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| Sunday, 18 January 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Return of the Devil Birds Title: The Devil Birds of Ceylon The Devil Birds of Ceylon is a wonderfully written slim book by the famous Sri Lankan surgeon and writer Dr. R. L. Spittel whose name is still synonymous with Veddha lore and Sri Lankan jungle lore. Even today after the lapse of several decades since his books first appeared in the Sri Lankan bookshops, they continue to capture the keen interest of the English as well as the Sinhala reading public as much as they did in the past. The Devil Birds of Ceylon was first published in December 1968 as a supplement to "Loris" the journal of the Wild Life Protection Society of Ceylon which Dr. R. L. Spittel himself so ably edited in spite of his being a busy and much sought after surgeon. It is interesting to recall how Dr. R. L. Spittel was prompted to write this monograph as a supplement to "Loris". He says: "There was much controversy in the press in March and April 1967, especially in the times Weekender under the facetious caption "What the devil is the devil bird?" sparked off by Andrew Scott. Amidst the spate of letters that followed there were some authentic facts recorded but they had to be disentangled from much verbal embroidery and irrelevancy making confusion worse confounded." When The Devil Birds of Ceylon first appeared there was much discussion and controversy about the identification of the devil bird not only in Sri Lanka but also in neighbouring India which is also a popular domain of the Devil Bird or Ulama, the name by which it is best known. This neatly printed book is divided into four sections - The Devil Birds of Ceylon (which serves as a useful introduction), Shooting and Identification of Four Birds, Characteristics and Habitat of the Birds, Extracts from letters to the Press Regarding the Identity of the Devil Bird and ends with Imprecatory Versesto Silence the Devil Bird. On pages 20 and 21 are given some pictures of the contenders to this mysterious bird of the Sri Lankan jungles. The Devil Birds of Ceylon is also an interesting and useful source book for students of zoology and the general reader interested in birds. In this book the author who was one of Sri Lanka's foremost writers in English and a well-known nature lover sets out lucidly the folk-lore as well as the scientific data available about The Devil Birds of Ceylon and tries to provide an answer to the question. What the devil is the Devil Bird? The book provides ample material for a deeper study of this interesting subject - the Devil Birds of Sri Lanka which continues to be a mystery of the Sri Lankan jungles. The writer also scientifically analyses some of the important facts he has collected about the Devil Birds of Ceylon over a long period during his jungle jaunts and draws references from India too. The Devil Birds of Ceylon is a unique little book that should be of absorbing interest to all and the mature attitudes of a versatile writer are shown throughout this book which has been written in a very lucid style - a unique characteristic feature of all writings of Dr. R. L. Spittel. The Devil Birds of Ceylon while serving as a reference guide to the laymen will be of absorbing interest to the ornithologists. The layout and the print of his book is excellent and its cover has been very tastefully designed. - Reviewed by: Andrew Scott An innovative publication Media and Health When the Sri Lanka Medical Association held its groundbreaking award ceremony to reward outstanding health journalists for Excellence in health reporting at the annual scientific sessions held recently, it introduced another first in the field of medical journalism. This was the release of an innovative publication titled 'Media and Health'. Written by a team of medical doctors, it was published with the hope that it would pave the way "to improve the quality of medical and health related journalism, in this country". The SLMA publication is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Coming as it does at a time when health authorities are becoming increasingly conscious of the media's role in the health sector, it serves to underscore an often overlooked fact; that the media can and does influence public opinion and can change or shape the attitude of the general public depending on the way a news report or feature article related to health has been written and presented whether in the print or electronic media. The media can have a negative or positive impact on the reader. This dual impact of the media on its readers is clearly emphasised in the introduction to the book, when the Secretary of the SLMA, Dr. Asita de Silva states, "Keeping the public informed is the duty of media institutions. However at times some sections of the media tend to sensationalise news reports to get the readers' attention. This kind of reporting may lead to adverse knee-jerk responses from the public". Dr. D. N. Atukorale, Chairman, Media Committee of the SLMA echoes this sentiment when he says, " The media committee of the SLMA exists to bring more understanding between the needs of the media and the needs of the medical profession to disseminate what it considers useful medical information to the public. We are both concerned with the need to keep sensitive issues such as suicides, murder and rape in their correct perspective - not too boring to be news, but not too sensational to cause undue influences on those affected and on the public". Articles included in this innovative publication therefore do not refer to purely technical subjects that concern only the medical profession. Instead, they deal with a wide range of relevant issues which are usually discussed by the media in relation to the do's and don't of how such subjects should be presented to an uninformed public. Topics such as: suicide, violence and its effects on children, torture, child abuse, media freedom, advertising and health, human rights and health, thus take pride of place in this pioneering collection of media related articles by medical men. A theme that is reiterated in each article featured in this volume is the need