Humanity vs inhumanity

Reviewed by Daya Dissanayake

This is probably the first story to be told by a new born infant; a baby born to a teenage mother who was trying to escape across Nandikadal Lagoon, during the last days of the 30-year-old war.

Kalu Donkaraya Karunadasa Sooriaarachchi Published by Dayawansa Jayakody & Co.

Karunadasa Sooriaarachchi, or Kasuri as he is better known, has once again displayed his skills at moving away from the stereotyped Sinhala novel, to experiment with new ideas and new ways of presentation.

Once again he has been successful with his latest novel, Kalu Donkaraya, after his previous effort with Andakara Tharakava. Which was short-listed for the 'Swarna Pushthaka 2009'.

As I read Kalu Donkaraya there were times when I felt as if I was reading a sequel to 'When Memory Dies' by Sivanandan.

Kasuri seems to have taken off from where Sivanandan stopped. If only someone could translate Sivanandan to Sinhala and Kalu Donkaraya to English, and both books to Tamil.

War novels have come out in every country, during the entire history of literate man, trying to tell us the tragedy of war and trying to help mankind to learn from the past.

Each writer has his own way of seeing and presenting their story. Kasuri who appears to be improving his style and creativity from one book to the next, and developing his own identity in his style and presentation shows how well he has mastered the Sinhala language in Kalu Donkaraya to paint a sensitive picture of the war ravaged country, in a creative manner.

He brings to us the devastation after a bombing raid, butterflies with burnt wings, roses with crushed petals, magpies (polkichchas) with broken beaks. He describes the warmth a baby finds in the dead body of her mother, the strength a teenage mother gets from the baby in her womb, a baby she had to conceive, to avoid being taken away by the 'Podiyals', mothers encouraging their young daughters to conceive so they would not be conscripted (an opportunity denied to the young boys).

Mother Earth

I felt that this teenage mother, Meena, is motherhood personified. She is Mother Earth. That is why she could say that history is written either in tears or in blood. What is written using tears will fade away, but what is written in blood will be eternal.

A mother always suffers the worst in any form of violent conflict, because almost always she has to suffer in silence.

A father or a brother or a husband could try to ease the pain in a more active way, by meeting violence with violence, or with physical resistance. It is the mother who misses the child who had joined the Armed Forces, or had been forcibly conscripted, who spends sleepless nights, wondering where her son is, what he is going through, fearing the moment of the arrival of bad news, or sometimes, knowing that she would never learn the fate of her child.

This book reminds us of this sad truth through the infant, through her mother Meena and grandmother Kanmani.

The story which moves slowly in the first half, picks up speed later on, becoming almost too rapid, perhaps because the end of a thirty-year conflict also ended unexpectedly rapidly.

Had the author taken us through the last few weeks or days also at the same pace and with the kind of detail he gives us about the early part of the story, it would have added more weight to the story and given us a clearer picture of the last days of the war.

Unless the author had no option but to run the happenings of the last few weeks on 'fast forward', because time was running out for Meena to continue the conversation.

The title Kalu Donkaraya, identifies the darkness that surrounded and smothered the poor and the helpless trapped in the war zone. It symbolises the black acrid smoke rising from the burning vehicles, houses and even human beings, and tries to take our mind back to one of the darkest days in our country, the 'Black July'.

True human beings

Yet, at the same time it reminds us that there were a few true human beings in Colombo, who could defy the beasts in human guise, men who had risked their own lives to save their fellow men.

Thus Kasuri shows us the humanity that is found among strangers, who are all in trouble, facing inevitable death, and also the inhumanity of others, who would sell a packet of milk powder for Rs. 2,000, or a bottle of hot water for Rs. 500 to a starving expectant mother.

He has shown us the instinct for survvial, the courage and determination and the undying hopes, loving kindness for living beings, even for the cow they had to leave behind, the exploitation of the innocents by the politically motivated and the greedy, which has been the story of humanity.

A story which would echo and re-echo well into the future.

Useful Academic Journal

The ICASL Golden Jubilee Journal published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka is an useful academic journal that could be of much benefit to students, academics, financial sector and to those who have interest in Business and Commerce. ICASL though primarily being a regulator and an Educational institute has appropriately provided an ideal mix of critical elements of commerce such as Financial reporting of auditing standards, fair value debate, stability of financial institutions presenting wealth of information in an era that has been marked by financial excesses, mismanagement, government bailouts, large scale unemployment across the globe, marking one of the worst financial crisis in the Industry.

