Plans for a better literary culture

I am not sure if I could correctly remember when I saw my friend, the well known publisher and journalist, for the first time. He was one of our schoolmates at Ananda College, where he was quite junior to me.

I am referring to Dayawansa Jayakody, who will be completing 50 years in the publishing industry.

“I want to select the best of books written by the best of writers and provide the best aesthetic tasks for our readers.” Jayakody says in a relaxed mood.

“I go round my bookshelves and see what I have done,” he says in another tone of satisfaction.

“But times have changed. Can I keep pace with the time? That’s my problem.”

Out of about 3000 books he has published over the years eighty percent are novels.

Some of them have been written by popular novelists like Jayakody Seneviratne and Kumara Karunaratne. I remember what the late professor Ediriveera Sarachchandra said when he had complete a manuscript titled ‘Vilasiniyakage Premaya’ based on Kanavera Jataka.

He handed over the manuscript to me and said: “You had better read the manuscript and pass it on to Dayawansa Jayakody.”

Dayawansa Jayakody

I felt the work as a complete deviation from the traditional narrative patterns, where the reader is encountered by both prose and verse, denoted by the term ‘Champu’. When the book came out, it was a surprising event, for it was kept in par with the more popular booksellers. What was the indication?

According to Jayakody, the reader needs better reading materials. As time passed, the publisher DJ slightly deviated from his normal dose of reading material.

He brought out quite a number of books with a spiritual sense enabling the reader to ascend the ladder of religious communication. I had the chance to go through books arranged in order.

Most of his books are seen as original novels and translated works, inclusive of Tarzan series translated by the late Dr K G Karunathilaka.

He started his book publishing followed by a periodical he designed called ‘Helabima’. He selected various types of short articles from varying types of scholars with the intention of reaching it to youngsters.

This was perhaps not only a starting point but also a trend that triggered off for his more lucrative publishing project.

He made his office premises in the furniture shop of his late father in Ven S Mahinda Mawatha (then Avondale Road).

This was a road more known as an area of residences belonging to some well to do people. From his father’s furniture ship he managed to have contacts with various types of writers.

He seems to look back in a sense of elation.

He was groomed and destined to be a scholarly publisher at Ananda College. He was also influenced by the rest of the publishers who ran their business in Maradana, a city more known to books than to anything else.

“What are your future plans?” I asked DJ.

“More and more good books we got to reach the foreign book market as well. Then I have thought of a plan for a literary award ceremony.”

“Another one of the type we have today?”

“No, not at all. I want to select a really good board of members to select the best books, and encourage a new variant to the existing pattern of literary pattern. The plans are under way. I don’t want to do a rush job. Our books as you my see are well designed. We got to keep abreast of the latest publishing patterns.”

He looks happy and content. He is inspired and assisted by Damayanthi Jayakody, who is also a writer more interested in religious literature.

“We have challenges to face,” he adds, “but we got to overcome them with patience.”

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