Neela Wickremasinghe’s trailblazing career in music should be studied against the backdrop of socio-political evolution particularly in the immediate aftermath of independence. Neela occupies a seminal position in the evolution of Sri Lankan music and successive attempts made by pioneers such as W.B Makuloluwa and Lionel Ranwala in the revival of indigenous music in general and folk music in particular. Particularly W.D Makuloluwa researched extensively in the repository of Sri Lankan rich folk songs and folk music and introduced them to formal music education.

More from Sunday Observer.

Analysing Neela Wickremasinghe’s career which marks seminal developments in the field of Sri Lankan music in the post-independent Sri Lanka, a striking trait that one could distinguish in her is her sheer mastery in diverse traditions of music and the spectrum of her tonal mosaic. Her voice which bears a signature Sri Lankan female voice, at the same time, possessing the properties of a versatile South Asian singer, has been employed with facility in songs which music motifs were derived from diverse sources of music and equally diverse musical traditions.

Throughout her trailblazing career, Neela preserves her signature Sri Lankan female voice, particularly when she sings songs with Western melodies. At such times, she is extraordinary in her ability not to be influenced by Western, Hindustani or folk music motifs. The modus oprandi of her orchestration seems that she wanted to be faithful to the expectation of the song and to exploit to the maximum the sentimental and emotional properties of the melody, thereby, generating zest and sound perceptions in the minds of listeners.

The ability on the part of a singer to generate sound perceptions in the minds of listeners is a rare attribute which most singers lack although they have been trained in the North Indian classical music. She is at best, in adapting semitones in folk songs, thus, converting them into folk music with refined notes.

More from Sunday Observer of March 11, 2012

Gifted Sri Lankan writer, K. Jayathilaka, is a pioneer of the Sinhala realistic novel. As a creative writer, he showed his talents since the early 1960s. His novels and short stories represent ironic social perspectives and had a profound impact on Sinhalese literature. K. Jayathilaka demonstrated talents that could be compared to those of that great literary genius Martin Wickramasinghe.

He wrote a wide range of literature from novels to short stories as well as children’s literature. K. Jayathilaka has authored nearly 12 children’s books and added some of his childhood experiences to these books. His autobiography that narrates his childhood - Punchi Palle Gasavena - reminds us of the first book of an autobiographical trilogy by Maxim Gorky - Deistva (childhood). In Punchi Palle Gasavena, Jayathilaka exposes some of the social injustices he experienced as a child.

The children’s books of Jayathilaka vibrantly describe the relationship between the environment and the child. His children’s books enhance stable concepts as well as reasoning and fantasies of children. His books especially Irunu Balala (Torn Cat), Oralosuwa (Timepiece) help children to recognise logical relationships in elements and improve his ability to view things from the perspective of others. These books are truly facilitating children to use logic in the concrete operational stage. (As the Child Psychologist Jean Piaget stated, at the concrete operational stage, children are able to use logic and this ability can be improved by external support).

They say creative writing cannot be taught, some would go so far as to say it cannot even be acquired. But this writer only needed a jolt of inspiration. It is indeed strange that a Sinhala writer had to go all the way to Iowa, USA to be inspired to write.

Prof A V Suraweera’s
works of fiction

Pedidiyata Boradiya (1970)
Heiyanmaruwa (1971)
Goduru Loba (1973)
Noyan Putuni Gama Harada (1975)
Atta Bindei Paya Burulen (1977)
Sada Melesa Pura Derane (1980)
Andura Duralana Res (1984)
Bhawathimira (1984)
Miniskama ha Rajakama (1998)
The Inescapable Swamp: Selected Stories
Bale Patan Kalaya Gevuna Melese
The Faithful Wife of a Politician
Thus the City was Built (1999)

But Prof Alankarage Victor Suraweera’s sabbatical leave in 1967 was spent most productively when he took a creative writing course at the Iowa University that literally changed his life. His debut short story collection, Katath Ma Epa Wela was a direct result of this experience.

“The writer must be the first critic of his or her own writing. Once a writer finishes the first draft, he or she should return to it as a critic and examine the writing in a critical perspective,” says Daily News Artscope’s next encounter, Prof A V Suraweera.

He does his creative work in Sinhala and his critical works in both Sinhala and English. Now he is five novels and four short story collections strong. No two stories are alike. He introduced to Sri Lankan literature two disciplines hitherto unexplored - sociology of literature and editing of classical texts.

He completed a number of editions based on Ola manuscripts, such as Rajavaliya, Poojavaliya and Thisara Sandeshaya.

Lekhana Sameeksha, an examination of writing in Sri Lanka, which will be out in a few days is guaranteed to have ‘many surprises’ for the reader. “It focuses on areas that no other writer has dealt with,” says Prof A V Suraweera.

