A page turner!

Uvindu ILLEPERUMA

In a society where we try to give everything an economic value and make it marketable, most of us forget to appreciate the aesthetic value of life. This aspect does not encourage the younger generation to explore their creativity and imaginations.

However Chamodini Chaturangi had surpassed this aspect and made a marvelous contribution to the youth literary field in Sri Lanka. She launched her first book, a collection of short stories titled ‘Dangakari Mang’.

With the advancement of technology youths have taken to the field like ducks to water. Most of them seek to pursue their career in these greener pastures while turning a blind eye and deaf ear to aesthetics and literature. It seems that they see creativity as a less profit making factor and strive to excel in their academic skills rather than spare a few hours to enhance their inborn aesthetic talents. This situation has a grave consequence in the country’s future for (non ) creativity hampers innovation. Without creativity there is a bankruptcy of new ideas. Chamodi’s effort should be applauded for she has taken up a challenging task. She had used simple language in the book therefore it is quite readable. She has worded the book in a manner so that it is quite a page turner. Her target readership is the youth close to her age ad she has managed to word her stories in a storytelling manner which appeals to her peers.

Chamodi is still a student at Rathnaweli Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo, in grade 13 and doing her studies in the arts stream.

Her short stories are built on the foundation of thoughts that suddenly come to her mind.

“The success of the work depends on its spontaneous nature. Since my thoughts are spur-of-the-moment, it is based on an imaginative situation. These thoughts are realistic happenings though the names of the characters are not linked with any particular real life characters. I cannot say those characters are not real. They are the characters who move around with us in the society. What we believe as creativity is not an imagination at all. The subject matter which inspires us to write is available in the society and it is a social truth. That is why we should believe in the fact that arts is for society’s sake.’ Chamodi opined.

‘Dangakari Mang’ includes five short stories. Colombo University Sinhala Department lecturer Professor Sarath Wijesuriya was the chief guest at the book launch. Rathnaweli Balika Vidyalaya principal W B G Kumuduni and other teachers were also present at the occasion.