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Omar Khayyam, prophet and poet
by Cecil V. Wikramanayake
Everyone remembers Omar Khayyam as a poet, for his Rubaiyat was made famous by an English poet Edward Fitzgerald.Many remember him as being a tent-maker, while others think of him as an astronomer, and a mathematician.
This picture of Omar Khyyam's tomb in Naishapur was sent to the writer some years ago by a friend in the Iranian Embassy.Indeed, it is said that the present calendar owes its existence to Omar Khayyam. But few realise that he was a prophet as well, in that he could, on occasion, predict future events.
Around the middle of the 6th century, Khayyam's contemporary Nizami il Aruzi of Samarkand, wrote two anecdotes about the great poet.
Says Nizami, 'In the year 506 AH Khwaja Imam Omar Khayyam and Khwaja Imam Muzaffar I' Isfuzari had alighted in the city of Balkh, in the Street of the Slave Sellers, in the house of Amir Abu Sa 'ad, and I, (Nizami il Azuri ) had joined that assembly.
'In the midst of our convival gathering, I heard that Argument of Truth Omar say 'My grave will be in a spot where trees will shed their blossoms on me twice a year'. This thing seemed to me impossible though I knew' that one such as'he would no't speak idle words. When I'arrived at Naishapur in the year 530AH (11-02AD) it being some years since that great man had veiled his countenance in the dust, and 'this lower world had been bereaved of him, I went to'visit his grave on the eve of a Friday (seeing that he had a claim of a Master on me) taking' with me a guide to point out to me his tomb.
'So he brought me out to the Hira cemetery. I turned to the left and his tomb ' lay at the foot of a garden wall over which pear trees and peach 'trees thrust their heads, and on his grave had fallen so many flowers that his dust was hidden beneath the flowers.
'Then I remembered that saying which I heard from him in the city of Balkh, and I fell to weeping, because on the face of the
earth and in all the regions of the habitable globe I nowhere saw
one like unto him.... Yet although I witnessed this prognostication on
the part of that Proof of Truth, Omar, I did not observe that he had
any great belief in astrological predictions, nor have I seen or heard
any (scientists) who had such beliefs.'
Today, the tomb of Omar Khayyam is greatly revered in Iran, and an edifice has been erected over the spot where the great poet was buried.
Nizami has also wntten 'In the winter of the year 508AH (109OAD) the king (Muhammad, second son of Malik Shah who reigned from 498 to 511 AH ) sent a messenger to Merv to the Prime Minister Sadru-'d Din Muhammad bin al-Muzaffar bidding him tell Khwaja Imam Omar to select a favourable time for him to go hunting such that therein should be no snowy or rainy days; for Omar was in the Minister's company and used to lodge at his house.
'So the Minister sent a message to summon him, and told him what had happened. The Khwaja went and looked into the matter for two days, and made a careful choice; and he himself went and superintended the mounting of the King at the auspicious moment. When the King was mounted and had gone but a short distance, the sky became overcast with clouds, a wind arose and snow and mist supervened.
'All present fell to laughing and the King
desired to turn back; Omar said 'Have no anxiety, for this very hour the clouds will clear away, during the next five days there will not be a drop of moisture.'
'So the king rode on, and the clouds opened, and during those five days there was no moisture and no one -saw a cloud'.
Omar Khayyam is said to have been the author of a handbook on Natural Science, and of the pamphlets 'A1 Wujud'' and 'AI Kawa wa't Taklif'. He is also said to have been learned in the law in Classical Arabic and in History.
Ghias Uddin Abul Fath Omar bin Ibrahim al Khayyam to give him his full name was born early in the 5th century AH - that is around 1067 AD) - in the province of Khorasan. He-lived the greater part of his life in Naishapur where he died at the age of eighty.
When he was around the age of thirty he was appointed Chief Astronomer by Malik Shah and held this post till the death of the Shah, around the year 1067 AD. During this time he compiled astronomical tables known as Zy I Malikshahi, and, with other astronomers reformed the old Persian calendar, named the Era of Yazdajird. The reform is said to consist of a more exact ascertainment of the length of the solar year and is an improved system of inter-relation which is preferred by astronomers to that adopted by Pope Gregory XIII five centuries later.
