is aimed at introducing Indians to other Indians.

Ms. Sivasasankari has diligently portrayed known and not-so-known novelists, poets, and short-story writers in as many as 18 languages through travelogues, interviews. The first two volumes cover the literature of the southern states and eastern states respectively. The third volume deals with the literary work of the western region, while the concluding volume includes work of the northern Indian states bringing out the essence of of Kashmiri, Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi and Sanskrit literature. The book includes interviews of different writers in these northern languages and also samples from their literary work.

Acording to Gulzar, “It is a beautiful work. Reading through the book, one can feel the wonder of other languages. Through her interviews, the writer has managed to bring out the author for the readers. It should be made available at all branches of Sahitya Akademi as well as libraries of educational institutions.”

Ms Sivasankari has termed the project as a “single-minded ‘yagya’ which has taken a full circle,” She also said that she would often if she would be able to complete the project that took nearly 16 years to complete.

According to her, “When I launched it, I thought I would be able to finish it in six years. Then I thought that like Lord Rama’s exile, my project will also finish after 14 years. But I got perturbed when I crossed even that stage,” she told the audience in a lighter vein. The author said she began working on this project when she completed 25 years as a writer knowing full well that she had to “give back something to the literary world.”

She poignantly mentioned “About 18 years ago, after a literary event, a thought started nagging me. I realised that we Indian writers belonging to different languages are able to discuss literature of other countries as it was translated in English. But what about our own writings. We can’t discuss it as not all of it is translated.”

Through her project, Ms.Sivasankari desires that a common man be able to walk into literature of the entire country. She has mentioned the four volumes as her sons and daughters. She proudly mentions “I can boast I am one of the few Indians who has criss-crossed this country. I interviewed intellectual giants in 18 languages. The project has been a great blessing that brought meaning to my life.”

Other writers present in the audience were Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo, Punjabi writer Ajeet Cour, Hindi author Mridula Garg and Kashmiri poet Naseem Shafai.

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Posted by Jigar Gondalia on 28 May, 2009 5:40:08 PM IST #