‘Ginibath Kireetaya’: Daya paints roots of ethnic conflicts with comic strip

Daya Rajapakse who is a recognised comic strip writer for last forty years has published his maiden book,'Ginibath Kireetaya' revolving around the ethnic conflict.

It is a critical assessment of the socio-political environment from the year 1952 to 1983, the climax of Black July. The conflict of the plantation sector in Maskeliya - a Tamil doctor, his daughter Saroja and Buddhist monk, Rajawatte Hamuduriwo and tea maker's son, Nissanka are some of the characters we come across in his book. There are Tamil extremists like Pakyam and village thugs and Tamils who speak for Sinhalese and Sinhalese who speak for Tamils. In this ambiance the ethnic bomb in July 1983 blasts. And who is responsible for this, questions Daya with his impressive work.

Going through Rajapakse's book one sees this is not just a comic strip book for children but an appeal for the people, judiciary to read and give its verdict to a question that seeks its answer even today.

Daya Rajapakse writes his comic strip according to the school of G. S. Fernando, Susil Premaratne, G. L. Gauthamadasa, Thalangama Jayasinghe and Bandula Harishchandra. Yet he is capable of maintaining his own right as we see in Ginibath Kiritaya. Daya is a man who is both innovative and one who seeks different genre even in his own esteem.

Starting his career drawing comic strip for newspapers, many characters in Daya Rajapakse stories came alive in silver screen. Many a filmmakers realised the suitability of these catchy and remarkable characters and the dialogues they made for celluloid and invited him to write scripts. Daya Rajapakse was introduced to the cinema with "Hulawali" drawn for Sarasaviya newspaper in 1970s. The film made by W. B. de Silva under the same title was starred by Gamini Fonseka making him an award winner at the OCIC and the film was also marked the first Sri Lankan representation for the Tuscan international film festival. Award winning filmmaker Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne's debut "Anupama" was based on Daya's comic strip story. By now about 15 of his stories were made into films, Sakwithi Suwaya, Suboda, Raththa , Niwan Dakna Jathi Dakwa, Niliyakata Pemkala, Ahimi Dadayama and Malani Fonseka's Sasara Chethana to name a few.

Not only for films, later he was introduced to the stage and the miniscreen as a script writer based on his stories. Malani Fonseka's first direction for the TV, 'Nirupamala' was based on his comic strip and Dayaratne Rartagedara's 'Pas', late H. D. Premaratene's 'Dulari', Joe Abeywickrema's famous comedy 'Saki Sanda Eliyas', Rodney Vidanapathirana's 'Hathe Wasama', Sanjaya Gunawardeana's 'Mathaka Manpetha' and Piyal Yatawara's 'Kammiththa' are among nearly 50 teledramas for which he wrote scripts based on his stories.

At present working for nearly sixteen hours a day Daya continues to draw and writes a poetry column in the Sunday Lankadeepa newspaper. "Madissale" which he had titled had been published continuously for last 18 years could be a world's record too. In addition he writes pocket cartoons to almost all the Sinhala publications of Wijeya Newspapers Limited including "Mr. Married" for Tharunaya the youth publication and "Mithuru" for the women's weekly "Sirikatha".

"I love what I do so I am dedicated to it. Even now I continue to draw and write for sixteen hours daily," says Mr. Rajapakse.

"Thanks for the encouragement given by my close colleagues like Gamini Fonseka who among others insisted that I should do a film but due to my other engagement I missed it. But I have no regrets I am quite happy with what I have done and what I have achieved" said Daya Rajapakse satisfactorily.