Omar Khayyam also wrote a book on Algebra and was a highly distinguished mathematician, whose work on Algebra enjoyed a high reputation for several centuries.
A third notice about Omar Khayyam appears in a Persian book 'Nuzhat ud-Arwa'h' by Muhammad Shahrazuri who wrote about 650 AH (1132 AD)
Another uncomplimentary notice occurs in a Sufi treatise written in 620 AH (1102 AD) by Nejm ud-Din Razi a friend of Jalaluddin Rumi.'Tarikh ul Hukama of Ibn al' Qifti' say, 'Omar Khayyam Imam of Khorusan and the most learned man of his day, was versed in'the science of the Greeks. He encouraged the 'search after the One Judge, by means of purification of the inclination of the flesh for the sake of the elevation of the human soul. He pointed out the necessity of studying political science according to the principles of the Greeks. The later Sufis have found themselves in agreement with some of the exterior meanings of his verses and have introduced them into their system, and discuss them in their public and private gatherings.
But their inner meaning is a stinging serpent to the 'Sharia... But since the people of his day reviled him for his religion and exposed to view' the secrets he had veiled from them, he feared for his blood and reined the bridle of his tongue and pen. He performed the Pilgrimage, not out of piety but from fear (of men) and revealed a secret from among his impure secrets. When he came to Baghdad, men of his way of thinking in the ancient science beset him, but he shut his door on them with the shutting o frepentence and not of companionship. And when he returned from the Pilgrimage to his town he used to go morning and evening t'o' the place of wors'hip and concealed his thoughts which however, perforce revealed themselves. 'He was without an equal in the sciences of Astronomy and Philosophy and he became proverbial in these branches. If only he could have safeguarded his good name ! By him there are fugitive verses where hidden meaning penetrates their veil of concealment and whose fount of conception is troubled by the turbidness of their secret intent. '
Omar Khayyam is also mentioned by an Iranian geographer Qazwini who died in 677 AH (1195 AD) in his word 'Athar ul Bilad'
Qazwini says,'Among the learned men of Nishapur was Omar Khayyam. He was a man versed in all branches of philosophuy especially mathematics. He lived in the reign of Malik Shah the Seljuk, who gave him much money for the purchase of astronomical apparatus that he might make observations of the stars but the Sultan died ere these observations were carried out. They relate that Omar, while staying in a certain Raaba't (inn), noticed that the inhabitants complained of the abundance of birds, whose pollutions defiled their clothes. He thereupon made 'a bird out of clay and placed it on the highest point'of the building. After this the birds kept away from the 'Raaba't.
'It is also related that one of 'the doctors of the law used to come daily before sunrise to read philosophy 'under him,: but used to denounce him to the people. So Omar called to his house all the drummers and trumpeters, and when the doctor of law came as usual for his 'lessons, Omar ordered the men to beat their drums and blow their trumpets and thus collected round him people from every quarter.
'He then addressed them saying 'Men of Naishapur, here is your teacher. He comes every day at his hour to me and studies' science with me, but to you he speaks of me in the manner you know. If I am really as he says, then why does he come and study with me? And if not why does he abuse his teacher?'
Over the years, from his very schooldays in fact, this writer has gathered everything he can on the life of his favourite poet and philosopher. He has found over 1050 quatrains attributed to Omar Khayyam, although it is believed that only about 300 were genuine.
Islamic tradition has it that the Prophet Muhamad (PBUH) has said that it is the business of a Messenger to deliver the message exactly. But when the message is in an unknown tongue and has to be interpreted as well as repeated, the scope of the messenger is naturally enlarged. Again, a man who professes to write in English and translates the message into English must necessarily use idioms and construct his sentences in a manner that would be understood and appreciated by the English reading reader. Else his would be a fruitless effort.