for objective reporting and accountability by the media.Thus Prof. Harendra de Silva writing on `Media freedom. Sensationalism and Accountability of the media' underscores the point that, "media personnel should remember that they have the obligation to protect rights of the whole community and not their personal rights or rights of one sector of the community." He also adds, that at present, "the term `press freedom' is used mainly in the context of politics". While thanking the media for having raised awareness on child abuse, the professor also cautions media personnel against sensationalising reports of child abuse and stresses the need to protect the victims by not disclosing details that would reveal their identity. Dr. Ranil Abeysinghe in his illuminating article on `Suicide and media' states, "today suicide is the commonest cause of death among youth in Sri Lanka. While the media does not deserve the blame for all these deaths, it did contribute to them". The article further spells out in no uncertain terms a list of useful guidelines for responsible reporting which should provide the media in general with much food for thought. Dr Sajeeva Ranaweera discusses another important subject on how media can help to reduce violence against women, while Prof. Narada Warnasuriya and Dr Eugene Corea draw our attention to pertinent issues such as Advertising and Health, Health, Human rights and the media respectively. Torture is a subject that has gained increasing concern in recent years and this subject has been discussed at length by Prof. Ravindra Fernando, while Dr. Sajeeva Ranaweera's discussion on "How media can help to reduce violence" provides some useful insights on the negative and positive aspects of media reporting. Media and emergencies by Dr. Anil Jayasinghe is another useful article that highlights a pertinent issue that concerns us all. `Guidelines for medical practitioners and the media' provides a framework of specific rules that can benefit both professions. Written in non technical language which makes it easy for anyone to
understand its contents, this book will be a handy guide to any media
person. It is available at the SLMA office at Wijerama Mawatha. Descriptive Dhamma touches the heart of the reader Pragmatism in Buddhism Today we live in a new age of wonders where we begin to master the most powerful technologies of all time. We are now entering an era of human achievement which helps us to perform our everyday chores more easily with press off a button. Thus man's mind and life have become mere mechanical. Dr. Carl Jung, says after a lifetime of psychological practice and research that, its a "religious way of life" which is needed to establish the complete mental harmony and well-being. It is better to live by love than hatred. Today, more than any other time right understanding is needed to guide mankind. "Is Buddhism the answer?" to all the ills mankind is facing? J. P. Pathirana, veteran radio and TV broadcaster, former editor of "Dana" International, journal of Sarvodaya in his latest publication, "Pragmatism in Buddhism" raises these questions. Pathirana, a regular writer and broadcaster on Buddhist topics, has selected thirty-five thought provoking essays for his first volume. In his illuminating and inimitable style of writing he says that scientists and psychologists have widened the horizons of mankind, but not given a purpose. "Only religion can do it, and inspire in its motif. Buddhism fulfils these conditions and has the answer as it satisfies man's most profound aspirations and yet bears the strain of everyday life and helps in his contact with his fellowmen. Few religions can bear such a strain", he says. With the advancement of modern science and technology both in the East and West they have built better cities and expressways but have not had any system to build better people. People in the West are now turning to Buddhism and follow a pragmatic approach to scientific philosophy of the Buddha Dhamma. Pathirana has not failed to include two essays on an all important subject, "Peace" which has become the buzzword in the political arena, namely, "World Peace through Buddhism" and "Peace in Buddhism". Quoting Vinobhaji, the founder of the 'Boodan' movement in India, Pathirana says, Vinobhaji held the view that science and technology should be wedded spirituality. Then only we can have world peace. He further emphasises the basic virtues of love, fellowship, loyalty, fidelity, courage and truth are essential prerequisites for peace and harmony among mankind. With these you have the keys of life which will bring everlasting peace and happiness to this troubled world of strife and bloodshed. In this volume of 35 essays there are many interesting topics that impinge on the life of an individual, such as "View of life in the right perspective, Buddhism for Today", "Buddha's message to the modern world", "Wisdom the heart of Buddhism", "Therapeutic nature of the four noble truths", "Answer to our problems", "This conflict which is life", "Does science support Buddhism?", "Supremacy of human reason", "Combat the conflicts within you" and "Supremacy in human reason". Although there are spelling errors in some of the pages that will not deter the reader of Pragmatism in Buddhism in understanding Buddhism written in simple language, and this may prove an inducement to further inquiry into this immensely profound world of thought. Despite the many books written and discussions held on Buddhism and its philosophy there are some who still entertain ill conceived ideas that Buddhism is other worldly, in that it is more concerned with the happiness and well-being of the individual in the future than in the present existence. This book gives concrete answers to those critics drawing quotes from Buddha's various discourses. This is a book that all Sri Lankans and non-Sri Lankans who are interested in Buddha Dhamma should read. Prof. Nandasena Ratnapala, former Professor and Head of Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology of Jayawardenapura University writing an introduction to the book says, "Pragmatism in Buddhism" will undoubtedly touch the hearts of readers as Pathirana's knowledge of