TV Times

TV Times

‘Gal Pilimaya’ has many dramatic twists
In the year 1981 an exhibition was organised in England to celebrate fifty years of universal franchise in Sri Lanka. One of the exhibits was a replica of the Polonnaruwa Sathapena Buddha statue (Sleeping Buddha). Having successfully completing the exhibition everybody forgot the copied Polonnaruwa Sathapena Pilimaya which was lying besides a road in England and some foreigners had even taken photographs getting on to it.

After the Sri Lankan media spotting and highlighting the matter the replica was brought to Sri Lanka and it was later lying in a corner in the harbour for sometime. Unobserved and unattended by everyone the sacred object was shifted to a corner of the harbour where people used to relieve themselves.

After sometime, the replica managed to get its due respect by getting a place in Polonnaruwa next to its original. People who went on pilgrimages to Polonnaruwa used to worship both the original and the replica with equal respect and later worshipers were more attracted to the latter. But at the same time there was a public outcry against a copy being kept there and the government had to destroy it.

This was the true story behind the replica Polonnaruwa Sathapena Pilimaya, said Ranjith K. Perera the producer of miniplay Gal Pilimaya Saha Bol Pilimaya which starts its telecast from June 20 every Monday on Rupavahini channel.

Dr. Gunadasa Amerasekere was one of the visitors to Polonnaruwa who noticed this serious folly of venerating an imitation and wrote his two famous short stories "Gal Pilimaya Saha Bol Pilimaya" and "Pilima Lowai Piyavi Lowai".

Based on these two short stories, the teledrama revolves around a fictitious character, the caretaker of the original Sathapena Pilimaya who notices the veneration given to the replica and is provoked by the disrespect shown to the original statue. Scripted by Dr. Amerasekere himself the teleplay is directed by Christy Shelton Fernando.

Gal Pilimaya Saha Bol Pilimaya stars Jayalath Manoratne, Geetha Kanthi Jayakody, Jagath Benaragama, Janak Premal, Daya Alwis, Gamini Samarakoon, Dananjaya Siriwardena, Madani Malwattage, Vini Wettasinghe and Gamini Ambalangoda.

Upalis the trustee caretaker of the historical Polonnaru Galvi-haraya for the last thirty years, considers it a duty bestowed by the devas. Upalis lives with his wife, Karalina and son Wimalasena who is very good at his studies. Teachers predict that Wimalasena will definitely make his way to the university. Upalis works as a part time farmer to make some extra money for his son's education. It was at this time the dispute over the controversial Buddha statue which had come from England starts.

This happens despite Upalis' complaint about the problems arising by keeping two statues side by side. What he says is that by keeping the two statues-the original and the replica-people would not be able to identify which statue merits veneration and they would be seriously deluded.

This was also a time when a youth insurrection was paving its way against the existing political order. The youth want Wimalasena too to join them but he refuses. But in the midst of growing injustices suffered by his father the young man too gets drawn to the radical changes that are taking place around him.

And the youth organisation decides to destroy the replica and they do so. What follows with its many twists and dramatical turns is the elimination of the youth including Wimalasena.

In the technical crew Jagath Weeratunge is the editor, Nuwan Sanuranka art director, Chandana Dharmapriya and Jayantha Rana-singhe handled the camera and the screenplay is by Christy Shelton Fernando and Rishantha B. Herath. Make up is by Henry Premaratne, music and songs by Kapila Poogalaarachchi and Anura Suranjana has assisted the direction. Ranjith Perera produced Gal Pilimaya Saha Bol Pilimaya.

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