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Sinhala literature is important for all students - Professor

Ambalangoda Central special correspondent

"Literature is as important to Arts students as it is important to all students in the fields of Medicine, Engineering and Science.

"In this country, Sinhala literature" has been a traditional instrument of social interaction for generations. By historical tradition the people perceived the Buddhist temple as the guardian of Sinhala literature and the public's morals," said Punchi Banda Ekanayaka Professor of Sinhala, University of Ruhuna in a keynote speech as the chief guest at the Galle District Literary festival jointly organised by the Galle District Secretariat and the Galle Divisional Secretariat. This event was held at the main hall of Sangamitta Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Galle.

However, under foreign domination the value and the degree of importance of our literature in our social realm began to be underestimated and this tendency led to the eventual withdrawal of literature from the school curriculum. The long-established link between the temple and the village began to crumble fast and the result was that people began to distance themselves from the temple. The two-way co-operation that existed from ancient times between the bhikkhu community and the people broke down and this unfortunate development had a catastrophic effect on the nurturing of the Sinhala language and literature.

Today there is a dearth of good fiction. In the context of what we read in newspapers and what we watch on Television day in and day out, the present-day youth are fast getting conditioned to behave in an unethical manner. Unless we reverse this disastrous trend the country's young generation will soon find themselves in a society devoid of human values. Most of the authors, film and teledrama makers are becoming more commercial minded. The result being the interests of children are by no means congruent with the majority of our writers dramatists and producers of teledramas and the cinema said Prof. Punchi Banda Ekanayaka.

Prof. T. B. Wanninayake said modern day songs, teledramas and films mostly play on sensuality which pervert the growing mind of the child.

Galle Dist. Secretary and GA, the Divisional Secretary Galle, Principal of Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya, representatives of the district Cultural Council and bhikkus were among other speakers.

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