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The diary of a Graduate

The Indian Connection by Ananda Jayasekara
Translated & Edited by Kamani Jayasekara
Published by S. Godage & Brothers

Reviewed Aditha Dissanayake

In 1953, a young man makes his way to Calcutta - first, by flying in an Air India flight to Madras, then by travelling in a train to Mahabodhi, to find a "home away from home". He keeps a diary. "Went to buy cloth for 2 "banyans". reads one entry. "The way salesmen set about paying the bills was interesting to watch. He would write the bill, obtain money from the customer, wrap the bill and the money in a piece of cloth and throw it to another salesman.

He in turn to another until finally it reached the cashier seated at one end of the shop. The cashier would take the money, put the seal on the bill, wrap the seal and the bill in the same cloth and send it back - by air mail".

He is Ananda Jayasekara, a former professor at the University of Kelaniya, and the author of several books on linguistics in Sinhala. The journal in which he had recorded his innermost thoughts and experiences as an undergraduate at the University of Calcutta in the early 1950s, has now been translated into English, by his daughter, Kamani Jayasekara.

"The first country I ever learnt was of India. And that was through the eyes of my father" says Kamani. "It was however, after his demise that I, by accident came across two diaries that he had maintained while in India. The years the journals covered were 1953, 54 and 55".

Most of the entries provide informative reading. Here is how the author overcomes the dilemma every vegetarian faces now and then.

"We sat down for dinner... I found that nothing could be eaten by a vegetarian like myself. The miserable look that came over him (the host) compelled me to make a choice. Am I to keep to my principles and not eat, making my friend who had gone into such labour to make this occasion a success, unhappy or am I to forget my principles on this occasion and eat?

I selected the latter. To bend the rules was more humane. But I was sad that I had to do so in this land where Mahathma Gandhi practised non violence."

The second part of the book gives an intimate glimpse of a couple in their first year as husband and wife. Here is a poem he writes to her, which she quotes often back to him. "Build your dream castles up in the skies/ Then slowly... lower them on to earth, there is nothing that man cannot do with his courage, since it is man who becomes the Buddhas of this world".

The entries in the Indian Connection provide a glimpse of India in the early days of Independence through the eyes of a rural young man from Sri Lanka.

At times the entries are poetic, at times they present political, social and economical information about India. And among all these there is romance too, for the diaries record the events in the author's life, immediately after his marriage. He, the adventurous young school teacher, she, his student from a family of name and wealth, who marry under much opposition, and who have no choice but to have their honeymoon in India.

"Holding hands we walked miles absorbing the sights and sounds as well as the scents of India. We were never bored..." Some of the pages in this section, however, called the Married Man, are missing which Kamani believes have been torn off by her mother because they might have contained the dramatic events of their marriage. "And therefore not suitable for the daughter's eye".

The book also contains sketches made by the author and family photos.

But the most poignant entry which adds value to the journal is the one, before the last.

" It seems India had taught me many lessons than I thought. In this land "The educated" were not graduates. They were the seekers of knowledge who have obtained many "masters" in separate fields. The degrees were not ornaments or weapons to get a better job. They were only tools used to pave way for more learning.

The educated were unassuming, unaffected and simple people...the country has made me humble enough to realize the truth.

That true knowledge could not be gauged by a degree. That I have a long way to go. And that this would be just another beginning."

May these words be recorded deep in the minds of all graduates.

Seeing Sri Lankan politics through a scholar

Politics in Sri Lanka: a collection of essays on personalities
and issues
Author: Prof. W. A. Wiswa Warnapala
Godage Publishers, Colombo, 2001 July, Pp. 278, Rs. 650

Reviewed by Ananda Welthera.

In the preface of this book Politics in Sri Lanka, the Author Prof. W. A. Wiswa Warnapala, lucidly indicates his endeavour and intention: "This book contains a collection of articles which I wrote several years ago; some of them were well-researched articles, while certain others were popular journalistic type articles.

One is likely to wonder as to why I did not update them; I did not want to undertake updating of the material in order to maintain the contextual relevance of the issues discussed. Some articles appeared in foreign journals; others appeared in local journals and newspapers. I divided the collection of articles into three sections; the section on social policy issues is still of current importance".

Flowers picked
From one's academic garden
Fixed to a twine
Formed into a fine garland.

