Sunday Observer completes 79 years:

Hail the days of glory ...

by Ranga Chandrarathne

It was the gathering of literati at Geoffrey Bawa's charming rubber estate at Lunuganga. I, together with my colleague, Indeewara had reached Lunuganga by 8.00 am, for the first session of the Galle Literary Festival.

The legendary Lunuganga was dressed in a festive mood as the entrance to the estate which was now famous for Bawa's ingenuous creations, world over. The visitors to the first session were greeted by hot golden tea boilers sponsored by Dilmah Tea and the host of volunteers who were scurrying hither and thither hastily laying down tables and arranging chairs in the adjoining sun-lit hall near the entrance.

We were wearing our 'media tags' and eagerly waiting for the gathering literati from around the globe. Hong Kong based Sri Lankan born journalist Nury Vittachi was among the high profile authors including Suketu Mehta, Mark Tully, Madhur Jaffery, man booker prize winner Kiran Desai.

Nuri was important to us, on account of him being a journalist and the son of the famous Editor-in-Chief of Sunday Observer, Tarzie Vittachi, a distinguished Anandian who walked to the high ground of journalism as he was fortunate to be an editor of Newsweek.

"Oh, still they remember my father and his writings", acknowledged Nuri when we reminded him that we were from the Sunday Observer and journalists still talked about his famous father and his high profile column 'Fly by night'.

While another panellist Prof. Yasmine Gooneratne said when Nuri raised the first question after the first session which was moderated by the famous Indian media personnel Deepika Shetty, "I came in the hope of meeting you. I was highly impressed by your father's articles and especially the column 'Fly by night' in the Sunday Observer especially in the 1950s".

This among other things reminded us of our responsibility as journalists or perhaps as feature writers and our status among the international journalist fraternity that was made up of journalists from BBC to the Canadian Post.

In retrospect, the founding editors of the Sunday Observer followed the high standards of journalism together with the integrity of expression. It was, indeed, the hay days of journalism in the country when both Sinhalese and English media press maintained an impeccable and lucid language often laced with irony and wit.

Banqueted by the colonial British the standards of language in the Sri Lankan press was very high and the Editors-in-Chief of both Sinhalese and English media were held by the literary giants of the day.

When Tarzie Vittachi wrote 'Fly by night' his contemporary Chandrarathne Manawasinghe in the Sinhalese press wrote his famous column Waga Tuga. Both were witty and ironic in their own ways and stood the test of time as masterpieces in writing and still serve as examples for style and language.

Sunday Observer and Commercial Advertiser (as it was known then) commenced on 4th February, 1834. Prior to the Sri Lankan Editors-in-Chief, the English served as Editors of the Observer. E. J. Darley (in charge at the start), George Winter, Dr. Christopher Elliott, A. M. Ferguson (1859), John Ferguson (1867), R. H. Ferguson, Charles Tower, C. Drieberg (1923-1924), P. B. Marshall and J. D. Quirk.

When it was taken over by a generation of Sri Lankan Editors who were in par with their English predecessors, they carried on the legacy, inspiring and educating the generation of readers from all walks of life. One of the significant aspects of the English press was that it was read by the academia, artists, political elite, the members of the judiciary, business tycoons and the English educated civil servants and teachers.

The Sri Lankan Editors from H. A. J. Hulugalle to Ajith Samaranayake [H. A. J. Hulugalle (1930-1931), H. D. Jansz (1931-1952), Tarzi Vittachchi (1953-1961), Denzil Peiris (1961-1970), Ernest Corea (1970-1973), Lionel Fernando (1973-1977), Harold Peiris (1977-1988), Leslie Dahanayake (1988-1990), H. L. D. Mahindapala (1990-1994), Ajith Samaranayake, Lakshman Gunasekara, Jayatilleke de Silva, Rajpal Abenayake] were also adhered to the highest standards of journalism and editorial integrity.

Ajith's column 'Sunday Essay' was also a critical comment on the socio-political issues of the day. Although he had an elite education at the high seat of learning, Trinity College, Kandy, he was also conversant with Sinhalese culture. In fact, he was a bi-lingual who bridged the intellectual gap between the Sinhala intelligentsia and English academia.

He was a legend in his own right and is venerated as a towering figure in the arena of contemporary Sri Lankan English journalism as Ajith fiercely stood for editorial integrity contrasting with some of the subservient scribes who were more interested in mundane gains, name and fame than the integrity of the profession.

Ajith's departure marked an irreparable loss to English journalism in general and English editorials at Lake House in particular, as budding journalists always sought his sane counsel not only on matters of language but also in matters of life.

Reggie Siriwardena, Karel Roberts Ratnaweera, R. S. Karunaratne, Afreeha Jawad, Ajith Samaranayake Rajpal Abeynayake and Lynn Ockersz were sentinel stars of an era dominated by a high calibre of literary criticisms and in the arena of sports writing, Elmo Rodrigopulle, Sa'adi Thawfeeq, A. C. de Silva, Dinesh Weerawansa are outstanding writers.

Reggie Siriwardena, a critic, feature writer and later luminous academic, had been a beacon of intellectual stimulation in the Sunday Observer Editorial. His writings, critiques and poetry are hailed as masterpieces of literary criticisms and are widely read and studied at universities around the globe. Simple diction and vast knowledge in literature made them outstanding in the field.

I remember, also as an Anandian with much gratitude the guidance and counsel he readily offered me whenever I visited him. He was a proponent of humanitarian ideals.

However, the sensitive nature, wit and irony which were the finer ingredients of features withered into thin air with the emergence of a generation of writers who were more interested in facts and figures and lifeless translations like Jayatilleke de Silva (I remember with much respect and gratitude the moment when he recommended me as a feature writer after perusing my certificates and previous work at the interview), Lukshman Gunasekara, and Lalith Edrisinha. Although dark clouds gathered in the distant sky, there was always a beacon of hope.

Even though from time to time some disgruntled elements found their way their days were always numbered and to the delight and inspiration their places are being occupied by aspiring young journalists who are knowledgeable in the craft without grey hairs.

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