Edward Fitzgerald, for example, was himself a poet and, quite naturally has taken great liberties with Omar Khayyam. His is not really a translation of Omar Khayyam but a re-interpretation in English poetry of what Khayyam was articulating. As a work of poetry in itself, the Rubaiyat of Fitzgerald stands supreme. But W. H. Winfield, who has translated over 500 quatrains of Omar into English has done more of a translation than an attempt such as Fitzgerald had made.
Every translator is not a Fitzgerald. But a study of Winfield's translation reveals that nowhere in the quatrains did Khayyam ever mention Eden or the Snake nor is there any reference to his offering 'man's forgivieness' to Allah. Yet Fitzgerald in his 58th quatrain says,
'O thou who man of baser earth didn't make
And who with Eden didst devise the Snake
For all the Sin wherewith the face of Man
Is blackened, man' s forgiveness give - - and take!These lines of Fitzgerald are indeed an accurate reflection of the spirit in which- Omar treats the question. He regards Life as a doubtful blessing and at times like Job of the Bible, expresses his hatred of it.
This is seen in some of Omar's lesser known writings like his Prayer which says 'Lord do unto me that which 'is worthy of Thee' and not that of'which I am worthy. For I am worthless. '
And yet another quatrain of Omar, little known, says
A supplicant at Makkah's Shrine who wept
Full piteously and thus exclaimed, I saw
'I ask Thee not my'homage to accept
But through my'sins Thy pen absolving draw!
Short Story
Two friends of Wellawatte beachBy R. Tilakaratne
Neelan and I were in the same school, same class and almost the same age with just three months difference between us and lived down the same lane, at Wellawatta. Though he was born to Tamil parents he was in the Sinhala stream right from the start and we started our school life together in the kindergarten. His parents Mr. and Mrs. Namasiwayam and my parents were the greatest of friendsjust like Neelan and myself. We were in and out of each one's houses and like close friends who grow up together shared each others secrets and felt greatly for one another.
Neelan and I both had two younger sisters and they too were the greatest of friends, though my sister was one year older to his and attended a different school.
The Namasiwayams were Hindus and we Buddhists. Whenever some fancy food was made at one house it used to be shared with the other and I still recall the tasty sweet meats we used to receive during Hindu festivals. Neelan who spoke fluent Sinhala was always amongst the first five in class from about the fourth standard onwards. I was always lower down and not very studious. We both participated in sports and both played cricket for the school under 14 and under 16 teams. So we grew up together and shared each other's joys and sorrows.
My father owned a printing press and was doing moderately well - Neelan's father was a government executive in the Electricity Department.
On evenings where we were both free we used to wander down the lane to the sea beach, sit on the rocks and chat away till the day light gave way and we had to get back to our respective homes. When either of us had some extra cash we walked up the road to our familiar haunt the 'thosai boutique' for a good feed and on these occasions, we always took back some thosai or vadai for our two sisters.
Sunday 23rd July, time 5 p.m. - Neelan and I had strolled towards the beach and indulged in idle chatter. We both had some cash with us and he suggested we go to the 'Thosai kade' and have some fresh 'vaddais'. We walked towards the 'thosai' joint but to our surprise found it closed. The adjoining boutique where newspapers and empty bottles could be sold was owned by a Tamil and that too was closed. We wondered why and turned to go back home. A group of people were standing together near another boutique and from their conversation we learnt that a large number of soldiers had been killed in Jaffna and that their bodies were being brought to Colombo that day for burial. Some of them angrily said, 'must teach these Tamil bug...rs a lesson'. Further down the road we heard that the bodies were being brought to the Kanatte cemetery at Borella and that already in Borella some Tamil shops had been attacked by the Sinhalese. We now understood why our 'Thosai kade' and other Tamil shops were closed. We also learnt that a large number of Sinhalese people were gathering at the Kanatte to await the burial of the dead soldiers. Neelan looked anxiously at me and asked 'Nihal, would there be problems today?'
I said 'I don't think Neelan - anyway the police and Army will prevent any problems'.