Q: Why have you not done any creative writing in English?

A: I write in the language I am most familiar with and then translate my own work into English.

Q: You have not engaged in creative writing for quite some time, are you suffering from writers’ block?

A: A good writer has to be inspired to write. I haven’t felt a creative urge to write lately. But I have been engaged in other literary work.

By Sajitha PREMATUNGE

The best way to introduce him is in his own words a ‘Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist’. “These are labels given by those who have not bothered to read my writing,” says Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara.

He is a prominent Sinhala writer, poet and essayist and one of the founders of the Peradeniya School of Literary Tradition. His subject matter and style have been controversial while his political outspokenness has set him apart, while also subjecting him to much criticism. Daily News Artscope spoke with him on everything from politics to poetics.

Q: Do you believe that the works of Sri Lankan English writers reflect Sri Lankan culture? A: I don’t think so. Judging by what I have read, they don’t reflect Sri Lankan culture, attitudes or the true picture of the country. A majority of Sri Lankan writing that takes place in the current setting is rather superficial. This is an attempt of the so called ‘Colombo 7’ crowd to write about rural Sri Lankan life, only succeeding at a tourist eye view. The writers lack experience.

Q: What do you think about contemporary awards and literary festivals?

A: The majority of the contemporary awards and literary festivals cater to the so-called international audience. It is a hoax that has nothing to do with the intellectual life of this country. The local literary festivals, for that matter, are also carnivals. They have nothing to do with serious, professional literature. Any third rate writer can secure an award.

Literature is an integral part of a country’s intellectual culture. Standards in literature cannot be maintained as long as these bogus awards and festivals are in existence.

Mahagamasekara was born on April 07, 1929 at Radawana, Gampaha. Even in his student life, he showed his capability in the various fields of Sinhala literature. Later he was able to build a popularity among avid readers, as an erudite artist.

He was a poet, a short story writer, a novelist, a playwriter, a film director, a lyricist and a good artist. In a short period of time, Sekara specially evinced talents in the field of Sinhala poetry.

This intuitive poet published eight collections of poetry. They are Wiyanga (1960), Sakvalihini (1962), Heta Irak Payai (1963), Maknisada Yath (1964), Rajathilaka Lionel ha Priyantha (1967), Bodima (1970), Nomiyemi (1973) and Prabuddha (1977). Final collection of poetry was published after his untimely death.

In Sekara’s poetry books, special features could be noticed. One of the special features emerged in his poems is depicting love affairs among lovers. “Premawanthayo” could be given for example. In this, an old couple is enacted. These lovers lived together with happiness in their young age.

However, when they were very old, they like to separate with happiness. They do not like to love each other even in chilly days. This class of poems shows us that there would be a suitable age for loving.

In his collections of poetry, urbanisation is depicted, as a special feature. Handa Saha New York Nuwara could be indicated for instance. In this, the absence of leisure and complexity in urbanised cities are shown elegantly. At present, people work in factories, as machines due to unpleasant urbanisation. In this, moon symbolises the beauty of village.

The city “New York” symbolises the complexity of urbanisation. In this, deterioration of civilisation in the urbanised city is shown before us. The man who was enacted in this, lives lonely without associating others. This poem alludes the beauty of village and unleisure of urbanisation. However, Sekara admired good things of the urbanisation.

One of the features of his poetry books is containing of visionary thoughts. The concept “Death” has been entered to his two collections of poetry. He always talk about beauty of the death. Sekara presented his concept in his first poetry book named Wiyanga.

He introduced the “death” as a beautiful thing. Further more, Sekara has pointed out the death as eternal sleep. He describes this concept even in the collection named Nomiyemi. Accordingly, this poet seems to have presented visionary thoughts in his some anthologies. Sekara enacts the class disparity existing at present society. In addition, the misery of the poor is depicted pleasantly. His collection of poetry named Mak Nisada Yath could be indicated for instance.

Binden Binde Jale
Pippayen wete
Belekka Tin Regath
Lamo wata sitith

Prostitution is one of the social problems existing in Sri Lankan society. This poet enacts the prostitutes in some of his poems. He does not treat the prostitutes as low characters. He points out the prostitution as a living way. He sympathizes the harlots. This proves his humanism regarding poor women.

Sekara implicitly depicts the mutual connection between poverty and prostitution. He used the word Amma to the prostitute in the poem. According to these features, it is obvious that subject matter of his poetry books has extended in a vast area.

Mahagamasekara was not fortunate enough to live a long period of time. He passed away on January 14, 1976, when he was forty six years old. His sudden demise was an irreparable lose to modern Sinhala literature.

Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/01/11/fea23.asp