Prof Miniwan P Tilakeratne:

Great contribution to Sinhala literature

Dr Leel Gunasekera

Prof Miniwan P Tilakeratne passed away ten years ago and his death anniversary fell on December 2. He was a well known university teacher who contributed much to Sinhala Literature specially creative literature, literary criticism and cultural activities. An assessment of his multifarious contributions to education and cultural affairs has to be done in a manner befitting such an intellectual.

With regard to his novels and short stories, Prof Tilakeratne has drawn sustenance from the rich experiences of his rural environment of Thambugala, the village of his origin and the neighbouring villages of Godawela, Puhulegama and Pahihela in Hatara Korale of Kegalle district.

One of his novels, ‘Pama Novi Emi Akurata’ deals with school life in relation to his alma mater, Kegalu Vidyalaya and later Nalanda Vidyalaya in Colombo. His work also covers a cross section of characters of society and the experiences of the common people.

‘Usavi Saviya’ (1988) is a novel of 400 pages, which speaks of the humiliations the village people face in litigation specially with regard to land matters due to the cumbersome and expensive legal process with much exploitation, which the author himself has experienced for nearly twenty years in relation to a land matter. (Has the situation changed much since the beginning of the last century as experienced by Silindu in the novel Village in the Jungle by Leonard Woolf?).

Mention has to be made of his publications in English namely Manners, Customs and Ceremonies of Sri Lanka (Sathguru Publishers, New Delhi), Modern Sinhala Poetry of Sri Lanka (Godage Publishers, Colombo), and Polyandry in Sri Lanka. Prof Tilakeratne has published a number of poetry books in Sinhala such as Mahaweera. Special mention has to be made of his anthology of English poems ‘Luster of Life’ written as part of his studies for the Diploma in Creative Writing at the Colombia University, USA. ‘Luster of Life’ consists of 54 poems and won an award from the Official Languages Department of Sri Lanka in 1997.

Prof Tilakeratne’s dissertation for the Master’s Degree (1963) at the University of Peradeniya, namely ‘Rusiyanu Sahitya ha Vartamana Nawakatawa ha Ketikathawa’ is an important contribution published by Lake House Investments in 1969.

As a teacher well known for his punctuality, Prof Tilakeratne would no doubt have been concerned about the quality of life and the deteriorating standards in the universities, discipline, teacher-student relations and so on. ‘Kanden Landata’ is a novel which covers certain aspects of the university life specially that of the academics.

During the period 1985-1991, Prof Tilakeratne was appointed as the Chairman of this Sahitya Mandalaya of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. He was also the Chairman of the Public Performance Board and also a member of the Film Corporation. Prof Tilakeratne could show his capabilities in this rare combination of responsibilities evolving on an individual with regard to three organizations where serious controversies often arise.

At the State Sahitya Celebrations in Matara in 1983 when the Chief Guest the then President J R Jayewardene raised the question whether with the income from the study of literature one could at least pay the electricity or telephone bills apart form finding employment, Prof Tilakeratne did not get discouraged. The comment provoked many a literary and cultural enthusiast. Prof Tilakeratne kept on stressing boldly the importance of our literature both modern and traditional.

Prof Tilakeratne continued his full period as President, Sahitya Mandalaya and organized the annual Sahitya ceremonies in Kurunegala, Diyatalawa, Matale respectively giving much importance to the need of kindling the enthusiasm and effective implementation of the literary activities for the benefit of the youth and others concerned.

It was also a time when the Sinhala language paper had to be introduced again to the GCE Ordinary Level Examination. Another area that needed attention of the Government was the price of printing paper and the difficulties the authors and the writers faced in getting their manuscripts published. Prof Tilakeratne was respected for airing these grievances in bold manner although the results were not all satisfactory.

In an interview, Prof Tilakeratne has paid a tribute to some of the author friendly publishers who have helped many writers including himself to get his varied manuscripts published thus enabling him even to get his promotions as an academic. His services as a university teacher, scholar, creative writer, researcher and poet demanded comprehensive assessment. However, it is seen that such assessments of contributions of people who have rendered yeoman service in their respective fields is rare.

We of the Sinhala Writers’ Organization too experience the situation that the literary scene is poorer today in the absence of active academic personalities such as Prof Tilakeratne, Dr Punchi Bandara Sannasgala, Ahungalle Karunatillaka (attorney-at-law) who were our office bearers. Out Patrons Ven Kalukondayawe Pannasekera Nayaka Thera, Prof D E Hettiarachchi, Prof Ediriweera Saratchandra, Prof M B Ariyapala, Dr S G Samarasinghe, Prof Wimala Wijesuriya were all dedicated scholars who we feel are with us although they are physically no more.

As a tribute to these remarkable men of letters, who guided and inspired us, the Sinhala Writers’ Organization continues even in a modest way to assess and appreciate their invaluable contributions to literature and cultural affairs. They have enriched our culture through literature specially.