As we walked down our lane we noticed a lot of Tamils outside their houses standing on the road anxiously chatting to one another. Neelan and I walked towards their house for I had a chocolate which I was taking for his eight year old sister Savithri given by my sister to be given to her.
At Neelan's house I handed the chocolate to little Savithri and as usual Neelan's mother served us some 'murukku' and began preparing coffee for the two of us. Neelan's father had gone to Kataragama for the festival and wouldn't be back till late in the night.
She had told Mrs. Namasiwayam that if there were any problems in our area, they should close their house, and shift to our place.
Late that night bade good night to Neelan and retired to bed. He went home too.
We were suddenly woken up just past midnight by continuous ringing of the door bell and furious knocking on the door. It was Mrs. Namasiwayam, Neelan Savithri and the servant and there was fright written all over their faces. At the same time we heard people screaming from up the lane, some loud slogans being shouted in Sinhalese and the sound of breaking glass. Mrs. Namasiwayam was crying and seemed hysterical - she held Savithri in her arms and behind her was Neelan equally frightened.
'There's a mob coming down this road and they're attacking the Tamil houses they are burning them - 'she shouted over the loud din further up.
My father reacted fast - 'quick get inside all of you' he shouted 'Nihal take them to the store room and lock them up' I quickly took all 3 to the kitchen store room and groped for the switch. For a moment we were all in darkness in the kitchen. Suddenly little Savithri broke away from us - 'I must get my little kitty she said, opened our kitchen door and rushed outside. All of us shouted for her to come back but she had vanished in a flash. Mrs. Namasivayam shouted hysterically to her to come back but she was gone - I quickly pushed Neelan his mother and the servant into the store room, locked the door and ran after Savithri. As I reached our gate I caught a glimpse of her running through their gate into her house. By this time the mob had reached their gate. Flames of torched houses further up the lane were speading fast. There were over a hundred people shouting anti-Tamil slogans at the top of their voices, carrying all kind of weapons in their hands. The din was terrific - the sound of cracking flames as wooden structures crumpled and the loud noise of breaking glass as the houses were attacked. Over all this came the noise of people screeming, crying and pleading for mercy. I reached the gate of Savithri's house and came face to face with the mob leaders.
'Meya demala nevei' (this guy is not a Tamil) a young man in shorts said and I recognised him - an odd job man who lived near the top of the road. He was identifying the Tamil homes for the mob to attack.
'Mey demala gedarak' (this is a Tamil house) he continued, and pointed at Savithri's house - The mob leader, a hunk of a man with an overgrown beard went in through the open gate followed by the others, some carrying clubs, some axes some cans of petrol. I pushed my way through the crowd and got up to Savithri's house door. Just then little Savithri came out holding her little kitten in her hands. The mob leader held her roughly by her hair and pulled her towards him - 'Umba demala neda' (you are Tamil aren't you) he asked. Savithri was paralysed with fear. Her eyes were opened wide and she looked beckoningly at me. I jumped in front of her - 'aney mai daruwata yandadenna - mama eya anduranawa (Please let this child go, I know her).
I was shoved aside and saw another man with an axe raised in his hand approaching her. Even as I reached her he brought the axe down on her head with a crushing blow. I saw her skull crack - blood spurted out like a fountain in all directions, brain matter spilling out with it. Her blood was all over me and I realized I was grappling with the man who delivered the fatal blow - 'uwa maranna epa - u ape akek' - (don't kill him, he's one of us) were the last words I heard when I got a heavy blow on the side of the head by a club wielding man I passed out.
Later I learnt that almost all the Tamil houses down the lane were smashed and burnt. Some of the occupants killed and the goods looted. I had been taken to hospital by my parents. I was in hospital for 2 days and then discharged. Mrs. Namasiwayan and Neelan and the servant were safe but little Savithri was dead. Mr. Namasiwayan came back the next day. He was a broken man and Neelan and his mother were in a state of shock for quite a few days. We kept them and looked after them for almost 3 weeks. We tried to console them but it was of no use. Their grief was too great and too deep.
