Plucking the heart of history

By Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa

To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. History is the witness of the times, the torch of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.
- Cicero (106 – 43 BC)

In his world-winning anthology of poems Rubayyat (The Quatrains), Omar Khayyam (1050 – 1123), the Persian poet, savant and statesman, records his perception of history: “The moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on.

In those stark, haunting lines, the poet captures the evanescence of puny humans, in the face of the relentless and inexorable march of time-eternal. Life and achievement of man, whatever may their grandeur be are ephemeral, when set against the unimaginable vastness of the universe. In this expansive space, the humans occupy their mustard-seed home – the earth. The modern man, described as homo sapiens - “The wise human’ – appeared on this tiny planet, about 50,000 years ago. Centuries after his presence on earth, he developed the skill to be articulate about his past and to record it for the future.

Historians emerged that way.

Comparative outlook

When these historians begin to be more critical towards the material they deal with and adopt a comparative outlook, tending to be more probing and philosophic, they evolve into a tribe characterised as “historiographers”.

Over the long centuries, these chroniclers, have continued to endow upon human society, a sense of restraint and discipline. Responsible national historians performed a noteworthy service, by broadening the outlook of their people, enabling them to view the wide world out there – well beyond their narrow horizons.

In effect, history guides the destiny of a nation or community, very much like the thread, that, carefully manoeuvres the kite in graceful flight, preventing sudden and awkward nose – dives.

World history

In recent times, there has been a pathetic lack of substantial works on world history in the Sinhala language. This is in spite of our unparalleled reputation as one of the nation in the world, ..... an uninterrupted chronicle of their history. This national chronicle of Sri Lanka – the Mahawamsa compiled for the “serene joy and emotion of the people”, has been highly influential in inspiring the Sri Lankans, to be proud about their historical tradition and cultural heritage.

In a context, where a responsibly produced world history has been an urgent cultural need for the Sinhala reader, historiographer Justin Belagamage has stepped in with his Loka Itihasaye Mang Salakunu (Landmarks in World History).

The initial response of a given person could very well be, that with the massive literature on world history, available at the depression of a computer key, this could be relatively a simple task.

But, as for the writer Justin Belagamage, this seeming ease has been the most formidable challenge.

Communication

In this mega-age of communication one could get a plethora of information as a matter of course.

But, the writer's problem has been the sustained effort of shifting this material, eliciting the required data, organising all those desparate bits and pieces of information, with a coherent text, that will have an unfailing appeal to the reader.

To make the task doubly complicated, there is the issue of translation.

In most instances, the Sinhala equivalents have to be freshly devised, since, some material in the source works, has never been put into Sinhala.

Besides, the author's answering pre-occupation has always been the presentation of the text, to entire the reader and keep him absorbed. The writer's determination has been to narrate world history as an on-going story, eschewing the boredom, that most works of this kind generate in the readers.

Herodotus (485-425 BC earned the sobriquet “Father of History” by traversing the then known world, enduring harrowing privations. A modern historiographer need not replicate that physical hardship. But, his creative and collative ordeals are equally harrowing. Justin Belagamage is invariably overwhelmed by millions of facts and opinions, unlike Herodotus. Because, since Herodotus’ period, information generation and distribution have burgeoned....... into a globe-girdling phenomena, Wading though such an abundance of material is an ordeal that only a dedicated researcher can know.

Writer Justin Belagamage, while taking a panoptive view of the historical evolution of the word is firmly rooted in the terra firma of Sri Lanka culture.

He is dutifully aware, that his world history is a chronicle produced entirely for the benefit of Sri Lankan readers who have no access to the limitless treasures of global knowledge, due to the barrier of language.

When writer Justin Belagamge focuses on an era in world history, he takes care to record the parallel development in Sri Lanka, during that particular period. Writer Justin Belagamage's book arrives in an austere cover. But, within the cover, he utilises rare illustrative material to enhance the appeal of the text.

In the current scenario of book exhibitions, writer Justin Belagamage's work on world history, is, without any doubt, a creative effort that all discriminating literary enthusiasts should earnestly adore. Most books find a home in libraries. But, writer Justin Belagamage work should find a place in institutions of education and above all in homes – to improve the new generation.