Munidasa Cumaratunga:

Guru Dev par excellence

by Prof Risiman AMARASINGHE

Munidasa Cumaratunga, Lanka's profound oriental scholar's outstanding eminence in the fields of languages and literature is acclaimed by most scholars. His unique contribution to the advancement of Sinhala culture, literature and language stands unparalleled. No scholar has ever evolved the concept of the Triple Gem of Language, country and nation and worked for its progress indefatigably.

It is hard to find another literary figure whose thoughts and activities have so indelibly influenced the contemporary thinking as Munidasa Cumaratunga.

His influence is conspicuous in the standard literary production in his day and after.

There were two Roman Catholic priests who came directly under his educational tutelage of Sinhala language and literature and thereby enhanced Sinhala literature and learning in diverse ways. They were Rev. Fr. Joseph Montanognong and Rev. Fr. Felix Aubert. Both were natives of France.

Rev. Fr. Montanognong arrived in Sri Lanka in 1910. For a period he took up residence in the Halpe Church in Katana. My father Rajakeeya Pandit Francis Amarasinghe who was an oriental and occidental scholar served as head of several schools in the area. For a time he taught Sinhala language and literature to Rev. Fr. Montanognong. Not satisfied with what he taught he took the Reverend Fr. to his kinsman and intimate friend Munidasa Cumaratunga and introduced the French priest. Cumaratunga agreed to teach Reverend Fr. Montanognong the Sinhala language and literature. Reverend Fr. keenly imbibed whatever Cumaratunga taught.

The foreign union resulted in the production of a new variety of Sinhala literature in the form of poems; such as Dilindu Pasilla, (444 stanzas), Anisa Lakara, (409 stanzas), Owadan Kirula, (116 stanzas), Loka Darshana, (534 stanzas), Pahan Dahan, (1,264 stanzas), Saehaen Daehaen and Kevali. He also wrote enticing prose work such as Pravurajyapurne, Divyadharmodgrahanaya, Sugathigamini, Thimodamangalee, Prasadavahini, Suwachachiththavilasini and Duka Komalee Thapogamin.

The French priest earned the honorary title as "Modern Gonsalvez", for no other priest enriched the Catholic Sinhala literature after Most Rev Fr. Jacome Gonsalvez.

Rev Fr. Joseph Montanognong's writings conspicuously reflect linguistic techniques of Munidasa Cumaratunga. He passed away on November 7, 1945 about a year after the death of his Sinhala Guru Dev Munidasa Cumaratunga.

The credit of writing the first Sinhala Science textbook in Sri Lanka in April, 1932 should go to Rev Fr. Felix Aubert. Rev. Fr. Felix Aubert was interested in learning Sinhala scientifically and be able to write effectively.

He spoke of his desire to my father whom he had befriended. Hence he took him to his kinsman and colleague Munidasa Cumaratunga, who instructed him in Sinhala language and literature. Rev. Fr. Felix Aubert was able to grasp the language and literature quite efficiently.

At the time Cumaratunga was also writing out lessons in science in the Sinhala medium. Hence his experience in handling science topics and conveying them accurately in Sinhala impressed Rev. Fr. Felix Aubert.

He picked up the vocabulary and structures enthusiastically. It enabled him to produce the first science textbook in Sinhala. The historic work contains 124 illustrations and 16 lessons. It was published by W. E. Bastian and Company in April, 1932 and has 89 pages. Soon after, the Ceylon Education Board approved it as a suitable Science textbook for schools.

Concepts

To impress upon the two French priests the true meaning of his concepts, he elucidated them in French. His intimate association with them enabled him to study the French language and its classical literature as well.

Munidasa Cumaratunga also had an interest to study Catholic Church music and songs. Ven. Pahamune Gunananda, Anunayake Thera of Malwatta Chapter in Kandy then was a friend of Munidasa Cumaratunga. In fact he had learnt Sinhala and Sanskrit from Cumaratunga. His brother, Most Rev. Fr. John Pahamune was an authority on church music and songs.

Cumaratunga intimated his desire to study the particular variety of music to his friend Ven. Pahamune Gunananda. To satisfy him the Ven. Thera took Cumaratunga to his brother Most Rev. Fr. John Pahamune.

In church schools the study of the variety of music is conducted in a three year course.

However, Cumaratunga sat by the organ and the piano in the church and listened to Rev. Fr. John Pahamune's performance for six days continuously. Cumaratunga sang all the songs he listened to in the same manner the Rev. Fr. did.

Most Rev. Fr. Pahamune was amazed and commented: "Cumaratunga is a scholar endowed with inspiration of the Holy Spirit."

British scholars acclaimed most Rev. Fr. Dr. Alcantra Peter Pillai as the "Most learned Catholic Priest in the British Empire".

It was Munidasa Cumaratunga who taught the Sanskrit language and literature to Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Pillai. On one occasion Cumaratunga recited from memory the entire long poem Seelappadikaram.

The Rev Father was amazed. Whenever the two met Cumaratunga spoke in perfect Tamil.

Most Rev. Dr. Peter Pillai openly expressed appreciation of Cumaratunga's scholarship at various Catholic conferences.

When teaching languages Munidasa Cumaratunga talks to the pupils in that particular language.

He did not carry books with him. He taught the lessons from memory.

The writer is Founder President, Kumaratungu Hela Havula