The advent of magazines in Sri Lanka:

SLBC's Handa quenches thirst of readers

By Ananda Kannangara

Unlike books, magazines are published weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. Many readers are fond of reading magazines since they publish articles on various topics.

Magazines under various names are published today by individuals, societies, institutions and also by some newspaper organisations.

The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), the country's oldest broadcasting institution which was then called Radio Ceylon too published Sinhala magazines from time to time under various titles.

People will never forget the names of the many magazines, published by the SLBC titled Radio News, Radio Times, Tarangani, Srava Vahini and Taranga.

After a long silence, the SLBC again quenched the thirst of readers by publishing a magazine titled Handa in January 2011. Popular journalist, former Editor Silumina and media personality Tilakaratne Kuruvita Bandara is the editor of this magazine published quarterly.

In an interview, Kuruvita Bandara said this is the time to publish more and more new magazines for the benefit of the readers. Handa (Sound) is a fine example of this.

The magazine is a concept of the Chairman, SLBC Hudson Samarasinghe.

Bandara said the SLBC Chairman gives all encouragement to publish the magazine uninterruptedly for the benefit of readers in the country.

The objective of producing such a magazine is to remind the present day generation about the life story of eminent personalities and articles on various topics.

The Handa magazine has many interesting articles, well written and presented in a simple style.

The latest issue of Handa, published under the theme 'Evolution of the Sinhala songs' gives a comprehensive description of yesteryear superstars such as Nanda Malani, Milton Perera, Sanath Nandasiri, Victor Ratnayaka, Latha Walpola, Neela Wickramasinghe, Milton Mallawaaratchchi, C.T. Fernando, Sunil Shantha, Ivor Dennis, Ananda Samarakoon, M.S. Fernando, Clarence Wijewardana and Freddie Silva who contributed immensely to the development of Sinhala music.

Bandara, said the then Radio Ceylon gave birth to the Sinhala super stars and their songs. Karanatic music was also introduced to the country during this period, while North Indian music too influenced our classical music. During that period, Western music influenced to compose songs sung by C.T. Fernando, Ivor Dennis and Clarence Wijewardane.

The latest issue of Handa felicitated several composers of Sinhala songs such as Sri Chandraratna Manawasinghe, Wimal Abesundara, Madawala S. Ratnayake, Karunaratna Abesekara, Sarath Wimalaweera and Mahagamasekara.

The first copy of Handa was published as a dedication to the late Ananda Samarakoon who wrote Sri Lanka's National Anthem. People still appreciate the services rendered by the late Ananda Samarakoon.

Other issues of Handa highlighted the significance of the 2600th Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthiya, how Christianity helped the Lankan society, the services rendered by Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra and John de Silva for the development of Lanakn culture, the Ape Kattiya and the Tower Hall era, the life story of Ven. Anagarika Dharmapala Thera, the visit of Rabindranath Tagore to Sri Lanka and the memories of cricket commentators Premasara Epasinghe and Palitha Perera who introduced live cricket commentaries in Sinhala to local cricket lovers.

Bandara said he wished to give the readers more articles in Handa magazines in the coming years. The magazine costs Rs. 100 each and could be purchased from Lake House news agents.

Bandara gave a brief description of a few popular Sinhala magazines published in the country.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka's first magazine, titled, Gnana Dharshana (The Mirror of Knowledge) was published in 1896.

The Director of the magazine Abraham Mendis Gunasekara introduced the Sinhala letter Pha (letter for 'F') to readers through the magazine.

The Sinhala magazine Sanskruthi was published in 1953 by Amaradasa Weerasinghe Kuranage. The magazine promoted literature, culture and arts in the country.

The stories published in the magazine were similar to a leading British magazine, Scrutiny.

Another magazine titled Sahitya was published by the Department of Cultural Affairs in 1957. The articles carried in this magazine highlighted the country's culture, society and religion.

According to Sri Lankan history, even bhikkhus contributed immensely to develop literature and culture in the country. The Nawalokaya magazine which developed the country's history, religion and literature was published by Udakandawela Ven. Siri Saranankara Thera.

The eminent scholar bhikkhus Ven. Palene Vagiragnana Thera contributed immensely to propagate Buddhism through the magazine Bauddha Lamaya (Buddhist child). The Ven. Thera described how children should live their lives according to Buddhist principles and how they shold behave in society according to the Buddha's teachings.

The late author Kumaratunga Munidasa published the Subasa magazine in which the editor gave prominence to articles on culture and history.

Sri Lanka's eminent novelist G.B. Senanayaka who published a number of novels and short stories later produced free verses (Nisandas Kavi). The magazine Welandama (Trade) was published by K.M. Sirisena Jayadeva.

During this period newspaper organisations too published magazines.

The magazine titled Rasavahini is a fine example. It was published by the Times of Ceylon during the 1950s. The publisher was the former Lankadeepa newspaper.

Readers contributed various articles on culture, religion and history to Rasavahini. Readers also contributed Sinhala verses (kavi) to the magazine.

The famous novelist Piyadasa Sirisena published a magazine titled 'Rosalin and Jayatissa' in 1904 which brought out articles to develop the Sinhala literature.

The late Munidasa Kumaratunga published the Lakmini Pahana magazine.

The Ven. Kalukondayawe Pannansekara Thera wrote the history of Sri Lanakan magazines.