Finding the story behind the story

 Interview with the author of ‘A known story’ Lakshaman Piyasena

Sri Lanka was in the wrong track long before the Portuguese invasion and India’s impact on the country was present since the Maha Parinirvana of Buddha, says the latest book written by veteran journalist Lakshman Piyasena. The author launching his book, Danna Kathawak (A Known Story) attempts to discuss the ways in which the country can work to re-establish the joy of mind and reconciliation that has been lost. Piyasena said that he named his book ‘A Known Story’ because it explains the situation of the country which is illusive to the citizen. “It’s the present situation of the country and my experiences gathered from newspaper journalism. Although it’s a known-unknown story to everyone else,” Piyasena laughed.

Piyasena worked as a journalist for Divaina newspaper for almost three decades. He said that becoming a writer or a journalist was not something he planned to become when he was a child. It was mid 1980s. As a young schoolboy Lakshman loved music. He had a habit of listening to songs. When he was in grade nine, a year before he sat for his Ordinary Level Examinations he experienced a dramatic incident which inspired him to write. “We didn’t have television or mobile phones during this era. Our main source of entertainment was the radio and the comic newspapers. Also we used go watch films. Therefore I developed a taste for songs; both Sinhala and Hindi,” he said. “I was interested in information on the singers and started to collect small books with song collections. We used to exchange books. But it was against school regulations,” he recalled.

He sneaked a collection of songs by Priya Sooriyasena into school. His book Danna Kathawak explains the incident in detail. “Each song in my song book was written about the sweetness of love…All these lyrics were of Premakeerthi. Although I get to know about Premakeerthi who penned about ‘love’ in such an amazing way much later, I was a huge fan of Priya Sooriyasena. I remember how I used to enjoy humming the songs in this song book as if it happened yesterday. Unforgettable sequence of events commenced with the disappearance of this song book. My song book disappeared on this day.” (Pg 18)

Since it was against the school regulations, Lakshman couldn’t make a complaint and he had to remain silent about the lost book. Miraculously, the song book reappeared in his school bag a week after its disappearance. He was happy to get his book back, but what he saw inside the book was even more fascinating. “There were startling changes made in the book. A line or two from each song were highlighted… When you read it in the underlined sequence it gave out a particular message. When I read it I felt like I had the most amazing write-up in my hands. Sweetness of love was overflowing in the lines that were underlined, which formed something similar to a love letter.” (Pg 21)

He believed it was usually girls who underlined songs like this. Yet he said that he never found out who underlined the songs in his book. “This incident made me realize how remarkable it would be to write. I was changed and a new world was opened in front of my eyes,” he said adding that this inspired him to write poems and essays to newspapers continuously.

Piyasena is from Bombuwala, Kalutara and studied at Mathugama CWW Kannangara Central College. His journey began when he moved to Colombo from his village searching for a job. It was the 87-89 insurgency. “I didn’t have plans to join a newspaper. But with the recognition of writing to newspaper and the connections I had built by then, I was recruited as a trainee journaist at Upali newspapers,” he recollected. From this day onwards he was a fulltime journalist at Divaina until he left his job there in 2007. Apart from his excellence in newspaper journalism he was also recognized as a critic. He authored several books including Wawe Banda Hotalaya (Critisism), Wasunu Mangpeth (Political), Wishmitha Vishwaya Madin, Sahalluwe Genawa (Poetry), Niwena Mihira (Poetry) and We Diya Borawa (Novel). He is also a celebrated poet and a lyricist. His latest book Danna Kathawak describes his experiences as a media man, observations and opinions on sociopolitical issues in the country.

Piyasena stressed that he left the job at Divaina because he didn’t feel that he can perform as a true journalist in the contemporary media field. “The satisfaction of being a journalist was gone,” he said. He said that he didn’t see a point of hanging onto an unmoving field and therefore he walked out. He opined that the fall of electronic and print media in Sri Lanka started when the authorities started giving priority to commercial amusement instead of the joy of mind.

“Amusement given by a person who dances after studying dancing is different from the amusement given by a child who is made to dance on television. Singing with an understanding about music and knowing the limitations and a singing of an amateur on electronic media who is said to be better than the veteran do not provide the same entertainment. It’s clearly two different forms of amusement. Singing and dancing with an understanding of literature enhance the joy of mind. Singing and dancing made to be performed by the media encourages the commercial amusement in the audience. Electronic media which saw light after 1994 clearly draws a fine line between commercial amusement and the joy of mind.” (Pg 219-220)

He further explains his opinion on the topic joy of mind in fourth chapter of Danna Kathawak.

A main topic in Danna Kathawak is the historical signal which he refers to as Ithihasa Sangchawa and he explained that it is not wise to depend only on popular written historical sources to get the correct historical signal. He also pointed out that there are two types of written history. “One is the written history the other one was made to be written. Mahavamsa was made to be written, not everything included in it is reliable. It could have been influenced by the rulers of the era in which it was written,” he explained. He said that he believes that a person should be following folklore if he or she wants to find out the real situation during a particular period. “Folklore was not forced to be written or remembered. Therefore we could assume that there is no exaggeration in those stories,” he opined.

Another debatable chapter of the book is Siripade Samanola Kanda Pene. Piyasena explained the content included in the subtopic Athuru Mithuru Dambadiva Thuru. “There was a Pali mission in Sri Lanka in fifth centaury. Historical sources in favor of the country were mostly preserved by the folklore and folk rhymes (Kata mathura) if looked into the depths even the political conspiracies can be identified,” he iterated. He mentioned two folk rhymes which have hidden meaning. “Kotte kalale kisille – datha mada ganna raale and the famous athuru mithuru dambadiwa thuru are such folk rhymes,” he said. ‘Kotte kalale kisille…’ warned about a possible threat to the Tooth relic by the Portuguese.

“‘Athuru Mithuru…’ speaks about a political influence which Sri Lanka should be alert about at all times,” he further said. According to him when this riddle is simplified it says, ‘Hathuru- Mithuru Dambadiwa Nirathuru’ (Always Enemies- Friends India). (Pg 306). “India started envying us from the day Buddha said that Buddhism will be protected long-lastingly in Sri Lanka. Since then they try to get Sri Lanka to abide by them,” he said. “They also tried to get this done when Sri Lanka was given freedom in 1948. Fortunately their efforts were in vain,” he added.

He reiterated that contemporary political ideologies were prevailing in the country in empowering the weaknesses of its population. “This started back in 1956. Changes occurred in with the 1956 political revolution planted the seed of hypocrisy in the society,” he expressed his view adding that this led to the 21^st century’s feudalistic   backward ruling.  “Today this is further empowered by the leftists and Bikkhu politics,” Piyasena added.

“Political revolution in 1956 Panchamaha Balawegaya is a turning point in Bikkhu politics. This political revolution politicized Buddhism to an extent that the Buddhist temple became a party office. After 50 years the next step of this was seen that the bikkhus contested for parliament demanding a Darma Rajya.

It won’t be a mistake to compare with the events started in 1971 JVP terror politics and its advanced terrors after 17 years from its initiation.” (Pg 103)

Yet Piyasena noted that the country can have a positive attitude towards its future since the new generation is open to new information. “I believe that generation of the 21 centaury is the best generation. They are open to new information. They have the power to break this hypocrisy and move towards,” he said hopefully.