I expressed these words in order to indicate my impression of the intention and the endeavour of the author. It is not the first time that the author had adopted this style of publishing his past academic outputs. He had performed a similar exercise in the past, when he produced the work

The Sri Lankan Political Scene in 1993. In the acknowledgement of this book he stated: "These essays may give some idea of the process of political and social change in the country during the last two decades". He added that this collection of essays presented "a comprehensive picture of the political and social trends and developments in Sri Lanka". The latest book of the author, Politics in Sri Lanka, can be introduced as a creative work: the ability to join together number of diverse types of academic outputs of the past, fix them to a chosen form, and produce a single entity.

Creativity

The meaning of the term creativity deserves an elucidation. Many writers have attempted to elucidate the concept of creativity. Some argue that creativity arises due to a need.

The saying is: "Necessity is the mother of creativity". There are others, who insist that creativity emerges from the ability to cause association by linking distinct and separate units into one, single, orderly entity. Powell Jones states in his book, Creative Learning in Perspective, the following idea: "To the creative person disorder offered the potential of a subtle order" (P.17).

Creativity may arise due to two reasons: (1) Creativity arises in the form of a flash of insight, when the mind is relaxed concentrated, and is contemplating, with attention fixed on a specific subject. (2) Creativity may arise due to the ability to link, or cause an inter-connection by using diverse parts to produce an innovative product.

These two views on creativity could be employed to comprehend the mind, or the intention of the author. First Prof. Wiswa Warnapala has relaxed and relieved his mind from his previous onerous duties and responsibilities that arose from the two posts he shouldered.

He was a member of the academic staff of the Department of Political Science of the University of Peradeniya for thirty years, and was the Professor of Political Science, prior to his entry into active politics. He was the Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education from 1994 to 2000 in the government of People's Alliance.

Having become free from these two onerous occupations and responsibilities, he was able to sit, relax and contemplate on his past academic life, and in effect, bring forth this contribution. My mind recalled the words of Rabindranath Tagore, which revealed the relationship between mind contemplation and creativity: "I ask for a moment's indulgence to sit by thy side.

The works that I have in hand, I will finish afterwards. Now it is time to sit quite, face to face with thee, and to sing dedication of life in this silent and overflowing leisure" (Poem No. 5, Gitanjali).

The ability to rest, relax and reflect in silence calms and stills the mind, and in effect, empowers the person to become creative, innovative and contributory. Creative ideas will arise in "the form of a flash of insight" (Tudor Powell Jones, Ibid. p. 16). This flash of insight reveals the urge to pick and choose appropriate, distinct and separate academic outputs produced in the past, and join them together with view to forming a single composite whole, for the good and happiness of the people (bahujanahitaya).

The book under review could have emerged due to this creative act. The second reason for being creative can be attributed to the ability to establish relations with separate entities with a view to acquiring a composite wholistic picture. This reason can be exemplified by adverting to a verse from the Dhammapada, the work that contains Buddha's words of wisdom.

"As from a great heap of flowers, many garlands can be made (yathapi puppharasimha kayira malagune bahu), even so should many good deeds be done by one born a mortal (Verse No. 53). The author has collected his distinct and separate academic works of the past, inter-connected them by fixing them to a form in order to produce a publication, and to contribute to the pursuit of knowledge of the discipline of Politics, with special reference to Sri Lanka.

This endeavour can be compared to the creative act of a garland-maker, who picks flowers with multiple colors and shapes to produce a garland of beauty and charm.

Senior university professors, having advanced in knowledge and experience, and reached the tail end of their academic career, are inclined to adopt creative measures of this nature.

The author, having spent more than thirty years of university teaching profession, and few additional years as a Deputy Minister, must have been delighted to enter into his past academic garden, in order to look at the flowers that had bloomed. He must have arrived at a decision to pick and collect most of them to form a beautiful bouquet. The book under review can be recognized as a product that originated from deep contemplation of a relaxed mind, and the ability to inter-connect the distinct and separate academic outputs to form a composite, wholistic picture about politics in Sri Lanka.

Unless the author had sat and relaxed the mind to retreat to his past academic life, he would not have produced this creative, innovative and contributory output.

The work

The book contains three parts: Part I addresses the political contribution of Mr. and Mrs. Bandaranaike, since 1956. Part II focuses on social policy and welfare state. Part III addresses the political role exercised by a few chosen eminent personalities. An advanced, senior and experienced university scholar is tempted to perform two academic activities: First he/she desires to recall his/her past academic achievements. Secondly he/she desires to link them into one single entity in order to reveal to the public issues and ideas that his/her mind had focused on.

