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| Sunday, 27 March 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Sri Lankawe Aparadha Vidyawa : Crime and punishment through the ages Reviewed by Deepal Warnakulasuriya Former Prison's Commissioner Ariyasena Ediriweera's latest book Sri Lankawe Aparadha Vidyawa (Sri Lanka's Criminology) was released recently. The research speaks about crimes from the beginning of the country's history to the 21st century and how the wrong doers were punished and many other related issues. According to the author, in Sri Lanka neither English nor French laws provide a legal definition to the word `crime'. However, the Penal Code defines it as `fault'. The author while inviting us to read his book defines 'crime' as someone's careless ignoring of something that has been prohibited by law enforced to secure the public. In the very beginning of the book, he explains crimes, existing laws interaction with the public affairs, punishment procedures and more important crime related issues elaborating how Criminology originated and developed in the country. The author with a profound academic background brings enough facts to prove his suggestions to the reader. His vast knowledge of historical books like Ramayanaya, Mahawansa, Choolawansa, Deepawansa, and the notes from Robert Knox and about western legal experts give a clear start to his work. He also compares Sri Lankan early laws with the laws in Ramayanaya. The book is factual, logical and at the same time what he says are controversial. According to him if Vijaya was kept inside the cells by Kuveni, it means Kuveni had some laws to rule the land. Furthermore, Vijaya would have done something wrong to be arrested by Kuveni. He also tries to give a new definition to the dialogue which took place between Arahat Mahinda Maha Thera and King Devanam Piyathissa. He also explains how the prisons were set up in the country and developed to what they are today. All the Acts related to crimes, the governor's role in the Judiciary, and how the death penalty was cancelled in 1956 with the celebrations of 2500 years of The Buddha's Parinibbana. He uses simple language, and keeps the reader with him. The reader, no doubt feels that the issue which he reads is close to him/her. He also brings examples of civil cases which lasted for over 30 years from 1709 to 1737 almost 300 years ago. The book is interesting to read with his challenges to the co-editors of Mahawansa on some historical issues. This would be the only book written about the country's crimes and related issues from the Ravana era to date. Some issues which were neglected by data collectors of relevant fields or sectors have been highlighted. He explains the World's first young Wrong Doers Scouts Team was set up in Sri Lanka in 1926 and also says how they won the first and second places in a worldwide art competition several years back. The 150-page book is Printed by Piyasiri Printing Systems and priced at Rs. 350 Buddhism for the Layman : Not only for Buddhists Reviewed by Professor Kumburugamuwe Vajira Thera K.S. Tilakadasa who is a great believer in Buddhist Philosophy shares the teachings of the Buddha in his latest book Buddhism for the Layman. What he has experienced, he makes the layman also experience, if they really want to lead a good life. We all want to lead a happy and peaceful life and even those who do not know the real meaning of peace and happiness too will yearn for it, if they understand the basics of Buddha's teaching. We do have many preachers, monks, laymen and Anagarikas who tried their best to build a just society. However, these preachings have not reached the common man who does not spend much time in reading or listening to sermons. Unfortunately, there are many who wish to listen to music more than listening to a good dhamma sermon. To fill the vacuum K.S.T. has made a valuable contribution. He has explained the basics and given the most useful hints and parables, which could help lay people to adjust their lives and lead a meaningful life. Buddhism for the Layman covers most of the areas where The Buddha has preached on how to lead a good and wholesome life while being a layman. It is not a religion that consists of sufferings only. Some critics, who like to condemn Buddhist Teachings, describe it as a negative philosophy, which does not give courage to the laymen to lead a happy life, and instead to think of the sufferings' only. Those who want to achieve liberation are free to follow the noble eight fold path and enjoy the eternal bliss of Nirvana. Daily, we come across the traumatic pathos, which make us feel miserable. Yet following the Buddha's teachings will show us the correct path on how to face such storms and accept the reality with equanimity. Buddhism is not written only for the Buddhists. Whoever wants to lead a good and wholesome life can gather vital information to fulfill their ambition by reading