At the end of 3 weeks, Mr. Namasiwayam, Neelan and mother thanked us profusely, bade us good-bye and left for Jaffna to their ancestral home in Tellippalai. We dropped them at the Fort railway station where they boarded the KKS night mail.
At the station Neelan and I held hands and both of us were in tears. He didn't say much, only that he would be coming back to school. My parents had told him and that he could stay with us for as long as he wished - he didn't say 'yes' or 'no'.
My parents too were in tears as we wished good-bye to them and watched them board the train.
A month passed and during this time we had several calls from Jaffna - Mr. Namasiwayan said that he had secured a job in Canada where he had a brother who had settled down there and that he would be coming back to Colombo soon with Neelan. Neelan's mother said she would remain in Jaffna in their home at Thellippalai. Neelan, for his part would be coming back with his father to attend school and would be happy to stay with us - he spoke to me at length asking about school which had recommenced and about our mutual friends. He wanted me to inform our class teacher about what had happened and to tell him he would be coming back.
By this time, I had been asked to report to the Army for an interview - My application to the Airforce, my first choice was not successful. Both fathers and mothers tried to dissuade me from joining the forces. They wanted me to continue my studies but my mind was made up and I would be joining the Army as an officer cadet.
I passed my second interview and a date was given to report to the Army hospital for my 'medicals'. I was extremely happy - My parents were rather sad!
Neelan and father came back from Jaffna and he and I attended school together. He was happy about my Army selection because he knew how much I loved it.
I noticed a change in Neelan. He was always a rather quiet guy but now he hardly spoke to anyone except me and that too not much. He was friendly as before but his thought seemed far away and at times he used to keep to himself.
Naturally, I attributed this to the trauma he had gone through.
He who had been keen on his studies earlier now seemed disinterested in his work and on quite a few occasions was gently pulled up by our teachers for neglecting of his work. Gone was his desire to do medicine and when I questioned him about this he said - 'I don't know Nihal, but I don't feel like studying any further'.
'Don't worry Neelan' I said 'I know what you have gone through. Give it a little time and you'll be OK'. - This is the same thing his father and my parents told him too.
Neelan's father got his letter of appointment for the Canadian job sooner than expected and left Sri Lanka. He would be sending money to Neelan for his expenses and requested my parents to look after his son till further arrangements were made. My parents assured him that Neelan would be well looked after and could stay with us as long as he liked. Neelan showed no emotion when he bade good-bye to his father who broke down and cried. This was not the Neelan I knew. He had changed.
One day we had strolled down to the beach seated on the rocks and as the sun was setting in the distant horizon. I was doing most of the talking and Neelan saying in an occasional word. He suddenly looked at me very seriously.
'Nihal, there's something I want to tell you - I won't be here for long. I'm going back to Jaffna to stay with amma'.
'Don't be silly Neelan', I said. 'What about your studies'?. The 'A' levels are just 4 months away and you got toÉ'
'No Nihal, I won't be sitting for the 'A' Levels - at least not here - may be in Jaffna - I just can't concentrate on my studies any more - there's something wrong - I want to be with ammi and I want to take a rest - so I'll be going to Jaffna as soon as I can ...' His mind seemed made-up and nothing I said could change it. He always was a determined guy.
Later, when I mentioned this to my parents my father said - 'well, in away its understandable putha, after what that boy had gone through' - It's a pity about his exam but he should be able to sit for it there and I think a little rest and change of environment may be the best thing for him at this time.'
It was the day prior to his departure and as usual we, were seated on the rocks at the sea beach listening to the eternal sounds of the crashing waves and watching the red glow of sunset.
It was difficult for both of us and neither of us spoke much. We loved each other like brothers and now the time for parting was drawing near. He had wanted a photograp of myself and the family and I had brought one along. I handed it over to him. For myself I had a number of snaps of Neelan and myself together, some with little Savithri too included - these I had in my album.
During that dreadful night in July Neelan had lost his wrist watch which he had failed to bring when they fled from their house. I took out the lovely expensive watch my father had brought for me from Geneva and handed it to Neelan.
