Montage from readers' perspective

They have no friends in criticism and malice

Montage, Cultural Paradigm of Sunday Observer which uses the technical term ' Montage' the term that pioneer artists in the film industry used for the fusion of sound and image, completes a year.

A child born twelve months ago could perform a lot to entertain the society. Making steps, speaking fondly and taking solid food and drinking water would make those who were around happy. Montage too has achieved that status.

Writers in English and English newspapers have made a lasting contribution in introducing indigenous literature to the West and the East. English newspapers pointed out that there is a contemporary post-independent Sinhalese literature and it should be improved. They presented diverse opinions on fiction and criticisms. This process which commenced in the 1950s was followed by Sinhalese and Tamil newspapers in the 1960s.

Once a week, I read Montage. I look with interest and pleasure at the path follow by Indeewara Thilakarathne and Ranga Chandrarathne. I strongly express my views where there are shortcomings. They don't eat like pythons. They have no friends in criticism and no malice. They neither preferentially treat their friends nor banish enemies. That's a noble norm in journalism.

To present English readers two contemporary novels in translation is a commendable task. Publishing poetry of budding poets with a review is also important. We offer our greeting to Montage which help take us to the 21st century outside the cocoon of age-old conventions. This is a tradition which ANCL and its management should be proud of.

-Prof. Tissa Kariyawasam

Motherly treatment of Sinhalese literature

I think that Montage has seriously paid attention to Sinhalese literature. Though the newspaper is English, the newspaper addresses Sri Lankans. Though they discussed Sinhalese literary production from time to time, those discussions were confined to privileged few. However, they paid little attention to post -1970 literati and their literary productions. Montage paved the way for a serious discourse on 1970 and post 1970's Sinhalese literary productions. Montage appreciates, analyses and compare both Sinhalese literary productions of both 1970s and contemporary literary productions. Montage objectively analyses the classical and contemporary Sinhalese literature. Montage motherly treats Sinhalese literature. Montage co-editors Ranga Chandrarathne and Indeewara Thilakarathne should be commended for their contribution.

-Sumithra Rahubaddhe