Among those present, a book to be chewed and digested

Reviewed by R. S. Karunaratne

There is hardly anyone who has not heard of D. B. Dhanapala, the doyen of journalism of Sri Lanka. Way back in the 1930s he wrote a series of pen-portraits to the Ceylon Daily News under the pseudonym 'Janus', the Roman god who had two faces looking in opposite directions. It was a very popular column and the author published some of the selected pen-portraits under the title Among those present in 1963.

The pen-portraits were about some of the leading personalities. What made his writings interesting was his juxtaposition of known facts of the people with the unknown aspects of each personality. Readers savoured his writings with relish when they appeared regularly in the Ceylon Daily News.

Like most leading Sri Lankans, D. B. Dhanapala was born in the South of the Island and had his education at Mahinda College, Galle. He learned the English alphabet at the age of 14. However, being a brilliant student he was sent to Allahabad University in India where he obtained his Master's degree in English Literature at the age of 26.

Bilingual

Those were the days when local English newspapers were looking for bright university graduates to serve on the editorial. Herbert Hulugalle who was impressed by Dhanapala's writings published in Indian newspapers invited him to join the Ceylon Daily News. Soon Dhanapala became a prominent figure in the local press. What is remarkable is that he was equally competent in English and Sinhala.

After cutting his teeth as an English journalist at Lake House, he joined the old Times Group of Newspapers and founded the Sinhala newspaper Lankadeepa. It was the first Sinhala daily which was not a translation of an English newspaper. Lankadeepa soon became the leading newspaper beating its rivals.

As Amara Hewamadduma, former Secretary to the Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs says, "His was a long walk from the backyards of Tissamaharama to the bastion of Brown Sahibs in Colombo via Allahabad University in India." Dhanapala was highly influenced by Indian writers such as Rammohan Roy, Mahadev Govind Rande, Subramanium Iyer, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and C. Y. Chintamani. Driven by nationalism and full of enthusiasm to use his pen effectively, Dhanapala soon became a formidable force in journalism.

Voice

As the founder editor of Lankadeepa Dhanapala broke new ground in local journalism. Soon Lankadeepa became the voice of the voiceless. In comparison to the existing Sinhala newspapers, Lankadeepa became a role model. What is more, it took upon itself the grave task of seeking liberation from colonial masters. In fact, Lankadeepa played a significant role in the 1956 Revolution spearheaded by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike.

D. B. Dhanapala moved with the high and mighty but did not lose his common touch. He had a great desire to educate the public through his newspaper. As an opinion maker he moulded the thinking pattern of the public on major issues. At a time when the press was charged with the unpleasant task of guarding the rulers, Dhanapala changed the scenario. He made the press the mouthpiece of public opinion. By doing so, he made enemies in the establishment.

Phenomenon

Dhanapala's colleague and fellow traveller in journalism E. C. B. Wijesinghe once said, "He (Dhanapala) was not merely a famous writer. He was a phenomenon who created a new genre in journalism."

Among those present includes 22 pen-portraits of Anagarika Dharmapala, Ananda Coomaraswamy, Arunachalam Mahadeva, D. S. Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake, Ediriweera Sarachchandra, G. P. Malalasekara, G. P. Wickramarachchi, H. A. J. Hulugalle, Sir John Kotelawala, L. H. Mettananda, Nittawela Gunaya, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, P. de S. Kularatne, Philip Gunawardane, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Senarath Paranavithane, Sirima R. D. Bandaranaike, Solius Mendis, Victor Dhanapala and Ven Yakkaduve Pragnarama Thera.

Bouquet

Among those present, was out of print for many decades. Journalists and others who loved to read it had no way of obtaining a copy.

Those who had the book were not willing to lend it to anyone because they very well knew that a loaned book never comes back to its owner.

The second edition put out by his son Dr D. B. Nihalsinha deserves a bouquet for bringing out a hard cover book which can be read and reread by future generations. Unlike in the original edition, some of the memorable passages have been highlighted in the second edition. Here are a few such passages that deserve our attention:

* "Anagarika Dharmapala was the only aristocrat who walked with his head held high among a fawning, cringing, crawling multitude of his own fellowmen in Ceylon at that time."

* "While the whole world from China to Chile bowed in rapt veneration for over quarter of a century before this mighty giant, (Ananda Coomaraswamy) only Ceylon was vaguely unaware that such a person even existed, let alone realising that he was a Ceylonese."

* "Indiscretion seemed to be the worse part of his valour and when he opened his mouth he (Sir John Kotelawala) silenced all by putting his foot into it."

Among those present is full of such witty sayings. This is a book to be read thoroughly, chewed and digested by everybody.