Candy Hunt

Painting society on your heart…

by Anuradha Malalasekara

It is great to hear that Rathna Sri Wijesinghe’s readers are getting a chance to repay him for his great contribution to Sri Lankan literature as a poet and a lyricist. As I saw on the news, there will be a felicitation ceremony for him on an early date of June.

Rathna Sri Wijesinghe is a trend setter in Sri Lankan literature. Sometimes I mix up his writings with some of his young followers such as Ravi Siriwardhane, as they reflect so much of Rathna Sri’s influence. Role models are the rarest species in our literary spectrum and it is worth to mention that Rathna Sri was capable of making a firm line of followers since started his writing career. He was a poet with a cause and it is so vital that he has produced a generation of writers who follow his style and cause.

Rathna Sri Wijesinghe

Rathna Sri definitely represented the oppressed and touched the reality in the society. Various facets of the society were reflected in his lyrics and poetry. His revolutionary ideas were bedazzled with smooth and shiny language. His poetry was filled with fresh imagery. As A/L students we did not want to put a slightest effort to remember examples in his few poems we were recommended to study for Sinhala language.

Rathna Sri is a poet who has roots in Sri Lankan soil. Being a teacher and education officer he gets a chance to treasure some unique experiences which nurture his writings. At one stage he gets a transfer to a faraway place and forced to leave his young family behind. He transfers his sorrow into words, laments over his parting with his family. He brings out the aesthetics out of his experience, not the revenge.

Rathna Sri is an ardent follower of his own political philosophy. Being a follower of this left wing socialistic philosophy he gets an opportunity to see through the society. As I understand, he is someone who has perfectly realized his responsibility as a writer. While soothing a society which suffers from serious malefices, he encourages bringing the society one step forward.

When talking about his fresh imagery usage, you cannot go pass by his exclusive lexicon. As a translator I often see how it would be challenging if someone gets Rathna Sri to translate. He brings out names of exquisite flowers such as ‘ranawaraa’, ‘kekatiya’ and ‘maharuk’ which each give an exclusive meaning to his writings. He goes beyond the lexicon sometimes and touches folklore and culture.

Readers who admire him would never forget how he reconstructs ‘Vessanthara Jatakaya’ to create lyrics of ‘Mage Bisawune Asaapan’. My personal favorite is ‘Na Kola Andam’ which is an anagram for our long lost concept of freedom. As its hood gives cobra a dignity to stand against its enemies, we need something strong to combat evil forces against us. There he implies a more democratic political platform I guess.

He had a very sensitive scope on war and preferred to talk more about love that get disturbed by the conflict. He has penned many songs on professionally marginalized people.

Barbers, launderers and sex workers get an honor in his writings. The best part of it is, they are not only humane but esthetically outstanding. Again this fact reflects his faith on his political philosophy.

Lyrics are something that will vanish in between music and a voice. Writers like Rathna Sri managed to preserve a firm place for lyrics in listener’s heart. The ravage of the land of Welassa farmers by the robber barons or death of a young flower seller, he was amazingly capable of deliver us as a surprise package.