Into the new vistas

Humanity through prose and poetry:

Buddhadasa Galappatty is a poet/writer from contemporary Sinhalese literary scene. Over the years, he has embarked on a journey of discovery into the very recesses of Sinhalese psyche which is mauled by mono-lingualism, whirlwind of racism and sense of class difference.

He is a bold and terrific writer and a social critic. His exquisiteness of writing emerges with maturity and his treatments of themes like love, separation stand out as authentic experiences of life. Through his numerous works both in prose and poetry he has explored the Sri Lankan human-scape with a sensitivity rarely found among the contemporary Sinhalese writers.

Most of his literary works are born out of his personal experiences and his attitudes towards events especially occurred during the insurgency.

His reaction and attitudes on art, social issues and towards personalities is bold and genuine.

Q: As a poet and writer how do you perceive the evolution of Sinhala poetry from rhythmic verse to blank verse and to assimilating Japanese Haiku into Sinhalese poetry?

A: It was in late 60s that Sinhala poetry transformed itself from rhythmic verse to blank verse. Free verse in Sinhala poetry came into being with ‘Paliganima’, an anthology of short stories by G. B. Senanayaka. I believe, by that time, Sinhalese poetry reached the tail end of Colombo School (Colomba Yugaya), rendering Sinhalese poetry utterly uninterested as it revolved around prototype experience of cheap love and class difference.

Though these themes were relevant to that particular time, it soon became obsolete. By that time, Hitiwana Kavi Madu (impromptu poetry recital) and Kavi Kola and Kavi Sagara (poetry in flyers and booklet of poetry) were not published.

In examination of rhythmic poetry, I think that it was not capable of expressing composite experiences in the modern era. At this stage, the tradition of blank verse pioneered by G. B. Senanayake, Siri Gunasinghe and Gunadasa Amerasekara entered into the arena of Sinhalese poetry.

Though Siri Gunasinghe’s poetry may be classified as blank verse, Amerasekara’s poetry, even at the early stages, had a rhythmic element. For instance, Amerasekara uses folk poetry structure in his poems such as ‘Malyahanawata Wadinna’, ‘Gurulu Watha’ and ‘Uduwap Awilla’. I think Amerasekara is an exception to poets who wrote blank verse.

Siri Gunasinghe tried to express philosophical ideas through blank verse. His poem like ‘Maranaya nosalee himalayak men’ (Death as still as Himalaya). These blank verses breathed fresh life into Sinhalese poetry. By that time readers were fed up with poetry of Colombo School.

University students’ community and students in the Advanced Level classes were fascinated by this new structure of poetry in Sinhalese. I began reading these poems when I was an Advanced Level student and I was fascinated by them.

If I had enjoyed poetry of Colombo school, those were the poetry by Wimalarathna Kumaragama. He was able to express contemporary reality within the structure of rhythmic verse.

Other poets expressed a world of fantasy and ideal love.

Kumaragama portrayed characters from life. For instance, Kumaragama says Herathhamie, the grave digger though blamed by village folk when he dug a grave for his sister, was a good-hearted villager though he drank moonshine.

He had a sympathetic feeling for the villagers. His poem ‘Eiyanayaka’, in particular, shows this aspect of the poet. Wimalarathne Kumaragama was a DRO (District Revenue Officer) at a remote hamlet. So he came across a cross section of the population in rural villages in Wanni. I think that exposure is essential for a poet.

Though he does not approves the villagers’ rituals like hanging up as s leaf on a tree dedicated to the provincial deity Eiyanayaka, he does not condemn them either. Unlike Mahagamasekara’s poetry, poets like P. B. Alwis Perera, Kudaligama and Meemana Prematilaka are not very close to the present generation.

By now, blank verse dominates Sinhalese poetry with its own ups and downs. Japanese Haiku poems have been found in anthologies of Sinhalese poetry before it became a dominant form in the poetry by poets like Ariyawansa Ranaweera and Nandana Weerasighe.

Haiku form of poetry can be found in poems by Bandara Wijetunga, Pahan Wate Kavi and even among my poems. I am in favour of the changes brought about by G. B. Senanayake, Sirigunasinghe and Gunadasa Amerasekara in Sinhalese poetry and do not, at all, like the changes brought about by adaptation of Haiku form into Sinhalese poetry.