'Neelan, I want you to have my watch just to remember me. - you can give it to me when you come back or you can keep it but as long us you you're away you keep itÉ'
Neelan refused to take the watch but I pleaded with him to take it and he agreed. I strapped it on his wrist and a short while later we made our way home, both of us sad and wet in the eyes.
And so Neelan and I parted company as he left for Jaffna the next day. He never told me when he would come back but said he will keep in contact with me. I stood on the platform waving to him and waited for a long time as the train slowly drew away into the distance and faded from view.
I passed my army medicals and got security clearance. After the third interview I was picked as an officer cadet and sent to Diyatalawa for my training. It was a rigorous training of 2 years and during this period I was allowed to come home on leave on just 4 occasions only. Whenever I came home I phoned up Neelan but was able to speak to him only once. He told me sadly that he had given up his studies and was looking after some of their land in Jaffna. He inquired about my training and also spoke to my folks. He told them that he would not be returning to Colombo but would be staying on in Jaffna with his mother. He thanked my parents for what they had done for him and his family. He said his father was sending them money from Canada and that they were comfortable. On several occasions when I phoned his mother she said he was out but that he always spoke about me and my parents.
After my training I passed out of the ATC at Diyathalawa as a young officer. I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Light Infantry and then was sent on a young officer's course to Pakistan for 1 year. We had a tough but thorough training and came back to Sri Lanka - soon I was made a full Lt and posted to 'Madagal' in the Jaffna peninsula as the officer incharge of troops there. The LTTE now had many well trained combatants and many were giving the Army a tough time. The casualties were heavy on both sides and many small Army camps had been overrun by the terrorists - There were frequent ambushes of Army patrols and many a soldier lost his life. We too had our informants and managed to kill a number of terrorists. I tried to contact Neelan but failed. When I spoke to his mother, she was very polite but would always say that Neelan was not at home.
In 1990 I was promoted to the rank of Captain and later joined the Army Special Force (SF). We used to frequentty attack and ambush LTTE groups and were employed in various areas. In one of these attacks off the jungles of Mullaithivu we injured and captured a boy who was only 16 years of age as he told us. He spoke perfect English and I interrogated him. He had sustained superficial leg injuries and our medics had attended on him. He had been a student at St Patricks Jaffna he told me. He had been 14 years when he joined the movement and had been a keen student. I inquired about his training. He had been trained in combat in a camp at Mullaithivu and was familiar with all weapons. He had joined the LTTE when their house had been bombed, accidentally by the Airforce and his father, mother and sister killed instantly I inquired further about his training. He spoke freely and gave me the names of his training instructors.
'My chief training officer was Captain Neelan' he said.
'Which Captain Neelan?' I asked.
'Captain Neelan of the Charles Anthony Brigade - He's the leader for this area - Neelan Namasiwayam - he's from TellipallaiÉ'
I was shocked. So this is why Neelan couldn't be contacted. I felt sad and I felt sick. This was our Neelan. My dear friend and now we were on opposite sides.
I gave the boy same food from my ration pack which he eagerly accepted. I let him eat for a while and also gave him some chocolates which I carried in my pack. He thanked me and smiled. He was a handsome little fellow.
I questioned him further about Neelan .
'Captain Neelan is a very nice leader. He's very good to us, not like some of the others' he said. He looks after us very well and we all like him he said. 'But he hardly talks - he keeps to himself', the boy said. I asked him where Captain Neelan was now but he didn't reply. After sometime I handed him over to our interrogation squad and moved away.
Neelan, now a Captain in the LTTE and an area leader! My thoughts went back. I thought of our life together, his dead sister Savithri, our parents.
We had information about an LTTE camp about a mile ahead of where we were after we got back to camp I send a reconnaissance party of our best men in jungle warfare - Sgt Gunadasa a veteran in this type of fighting and 2 efficient Coporals. They set off in the early morning hours. When Sgt Gunadasa returned with his team he said, there was a camp about a few miles ahead in a cleared area and there were a no huts. It was closely guarded but could be approached from one side.
