|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Thursday, 18 December 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
'Athakasa' mourns the 'vanishing of the Sinhala race' by Kivipathi Kalabhooshana Mervyn Senaratne Aganuwara Tharuna Kavi Samajaya - Athakasa (Colombo Young Poets' Association), which has during its life-time rendered yeomen service to upgrade the art of Sinhala poetry and literature in the island, will hold its 68th anniversary today at 4.00 p.m. at the John de Silva Memorial Hall, Colombo, attended by several distinguished guests including Minister Karu Jayasuriya, Prof. Karunasena Kodituwakku, W.J.M. Loku Bandara and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse. At this ceremony certificates also will be awarded to the winners of the popular Kokila Hatana poetry contest which Athakasa conducts island-wide annually to propagate among the members of the younger generation, the art of old and modern Sinhala poetry with special emphasis on traditional folk poetry and poems in the old Sinhala texts like 'Subhashithaya' and 'Lovedasangarava'. Addressing the 51st anniversary of Athakasa held in Colombo in 1986, the late Ranasinghe Premadasa, as the then Prime Minister said that to him every Sinhala man is a Sinhala poet because during his life-time, from the cradle to the grave yard, he recites Sinhala poem at all important occasions and keeps the identify of the Sinhala race alive and intact. "They are not members of any poetic organisation, nor do they write poems to the press or the radio but keep on reciting poems by-heart or otherwise, demonstrating a deep love and affection towards the act. They are so close to poetry and treat it as a life-product and on the day this poetic love departs from the Sinhala man, it will mark the gradual vanishing of the Sinhala race from this good earth", he added. What the late Mr. Premadasa told 17 years ago is now being observed by Athakasa and today it is bound to mark the gradual vanishing of the Sinhala race which took root in this country 2,500 years ago. The 'Kokila Hatana' poetry contest conducted this year on a district basis was a good example of this sorry state. Of the young contestants, including students between the ages of 15 and 25, majority were unable to recite the given poems retaining the traditional rythems attributed to them. About 95 percent of the contestants were not at all versed in folk poetry of various, categories like 'Nelum Kavi', 'Gal Kavi', 'Patal Kavi' etc. Some students told the panel of judges that they have never heard of Sinhala texts like Lokopakaraya, Guttila Kavya and Lovedasangarava. This clearly indicates the vanishing of the Sinhala race. Athakasa for its part sensed this tragedy and appealed to various governments to declare Sinhala poetry a school-subject. When Sinhala history and literature were withdrawn from school curriculum, Athakasa held public meetings denouncing the move. After independence, Athakasa voiced to raise the Sinhala language to official status and demanded to confer honorary titles on outstanding poets, to issue postal stamps in commemoration of poets and men of literature and to work for the well-being of Sinhalese poets and artistes. At today's 68th anniversary, four prominent poets will receive Kivipathy titles and a Hitivana Kavi Maduwa will be held with the participation of amateurs picked up from the Kokila Hatana contest 2003 concluded recently. This is another new concept launched to keep the mantle of the Colombo era of poetry burning. According to poet Sesiri Wijesekere present President, Athakasa will go ahead with its programmes to nurture the art of Sinhalese poetry of the Colombo School, which denotes a type of Sinhala poetry created with the amalgamation of the Sinhala poetry of the Matara and Kandy periods. (The writer is a well known poet, lyricist, SLBC script writer, announcer and media personality) |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