this book. The first two chapters describe the great Master who was able to realise the Truth. Chapter two gives a very comprehensive analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path, which any human could follow if the intention is there. Even a non-Buddhist is able to understand the Buddha and his teaching, to lead a peaceful life. Buddhism is nothing else but a philosophy, which helps to lead a complete life. In this regard the author has fulfilled a difficult task, by explaining the important Sutras, classified in point form and adding more ingredients through his own comments, which he gained through experience and also by reading the doctrine. The author has not only described the uniqueness of the Dhamma, but has also tried to explain the wholesome acts by quoting Dhammapada. The author's main intention is to help the laymen to achieve a successful life. He has not forgotten to mention about meditations, which focus on the welfare of day-to-day life, and also to gain some spirituality by achieving insight to wisdom. While appreciating his service towards mankind by presenting a book of this nature, which could be counted as the most vital need of the present age, I hope he will continue to write more books for the common people, so that they may learn more, practise more and experience more happiness by discarding hatred, greed and ignorance. May all be well and happy ! Waves : Spectrum of emotion Reviewed by Rikaza Hassan The sixth edition of the Waves magazine of the Wadiya Group formally known as the English Writer's Workshop, Waves 2004 is a compilation of novella, essays and poetry. This is known as the Wadiya Group, because these writers' monthly meetings take place at the Wellawatte beach Wadiya. This is where they gather to discuss pieces of literature offered by the members, but most importantly to provide an audience for each person's work. The pieces selected for this volume took three months of arduous work by Premini Amerasinghe, Gaston Perera and Punyakante Wijenaike as members continued to submit their work throughout the process. Comprised of only eighteen pieces, one feels that more opportunity should be given to this talented bunch of connoisseurs of the language by including more compositions. History plays a major role in the compilation. Elmo Leonard's Ancient Lanka takes us on a journey through the different times, places and traditions of Lanka bringing out his fervour and love for the country. Faith Ratnayake's Duet is an opera of Sri Lankan civilisation from the first aboriginal settlers still to be seen holding on to their ancient ways as the rest of the landscape changes through the invaders and traders' exploitation of our motherland's rich treasures. A Quirk of Fate by Deidre Cadiramen and Asgar Hussain's Onslaught are also placed in the past. As the former describes the story of a woman in a little village who goes against the grain in setting up her own business venture until she bows down to the social convention of marriage only to be blamed for all ills as calamity strikes. The latter takes a look at the civil war and how as blood is shed and lives lost, the war simply goes on. Sandra Fernando uses the poignant tale of two siblings to showcase the often backward views of Sri Lankans on mental ill health in Clouds Against the Sky while Farida Haque's heroine is haunted by dreams of all her loved ones she has lost to death's ugly hand as she is befriended by a phantom visitor in Death In Dreams. The universal theme of love, both beautiful and ugly is also to be found here. Wilfrid Jayasuriya's Bridge over the Muwagama is a courtship of the lithesome lass and her new neighbour brought together by music while Fahima Rizvan demonstrates The Power of Love when the bold young woman's disenchantment with marriage and her husband's insistence on her introverted status pushes her to seek refuge in fanatical religious obedience. Sisila Cooray is a soul in harmony with nature as she stands in the sunlight witnessing the seemingly endless blues of the sky and the sea giving her the illusion of immortality in Journey of the Soul and Subha Ranaweera seeks solace in nature to appease a lost love and heal her broken heart in Sometimes. Giving us a look at a cross-section of the city after sunset, Nafisa Tahirally enacts the city dwellers going on with their daily routines from the middle class to the rich man and his whore to the destitute and the lonely aged in The City at Night. In The Running Flower Vines of Mrs. Wijeratne, Jagath Kumarasinghe uses the comparison between the colonial ways of Mrs. Wijeratne and her grandchildren spared of no creature comforts and the poor son of a whore, Mahesh to portray the still prevalent class distinctions. And Anthea Senaratne's Freedom Bound is a witty portrayal of the oft seen mentality of dissatisfaction and dislike of change no matter how good. Unfolding in a dance where one almost hears the