Q: Sinhala novel has grown over the years and established as a major component of Sinhalese literature. However, the contemporary Sinhalese novel has seemed to be suffering from lack of insight and out of touch with the reality. What has really gone wrong with the Sinhalese novel?

A: I do not wholeheartedly agree with your view. Novels like ‘Taru Bambasara’ which was shortlisted for Swarnapusthaka award, Saiman Nawagaththegama, Sunetra Rajakarunanayaka’s, Shanthi Dissanayake’s, Arawwala Nandimithra’s novels and early works of Sumithra Rahubadde are not far from the reality. Most of the Sinhala novels do not reflect contemporary reality.

For instance, Karunadasa Sooriarachchi’s ‘Kanda Pamula’ was a successful novel which was shortlisted for Swarnapusthaka award. But his second novel is not that successful. This often happened when writer takes the task of penning a novel as very easy.

Q: ‘Sahurda Satahan 2’ is a collection of articles you wrote for a regular column which appeared in the literary supplement ‘Vimansa’ in the Lankadeepa. You have devised an appropriate simple diction for the column and each article has been used to critically examine diverse social issues and events occurring in the literary scene.

For instance you have pointed out blatant attempts by some authorities to render a new meaning to old story almost destroying the moral message underlined in it. How important do you think such a column is in critically examining issues pertaining to art, culture and literature?

A: I criticised the way in which the authorities of an educational institute destroyed the story of two friends and a bear.

According to the original story, one of the friends deserts the other when a bear chases them climbing up a tree while the deserted friend lies on the floor as if he is dead. When the bear leaves, thinking that the man on the floor is really dead, he tells his friend that the bear told him not to associate with ungrateful friends.

But according to a new version by the experts on education that bear told the friend that one should provide one’s own security. That was a political slogan which had been inserted into the story. No one has a right to distort the original story.

I also expressed my opinion on cultural events with facts to support my argument. For example, a year was declared as Year of Drama. They had absolutely no plan for the so called year of Drama by the Department of Cultural Affairs. The year of Drama was confined to posters and publicity campaign. It was also projected as part of Mahinda Chintanaya. These officials got the credit for the sham.

How many award wining dramas at the State Drama Festival has been staged out side colombo by the Department of Cultural Affairs?

Department of Cultural Affairs has not staged a single drama during the last three years in provinces. Drama should not be confined either to State Drama Festival or to theatre in Colombo. There is no absolute plan for uplifting the art; nothing would happen after the State Drama Festival, State Literary Festival or Tele-drama Award ceremony.

Q: In an article of the same series, you highlighted the issue of brain drain and how the country is deprived of talented artists, actors/actresses and professionals as a result of brain drain.
Apart from economic grounds, hostile working environment filled with gangsterism and not recognising talents are some of the reasons that prompted talented Sri Lankans to migrate to the West in search of greener pastures. How do you analyse this situation?

A: Most of the students who went abroad for higher education do not like to come back to Sri Lanka. Professionals are thoroughly disappointed about the working conditions in Sri Lanka. If a politician or a thug harasses a doctor or a professional, he or she may leave Sri Lanka.

In this situation brain drain is natural. Artists are being harassed and sued on false charges. For example filmmakers like Prasanna Vithanage and especially Asoka Handagama were harassed. Artist can not concentrate on creative when he is harressed by the establishment or bureaucracy.

Q: In another article titled “Vee Jaa Muu ge papochcharanaya” (W. J. M. Lokubandandara’s confession), you have cited two incidents which define the cultural decadence of Sri Lanka. The incidents were the goons’ attacks on Prof. Sarachchandra, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera and resignation of Wimalasiri Perera as the Editor-in-Chief of Silumina. How do you analyse this culture which has been developed in the post 1977 era and socio-economic backdrop against which it developed?

A: Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara’s public apology on his inability to reinstate veteran journalist Wimalasiri Perera who was the then Editor-in-Chief of Silumina and condemnation of the brutal attack by goons on Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra and Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha thero in the ACBC auditorium at Bullers Road , were the magnanimous gesture of W. J. M. Lokubandara, the human being and a sensitive person. He also expressed his regret in an interview with Rivira over his voting for the bill to deprive civic right of late Madam Sirimawo R. D. Bandaranaike. I appreciated it in my column.