Institute Of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka Golden Jubilee Journal Published by Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka Edited by Sunil Karunanayake

The opening article by Chartered Accountant cum Agriculturist B R L Fernando on thoughts of Sri Lanka its Environment and Agriculture that makes the reader refreshed from the beginning provide a good insight in to Country's Agriculture resources and water management.

This is a pleasant departure from mundane Accounting that would normally provide the beginning.

It is interesting to note the presentation on the evolution of the auditing profession in Sri Lanka by former partner of Ernst and Young Tissa Bandaranayake that gives a good insight in the transformation of the auditing, simple process to a much regulated profession. He writes that way back in the 12th Century AD stone inscription was made by King Nissanka Malla making reference to the need for records of the Royal Treasury to be examined by a second person to ensure accuracy that is now known as Auditing.

This indeed is an interesting piece of revelation that should be noted by the Historians.

The Article also gives a brief account of development of accounting standards and the pioneering role played by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka during the last fifty golden years. Professional liability has been very much a debate in this country and this is well detailed by the well-known Lawyer and academic Dr. Wickrama Weerasooriya. Auditor General, S. Swarnajothy, a Chartered Accountant himself has chosen much discussed topic of the contemporary times in good governance public accountability in audit.

He elaborates scope and authority of the audit as per the constitution and the role and the authority of the Auditor General in this exercise. Electronic revolution has transformed the way a man does business and has brought about a great transformation in the Law giving birth to which is now known as "E Commerce". Hon. Justice Saleem Marsoof, PC Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, and eminent Jurist elaborates in a lengthy article the evolution of the E commerce and the legal provisions affecting the Electronic Transaction Act that is currently in force.

The contribution by Dr. Harsha Cabral on corporate responsibility of the Directors is a useful guide in the wake of the new Company legislation.

The lay out and the presentation befits the occasion and the Institute of Chartered Accountants should be lauded for their bold approach in producing an publication with the correct blend of Accounting, Auditing, Finance, Legal and Human Resource Management catering to the needs of modern day commerce. Another noteworthy feature is the contributions from eminent members of the ICASL like Professor Lakshman Alles, Ms. R Vijajasekeran and T. Sivathondan who are now overseas.

It seems that Editor Sunil Karunanayake has used years of his Business journalism to good measure in producing a well-compiled publication.

Agriculture of Sri Lanka

Agriculture sector plays a very important role in the economy of the country. At present the plantation sector and the cultivation of domestic crops constitute the agricultural sector of Sri Lanka.

Around 80% of the people live in rural areas and their main income is derived from crops.

The book "Agriculture of Sri Lanka" written by Dr.C.S. Weeraratna, (a former Professor of Ruhuna and Rajarata Universities, and presently the Chairman, of Sugarcane Research Institute) and Dr. P.A. Weerasingha (Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture of Rajarata University) provide basic data related to agriculture of Sri Lanka, and it gives in a nutshell the most current data related to plantation and domestic agriculture of Sri Lanka.

This book will be a great asset for planners and others who are involved in development of the Sri Lanka's agricultural sector.

The book encompasses the basic features of the country, its natural resources, topography, climate, rocks, soils and water resources and discusses in detail the present status of plantation and field crops, including fruits and vegetables cultivated in Sri Lanka, and those institutions involved in agricultural research, extension and training.

The Book priced at Rs. 500/=, also has 12 maps/ pictures depicting various aspects of climate, rocks soils and agriculture of Sri Lanka.

It also has 37 Tables containing data on a number of issues such as climate and Land Use of Sri Lanka, the role of the plantation crops cultivated in Sri lanka on the economy of the country, extent under these crops and their level of production, foreign exchange involved in exporting/importing crops, etc.

The book is available at Sarasavi and Vijitha Yapa Bookshops.

The reality of Ravana

by Daya DISSANAYAKE

Ravana and Rama are in the news again. The Ministry of Tourism has started a Ravana Trail, inviting Indians to our shores. Padma Edirisinghe had written to the Sunday Observer (15/11/09) about Ravana. The Hindustan Times reported that the Royal Asiatic Society, Sri Lanka, had written to the Tourism Ministry. ".. a total travesty and a future danger for the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka as there is no historical evidence whatsoever about Rama and Ravana... I urge you to immediately cancel this foolish and anti-national project". Janaka Perera had also run denounced the Ravana Trail, in the Asian Tribune of Nov. 20th.

