At five, can one say, “has stood the test of time”? It indubitably seems like a fitting expression for these times that we live in, more so in the case of creative endeavours. Desha Kaala, the quarterly Kannada journal, completes five years and has much to celebrate – turning up right on dot, a fetching weave of aesthetics and content, a vaunted contributor list; to speak of those in plain sight.
Kannada has always had a rich tradition of Little Magazines, if not copious. Some literary, and some non-literary. While most of these have been purely literary in their concern, the later ones like “Sakshi” and “Rujuvathu” seriously strived for a cross between mainstream magazines and academic journals and hence are more than just literary. They were more a product of their times, without cocooning themselves in the comfort of literary flourishes: they addressed the unrelenting social, cultural and political questions. Desha Kaala strives to belong to this space – addressing larger cultural questions, along with an engaging dose of literature.
When the Little Magazine movement saw an explosion in pre-Independent India, there was a well-defined context and an arching ideology under which the movements could seek sanctuary as well as direction. But in these times with so many movements and no ideology to give them cover, can a magazine afford to have a strong institutional guideline? “Economy, markets, politics, growth of cities, and everyday needs of the people… the world is so interlinked. It becomes inevitable to nurture multiple ideas that can capture the intricate structure and complexity of the world we inhabit. A journal that cares to matter has to support the idea of multiple centres. Institutional guidelines exist, but not at the cost of stifling voices,” explains writer Vivek Shanbhag, the editor of Desha Kaala. Not an easy line to tread, for, multiple centres also throw up contradictions. “What we lack, I feel, is a language to handle these contradictions. As a journal, we have consistently strived to bring up such questions and are open to accommodate different ideas. It is an ongoing journey.” Samaya Pareekshe, an important component of the magazine, debunks notions of a single centre and upholds the “republic of ideas”. “The BJP government in Karnataka”, “Dilemmas of land acquisition”, “Rethinking the grammatics of Kannada language” – it handles a variety from political to cultural.
Even within the Kannada literary world, there is the absence of a movement. For a journal operating in such an environment the challenge is greater. “When you are part of a movement, the impact is greater. There is a central ideology and you are reacting to it. However, today centre is characterised by speed, mindless consumerism, breadth as against depth, and loss of sanctity. You have to fight and search for alternatives in Little Magazines. I feel the essay form has enormous potential to do this. It is kept alive only by Little Magazines,” says Vivek. The anxieties of our times also seek new expressions, the desire to breakaway from established styles and forms – such experimentation can find space only in journals. “Beedina (Vaadeya) godeyallina mooru taila chitragalu” and “Dilliya mooru mukhagalu” by poet Na. Mogasale is a case in point.
Personally, “Desha Bhaashe”, the regional languages component has been the most fulfilling for Vivek. “As a writer I have benefitted a lot by publishing literature from other Indian languages. The process of selecting these works provided me an opportunity to read widely and engage with writers of other Indian languages.” Widely appreciated, Desha Kaala has had its share of grumblings too. “Readers feel there is a lack of our direct participation in social and political issues. They expect the journal to be more visible and direct in certain forums. However, Desha Kaala is a literary journal and I believe in preserving its identity as one.”
Five is a significant milestone in Desha Kaala's life. With enormous contribution by Channakeshava (designer) and K.V. Akshara (who conceives and compiles Samaya Pareekshe) the journal has made a difference to the Kannada reader. But moments of celebration can hardly be separated from those of introspection. Desha Kaala stands at that watershed. A test of time indeed.