the Dhamma and his writing genius is of a high standard. It should interest the general reader, the learned or any researcher who needs a deeper study of the Dhamma. It is my fervent hope that the author would bring out a Sinhala version of his book in the near future. Reviewed by Ven. Madihe Sugathasiri Thera B.A., M.A. Words over deeds : Neil remains a sportsman to his fingertips Rugby Football Links Between Sri Lanka and India When a person is stricken at an early age and realises that the whole world of active track and field sports is closed to him, how does his mind respond to the calamity? True Neil Wijeratne is not confined to a wheelchair. To look at him is to see a big made, broad-shouldered husky man wearing the friendlest of smiles. It is his limp that cannot be hidden. Neil knew, when the debilitation had taken its toll, that he could never run, never compete. As he says, even when in school, he was 'let alone', and adds: "no one took care of me when it came to grouping of the students for inter-class matches, whether cricket, rugby, soccer or any other game....I had to build a little world of sports on my own." That is in my book, courage. He was young, raw, full of schoolboy idealism, but it was also courage. Neil would watch his college cricket captain, Priya Perera, and batsman Polycarp Wijesekera, and he longed to be another dashing wielder of the willow. He watched Peter Ranasinghe and Brian Buultjens do their artistic footwork and he wanted so much to be a soccerite. He would watch his school team, ably coached by Anthony Abeysinghe, perform on the track, and on how he longed to be a star athlete. And there was Hiranjan Perera leaping in the line-outs. What he would have given to be a ruggerite. But sports, to him, was a closed book - or was it? Oh no! Neil could open that book, or better still write one himself. It all began, he says, with his diaries in which he would enthusiastically record all school matches, write what he thought about individual and team performances. He also began to relish the work of the sports writers - Harold de Andrado, M.M. Thawfeek, Eusatce Rulach, T.M.K. Samat and S.S. Perera to name a few. Together with Elmo Rodrigopulle, he considers them the pioneers of sports literature in the country. Later, his diaries grew broader in spectrum as he strayed beyond the school boundaries. There were the cricketing greats of other lands, the rugby stalwarts, the heroes of the Olympics - what a world of sport he created in his own backyard house of memories! Neil has written 'Rugby Across the Straits - Rugby Football Links Between Sri Lanka and India', and in it is a passionate record of these links, an association which he likens to the 'Mahabharata's' two planks of wood floating together side by side in the ocean. The British took rugby to India in 1871, then to Sri Lanka in 1879. Sri Lanka's first rugby tour abroad was to India in 1879, and the All-India Rugby Football Union made its first official tour abroad to this country. With this for starters, Neil has given us a book that is a veritable Rugby Bible. Let me give you a sort of aperitif. Sri Lanka first figured in the All-India Rugby Tournament held in Madras in 1926. The first rugby match in India was played on Christmas Day, 1872 - England vs Scotland and Ireland, at Calcutta. The Calcutta Cup is rated the oldest international Rugby Contest in the world. The first rugby match in Sri Lanka was played in 1879, and the first club to play the game was the Colombo Football Club. The Club was amalgamated with the Colombo Hockey Club in 1896 to become the CH & FC. What Neil has done is praiseworthy. The book is not only of decided souvenir quality but it is history - a beautifully presented record that will be positively spell-binding to every lover of the sport here and abroad. We have a roll-call of rugby greats and their feats - the Ceylon XI participation in the Madras Presidency Tournament in 1902 and again in 1920 the visit of the 2nd Leicester Regiment in 1910, when they played against the Colombo XV and the Up-Country XV, the All-Ceylon representation at the All-India Rugby Football Tournament in 1924 and in 1929 when we took the trophy. There's so much more... The book is also full of supporting plates, newspaper reactions and reports, even intriguing advertisements. It is a true treasure trove. We are reminded of our 1949 Rugby Fiesta and the way we carried off the trophy. Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake watched the match with the president of the CRFU, EFN Gratiaen. Neil reminds 'This could be the first occasion when rugby was given a prominent place in the front page of a popular newspaper.' (The Ceylon Observer). On and on until the ASIAD and as the reader would understand, this is a book that cannot really be reviewed. The photographs accompanying the text give us fascinating data of the past long or recent. There's S.M. Dada Osman who once said, "If you want your son to be a gentleman...then let him play rugby." There's Trevor Nugawela, Abdul Majeed, Y.C. Chang of the Ceylon Barbarians XV, Malcolm Wright, S.B. Pilapitiya, Kavan Rambukwella, J.A. Arenhold, full-back of the All-Ceylon team who also took six wickets for 17 against Madras CA at the Gopalan Trophy match in 1957, Mahes Rodrigo who played cricket and rugby for Ceylon and was in the cricket team that met Bradman's Australians in 1948, and scored an unbeaten 135 against the West Indies in 1949, Fred Aldons, H.H. Campbell and J.D. Farquharson. This is what Neil has made of his own sporting world, and while he glories in every game he can never hope to play, he is there - on every pitch, at every wicket, on every field, track, and in every pavilion - a spirit that will not be denied its own true love. Neil has now thrown open the doors of his castle, invites us in. He can tell us with a shining mental imagery of the sports world he cannot enter. But that mental imagery, keen, vivid, exhilarating, is truly physical too. Neil has conquered all. With his writing, he has broken free, taken the ball, run, run, run speeding effortlessly, touching down. Nothing can ever cramp the spirit, can it? |
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