Diary depicts ebb and flow of cultural ethos

Review: Malini GOVINNAGE

Dina Nethi Dinapotha (Dateless Diary)

Author: Gamini Sumanasekera

S. Godage and Brothers, Colombo 8

432 pages, Price Rs. 650

DIARY: Dina Nethi Dinapotha (Dateless Diary) is a collection of literary columns written by Gamini Sumanasekera - the selfsame columnist Sugara in Irida Divaina.

One hundred and eight columns out of a few hundreds written during a span of about twelve years are included in the book.

Each column here is a little crispy note, and a fine literary treat.

In his faithful, continuous journey as a literary columnist, in the bygone twelve years, he stops at many places, before many personalities and issues to meet, talk, watch and to ponder as a journalist and a writer.

Often he is a benign friend of an artiste, a harsh critique of a social issue, and a connoisseur with a fine taste of literature and fine arts.

Often he converts himself to a 'poet-writer' with a social conscience who wouldn't ask 'for whom the bell tolls'. Very much aware of his task more as a journalist than as a mere columnist who would want to give the message, 'it tolls for thee and myself'. The writer's commitment as a literary columnist is exemplary.

He wouldn't criticize anyone or any issue for nothing. He would not use his sharp literary wit in vain. He always has a purpose - a good useful purpose at that.

Servile mentality

Let's examine a few passages from his columns.

Writing on the statement made by the then Media Minister Dharmasiri Senanayake on Media Freedom, "Media Freedom is not saying hosannahs or unnecessary praising of those who are in power. Servile mentality of favouring people due to political or any other reason is a hindrance to media freedom.

The need of the hour is cleansing the minds of the media which have become maggoty by the foul acts of politicians. There is a need of a procedure of appointing officials who are capable of putting an end to unlimited servility to political leadership.

When it is not so, naturally as earthborns who are bent to err, they think with politicized minds. Will this not make free media culture, where free and fair dialogue is possible a dream. P 36 (on the appointment of Dharmasiri Senanayake as Media Minister).

On the appointment of the Literary Council by the then regime he writes:

"Development means not only high-rise buildings and over-fed people. A country would not benefit from people who are physically grown but with mal-nourished minds.

For a country to prosper, it needs people of intellect and rulers with wisdom. Could we console ourselves on this issue?.... Art is a process that starts with aesthetizing and ends with wisdom .... So, the challenge before the newly appointed Arts Council is working towards this end....." P 32.

On the death of the celebrity TV announcer Ravi John he writes:

He was an announcer who spread his mighty talent over the TV. He was more than adequately qualified for his profession. Besides his gift of the gab, he was talented in many other ways. Highly proficient in both English language and literature, he was well-versed in International politics and in many world cultures.

So, as an announcer, he was not just parroting; Here, the reader is reminded of the calibre of many TV announcers today who make a mockery of themselves with their paucity of knowledge and acquired know-how on the job.

On the late poet Monica Ruwanpathirana;

".......... Accounts of women who enriched the Sinhala poetry are very rare. An example from the distant past is Gajaman Nona - the poetess from the South. Of recent past, Monica. Hope, the other ladies who pen poems won't take amiss. We doubt that any of them could surpass the talents of Monica.

Her poetic style was inherent and so very special to her. Her poems, we feel are results of dedicated exercise, who touched and felt the core self of the Sinhala Buddhist civilization and contentment and sorrows of the common man."

Cultural history

Starting with the account of the late playwright Sugathapala de Silva who refused to accept the Award and the Prize money given to him at the National Drama Festival in 1994, he touches on many events, personalities and incidents connected to the recent cultural history of the country.

He highlights many less known facets of well publicized events and well known personalities. Likewise he highlights important events and people, who hardly came to the limelight of the popular media.

The columns show the ebb and flow of our cultural ethos - decadences as well as upheavals of twelve years.

In fact, Dina Nethi Dinapotha by Sugara is easily cited as the cultural annals of the country in the late 20th century.

In these present times, when there are columnists on every subject thinkable, literary columnists are hard to come by; it is not every other writer/journalist who has the capability and the knowledge to sustain such a column; for it is not the piece of hard news that matter most, but the background knowledge of the piece of news for this genre of writing.

When this columnist picks up a theme from the day-to-day happenings, he has his own individual sketch of the subject. He has only to fill in here and there with the latest additions of news and complete it with his language of colour and wit.

Sugara has his distinct style of writing, enriched by a language in his years of discipline in Sinhala classics, old and new, with a fine blend of simple, day-to-day language. Each column is a piece of literary essay.

In an age where cultural matters are given the least priority, writing a cultural column and sustaining it for little more than a decade is something to be admired.