Sumithra bags Swarna Pusthka 2010
Sri Lanka’s literary world celebrated its annual Sawna Pusthka
Sammana awards ceremony organized by the Book publishers’ Association at
BMICH on September 10.
Five novels: Bavanthraya, Kalu Donkaraya, Kandak Se Ma, Kalu and
Buddhadasi competed for the final to clinch the title for the best
published novel of the year.
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Professor J B Dissanayake hands over the Swarna Pusthka award to
Sumithra Rahubadda. Picture by Dushmantha Mayadunne |
Bavanthraya by Tennyson Perera, with lot of modern characteristics,
discusses a complex plot on the capitalist system and its open economy’s
fall in front of human ethos.
Karunadasa Sooriyarachchi’s Kalu Donkaraya portrays an island which
faced the tragic era of terrorism. It embodies a human storyline. The
author of the book said: “We should not be enthusiastic about the end of
terrorism. We need to focus more attention on the human side of every
human being in this island.”
Kandak Se Ma by Sumithra Rahubadda is an exceptional story which
describes the tragedy of a young Sri Lankan woman who marries an older
Japanese man.
This story gives a very fascinating narrative of the natural beauty
of Japan. Kandak Se Ma must be the first novel signifying the cultural
relationship between Sri Lanka and Japan after Sarachchandra’s Malagiya
Atto and Malavunge Avrududa.
This exceptionally beautiful piece of work clinched the award. Kalu
of Tharaka Wasalamudali describes a woman who faced a great loss and
later becomes a psychiatric patient. The writer tries to surface the
society’s negative attitude towards the psychologically ill beings in an
unconventional manner.
Sunethra Rajakarunamnayake’s Buddadhasi brings various historical
events and characters together from various periods of ancient history.
She tries to interpret them in her own manner as they search for the
deeper meaning in life. AH |
