(Circles of Fire)

Agni Chakra (Chapter 13)

By Kathleen JAYAWARDANE

Translated by Ranga Chandrarathne and Edited by Indeewara Thilakarathne

Yesterday morning Kalinga telephoned me. I quickly made out his voice which I heard after a long time. How could we be so distanced? Was it because we had almost unconsciously kept away from the activities of the leftist organisation? What caused it?

Kalinga asked me whether I could deliver a parcel to his son who was following a television production study course in Malaysia. I was about to leave for Philippines as a member of a jury in an Asian Television Award Ceremony. Though it was a difficult task according to the weight of my baggage, I agreed to it, recalling our longstanding friendship. It was strange, I thought, that we could not engage in any activity together in the past. Then I thought whether we had been distanced because we forgot 'the left'. I recalled that there was no strong ground for us to forget the 'leftist politics' which we passionately engaged in. I still don't doubt the validity of Marxism for a socialist society. Without my knowledge I had been distanced from leftist politics. Kalinga and I were torn apart by this. I really did not know whether my graduation from a Leftist political organisation to a Non Governmental Organisation, was a development in my life or a decline. I could only say that it had, however, happened.

I considered to what extent the leftist intervention is meaningful in building a classless society. Within a relatively short period of time, it became clear to me that the lower strata of Sri Lankan society had become petty bourgeois. The economy outweighing politics must have caused it. These developments have taken place in a leap from a social structure which was not materially prosperous, to a market economy. What is the class difference between a Sri Lankan worker and a worker in France or Italy?

Though the leftist organisations challenge the establishment as in the past, revolutionary political parties emerge under the red banner in diverse manners. The strikes and demonstrations strengthened by various drives and incitements do not confine to the Lipton Circus but spread continuously throughout Colombo. One could think that the country has been primed for a revolution by the number of continuous protests. But what has really happened? Have the majority of the population watched the revolutionary activities and protests other than on a newspaper report or on television? What kind of void must their minds have to absorb these revolutionary provocations which they see with their own eyes? I thought that the progress of leftist movements was confined to the rising number of leftist political parties between one election and another. In addition, capitalist parties thrive under the guise of Independent Groups. The people who oscillate between these leftist political parties and capitalist parties are left confused. This is because they have too many parties to select from. But by now, they have involuntarily entered into a kind of a battle. From morning till evening, they are engaged in a cashing in exercise.

The university system has become a replica of contemporary politics and a social system. Family society as well as academia, has become a victim of this process. University lecturers including myself with no specific task are engaged in a struggle to maintain their economic status. Other than conducting seminars and discussions with students, there are no other activities that we as lecturers are engaged in. We have no time for studies or research which are essential to update knowledge of the academics. On the other hand, the youth who are engaged in studies, are not interested in making use of academics' knowledge and expertise.

Their primary objective is to obtain a degree certificate. They change from moment to moment and are caught up in a whirlwind. University courses have also fallen into the same category of mushrooming tutory courses. Warusavithana said once that this anarchic situation was worse in Government-run institutions. He had assumed duties as a chairman of a Corporation in the field of Engineering, after resigning from a financial institution and said that the majority of engineers in his institution have virtually become clerks. He said that under this office system, engineers have no room for conducting research other than scribbling on a piece of paper. The same has befallen doctors under the specialist channeling system. Do they who have engaged in channeling services from morning to evening, have time even to attend to their physical needs?

Living in a complex society with Shantha, what sort of confrontation does one have to face when one is filled with lofty ideas? Shantha always says that the degeneration of arts and literature was a tragedy. When it became unbearable, I thought of telling her that arts in this era should be used for material purposes. But I remained silent.

From a side door, I could see Kanchana's image. He was engaged in a friendly chat with Shantha who leaning against a corner pillar in the Gimhana Asapuwa. Kanchana's face was lit up with a sarcastic smile. He was a second year university student. But Shantha had a troubled face. Was she looking at me from time to time thinking that I would come to piece together the bits of the jigsaw puzzle that Kanchana forced on her?

My latest drama was 'The Convention of Non-Convention'. It was a drama which used theatrics but did not capture the reality and had no specific aim. Shantha said that it ended in doubt as a bubble burst. I asked her if it was not the very nature of life. My belief was that the surrealistic series of events would be more timely and effective than crudely tied up incidents of cause and effect.

In view of several factors, I selected Kanchana for the lead role in an adaptation prompted by existentialism, Marxism and Freudian psychoanalysis. I understood that Kanchana's youthful and muscular body would be ideal for the new age man who sees no meaning of life and has a detached personality.

His vocal, physical and facial acting was commendable. Kanchana possessed considerable knowledge of the objectives of art and aesthetic norms. I taught him the importance of being logical in every action on the stage. He had a mind which could distinguish between convention and modernity. I knew that the youths' tendency for alternative theatre from that of 70s, was still alive.

These days, Kanchana is engaged in rehearsals day and night as the character 'Swan' demanded intricate gestures and remarkable degrees of agility. The problem was finding a female artist for the character 'Venus'

"I thought of a person who would fit into the role of Venus", Kanchana said one day with apparent reluctance.

"Who is it? From where?"

"Sir, would you be angry if I say it…"

"What's it ", I quickly said.

"Our Madam"

I smiled as I had never seen such an aptitude in her.

"Are you mad? She is now very old.."

"Yes, but there is something called makeup ….for that...", Kanchana said with no smile.

"On the other hand, Venus is not a girl. Madam's figure would perfectly fit into the role! She would be alright after rehearsing"

"You should get your eyes tested", I said, smiling.

"If you are to train her, first you will have to teach her how to think. If you can, take up the challenge!" "That's a simple matter", Kanchana laughed loudly.

"I understood a little bit of Madam's stance. Yesterday evening she said that drama is a noble art. I laughed. But I convinced her that novelties should be brought about in drama for its sustenance. I cited examples from America. Sir, did you say that when numbers of theatre goers declined due to television, strippers were used for Broadway dramas. "

I remained silent as I could not absorb anything from Kanchana's incessant talk.

I thought it was better if Kanchana could continue the conversation between Shantha and me on the areas of modernity and novel trends. Kanchana volunteered for it as if he had seen my predicament.

"I don't know... drama and theatre is also declining day by day", Shantha said once when we were by the spring, enjoying a hot cup of tea in the garden after the rehearsals.

"Then, Madam, are you trying to clear this mess up?"

"No, not at all"

"Those who are going to clear up the jungle would have to come out with thorns in their legs ", I said as if into the air.

"I have no intention of clearing up the bush", Shantha said again.

"Then."

"I do not wear slippers to walk on thorns!"

Kanchana looked at me with a broad smile.

"Sir, Madam would wonder why this has been named 'Gimhana Asapuwa' instead of 'Wasantha Asapuwa' or 'Sisira Asapuwa'…"

In silence, I looked into the sky. The breeze swept through fauna and flora and the flowers brought about a soothing effect.

"You don't want to do a good thing but a different thing", Shantha said calmly.

"Soon you would interpret sitting on the head as a new trend."

I looked at a bird like eagle melting into the clouds in a sky against the setting sun. I heard Kanchana laugh incessantly.