'Jayatu Lanka': Last show for the NYSC
 THEATRE: I forgot to mention that before we left Moscow the
Soviet Cultural authorities hosted the main members of our delegation
and some of our Embassy staff for a grand dinner. That was more or less
to thank the Embassy for their cooperation and to officially acknowledge
our Cultural Delegation. I remember one Mr. Karunaratne from our
Embassy, who was Charge'd Affaires at that time and his wife Kamala
being very helpful to us.
The Russians have a peculiar system of protocol. From our Cultural
Delegation only I and Miss Goonetilleke - the lady who was sent in
charge of the girls - were invited for the dinner. I protested that
Kulasiri Budawatte and the other dancers too should be invited.
But Mr. Karunaratne informed me that at that level only the head of
the delegation and the deputy would be invited. Apart from the two of us
only Mr. and Mrs. Karunaratne were invited from the embassy. There were
about six others from the Cultural Ministry. It was a sort of very
private dinner. I have a feeling that the 'Cultural' boys there make
this kind of occasion an opportunity for them to eat and drink as much
as they wish!
Massive spectacle
My last job for the Youth Services Council was writing and directing
a massive spectacle by the name of 'JAYATU LANKA' to celebrate the
Independence celebration of 1983. That year the Independence festivities
were conducted from the Bogambara grounds in Kandy.
This was an order from the President - J.R. Jayewardene - himself. I
scripted a massive spectacle from the landing of Vijaya up to
declaration of Independence in 1948.
I took the most important events of our history during that long
period from the Mahavamsa and other sources. With the Youth Council
Ensemble as the base I managed to involve all the other Cultural Groups
such as the Army Cultural Troupe, the Police, the Navy and the Air Force
cultural troupes.
I even invited the Chitrasena Vajira Ensemble to participate, which
they gladly did. Each phase of our history was given to each group with
a script to be developed separately with the Youth Council Ensemble
linking such events in song, dance and mime. We used music, dance, mime,
dialogue, slides and even film clips to enrich the production.
For instance the Ruwanveli Dagoba and the Parakrama Samudra were
projected on a screen by slides. We used film clips available with the
Govt. Film Unit to depict the Declaration of Independence from
Independence Square with Lord Soulbury making the declaration to Prime
Minister Hon. D.S. Senanayake.
Group leaders
We made a sort of coordinating committee of Group leaders such as
Captain Delwela from the Army, a person by the name of Inspector
Gunasekera from the Police and other group leaders from the Navy, Air
Force etc.
Our man Kulasiri Budawatte apart from handling our own Ensemble with
their dance sequences, also helped the other groups with their
sequences. The Council's Director of Music Shirley Vaijayanth was in
over all charge of melodies and the singing.
There was a man from the Govt. Film Unit [I forget his name now] to
handle the slide and film sequences. My good friend Mahinda Dias was in
charge of putting up the stage at Bogambara grounds and also in charge
of the lighting. Mahinda and I made many visits to Bogambara for
preparatory work.
The 'Jayatu Lanka' show was scheduled for two nights - 4th and 5th of
February 1983. Putting several groups together was no easy task. We
rehearsed separately at Belwood, Army premises, Naval and Air Force
premises and Police premises.
Vajira rehearsed her portion separately at the Chitrasena Studios at
Kollupitiya. For the final rehearsals we got down all groups to the put
up stage at Bogambara grounds, Kandy.
The Army, Navy, Air Force and Police easily found their accommodation
in their own places in Kandy, but our Council group went back to Belwood
after rehearsals. The last week was gruelling work, but we enjoyed it.
I was given accommodation at the official quarters of the G.A.
Mahinda Dias was also invited but he preferred to work with his boys
until late and sleep on a folded curtain on the stage. That was his kind
of dedication to work.
Everything went off well and we had a grand opening on Independence
day - the 4th of February at Bogambara grounds. President J.R.
Jayewardene and a host of Ministers were present. The president was very
pleased with the performance and told us so. He wanted a repeat of the 'Danno
Budunge' song which was given. He said he would be attending the next
day's show too.
A group of singers from the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation led by
Shelton Premaratne too had been sent to Bogambara to take the stage
after we finished our show. They arrived a little late. The President
and his entourage had left by then. We too gave way to them and packed
up. We were very tired.
Massive crowds
I can't remember whether the President turned up for the next day's
show too. Perhaps he did. We did that show too extremely well. There
were massive crowds on both nights.
A crew from the newly formed Rupavahini Corporation, lead by Sanath
Liyanage and Wimal Perera had turned up to cover the event. This was my
last working day for the Youth Services Council. I was to join the
Rupavahini Corporation from 7 February.
