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21st November 1999

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Boisterously entertaining

'The Three F's Behind The Radio Ceylon Microphone' by Mervyn Jayasuriya. Reviewed by Gaston De Rosayro

The title sounds like an earthy expletive aimed at describing a trio of sinister personalities who once ruled the country's air waves and waived the rules of the air as well. With his puckish sense of humour it might well have been the author's intention to lull the reader into a sense of complacency with such innovative double entendre and then spring a denial in the most innocent way imaginable.

The reviewer prides himself in having being perspicacious enough to realise he was spot on target on this score from the moment he first set eyes on the title.

The history and times of early radio serves the author - one of the country's most celebrated broadcasters and journalists - with an effective and inspirational backdrop for this mostly autobiographical and entertaining tableau.

Mervyn, in this, his first literary attempt, which has been published posthumously by his sister Nalini, the eminent artist, writes as he always spoke, resplendently, no less. The post-colonial era of local broadcasting evokes more than a mere modicum of period luxury that seldom fails to prove illuminating and intriguing in this galloping personal narrative.

Mervyn paints a vivid canvas around those past whimsical days of Radio Ceylon, the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation and finally the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation through nearly three decades of transition, dexterously bringing to life images of those exalted broadcasters and other inhabitants of the station.

The book unravels several delectable vignettes of some of the elite broadcasters of the day who were obviously more neurotic than modest celebrities at the time. But then they were almost living legends and one must make concessions for a type of narcissism and rakish nonchalance in a business that demanded total concentration compounded with the challenges of ad-libbing and creating a sort of classical refinement despite seemingly impossible deadlines.

Because they were such accomplished professionals who were also skilled in the art of innovative journalese, they managed to get off lightly for certain scandalous transgressions which would have decidedly warranted dismissal in any other government department.

Written wittily and with a sharp sense of mischief, the writer focuses on some of the wilder antics perpetrated in and around those hallowed studios by a handful of those inquisitive, rebellious and strong- willed personalities.

With a deep and touching fondness he traces some charming cameos around such celebrities - not all of them non-conformist as Livy Wijemanne, Thevis Guruge, Jimmy Barucha, Percy Bartholameusz, Greg Roszkowski, Hector Jayasinghe, Eardley Peiris, Iris Cockburn, Mark Anthony Fernando, Lourdes de Kretser and Chris Greet.

The author adroitly tickles the reader's fancy with some hilarious anecdotes about the outrageous pranks of Greg Roszkowski, who would at the drop of a pin, or rather drop of his pants, do literally anything to raise a laugh. With a seeming flourish of his pen he generously spangles lucid skits of other such frolicsome escapades, shocking faux pas, and a cluster of indiscretions among the fraternity that makes boisterously entertaining reading.

One perceives an extremely serious aspect to the book, where the reader is entertained and educated by insights into the more incongruous philosophies of broadcasting and political media subversion.

In his forthright, succinct manner, the writer takes a swipe at the bureaucracy that existed and the costly errors that emerged as a result.

To quote the author in the same context: "Broadcasting in Ceylon being a state monopoly, was always suspect as a government organ for propaganda, and credibility like the four-letter word was always considered unsavoury."

He writes clearly of the political manipulations and machinations that later became the core of the insidious maelstrom that permeated and buffeted the broadcast media.

Written in a personal and open manner with engaging black and white photographs of himself juxtaposed beside a whole firmament of elite personalities, including local and international personages whom he interviewed and others as seen through his own camera lens over the years, the book is delightfully compelling reading.

A word of warning though. Do not attempt to read the book in a public environment, such as I did. You too might run the risk of being subjected to overt stares reserved for the psychotic while you go through the polite agony of suppresed laughter.

Mervyn Jayasuriya's book 'The Three F's Behind The Radio Ceylon Microphone' will be launched on December 4, at 6.30 pm at the Deva Suryasena Centre at Kollupitiya.


Kandy comes alive!

Kandy - Past and Present (1474 - 1998 A.D.) By Nihal Karunaratna. Published by the Central Cultural Fund,and printed at the Dept. of Government Printing, Colombo, 1999. Reviewed by Haris de Silva

Kandy is known the world over for the Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Tooth, and its annual Esala Perahara. It is a sacred city for millions of Buddhists all over the world, but more specifically for the Sinhala Buddhists of this country. It is also a World Heritage City, so identified by UNESCO.

