Remembering Dharmasiri Gamage through his works
I don’t remember how many years have gone by since the sad demise of
our humble and talented friend Dharmasiri Gamage. I feel he is still
alive with us engaged in his daily struggles in journalism,
cinematography and rest of the communication areas he was actively
committed to.
I have received three reprints of his much discussed books:
collection of his lyrics (titled Hulang Kurullo), the serialized novel
of Siripala Saha Ranmenika, which later became a film under his
direction and script (This was a raging box office success in the local
scene of the early seventies. As I remember Dharmasiri was an active
investigative reporter whose function surpassed the mere barrier of
probing into the police diaries and press cuttings.
Instead of paying more attention to mere readily available source
material, Gamage had wandered around the country leaving no stone
unturned to write a series of investigative articles related to the
subject. This is where the good learning in investigative reporting cum
creative feature writing rests), the second collection of his lyrics
Kalak Avemen Perum Pura first appeared in 2010.
This compilation holds quite a number of his lyrics written to
Sinhala film and teleplays. It had taken 21 long years for the compiler
to put out his several collections of his lyrics.
Gamage had been a poet who loved nature and environment from his
formative days as a Sinhala journalist. To his credit he had traveled in
most parts of the world.
Two of his main contributions are Jatika Namal Uyana Dambadiva
Charika Atpotha. His travel notes which had been a stock in trade in his
profession had gone a long trip and had ended up as mini travel books
written in Sinhala. They are used by those who seek employment in
countries such as Italy and Cyprus.
As I remember him, he was one young prolific short story writer who
had the knack for depicting the inner human impulses such as love,
desire and anger. His short stories were popularly accepted.
Once when he was appointed as the Chief Editor of a Sinhala youth
weekly titled Yovun Janatha (Lake House publication) he got a large
number of youth literary enthusiasts to rally around the paper in good
intention.
This paved the way for quite a number of communication workshops all
around the country. The gathering of youth in all parts of the country
was known by the term Ran Weta which literary means the ‘golden
encirclement’, was meant to discuss issues relating to youth issues.
Dharamsiri had the chance of holding one large group gathering in
Koggala, the birthplace of Martin Wickramasinghe. I was also invited by
Gamage to address one session on creative writing trends at home and
abroad.
In this manner the weekly newspaper Yovun Janatha looked more a
literary weekly journal than a newspaper. But something drastic may have
happened to its continuous flow, which was beyond one’s grasp. The
weekly paper meant for youth had to be discontinued.
Some newspapers born out of good intentions don’t last long, said
Gamage in a smiling mood. From being a short story writer he became a
seasoned journalist who innovated certain new trends in the use of
weekend supplements in Sunday Sinhala newspapers.
One such example is Rasaduna still issued with Silumina. He was the
founder editor of Rasaduna, which included all recipes that go into the
making of a weekend magazine type periodical. Some articles he wrote in
Sinhala were translated into English.
Some often were translated by himself. From the field of journalism
he switched his attention to teleplay writing, cine writing and
direction. But his forte as I visualize is lyric writing. The well known
song ammavarune sung by Nanda Malini is one remarkable example.
The lovers of music say that it is the best Sinhala song written in
praise of motherhood. I too agree all in all Dharme, as we used to
address him, remained as a humble great man of letters, unshaken either
by party politics or by literary politics. He is remembered by all not
only those who were close to him, but also by the common masses who knew
the multi-faceted artistes in him.
I sincerely feel that Dharmasiri Gamage Foundation is continuing to
make us know more about him.
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