Karunasena Jayalath’s 16th death anniversary today:

Neglected but not forgotten

Rohana Wansatilaka

Karunasena Jayalath was a novelist who had rendered a great service to the field of Sinhala novels. This novelist was born at a remote village named Kumbuke in Horana on January 10, 1928.

He had his primary education at Kumbuke girls school. Later in 1933, he entered the Kumbuke boys’ school. Then in 1944, young Jayalath was educated at Thaksila College in Horana. When he was studying there, Jayalath improved his knowledge in English.

At the inception of young age, on one hand, Jayalath was fond of creating poems. On the other hand, he acted on stage dramas. Nangi, Pem Henguma and Roopaya were collections of poetry authored by Jayalath.

He was able to enhance his performance abilities on the stage drama Winashaye Chayawaby enacting its main character.

In 1947, this writer came to Colombo.

When he was residing in the capital city, his attention was focused towards journalism. At the beginning, he joined the Sinhala Jathiya, as a translator. Jayalath gradually displayed his inborn talents as an able translator.

After a short period he resigned from the newspaper. Then he was recruited to the board of editors in Sarasavi Sandaresa. However he worked there only for a short period.

In 1951, an opportunity was given to Jayalath to join Lankadeepa. In 1961, he was promoted as a deputy editor in the newspaper.

But later he resigned from Lankadeepa too and joined Sirilaka and Dinakara respectively. He worked as editor in these newspapers.

This shows his vast experiences as a journalist.

Jayalath was popular in 1916, as a novelist among readers because of his first novel Golu Hadhawatha. The novel won the State Literary Award for the best novel category.

Sugath was one of the main characters in this novel. The true love generated in Sugath could be considered as the honest and virgin love.

However in this novel, Sugath is portrayed as a person addicted to liquor.

The author builds up Sugath as an inactive character.

After this novel, he wrote many novels such as Muwa Dadayama, Bamba Ketu Heti, Gehenu Lamai, Lassana Ess, Ridee Nimnaya, Yahalu Yeheli and so on.

As a novelist, Jayalath could win the popularity of the people in the decade of 1960. The author presents social episodes in these novels and sets them in a fine way.

The language style used in his novels attracts the readers.

However, Peradeniya School led by Professor Sarachchandra neglected Jayalath’s fiction. It is sad to say that the Peradeniya School had not identified his creative abilities.

The name of the novelist Jayalath was not inscribed in the list of classical novelists such as Martin Wickramasingha, Ediriweera Sarachchandra and Siri Gunasingha.

Peradeniya scholars did not admire Jayalath as a recognized novelist. Jayalath was the victim of this discrimination.

Many Peradeniya critics treated him as a popular novelist without any base.

In our view, it is unfair to classify novels as popular or classical novels.

If so, acceptable reasons must be given to show the contrast between popular novels and classical novels.

From time to time Jayalath had arguments with professor Sarachchandra about literary criticism.

Jayalath rendered service to Sinhala criticism to some extent. He wrote two critical books named Sahittiya Kalawa (1967) and Kanta Wimukti (1987). He desired socialist ideology.

Many of his creative work were completed, when he was trying to his workplace by bus.

Jayalath’s 16th death anniversary falls on August 25.

On this commemorative occasion, it is essential to give him real place in the history of Sinhala novel.

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