Remembering a 'Man of many parts'
The SLFI (Sri Lanka Foundation Institute)
auditorium was not full, but those who were there had come to pay tribute
to a great man. Two memorial orations (one in English and the other in
Sinhala) were being delivered in appreciation of the invaluable services
rendered by Professor Ediriweera Sarachchandra to Sinhala literature, theatre
and social thought.
This was the first activity organised by the Sarachchandra Sahurjjana
Sansadaya, formed recently to keep the Sarachchandra name alive. The Sansadaya
(organisers prefer to use the same name in English too) is headed by respected
playwright Bandula Jayawardana as President. Another lover of the arts
who wishes to do his bit quietly, Jayasumana Dissanayake is Secretary.
'Sarasaviya' editor Tilakaratna Kuruwita Bandara functions as Treasurer
and serving as committee members are O. C. Jayawardena, Dr Luxmie de Silva,
Buddhadasa Galappatti & Nissanka Diddeniya - all well known names in
the literary and theatre scene.
Explaining why the Sansadaya thought of having two memorial orations
in two languages, President Jayawardana said that since Sarachchandra was
being appreciated at an international level, it was logical that an oration
in English could reach non-Sinhala speaking audiences. In the future, they
would even think of having an oration in Tamil. (The two inaugural orations
are available as a Godage publication).
It was interesting to listen to Sarachchandra's university colleague
(undergrad days), former civil servant and promoter of the arts M. J. Perera
relating old stories. He went back to their early University College days
reminiscing on how in 1933 the two of them and D. G. Dayaratne (who also
had a distinguished career in the Ceylon Civil Service and was himself
keenly interested in the arts) read for the Honours degree in Indo Aryan
under the guidance of Professor Gunapala Malalasekera. Their friendship
lasted for over six decades even though there were occasions when Sarachchandra
being a very sensitive person, stopped talking to him over certain matters
. He had not forgotten the baseless attacks on himself and Sarachchandra
in the media when he was heading the Cultural Affairs Department solely
because they were friends.
He welcomed change
Introducing Sarachchandra as "a man
of many parts - a sitarist, philosopher, linguist, critic, poet, novelist
and playwright", Justice Dr Ranjit Amerasinghe (he delivered the lecture
in English on 'Some reflections of law & order'), also described him
as a scholar, a teacher and an ambassador who achieved excellence in whatever
field of endeavour he undertook. "He was free from narrow prejudice
and was open to new ideas. He travelled widely, read extensively, researched
deeply and was potently influenced and greatly inspired by what he learnt
from other people and other cultures."
Referring to a comment made by Sarachchandra once that it was the impact
of Noh and Kabuki that gave him the courage to write and produce 'Maname',
Dr Amerasinghe pointed out that even if it was so, the music and choreography
were those of 'nadagam', the play was based on a Jataka story ('Culla Daniggaha
Jataka') and the play opens with words of homage to the Buddha followed
by an invocation to the dieties.
"He was not a bigoted nationalist nor was he given to looking at
the past with uncritical wonderment," Dr. Amerasinghe observed. "Yet
he advocated circumspection and discernment. Change he welcomed, but not
at any price."
Sinhala verse
Novelist and poet, Dr Gunadasa Amarasekera
spoke on Sarachchandra's service to Sinhala verse. Sarachchandra being
a dramatist following the path of stylised drama, did not claim to be a
poet. He was fully aware that there was a difference between poetic drama
and conventional poetry.
To Dr Amarasekera, Sarachchandra was a distinguished dramatist who is
yet to be surpassed. The dramatists who followed are mere dwarfs compared
to Sarachchandra, he said. He was also a born poet - a poet who was well
versed in the Sinhala language who could be compared to that great literary
figure Venerable Totagamuve Sri Rahula.
Painting together to help others
It's talent to the fore for a good cause
when teachers, an accountant, a former air-hostess, a secretary and a housewife
get together to hold an eight-woman exhibition of paintings from October
4 at 6.30 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery.
The exhibition will be open for public viewing on October 5 and 6 from
9.30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The artists who will display their works are Alefiya Akbarally, Dilshani
Ravindri Fonseka, Harshini Perera, Hethumathi Karunatilleke, Menaka Aruni
Ranadeera, Patricia Wasgewatte, Shazmin Mohamed and Sonali Silva.
Making a soap for the child
By Wathsala Mendis
 Child
abuse and child rights have be-come so hackneyed that nobody cares too
much about it. Harsh as it sounds, that's the grim truth. Only when hit
close to home are people jolted into reality. So long as they close their
eyes to it, thousands more innocents will continue to be affected. Educating
and making people aware of the menace is the most effective way of fighting
it.
YA TV, known for its quality youth programmes, together with Plan International-
a UK-based international humanitarian, child-focused development organization-
have taken on the task of bringing this universal theme to a prime-time
audience in the form of a soap opera.
Why a soap opera, why not a documentary or something more serious?
The aim is to offer an alternative TV experience, to touch the subject
in an entertaining manner, taking it to the grass-roots level.
Nobody likes to be preached to. The moment you talk about social issues
through a documentary, people dismiss it with, "Oh, here we go again.
Another one telling us what we should and should not do."
This way it would be easier to drive the point home. After all it's
about creating awareness among young people about their daily lives in
a way which appeals to them, says Marc Postelmans, the Project Coordinator.
The techniques used will be the same as in American soap operas but with
substance.
The production process is still in a preparatory stage with the script
being finalized for six episodes. Says Hilmy Ahamed, Managing Director,
YA TV, "Depending on the response we receive, it'll be continued.
We hope it'll go on to be a long-running series."
According to Menno Gibson, Sponsorship Manager of Plan International,
the series would be exported to Western countries as well, provided it
became a success in this part of the world. It'll be a different yet interesting
cultural experience for them and help increase understanding among people
. Since the issues covered are more or less common to almost all countries,
it'll be easy to relate to, he feels.
The shooting will be done entirely in Sri Lanka. Once the casting is
completed, the locations will be decided on. An art trainer has been specially
brought down from the Netherlands to help train the art directors.
The original production will be in English while the serial will be
dubbed in various other languages as well. The cast will comprise youth
from other South Asian countries also. The production team is not looking
for famous or popular figures, rather the emphasis will be on ordinary
girls and boys who want to help change the world.
|
