A Taste of Sinhala (25)

Great and gentle souls 

By Prof. J. B. Disanayaka

It may mean 'sir' or 'gentleman'. A European is called "sudu mahattaya" (the white gentleman).

The Sinhala word 'mahattaya' is the way the Sinhalese pronounce the word 'mahatmaya', a word that is related to the Indian word 'mahatma' as in Mahatma Gandhi. It means 'one who has a great (maha) soul (atma)'.

In the view of the Sinhalese, a gentleman is one with a great soul. How else could he be gentle? Today, however, every man who wears trousers is called a 'mahattaya', and if someone were to say 'mahattayek enava' (a gentleman is coming), he is inferring that someone wearing trousers and not sarong is coming.

If a woman were to tell you that her "mahattaya" is not at home, she is referring to her 'husband'. Some even say 'ape mahattaya' — literally, 'our gentleman'. A servant will also address his or her master as 'mahattaya' (sir).

There are different kinds of men who are called 'mahattaya' — 'dostara mahattaya' (doctor), 'veda mahattaya' (native physician) and 'kapu mahattaya' (lay priest at a shrine or a matchmaker). However, when this word is added after 'nona' which means 'lady', as 'nona mahattaya', it refers to a lady and not a gentleman. A lady can also have a great soul.

'Jubal' remembered with 'Madhura Javanika'

After graduation, Dayananda Gunawardena produced several plays but it was his 1961 drama 'Nari Bena' which made him the talk of the town. 

He had created a beautiful drama based on a simple folk-tale with lilting melodies and songs which everyone began singing. And do to this day.

His 'Bakmaha Akunu' (1962) based on the French drama, 'Marriage of Figaro' was also a success. It was later made into a film. At the time of his untimely death in 1993, he had produced 16 dramas trying out several experiments which proved quite popular with theatre fans. 'Gajaman Puwatha' (1975) and 'Madhura Javanika' (1983) were two of his successful productions. It was rather ironical that he collapsed and breathed his last after a polished performance of Madhura Javanika at Elphinstone.

Publisher Gevindu Kumaratunga pays tribute to Dayananda by putting out the new edition of 'Madhura Javanika' on Tuesday, July 11 at the Elphinstone theatre at 4 p.m. Gevindu has invited Bandula Jayawardena and Dr. Tilokasundari Kariyawasam to make assessments of Dayananda's work. Gevindu is also printing several other Dayananda dramas and hopes to have them ready by Tuesday. 

Gevindu feels that Dayananda's contribution to Sinhala theatre has not been appreciated to the extent it should have been. He invited Professor Tissa Kariyawasam and Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera to critically evaluate his work. Gevindu has included these articles in the book. 

Dayananda described 'Madhura Javanika' (Joyous Scenes) as a dramatised chronicle of the 'hingala' people. 

Starting with the story of Ravana, he traced noteworthy events in the country's history and the influence of the western invaders on our culture, looking at these in a new perspective. 

It was a highly entertaining musical drama and he worked closely with Rohana Baddage and Bandula Wijeweera (household words today) in composing the music. 

Incidentally, the Sinhala Drama Panel of the Arts Council devoted an issue of its journal, 'Abhinaya' to Dayananda Gunawardena sometime ago. (Special issues of 'Abhinaya' have featured Dr Sarachchandra, Gunasena Galappatti, Sugathapala de Silva and Henry Jayasena too). 

Gevindu deserves a pat on the back for the initiative taken to pay tribute to a talented dramatist.

To add a personal note, Dayananda and I came from the same village. We were both Anandians and were in Peradeniya together. After leaving the campus, he chose radio and I newspapers.

All about Muslims

Instead he has written about the story of Muslims of Sri Lanka, a rather unusual subject, I thought.

We were batchmates at Peradeniya and 'Vama', as we all called him, decided to join the police as an ASP, after graduation. He rose to be Commissioner of Police and was later promoted DIG. He migrated to Australia where he lives in retirement.

A write up on the book says it traces the contribution made by the Muslim community to the fabric of Sri Lankan life, bringing together in one book their arrival on the national scene, their settlements and their contribution to the national mosaic. He has devoted separate chapters to the Malays and the Afghans as well as Muslims as traders and their contribution to the Tamil language.

The book contains legends and anecdotes about the Muslim community as well, Vama says.

This is Vama's second attempt at writing a book. Five years ago he authored 'The Ceylon we knew'.

Maitri Sandya

Judging from what was presented in this series earlier, it should prove to be another entertaining evening.

A Ray film

Not many would have seen the Satyajit Ray film 'Ganashatru' (An Enemy of the People) which he directed in 1989. An adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play 'An enemy of the people', Ray wrote the screenplay and directed music in the film.

A rare opportunity comes your way to see the film when it is screened at the Indian Cultural Centre on Monday, July 17. 'Ganashatru' was Ray's 34th film of a total of 36 — 31 feature films and five documentaries.

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