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25th OCtober 1998

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Kala Corner


Of a provocative writer and meghaya

When Gunadasa Amarasekera writes a book or even a newspaper article, it always provokes a lot of interest. There is much discussion and debate.

"The question is not whether one agrees with Gunadasa Amarasekera or not, but the fact that at a time like the present when the country is in the grip of a serious crisis and most intellectuals remain silent, here is an intellectual who is greatly concerned about the future of his country and has the courage to put forward views which he is sure will be challenged." This is what Professor Ediriweera Sarachchandra wrote when his book, Ganadura Mediyama Dakinemi Arunalu was released. That was ten years ago.

Amarasekera's latest work also deals with contemporary issues. The comment is still valid. The book titled Marana Manchakaye Dutu Sihinaya (A dream dreamt on the death bed), is a collection of five short stories and has just been released by Visidunu Prakashanayo. According to the publisher, the stories reflect the state and the agony of a nation stretched out on its deathbed but yet indulges in meaningless fantasies having been forsaken by 'fallen idols' over the past fifty years.

"These stories depict the crass hypocrisy practised by the power hungry politician in the name of nationalism, democracy and socialism over the years and also the subtle variety of self-deceit practised by the opportunistic, self-centred intellectual claiming high intellectual and moral ground. The end result is a society rotten to its core", a note from the publisher states.

Along with Marana Manchakaya, a reprint of Amarasekera's earlier work, Gal Pilimaya Saha Bol Pilimaya'(1988) has also been released. That too has five stories. Since both these works of fiction belong to the same genre and also deal with similar material, their publication at this moment of time is bound to herald a new direction in Sinhala fiction which has been stagnant over the years for want of a creative mind capable of confronting these realities, the publisher's note adds.

Earlier this year, new editions of two of Amarasekera's earlier works came out as Godage publications. One was the third edition of Gandhabba Apadanaya (1964) and the other, Ekama Kathawa (1969). Starting with the highly controversial novels, Karumakkarayo (1955) and Yali Upannemi, Amarasekera has written 10 novels, eight collections of short stories (his first was Rathu Rosa Mala ), four anthologies of verse, two dramas and seven literary and social commentaries.

Kandy on top

Two schools in Kandy hit the top spots at the recently concluded Children's Drama Festival organized by the Children's Drama Panel of the Arts Council.

The first place was won by Sellang Lellang (Kingswood College) and the second place went to Loku Malui Podi Malui (Dharmaraja College). In the third place was Hele Nangi (Yasodara Balika, Borella).

Sellang Lellang also won the prizes for Best Music (Sunethra Kumari Hettiarachchi) and Best Stage décor (Isuru Sirinimal) and carried away five merit awards for acting.A Royalist, Janaka Sumathipala was adjudged Best Actor for his performance in Kiyalath Be Nokiyath Be and Tilini Taraka Karunaratne (Akuru Karattaya) from St Sebastian Balika, Kandana won the Best Actress award.

The Best Script award was won by Ranjith K Rajapakse (Dharmaraja College) for Loku Malui Podi Malui.

In the 'Open' category Palitha Lokupothagama's Amara Giya Diviya Loke was adjudged the Best Play. While Lokupatahagama also won the award for Best Actor, W M Chamila Niranjala was selected Best Actress for her role in Surathallu.

The competition drew 234 entries this year, out of which selected scripts were produced at regional and district levels. Twenty were selected for the final round.

A new monthly

Meghaya (Cloud) is the title of a new monthly which hit the newsstands last week. Described as a 'timely monthly journal', the publishers (from Negombo) insist it will toe an independent line without political or any other bias.

The 12 page tabloid carries a mix including a double spread feature on the position of the Sinhala and Tamil languages in the proposed constitution, 'youth and politics' (feature),'archaeological robbery' (lead story), school education and culture, and two feature articles on the patriots, Anagarika Dharmapala and Walisinghe Harischandra. An article reproduced from Sinhala Bauddhaya (20 September 1913) on the death of Walisinghe Harischandra provides interesting reading.


Bookshelf

From Sinhala into English

Just as much as more and more translations of foreign writing to Sinhala are becoming evident, the appearance of English translations of Sinhala fiction is also a welcome feature.

Another noteworthy feature is that these are printed through the patronage and sponsorship of the Sri Lanka National Library Services Board.

Among recent publications is Somaratna Balasooriya's Vap Magula (Royal Festival of the Plough) which has been translated by Dorathi Lokubalasuriya.

Introducing Vap Magula as "a warm and emphatic revelation of the happiness and the frustrations of the rural youth together with the sheer physical joy of living even in the context of grinding hopelessness", Dr Lakshmi de Silva says that it portrays the bungling and brutality, the callous avoidable waste that results when self-important politicians live parallel to an electorate and never communicate directly with the voters.

Well accepted as a creative writer from his undergraduate days at the Vidyalankara University in the early sixties (having had his early education at Kuliyapitiya Central), Balasooriya studied modern trends in world literature while reading for his PhD at the Sorbonne University. He has written novels, short stories, poetry, film scripts and co-edited several literary journals.

Also in the bookstands are two works of award winning writer Kulasena Fonseka. One titled 'Ways of the World' is a translation of Siri Yahana (by Tilak Balasuriya) and the other 'All for the love of a ride' is an adaptation of Buru Poraya (by Prabashinie Gunasekera). 'Ways of the World' is a story set in a low middle class family and relates the tale of the ambitious wife who will do anything to achieve her goal of reaching higher social status.

Experienced translator Tilak Balasuriya says the intense reality of the novel is the hallmark it carries. He adds that his task in translating Siri Yahana (which, incidentally, was adapted to the small screen too) has been to transfer the atmosphere more than the story from Sinhala into English – the shades of meaning and the significance behind certain words.

Fonseka uses words with circumspection and economy. Buru Gedera is Fonseka's latest children's novel. The English version is an adaptation. Prabashinie Gunasekera says an adaptor naturally enjoys more freedom of exercising his or her imaginative skills and finetunes, a publication to suit a particular social and cultural environment or a target group which is different from the original target.

The adaptor who admits she thoroughly enjoyed reading the novel, hopes that translations of Sinhala literary works into English would help to widen the horizons of English reading youth by exposing them to fruitful and novel experiences relevant to our social and cultural context. They would also bring our literary works to the attention of foreign readers.

Fonseka is six times winner of the coveted Sahitya Award for his writings starting with Palama Yata (1982) which was later made into an award winning film.

His writings have been appreciated by the Sinhala reading public for many years.

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