Sirivaddhanapura, i.e. Kandy, is mentioned in the island's chronicles only from about the 15th century, but the habitation of the Kandyan region, as seen from inscriptions in situ, goes back to the early Christian era.

The story of the city has been told many a time. The present publication, extensively researched and exhaustively referenced, adds to the list.

It provides at the beginning, a list of illustrations, maps and plans, a short glossary, and at the end a conclusion.

Part I brings the story of Kandy up to 1803, Part II deals with the British conquest in 1815, and Part III deals with the growth of the modern town. Part I consists of 73 pages, Part II of 65 pages, Part III of 185 pages, and Part IV has 92 pages. Thus, the emphasis of the publication is in its Part III.

In nine chapters of its Part I, the author, traces the history of the city from its early beginnings to the time of Rajadhirajasingha's reign in 1798, providing quotes from early descriptions of the city and highlighting its colourful military, diplomatic and religious history. Mercifully, he has spared the reader of the early destructions caused to the city.

In Chapters X to XIV in Part II, the author has cleverly traced the British intrigues of the period 1803 - 1805, and dealt with the events leading to the taking of Kandy in 1815. There, he also describes Kandy as at 1815, and its last chapter is on the 1817 - 1818 uprising - the 'Uva Rebellion'.

As pointed out earlier, the crux of the book is in its Part III. Chapter XV to XXVIII, deals with the growth of the city during the 19 - 20th centuries. It takes the reader through a fascinating, guided historical tour of its lake and rivers, temples and devales, historic houses, buildings and hotels, churches, schools and land acquisitions, roads, railways, environs and historical events and places.

Additionally, it has a chapter each on the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, the Kandy Municipality, and on the University Campus at Peradeniya.

That Kandy had a Race Course as early as 1821, would be news to many, and in a lighter vein, so would be the binge that had taken place when the then New Market was opened by the Governor in 1874. The amount of liquor consumed on that day, with only 28 couples participating in the dance, would only show, that there had been no difference in the behaviour of the establishment, between then and now.

All the information given in Part III, is extensively referenced to original sources, invariably to the volumes at the National Archives. I believe, it is the first time that they are thus referred to in a book on the history of Kandy. If not for this publication, it would take years and years of hard work, even for those knowledgeable in researching archive material, to get at the information provided in this section.

Part IV of the publication, has appendices, giving the Kandyan Convention, a description of Senasammatha Vikramabahu, official notes on events in 1803 and 1815, the tragedy of Ehelapola, a translation of Asgiri Upata, an account of Asgiriya Vihare and of a few devales, the adahana maluwa, Daniell Agreen's embassy, the Proclamation on the establishment of the Kandy Municipality, and a few other historical notes. It also contains a list of rulers in Kandy, a list of Chief Priests of Asgiriya and of Diyawadana Nilames, and the Government Agents of Kandy up to 1985. The volume ends with an extensive Bibliography and an Index.

Of the illustrations, those by Stockley and Peterson have been credited to the British Library. I believe, it would be the first time that the general public would see them in print, for they are not available even in that excellent publication, Early Prints of Ceylon by R. K. de Silva - incidentally another doctor - published in 1985.

Nihal Karunaratna's publication is a labour of love. He has taken well over a decade to research and write the volume. It is noted that the author/compiler is not a professional historian. He is an extremely busy General Practitioner in Medcine. Additionally, his involvement with the improvements to the Kandy General Hospital, the preservation of Udawattekelle, and his numerous other public and social activities are well known to all concerned.

Speaking of the author, it also may be said, that he is a compulsive researcher/writer. He has two other excellent publications to his credit. One, From Queen's Pavilion to President's Pavilion (1986) and the other Udawattekelle (1988).

Kandy - Past and Present, would be a pleasure to have in one's collection. The reader will find not only that the history of Kandy is fascinating, but that it also comes alive at every street corner, and in every notable building of the city. The city itself will acquire a new dimension.

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