“Cities arise, they exist, they flourish sheltering myriad forms of life. At times they crumble and decay into ruins and rubble to emerge into new life once again, when the conditions are ripe. Continual transformation is the process that cities and human settlements have to endure….” reads the abstract of this colourful book.

The statement cannot be more true of any city than Jaffna. Those of us who are not so fortunate to have seen the bygone glory of Jaffna, have imagined impressions of this great city exaggerated through media and the press for their own selfish benefits. Through ‘Jaffna – a Sketch book,’ artist Vasantha presents to us his first-hand experiences of contemporary Jaffna, going beyond rift and hatred, almost bringing its day-to-day activities to life. The sketches are a celebration of normalcy restored. It is as though a war never existed in this island and doesn’t exist anymore.

The interesting fact is that most or if not all the sketches and drawings in this beautifully crafted book were done during his visits to Jaffna at the turn of this century, when the war was at its worst, and most of Jaffna was destroyed. The many paintings of elderly people are subtle hints of the turbulence faced, but painted with hopeful eyes and beetle-strained smiles.

Being able to listen to the hush of our environment and enacting the beauty is a gift in itself. Vasantha is indeed gifted, not only as a talented artist but also as someone sensitive enough to establish an intimate relationship with the environment, see and hear intriguing sights and sound which others usually miss.