Q: The translation of your original poems in Sinhala into English titled ‘The Valley below ‘is to be launched soon. The book is translated by Malini Govinnage. It will be a landmark publication as there are very few books of Sinhalese poetry in English translation. Among other things, translations would open up new vistas to an international audience to taste Sri Lankan work. How important, do you think are translations of Sinhalese literary work into English?

A: Sinhalese poetry was translated and published by Prof. Ranjani Obeysekara and Chitra Fernando in the poetry section of ‘Contemporary Sri Lankan Literature’. After that, anthology of Sinhalese poetry in English has not been published. The panel of translators including Reggie Siriwardena understood the depth of the Sinhalese poetry.

The idea of translating my poetry struck me when I read translations of some stanzas by Malini Govinnage in a review she wrote for Daily News. When I requested Malini to translate selected poetry, she readily agreed with the idea as she has been my fan.

There are other poets whose works deserve English translations. For instance, Monika Ruwanpathirana’s poetry and Parakkrama Kodituwakku’s and few others’ poetry should have been translated into English. Government should intervene in this regard. There is no proper mechanism to introduce Sinhalese poets to English readers.

Q: In the anthology, you have dealt with myriad of issues and archetype beliefs. The anthology will offer a fresh insight into Sinhalese psyche and the perceptions that have been inbuilt in collective conscience. For instance poem, ‘Son of a prostitute ‘questions the very morale of legitimacy of bullying a ‘son of a prostitute’.

‘Hasn’t a mistake
occurred somewhere to you.
Why don’t you despise me.
Calling me a son of an adulterer?’

How do you view bias attitude and shabby treatments meted out to innocents in the name of morality?

A: I questions social attitude of a woman being branded as a prostitute or a whore. Is there a word to describe the man who was responsible for her illegitimate child or bastard? I believe it is duty of an artist to question such deeply rooted prejudices.

Q: The poem ‘Bhikkhu walking for alms’ is about Bhikkhu’s insight into his surrounding which is filled with poverty and hunger. How could the Bhikkhu partake of his alms oblivious to harsh reality in the valley below?

“What for the lightness
Born in heart.
When it is not a food for a young one.
Crying in hunger.
In the valley below”.

Here you have juxtapositioned the Bhikkhu and poverty and hunger hit valley below. This is the reality we all confront. How do you perceive this contradiction?

A: The poem is based on my personal experience. The Bhikkhu, who begged a meal from impoverished segments, thinks about the people who donated the meal and whether they are in a position to give alms.

The Bhikkhu in a monastery would be more sensitive to poverty than an ordinary layman. On the other hand, this is the kind of experience that we all undergo on day-to-day basis.

Q: ‘Jasmine creeper’ is a poem where some symbol has been to evoke mix feelings. It is that very Jasmine which reminds the mother and her depart are from the world. Is it born out of your personal experience?

A: This is based on a personal experience. The Jasmine creeper was planted by my mother when we were laying the foundation for a house and the creeper grew as the house was built.

Unfortunately mother departed this world before the creeper bore flowers. Jasmine creeper is a symbol of purity like the immaculately clad mother who had observed Sil. It also symbolizes a kind of relationship between mother and children and also creates a pang of separation.

Q: ‘Moonlight is mute’ is a poem that has been on the theme of extra-judicial killings. Violence and murder terrorized the entire environment. Did you base this poem on the counter insurgence of 1988 or violence and murder in general?

A: The poem reflects my shattered state of mind against the backdrop of 1988 period of terror. I heard about the tragic stories of my friends who had been involved in the insurgency. I was shocked by the murder of youth.

Both party killed one another. I have witnessed gory scenes of decomposed corpuses being flown, in rivers and tortured bodies dumped on roads. This experience I recreated in the poem.

Q: In the ‘Midday meal’, you have highlighted the issue of class difference and sheer gulf over haves and have-nots. It is the poverty that compels ‘swallow’ ‘tasteless’ glass. How do you analyse this situation as an artist?

A: The poem reflects the class difference and gap between haves and have-nots. Another person eats glass to make a living. Some people devour swords. Everyone may not notice it. But artist would make a creation out of it.

Q: ‘Mellow Love’ is a poem which describes different stages of love. As a matured artist how do you look down on the trodden path of love? Does it really take spiritual dimension when lovers grow old but yet with fresh love?

A: The poem describes the different stages of love; from calf love to matured love. When the young couple becomes old, love also grows up and becomes a strong bond. The fascinating aspect of love does not evaporate with the aging but it becomes a new start.