Hassan Cheruppa
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – The Jeddah book affair is a serious attempt to bring the Arab identity in literature into the forefront of the world as well as to restore the Arab supremacy in art, culture and literature, according to the well-known Indian writer and academic. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Prof. B. Rajeevan said that the book festival shows a strong manifestation of the Arab resistance to the centuries-long Western colonial hegemony over language and culture as well as the dress and food habits of people in the third world.
Rajeevan, who is a guest of the Ministry of Culture and Information at the fair, said that he was amazed to see the huge collections of wide variety of Arab literature under one roof. Arabic translations of many masterpieces and scientific books are also there. Many of them are very difficult to translate into Indian languages and this shows the strength of the Arab language, he said. “The fair speaks out eloquently that the Arabic and its literatures are great and they are of high utility and merits for the humanity. Arabic was hitherto a marginalized language and culture, and this will be more evident while comparing it to English.”
He noted that there is a tendency of considering the learning and acquiring of English language and literature as the only civilized and superb activity whereas learning Arabic and its literature is a marginalized activity without any major advantage. The fair is a big reply to such a mindset. “I had an impression before coming here that Saudi Arabia is a very closed society, and now I have realized that this was simply a Western hype. The changes in the Kingdom, latest of which is the women’s participation in municipal elections, are the natural outcome of the growth and development of the Arab identity and culture, which now poses a tough resistance to Western dominance.
Rajeevan, who is a renowned writer and literary critic, said that the book fair has provided him with a very enlightened experience. “I have learned a lot of things and saw that the language and traditional dresses of people here have deep implications. It shows the real identity of a nation and people. But unfortunately, there is an attempt from the angle of the Westerners to brand this as part and parcel of fanaticism and primitivism. While disregarding this Western perception, we can embrace the meaningfulness of the Arab and Saudi culture, dress and cousin that are based on their rich traditions and culture.”
He said the Jeddah festival is a different experience in his 35-year-long literary journey. “When I visited several international book fairs, I saw all titles in English and it created an impression that only English books are there. But here, I saw most titles in Arabic, and tells that this fair and other activities are not for the Westerners alone but to all peoples across the world based on their traditions and cultures.”
“This is an elevation of the Arab culture, escaping from the Western domination, with a great exposure to the world with preserving all its intrinsic features. It shows that every society is free to highlight their culture and lifestyles. The colonialists have created a wrong impression that coat and suite are the symbol of a gentleman but this fair, with most visitors in their traditional Arab dress, is a strong manifestation of a stiff resistance to this,” he added.
