Madol Duwa in Italian
Nipuni WIMALAPALA
 Undoubtedly Madol Duwa is the most popular children's novel in Sri
Lankan literature. It is read by almost every Sri Lankan. Madol Duwa was
written by Martin Wikramasinghe and it was first published in Sinhala
1947. Since then it has been read by millions of children not only in
Sri Lanka but in translation in England, India, Russia, Bulgaria,
Rumania, Netherlands, China and Japan.
The most recent translation in the Italian language is by Thilina
Lankapura who is pursuing his studies at the University of Oriental
Languages in Naples. The Launching of this book took place in Naples on
May 2011, on Martin Wickramasinghe's 121st birth anniversary.
The local launching took place subsequently on August 29 at the Sri
Lanka National Library and Documentation Centre Auditorium. Vidyodaya
Chief Incumbent Ven Balangoda Sobhitha presided and the guest speakers
were Ven Medagama Dhammananda Thera and Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara. The
translator Thilina Lankapura also delivered his speech in Sinhala and
Italian while the special guest the Deputy Ambassador for Italy in Sri
Lanka listened enthusiastically. Thilina expressed his pleasure to
translate the reputed work.
Madol Duwa is the story of Upali and Jinna two little boys who are
very friendly with each other. They are the heroes of the story. Upali's
mother dies and then his father remarries. Stepmother does not treat
Upali well and he dislikes staying at home. He starts to wonder here and
there around the village with friends. Then his father sends him to
another school far away from the village. He does not like both school
and the head master and he comes back home. Finally he leaves home and
runs away with the servant boy, his best friend, Jinna. They go to the
small island called Madol Duwa and start a different life which they
enjoy.
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