Romance between the early newspapers and the first trains

by Padma EDIRISINGHE

The early Sinhala newspapers, though begun later than the English newspapers due to the native medium, were much closer to the people and naturally capitalised on topics closest to their hearts. Not that these contrivances born in the coalfields of far away England just rammed their way close to native hearts, but by this time the long iron monsters had become the wonder and sensation of the world's transport arena and hence aroused similar curiosity in our island too.

That the advent of trains coincided with the debut of the earliest Sinhala newspapers added fuel to the burgeoning romance. Even the very names used for trains seem to have been those coined by these editors. First they were christened as Dum karaththa or steam carts. Lak mini Pahana begun on September 11, 1862 and was the first newspaper to use this term. According to renown author and researcher Siri Thilakasiri, it was a magazine called Sinhala Nidhanaya that used the term first and than the paper had borrowed it. After this the name seems to have got established.

Even Lak Rivi Kirana began using it. The bullock cart was the only vehicle in popular use at that time and it was but natural to append fuel power to it. Later, however the word "Dum cochchiya " had been used., appending the horse-driven coach to it.

In 1864, Lak Rivi Kirana enamoured by it, that it is called Yakada ashwaya, the Iron horse. The metaphor gets advanced with the coal droppings on the track being identified as Aswa beti or horse droppings. Other than thus christening it, the editors of these newspapers closely followed all what was happening to the subject and took care to present all available news to readers about it. In fact these early newspapers were called Aranchi patra or news supplements.

Other than upcountry planters fed up with the snail's pace of bullock carts that transported coffee to the Colombo jetty and hence clamoured for train transport in the island these Aranchi patra seem to be the main advocates of early trains giving all details of what the State was doing about the start and latest news of the train service.

Their letters to the editor was full of pleas for these but it had room for letters of dissent too from those who questioned about the economics of the whole venture.

Those who maintained that these Yakada Yakas or Iron horses or steam carts or steam coaches would serve only the elite planter class only go to widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

Marxist idealogists existed then too. The bullock cart would suffice poor Lanka for the present.

One prone to maintain the present scenario even carried a quote from Pabawathie, "Better my spinster state than marriage that I am not used to" The spinster state was personified by the bullock cart whose drivers in fact staged the first protest against steam carts.

From the time the first tenders were called for the construction of the Colombo-Kandy railway, the Sinhala newspapers went berserk on the topic.

All the names of those who submit tenders were given along with the sums stipulated. Judging by names as Faviel, Watson and Pickrin or Fickrin almost all these seem to be Europeans. Finally W.F. Faviel wins the tender. He comes over to the island in 1863 and begins work assisted by a Molesworth. The first train engine is brought over in 1864 and Lakrivi Kirana just waxes on the landing of this engine at Mariawella jetty.

The transport of the engine from the ship to the coast and then to Maradana station had been a daunting task even involving elephants and is given equal attention by the newspaper.

Anyway it was the English paper the Examiner that had announced the date of the first train run from Maradana to the Kelani bridge and that particular Saturday morning crowds had flocked to the banks of the Kelani to feast on the wondrous spectacle. But alas, it had not run that day.

On March 7, it ran and on March 11 Lak Rivi Kirana carried a glowing account of it. Actually the steam cart had not been doing a ceremonial run but was actually carrying earth to construct the bridge spanning the Kelani river yet it was a sensation.

The Buddhist culture the editor grew in makes him compare it to Nalagiri Hasthi Rajaya, the pachyderm who tried to destroy the Buddha, perhaps the first simile of its kind the Yakada Yaka earned. Just before the steam machine moves, two noises begin to issue, one is of a whistle and the other from the smoke spout. The latter noise is certainly deafening. As the cart moves, smoke billows from the machine in front. It is just a glorious and breathtaking sight to behold.

And what about public comments. Some are glad that they lived to see such miracles. Many are of the view that this augurs well for the country and prosperous times are ahead.

A few bemoan the lot of the carters who will be deprived of their livelihood. In fact some of them were the first to make attempts to sabotage the new venture. Large planks had been placed on the rail tracks to derail on-coming trains leading to the first train accident at Gongithota. Lak Rivi Kirana of March 1865 carries a full report of such an attempt. However, critical letters begin to flow in accusing the trains of escalating poverty in the country and the newspapers oblige by publishing them along with long poetic pieces eulogizing the new wonder. Amidst all these accolades and criticisms the yakad yaka ran on right upto Ambepussa in 1865. Lakrivi kirana carries a happy note by a passenger who gets into the train at Keenadeniya enroute to Colombo.

It is a wonder how such a halt as Keenadeniya existed so early, as this is a de-populated area. Anyway he is so thrilled with the train journey despite the hassle of getting into a crowded compartment (again wonder in that distant time) that his letter to Lak Mini Pahana of April 1866 ends with this fervent prayer. 'This is indeed a mode of transport that brings immense joy to the traveller. For this I thank the Lord Almighty who created man endowed with wisdom to construct such a conveyance. I also thank the govt. for running this and the train officers. Please publish this letter. Yours sincerely, a Sinhala passenger who rode in the Dum cart.