It is difficult to fathom how this Ravana Trail could pose a danger to our 'Territorial integrity', and how it could be an 'anti-national' project. Unless the Tourism Ministry is trying to sell our country to India because Rama defeated Ravana in battle, or unless Ravana was Prabhakaran's ancestor!

Today Rama and Hanuman are worshipped as Gods in India. Rama is considered as maryada purushottam, the ideal person, epitomizing the highest discipline expected of a human being, like in Ramacharitamanas of Tulsidas. There are temples built for God Hanuman, because there are people in India who believe in him, in his powers and they pray to him. It has been reported that President Obama carries a small statue of God Hanuman as a lucky charm.

I believe that Ravana was a great king who lived in Sri Lanka, that he had also been a great physician, who had written five books on indigenous medicine. There are people who believe in and worship God Rama and God Hanuman. It is our right. Our privilege. No one on earth can tell us that Rama did not exist.

That Ravana is a mythical figure, unless they can prove it. No one can say there is no God. They cannot prove there is no God. We do not have to prove to ourselves that God exists. The same way we do not have to prove to ourselves that Buddha had been a real person, just because someone says that Buddha never existed.

Rama is one of the Dasa Avatar of God Vishnu. Buddha is also considered as a Vishnu Avatar. If Rama is a myth, then could the Vaishnavites consider the Buddha also as a myth?

Rama was born at Ayodhya on 4th December, 7323 B.C. Hanuman arrives in Lanka on 1st September 7292 B.C. Ravana is killed by Rama on 15th November 7292 B.C. These dates had been calculated by Dr, Vrtak, in his book, "Vastav Ramayana", from the dates given by Valmiki of the positions of stars and planets. That Rama was born in Ayodhya is disputed for religio-political reasons only. They have found a certain amount of archaeological evidence and could find more if they continue excavations.

RAS has argued that "if not for the Sage Valmiki there would have been no Ramayana epic". There are Indian scholars who argue that if not for Asoka, there would have been no Buddha nor Buddhism, because they claim that Buddha was a creation of Asoka for his 'Dharmavijaya'. Do we also reject Ramayana, as total myth but accept Mahavamsa as total truth? Do we accept Vijaya and Pandukabhaya as real historical figures? If civilization came with Vijaya, then who were the people who lived 600 or 700 years earlier at Uda-Ranchamadama?

Iliad was a myth, a work of fiction by Homer, till they discovered the city of Troy in Northwestern Turkey.

Those who are trying to denounce the Hanuman Bridge are people who want to promote the Sethu Samudra Project, another future monument for corruption. We wonder what their response is to the NASA photos of the bridge. It could also be of interest for the RAS Sri Lanka to note that RAS Calcutta, in 1799, refers to the Ram's bridge.

We accept Buddha's place of birth as Lumbini, purely on the inscription claimed to be left by Asoka in the Rummindei pillar inscription. The place was pointed out to Asoka as the birth place of the Buddha, by people who should have been able to recall an incident which happened about 200 years earlier! Till then it had come down by word of mouth. Just because it was written on stone, if it has to be accepted as true, then any other inscriptions about Rama also should be accepted as true. Then we should also accept the birth place of Buddha Konagamana as the place where Asoka left his Nigalisagar pillar.

One of the Ramayana sites in Lanka is the Kelaniya Temple. If we deny Ravana, we have to deny Vibeeshana who was crowned at Kelaniya, then do we also deny the Buddha'a visit to Kelaniya? Are we to deny that Buddha had left his foot print on Sri Pada just because there is no scientific proof?

"For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who do not believe no proof is possible". Stuart Chase.

Book launch

"Me Dume Minissu"

S. Chandrasiri Dassanayake's latest book "Me Dume Minissu" will be launched at Dayawansa Jayakody Book Exhibition Hall, Ven. S. Mahinda Mawatha, Colombo 10 on December 8 at 10 a.m.

"Me Dume Minissu" is the authentic Sinhala translation of H. Rider Haggard's popular work "The People of the Mist".

Dassanayake is the author of many other translations such as "Sendave Sirakaruva", "Jamaika Thanayama", "Mantrakariyage Sirasa", "Pragnave Diyaniya Ayesha", "Amen Deviyange Diyaniya", "Sheeba Reginage Muduva", "Arunodaye Regina" and "Cleopatra".

"Me Dume Minissu" is a Dayawansa Jayakody publication.

Computer Application Assistant

"Computer Application Assistant" authored by Bimulka Adihetty which targets the computer application assistant course, is a resourceful publication.

It facilitates computerization of office management apart from providing both theoretical and practical knowledge to the beneficiaries.