The book under review has the power and the potential to facilitate the readers to become aware of the academic subjects that the author, Prof. Wiswa Warnapala, had grappled with or addressed, and how he had expressed them lucidly, or coherently, by employing the medium of writing with a view to contributing to the progress of knowledge in the field of politics in Sri Lanka. The present and the future readers would be able to acquaint themselves with the academic preoccupations, inquisitiveness and diverse issues that occupied his mind, both as a young and a middle-aged scholar.

(The writer is a lecturer from the Department of Political Science of the University of Peradeniya).

Biography of a disciplined leader

His Name is Ranil
By Ranjith Amarakeerthi Palihapitiya
Publishers: S. Godage and Brothers
Price: Rs. 275

Reviewed by Nemsiri Mutukumara

On the eve of the last December (2001) General Elections, Godage and Brothers brought out the well-known writer-biographer Ranjith Amarakeerthi Palihapitiya's book on UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for the second time. The first edition appeared in May 1999.

The present edition is enlarged with the latest political events up to the time of the dissolution of Parliament on October 10 by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in fear of the No Confidence Motion moved by the Opposition combination led by the UNP. (His Name is Ranil) - presents the success story of Ranil Wickremesinghe from entering Parliament in 1977 as Member for Biyagama to becoming Prime Minister and later the leader of the Opposition.

During this period from 1977 to 2001, Ranil Wickremesinghe has held different political positions. MP for Biyagama, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Minister of Education and Youth Affairs; Minister of Industries and Scientific Research; Leader of the House of Parliament and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. And currently the Leader of the Opposition.

Palihapitiya narrates the success story of Ranil Wickremesinghe in an utterly readable simple language.

With indisputable facts and figures and other evidence, the author relates Ranil's upward path from the Law Courts to the Legislature with a remarkable display of honesty and sincerity during the period - 1977 to 2001, within and outside Parliament in office of power and out of it both at home and abroad. Though brief, this biography is not merely the life story of an ascending politician.

This book throws sufficient light into numerous facades of political parties - the UNP, the SLFP and the JVP as well. In order to focus the Ranil Wickremasinghe's pedigree, biographer Palihapitiya traces the paternal and maternal ancestory of the hero to the reign of King Rajasingha the Second.

Author's vivid record shows, interestingly indeed, that Ranil Wickremasinghe can claim without any fear of contradiction, his far flung dynastic relations with the people of Ruhuna, Vayamba and the Mayarata - the Western Province, thus giving a brief historical sketch of leading families of the day. However, Ranil Wickremesinghe, deeply conscious of the aspirations of the common man has debunked and discarded all attempts of enthroning feudalism and dynastic rule both within the United National Party and in the political field.

This book amply demonstrates the political sagacity of Ranil Wickremesinghe in all his leadership fields, especially during his tenure of office as Minister in President J. R. Jayewardene's Cabinet as well as President Ranasinghe Premadasa's Cabinet of Ministers.

His remarkable capacity to take correct and swift action is eloquently demonstrated by Palihapitiya in this book ‘‘1¥# Aœ€ ›ñ I,‡‡ (His Name is Ranil) in a manner that would serve as a perennial inspiration to all up and coming politicians of Sri Lanka.

Palihapitiya should be complimented for updating the book to include the latest political events of the country up to the unjust prorogation of Parliament by President Chandrika Kumaratunga unable to face the opposition and the final dissolution of Parliament to save defeat at the hands of the joint opposition led by the UNP on the opposition No Confidence motion in Parliament.

The biography also makes a reference to the UNP manifesto in which Ranil Wickremesinghe categorically states that the UNP and the United National Front will create an era of politics of principles instead of politics of promises like Chandrika's SLFP and the PA which has brought utter ruin to Sri Lanka.

Now that the UNP led, United National Front consisting of the Ceylon Workers Congress, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the Tamil National Alliance of a number of parties representing the North and the East, has formed a new government with Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, it would be quite appropriate for the author and the publisher to consider bringing out a revised edition updating all those interesting and (not so interesting for some people) national and international events, for the greater benefit of the present generation.

Most of those events like Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to the Northern province - after 20 years by any Prime Minister - paying puja at Nallur Kanthasami Kovil bare-bodied following the Hindu custom and eating lunch with the soldiers safeguarding the sovereignty of the nation are but a few historic events that would be written in gold in the updated Mahavamsa.

Those events, certainly are not only historic, those are history-making as well.

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