Ahungalle Arunatillaka: versatile poet
Dr Leel GUNASEKERA
A ceremony to evaluate the invaluable services rendered by Ahungalle
Arunatillaka a multifaceted literary figure was held at the Namel-Malini
Punchi Theatre recently on the occasion of the launching of his Sinhala
translation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Arunatillaka was born on
July 6, 1930, in Welikanda village, Ahungalle.
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Ahungalle
Arunathilaka |
Prof Tissa Kariawasam of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura
delivered the keynote address. Arts Council President Prof Carlo
Fonseka, Senior Journalist Tilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara, award winning
dramatist Namel Weeramuni, and Dr Praneeth Abeysundara of the Department
of Sociology, Sri Jayawardenapura University were the other speakers.
From his young days, Arunatillaka de Silva was interested in
literature and specially poetry and was known as a poet Ahungalle
Arunatillaka Kaviya in keeping with the tradition of recognising one’s
place of birth and adopting a cultural name as done by both laymen and
clergy. He was in the company of Colombo poets and holding positions of
responsibility in the Aganuwara Tharuna Kavi Samajaya (Athakasaya).
Cultural matters
In the Department of Cultural Affairs, Arunatillaka was fortunate to
be entrusted with varied responsibilities in the Sri Lanka Bauddha
Mandalaya during the 1956 Buddha Jayanthi celebrations. Then he also
worked in the Sahitya Mandala activities of the government while in the
voluntary social services and religious sectors he was associated with
the Buddhist Congress and with the Sinhala Writers’ Organization kept
him busy and enthusiastic. His services in the establishment of the
Sinhala Writers’ Organization were unforgettable.
We established the Sinhala Writers’ Organization (SWO) in 1967 to
fill a void when there was a need for an independent Writers’
Organization especially to promote writing and also the welfare of the
writers while advising the governments specially, with regard to
literary and cultural matters of national interest.
As its founder President, I was fortunate to have reputed men of
letters, as office bearers namely, Dr Saddhamangala Karunaratne
(Archaeological Commissioner) and Prof Punchi Bandara Sannasgala (Editor
in Chief of the Sinhala Dictionary) and Attorney-at-Law Ahungalle
Arunatillaka as the Treasurer in addition to other accomplished
individuals in the executive committee.
The Sinhala Writers’ Organization had the patronage of great men of
learning some of them our beloved teachers in the University: Prof D E
Hettiarachchi, Prof M B Ariyapala, Prof Ediriweera Sarachchandra, M J
Perera, Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs led
by Ven Kalukondayawe Pannasekera Nayaka Thera.
During the late 60s - 70s and later, the Sinhala Writers’
Organization was in the forefront in promoting multifarious national,
cultural and literary activities with the active participation of the
rasikas and the leadership of the intellectual community.
The Intellectual Properties Act had its origin at the Sinhala
Writers’ Organization when we submitted the first request in the form of
a memorandum to the then Minister of Trade T. B. Ilangaratne
(1970-1979), a recognized author of repute and multifaceted personality.
Ilangaratne appointed a one man committee headed by the retired judge,
Thambiah assisted by Secretary, Amarasinghe (later Justice), Secretary
of the Insurance Corporation then. These recommendations had far
reaching effects and the present Intellectual Properties Act came into
existence (Intellectuals feel that it needs improvement now in view of
emerging dimensions).
The SWO brought about close rapport among writers, readers, and
publishers and research workers, and promoted seminars, training
programmes, competitions, especially in children’s literature and book
development.
Prominent personalities
In addition to the research and publications, the SWO felicitated
famous men of letters during their lifetime such as Dr. Paranavitana,
Martin Wickramasinghe, Dr. Sarachchandra, Most Ven. Kalukondayawe
Pannasekera Nayake Thera, Most Rev. Bishop Edmund Peiris and many
others. Services of scholars who had passed away earlier were not
forgotten.
Their services and good qualities were emulated with suitable
arrangements.
We were privileged to have William Gopallawa, the Governor General,
later President, who was always kind enough to grace the occasions of
ceremonies and activities of the SWO at our invitations.
With his amiable qualities, Arunatillaka has been able to establish
close contacts with prominent personalities in the cultural, literary
and religious fields. He has been closely associated with drama people,
specially, Namel and Malini Weeramunis of Punchi Theatre fame.
Arunatillaka’s life was vivid. Besides in his professional life he
was also active in social, literary, cultural and religious arenas.
He was a pioneer in so many. As a young poet he initiated a monthly
poetry magazine, and was a founder member of the Welitota Literary
Group.
Forceful speaker
As an active member of the Colombo Young Poets’ Society, he zealously
activated the formation of the Sinhala Writers’ Organization. He was
also the Vice President of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Secretary
of the Amarapura Nikayaarakshaka Sabha and Vice President of the Ruhunu
Kala Kavaya.
“Arunatillaka was a man of many talents. He was well versed in
Sinhala and English. He therefore was able to express clearly his views
as a writer as well as a forceful speaker.
It was this talent that made him also a good translator. This aspect
is evident by his translations of William Shakespeare’s Tempest as Maha
Marutaya and Macbeth. The last publication that he had co-authored with
Dr. Praneeth Abeysundara in March this year being Myanmar Saha Sri Lanka
Sambadhatha Pilibanda Swarna Damaya (Myanmar and Golden Thread of Sri
Lankan Relations).
For some time he had been very busy working on a book relating to
Ecclesiastical and Buddhist Laws of Sri Lanka and now it remains
incomplete as a result of his sudden death.” (Namel Weeramuni - Daily
News, 23.11.1999)
The book Myanmar and Golden Thread of Sri Lankan Relations authored
with Dr. Pradeep Abeysundara was Arunatillaka’s magnum opus among his
creative and other works. It was published on the occasion of the
ceremony to honour Ven. Rajakeeya Panditha Ahungalle Wimalananda Tissa
Maha Nayaka Thera, with the title of Aggamaha Panditha by the State of
Myanmar.
Cultural degradation
Arunatillaka was very fortunate to marry his girl friend from school
days, Sumana Weerasekera an Arts Graduate from the University of
Peradeniya (1962) with a Diploma in Education. She has been moulding the
characters of thousands of her students as an exemplary teacher at the
prominent girls’ schools; Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda, Visakha Vidyalaya,
Colombo and Devi Balika, Borella.
Arun and Sumana were fortunate to have loving children and their
families blessed with grandchildren and also elders all of whom are
looked after with love and tender care and vice versa. Arunatillakas is
an exemplary family to be emulated by others especially in these days of
cultural degradation.
Arun is considered to be a fortunate person to have passed away in
the sacred precincts of Sravasthi hallowed by the Buddha’s presence for
forty years. |