drumbeats, Shireen Senadhira rewrites the classic boy takes advantage of girl story with Gypsy Girl. And Ranjanie Ellapola's Enzina finds out that a Bus Ride to Tangalle can end in misfortune. Leaving you in a quandary wondering what happened, Maleeha Rajon takes you on a whirlwind ride leaving you just as suddenly as it started with Calamity. Sita Kulatunga erupts from nowhere to break the quiet with The Cock And The Mind and Last of all, Haig Karunaratne writes A Letter To Arthur, an epitaph to a greatly missed friend with a sense of humour. From love to sorrow to horror to joy, the spectrum of emotion portrayed in this lovely piece of work is immense. But best of all, written in simple English and mostly based in Sri Lanka it can be read by almost anyone with a basic grasp of English and identified with. However some may find this a little tedious reading as they show more of an inclination towards the classical than the modern. All in all it will take you on a most intriguing journey. The Kandyan Chieftains In this book the author Ananda Pilimatalavuva gives biographical details of the more important Kandyan Chieftains highlighting the significant role they played in the fall of Kandy in 1815 and in the war of liberation of 1817. The intrigues, conspiracies and acts of treason are dealt with by the author drawing material from original sources. Ananda Pilimatalavuva should be congratulated for placing before future researchers all this valuable information. Pilimatalavuva was born in 1936 to an old Kandyan family. He attended Trinity College, Kandy, he was the President of the School Literary Association and Secretary of the Historical and Geographical Society and represented the school at Rugby. He studied history under the guidance of two renowned teachers the late Willie Hensman and Hilary Abeyratna. In his final year he was appointed Senior Prefect and was awarded the Ryde Gold Medal awarded to the best all rounder. Although he took to Tea Plantation Management on plantations managed by the British Agency Houses, and later to Marketing, he retained his interest in Kandyan history and in his retirement took to writing. His first book titled The Pilimatalavuvas In The Last Days Of The Kandyan Kingdom appeared in June 2004. Pilimatalavuva has been awarded Fellowships by the British Institute of Management and the Ceylon Institute of Planting, and he is a member of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka. Biography of Punniamoorthy : The News Reader I read with great fascination S. Punniamoorthy's biography written by P. Krishnaswamy, titled The News Read by S. Punniamoorthy. Many distinguished names have illuminated professional broadcasting in SL since broadcasting began in the then Ceylon, around 1922 and among them I recall many, now long gone, with whom I have had the privilege to work. I recall names such as Thevis Guruge and Livy Wijemanne, Mark Anthony Fernando and Jimy Barucha, Vernon Corea, Prosper Fernando and Mylvaganam, Colombage and Pattiaaratchi, C.V. Rajasunderam and Nadarajah, H.M. Gunasekera and Chitrananda Abeysekera, to mention only a few, but none of them have had a biography to their credit. That privilege has come only to Punniamoorthy so far. Even at the best of times, Radio Ceylon was not the easiest place in which to work. It was fraught with internal bickering and enormous political pressures, and it is to Punniamoorthy's great credit that he survived all those hazards and live to see his biography written. I recall Punniamoorthy very well during my term as the Chairman and Director General of the then Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). He was indeed an exemplary public servant and a rare broadcaster. As a public servant he was always disciplined and strove to do what was right and proper and as a broadcaster he displayed enviable skills, especially as an announcer, and earned encomiums not only in Sri Lanka but abroad as well. One has only to read his biography to find how many distinguished personalities both in Sri Lanka and abroad hastened to praise him for his skills as a broadcaster. It is evident from this little book that he resisted political pressure all the time which is not an easy thing to do in Sri Lanka and therefore he presents a model for broadcaster of today to emulate. Punniamoorthy travelled widely and absorbed a rich cosmopolitan culture, from India and from several countries of Asia as well as from Europe. However, wherever he travelled he remained firmly anchored to his religious and spiritual roots in Hinduism and never wavered from his commitment to vegetarianism, which I think was quite admirable. I am happy to know that 'Punni' has now settled down abroad after a long and distinguished career and can only wish for him a long life, filled with happy and wholesome reminiscences. Neville Jayaweera (former Civil Servant and Ambassador) |
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