Glimpse of History from ANCL Archives :

Sage of Koggala

by Indeewara Thilakarathne

Martin Wickramasinghe ( May 29, 1890- July 23, 1976) was a foremost Sri Lankan novelist who was instrumental in defining the modern Sinhala novel and bringing it on par with world literatures. He is best remembered for his trilogy ; Gamperaliya, Kaliyugaya and Yugantaya which were subsequently turned into films.

Wickremesinghe's works as a writer , author of both fiction and non-fiction works were dominated by his facination of the villagers and their slow-moving lifestyle at the tail end of 19th century Sri Lanka.

His famous trilogy is based on the changing phase of the pastoral village of Koggala and the gradual transition from fuedalism to emerging capitalism and the change of relationships and attitudues brought forth by it.

His works were on diverse themes such as natural and social sciences, literature , linguistics, the arts, philosophy, education, and Buddhims and comparative religion, sometimes going beyond the traditional parametres of literature.

He rejected superficial emotionalism of vulgar nationalism, and guided Sri Lankan readers to the enduring roots of their common national identity that exists in the folk life and folk culture of Sri Lanka.

His life

Wickramasinghe was born on May 29,1890, in the pastoral coastal village of Koggala as the only son of Lamahewage Don Bastian Wickramasinghe, and Magalle Balapitiya Liyanage Thochchohamy. The village had a lasting influence on his work.

Wickramasinghe wrote his first book Balopadeshaya in 1902, on the urging of monk Koggala Deerananda Thero. At the time he had been forced to leave his school in Galle due to financial difficulties caused by the death of his father. In 1904,he began school again in a cheaper school.

A few years later, Wickremasinghe completely abandoned his schooling, and began working as a bookkeeper in Colombo, and then at a commissions agency. In 1910, another tragedy befell him when his mother died.

Martin Wickramasinghe published his first book Leela in 1914, as he lost his job, and returned to Koggala. He moved to Batticaloa. the following year, to become a bookkeeper once again.

In 1916, he started to write for the newspaper "Dinamina" under the pen name "Hethu Vaadi", and joined its Editorial Staff in 1920, the same year he published his second novel Soma.He followed Soma with Iranganie and Seetha in 1923, and Miringu Diya in 1925, marrying his wife Kataluwe Balage Prema de Silva that year, in November.

The two moved to Mt. Lavinia. After their marriage, and had a child named Susantha Manuwarna, who died in a few months. He joined the staff of the newspaper "Lakmina" in 1927.

The following years, he and his wife had six children: Sarath Kusum (b. December 26, 1928), Vasantha Kumara (b. July 16, 1929), Rupa Malathie (b. February 4, 1931), Himansu Ranga (b. July 16, 1932), Usha (b. September 30, 1935), and Unie (b. September 13, 1940).

During this period he edited two newspapers, and wrote Unmada Chithra and Rohini (both in 1929).In the 1940s, Wickramasinghe reached the zenith of his writing career writing his best known works Gam Peraliya (1944), Madol Doova (1947), and Yuganthaya (1949). He moved to Thimbirigasyaya, in this period, to enable his children to go to college. In the 1950s, Wickramasinghe was awarded the MBE, and started living in Bandarawela.

He also made several visits to foreign countries. His writing of the period include Viragaya in 1956, and Kaliyugaya in 1957.During the 1960s, Wicramasinghe did more travelling and received more accolades including an honorary PhD by the Vidyodaya University. On July 23, 1976, Wicramasinghe died.The Martin Wickramasinghe Museum of Folk Art, located within the property of his birthplace, can be visited in Koggala.

Wickramasinghe's novel Gam Peraliya was immortalised in a film version by Lester James Peries in 1964.