Sanath and Wimal told me they were looking forward to my arrival. I
remember telling them to PRESERVE what they had covered without erasing
them, because they were very good material. "We can't assure you that,"
said Sanath. "We are running with a very limited number of cassettes.
Often the cassettes are erased to be used by the News Room." "Keep them
at least till I come there." I told both of them. "We'll try, but we
cannot promise!" was their reply.
Giant performance
So with that giant performance in Bogambara I said Goodbye to the
Youth Services Council. I had been there exactly for two years. My
joining Rupavahini was also more or less an accident.
I had attended the Rupavahini inaugural ceremony somewhere in 1981
but I had not even dreamt that I would be joining it very soon. One
evening I met. M.J. Perera, who had been appointed as Chairman and
Director General of Rupavahini by the President himself, at some party
at the German Embassy. After a few drinks and light banter Mr. Perera
asked me, "So Henry, when are you going to join us?" I was nonplussed.
"Join you where, Sir?" I asked him. "Why at Rupavahini of course."
He replied with his disarming smile. I told him I knew nothing about
TV. "I too knew nothing about it when I took over as Chairman," said
he."Even now I don't know much about the technical side of TV., but I
have learnt how to administer the place", he added.
"You will learn as you go along. In any case I don't expect you to
produce plays etc there, as you do on the stage. But I would like to
have some one in touch with Art and Artists to coordinate things." He
further told me that he would be advertising for the post of Deputy
Director General - Programs, very soon and asked me to apply for the
job.
Technical matters
"But I don't even have a degree, Sir." I protested. "I don't need a
degree Henry, I need experience in the Arts and a man whom I can depend
on. In any case I had been thinking of you for the job. It is a good
thing I met you here," said M.J. Perera patting me on the back. I was
very elated. True to his word the job was advertised.
They did not ask for a degree or a special knowledge on technical
matters. The job would be to administer and 'direct' the Programs
Division of the Corporation, it said. I applied for the job and got it.
I am sure M.J. Perera would have had a word with the board about my
suitability and hence I was appointed without any protest. I remember
there were other applicants too - many of them.
And so on the 7th of February, 1983, I reported for work at the Sri
Lanka Rupavahini Corporation. Those were more or less the pioneering
days of TV. Nevertheless, there was plenty of work to do.
I had Drama, Documentary, Music, Children's Programs, Youth Section
and even the Sports Section under my charge. Apart from that both
libraries - visual as well as reading - and also the Presentation Unit
were under me. Men such as Bandula Vithanage and Lucien Bulathsinhala
were already there. I must say I felt at home.
My contributions
But some employees working under me, who were not familiar with my
contributions to the Stage etc., or even if they were aware, who did not
care much for such activity felt that I was not quite the man for the
job and that I should have carried more qualifications on my shoulder.
I was very well aware of such attitudes but just let it ride and did
my job as diligently as I could. Many such persons made friends with me
later and some even confessed to their misgivings.
It was a delight to work with a man like M.J. Perera. He had brought
an abundance of experience as one of the most senior Civil Servants we
had at that time. He could handle people. He was a shrewd and quiet
observer. He could give you that amount of confidence which was needed
without over doing it. He must have been around 75 at that time but
worked with the zest of a young man.
We did not have a full day's telecasting at that time. The
Educational Service under Mrs. Indrani Gooneratne had a few educational
programs telecast in the morning and the evening telecast was limited to
a few hours.
We had a News Room too under one J.P. Pathirana and quite an elitist
staff. The News Room came directly under the Chairman. Of course the
Programs Division often contributed news items from cultural events,
sports events. Children's events etc.
Thought of the week
I am writing this on 24 July. Today happens to be the third
anniversary of Manel's passing away. Naturally my thoughts will be full
of her this week. I cannot imagine that three years have gone by since I
lost her. Frankly, I never expected to live that long without her. The
passing days, weeks and months have not been easy - I did not realize I
would miss her so much.
Of course we will have the traditional Bana and the Dana in her
memory and to invoke merit on her. That will be on Friday 27 and
Saturday 28. People will gather, listen to the Bana and some of them
will share a meal with us. Then they will disperse and I will be all
alone once again.
We do some good work in her memory through the Manel Jayasena Trust
Fund. We help underprivileged children in the outbacks of the country to
continue with their higher studies from O/Level up to end of A/Level. We
help other worthy causes too such as helping poor people in need of
small helps. [We are not endowed enough to undertake big issues like
surgery etc.]
That kind of work gives me some solace. But the fact that I miss her
cannot be overcome even with such good deeds. I wonder what Manel's
thoughts were during her last moments.
They say that such thoughts have a big influence on the next birth.
Wherever she is I hope and pray that she will be at PEACE without the
turmoil that we are going through in this chaotic world today. I do hope
and wish that I will meet her again in my journey through Sansara.
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