Falling back on traditional literature:

Lanka’s literary resurgence

By Kalakeerthi Dr. Edwin Ariyadasa

“What is the point of having countless books and libraries whose titles the owners could scarcely read through in a whole lifetime.”

Seneca (55 BC - 40 BC)
Roman Philosopher

The annual book season in Sri Lanka has currently blossomed forth into an astonishing literary renewal. In most instances, such expressions as “revival”, “renewal”, “renaissance” and “rebirth”, tend to have a clichetic ring to them. But, the wide-spread fervour the reawakening that is being experienced right round the island about matters relating to books, literature and the reading habit, cannot in any way be set aside as a mere platitude.

On the other hand, in actuality, a whole series of recent developments unerringly establish one stark truth: There is today, a lively, newly emergent national discourse on themes associated with books.

State sponsorship

The active State sponsorship of literature began several decades ago. As things were then, the annual literary celebrations focuses mainly on a series of meetings held for the most part, at a provincial venue, on the assumption that literature should be taken to outlying areas as well.

A praiseworthy development in recent times is the dedicated attempt by State authorities to keep mass interest in books, alive throughout the year without confining it to one specific season alone.

The initiatives taken with this purpose in mind are numerous. The State Literary Sub-committee of the Sri Lanka Art Council, has inaugurated a series of monthly lectures on themes centering upon literary issues.

Arrangements have been made by the sub-committee to issue the printed versions of the presentations at each of the monthly lecture sessions. Cumulatively, these scripts form a highly significant profile of literary developments. These monthly sessions, serve yet another profitable purpose.

They have been able to nurture a coterie of people profoundly interested in literary matters.

The annual volume of essays most of which are research-oriented brought out by the sub-committee, has effectively expanded the impact of literary preoccupations, on enthusiasts.

Vital factor

The occasional tome, issued by this sub-committee, as an in-depth study of a personality who is exceptionally noteworthy has over the years, turned out to be a vital factor towards the enhancement of mass enthusiasms in literature and related disciplines.

We will be wanting in due human kindness, if we failed to highlight the admirable exertions of one particular person who has contributed substantially towards this new mass interest in a literary revival. The person I am keen to single out is Prof. Samantha Herath.

Officially he is chairman literature sub-committee of the State Art Council. As a person, he is a phenomenal embodiment of drive, dynamism and unswerving commitment. His resolute effort is to make literature a way of life, without restricting and confining it to a specific season alone.

This don’s fervour is only recognised by the Minister of Cultural Affairs and others who value such exemplary individual roles.

The season of national literary activities has gained vastly in recent times, from the organised promotional efforts of events by book publishers and those in various sectors of the book trade.

Their annual book exhibitions and sales have earned the tribute of being considered an important season in the national calendar. They, through their united effort converted September into Sri Lanka’s national book season.

Over the past years this event has been able to prove beyond any doubt, that the assumption (by some) that, as a nation we have lost our reading habit is an untenable falsehood. The book exhibition in September has established itself as a mass carnival.

Once, I was delightfully surprised to see a little child of about eight, seated on the floor of the exhibition ground, deeply absorbed in a book. To this little reader the outside world did not seem to exist, when he was in the intimate company of his book.

Reading habit

These activities at the annual book exhibition and sales, drive home to us unerringly that the reading habit of our people is burgeoning in leaps and bounds.

This leads us to the area of national policies about books and reading.

As an important adjunct and a fitting preamble to the national book awards ceremony, two public lectures were held recently under State aegis. One was an erudite discourse on global trends in literary criticism. The lecturer was Prof. Wimal Dissanayake.

The second event on that occasion was a lecture-demonstration on the theme, “The aesthetics of national dance traditions of Sri Lanka and their literary implications”. The expert who presented this item was the reputed dance guru Ravibandhu Vidyapathi.

The academic depths of both these presentations won emphatic accolades from the elitist audience that was present.

An important outcome of these sponsored presentations was the impetus provided by this event to think profoundly about the expansion of the horizons of this highly significant literary revival.

I am fully and totally convinced that, the current newly generated enthusiasm for books literary traditions and the expansion of the reading habit should be directed towards yet another vital goal.

That is a comprehensive and with directed effort at reviving a mass interest in our traditional literary heritage.

The new generation in our noble land, which is very much a part of the global “millennials” (meaning the young people who started life in the new millennium) are overwhelmed by oceans of information.

Commenting on this avalanche of information, Michael Grunwald of Time has this to say. “Today the smartphone in your pocket gives you easy access to billions of times as much information as was held in all the libraries on earth in Seneca’s day.”

Our younger generation too has equal access to this vast mass of universal information. When they are armed with their smartphone, the universe of information is just a swipe away.

Literary tradition

The State and all those who matter should concentrate on the fate of our own literary tradition. Our growing-up generation is pathetically alienated from our own variegated and compelling treasure of traditional literature.

Our literary classics such as Saddharma Ratanavali, Pujavali, Budusarana, Guttilaya, Kavyasekaraya, Selalihini Sandesaya (to name a handful) are not available to this new generation.

The organisers of the State level and private sector literary events should consider it an urgent national imperative to take this generation to our own classics.

This is a foremost priority if we are to build a nation that can be justly proud of their great literary inheritance.