|
Focus on Books:
Towards a literary harvest
Professor Sunanda MAHENDRA
The state sponsorship of the literary event that took place in
Polonnaruwa was severely criticised by the local literary enthusiasts.
The question as to why two literary ceremonies were held was yet another
vital question raised. But the state sponsorship of the second ceremony
of the award winners' day was assessed as a more serious event than the
one held earlier in Polonnaruwa. The third question was the calibre of
books published by the Ministry of cultural affairs pumping money via
the central cultural fund.
What transpires actually?
The public is not quite aware of what really transpires as cultural
activities as having two or three cultural units under the main umbrella
of the Ministry of Cultural affairs. The award ceremony had some
teaching issues and some plus signs despite the erroneous factors of the
administrative machinery. I was much pleased to see two clear-cut award
worthy names enlisted in the award ceremony.
They are by the translator of much recognition, the senior writer
Premachandra de Alwis, and the second one is the folklorist M B Manawa,
an individual who had been an honoured scholar writing various gifts and
pieces on his pet subject of Sinhala folkore. Though both of them had
been in the field for sometime occupied silently in their respective
field of study, this was the first time they were awarded a state
recognised literary prize.
De Alwis has been translating some of the rarest books written in
English by colonial administrators of the calibre of R. L. Spittel.
Manawa's is a collection of folktales and folkpoems from various parts
of our country. I was not quite clear as to whether there is any
apparent reason to create a suspense as to who the winner is by citing
the works that were shortlisted in films or in theatre one can afford to
create that kind of suspense atmosphere. A novelist or a poet or a short
story writer can afford to be shortlisted.
Honoured positions
But when it comes to the final round it is not in good spirit that a
winner and a loser set apart. At least it is not too oriental as well as
Buddhist. We should be in a position to honour as much creators as
possible instead of making them run a rat race. I would have preferred a
citation too in order to encourage the writers and the literary
enthusiasts of the day to consider the work far more seriously. This was
a shortcoming.
Then I would prefer to draw the attention to a more salient and sober
literary event, The Buddhist Literary Ceremony, where single selections
were cited on the areas of a novel, a collection of print media columns,
an ancient work with a commentary and a collection of poems.
There were short citations as to the reasons for the selections as
award. The ceremony took place in a committee room of the BMICH, where
the audience was predominantly an interacted crowd of a pious nature.
But there again what I noted was the lengthy presentations on the part
of selected speakers. This was a much anticipated event, as one notes
the number of the outcome of Buddhist and other religious books.
Religious segments
As is noted by oriental scholars, the Sinhala literary works cannot
be separated or dismembered from the Buddhist outlook and embedded
spirit. Most of the Sinhala classics inclusive of poetry like Guttilaya
and other works like Amavathura and Buthsarana are religious works,
drawing material from the central Buddhist doctrine. The vision and
creative outlook of the Sinhala writer, however modernistic he or she is
moulded on the Buddhist spirit, which is the creative legacy over the
years. The writers of the calibre of Martin Wickramasinghe, Ediriweera
Sarachchandra and Senerat Paranavitana have often pointed out than
factor with adequate examples.
Mots of the works by Wickramasinghe are woven around Buddhist
outlook, which is his hallmark in the career. Most of the theatrical
books of Sarachchandra centre round Jataka tales. Maname, Vessantara,
and Mahasara are three good examples. Senerat Paranavithana had often
pointed out, especially in his preface to Sigiri Graffiti, the influence
the Sigiri poets drew from the religious material of the Tripitaka. He
has categorized four types of poets citing Buddha as the originator in
Kavi Sutta.
Categories of poetry
The four categories are Atta Kavi, Suta Kavi, Chinta Kavi and
Patibhana Kavi. These categories are rediscovered by Paranavithana, as
poetic genres that could be rediscovered by the present day literary
critics instead of following the occidental methods of classification.
At the moment of jotting down these lines I see the gradual drawing
of the attention on the great International Book Fair, which is the
culmination of the literary events of the month. New books of varying
type shave sprung up. Book publishers are full of hope as to the
consumer tendencies. Quite a number of author publishers too have come a
long way with their hopes and aspirations. Literary events flow as we
watch them.
Our good friend and book publisher of fame Dayawansa Jayakody has
republished the newspaper titled Helabima in a single volume. It is one
of his youthful efforts in the early sixties. When I scan the pages I go
down the memory lane framing my mind in youthful aspirations. This may
have been a cursory thought, but a rediscovery of the past adding more
material for the harvest.
[email protected] |