We approached the target cautiously - the sentries were taken silently and without difficulty. They were taken by surprise and though there was tough resistance we overran the camp after about two hours of heavy fighting. We were far greater in numbers and finally they were no match for us. We began to inspect the overrun camp, our men still alert for any remaining terrorists. I noticed a trail of blood leading away from one of the huts into the jungle and knew at least one of them had escaped. I summoned Sgt Gunadasa and two of my best men and cautiously followed the trail. It led into the thick jungle ahead and we spread out as we followed it. I suddenly hit a tree stump which couldn't be seen because of the thick foliage stumbled and fell dropping my rifle in the process. As I desperately reached for it but couldn't get it a figure from behind a tree, a man with his rifle emerged with a rifle pointed out at me.
I thought this is the end of the road but he didn't fire. I looked up at the figure and was shocked. Even with his thick beard and darkened face, I recognised my old friend Neelan and he recognised me. We stared at each other for a few seconds - Just then there was a burst of gunfire. Neelan jerked up fell to the ground. Sgt Gunadasa ran towards us his T-56 still pointed at Neelan.
'Stop, Stop' I shouted and ran to my fallen friend. He was still alive, his eyes open, staring at me.
'Get the medic' I shouted at the Sergeant and he immediately backed away. Neelan was shot in the chest and abdomen and blood was pouring out of his mouth and oozing through the bullet holes in his camouflage uniform. His eyes were still open and he was trying to say something. He held my hand as I put my ear close to his mouth. In a barely audible voice he said 'Thanks, Nihal for everything. Then his head dropped to a side and life was no more. He died in my arms, his hand grasping mine. I held him for a while longer and as I quietly released his hand I saw the gold watch strapped to his wrist - my parting present to him. Almost the entire upper part of his uniform was now blood soaked and the blood was drying. I rummaged through his pockets and took out the contents. In the left hand upper pocket were 2 tattered photographs now stained with blood. One was of him, myself, little Savithri and my sister - it was taken long time ago at our place. The other was a photograph of Savithri taken on her B'day. I kept these with me. I also unstrapped the watch and took it.
I kept looking at Neelan for a long time remembering the old days till Sgt Gunadasa tapped on the shoulder. - 'Sir, the medical team is here.' I looked up and saw.
'Lieut. Dias, a superb field medical officer, a very senior registered medical practitioner. He saw the photographs and gold watch in my hands and the tears in my eyes. - 'Why sir,' he inquired.
'No, No, Dias, we were in school together' and I pointed at the fallen figure. - 'We were good friends'
He knelt down and looked at Neelan, feeling his pulse. He shook his head and got up. I handed him the blood stained photograph and he looked closely at them. He understood, then put his arm round me and led me away.
' Inform Col. Silva again that we have taken the camp' I told the radio operator.
Lieut. Dias handed me a cup of hot tea and I sipped it. I looked back at Neelan for the last time.
by D. B. Kappagoda
The Sri Lanka National Centre at Rajagiriya provides education for the young in designing. This is to enable them to dispel many misconceptions in the art of designing.Sarath Sivasena of the centre said, 'Designing is not a process of decorating the existing surfaces. It means an evaluation of expressed needs in the aspect of availability of raw materials'.
Some view that designing is not suitable for our country. It is because any product can be easily obtained or supplied through electronic devices like the Internet. To adapt such a method is piracy and it is a disgrace to copy when we possess a long history in architecture and other creative arts and crafts.
When designing a product it has to be done on the soil of that country. The existing market and the evolution of the country's cultural, social, educational and political scenario should be taken into consideration.
Taking all these factors into consideration, the design centre at Rajagiriya provides advanced skills and technical development training programmes, up grade traditional handicrafts and develop new design concepts. At the same time, the centre provides assistance and provide professional guidance to university undergraduates who are engaged in research programmes. Sivasena explained further - 'we concentrate in educating the younger generation in their profession namely, designing. A product designed by the Italian designers will not serve the same purpose in any other country unless the Italian designers have evaluated the cultural and social conditions of that country'.
Supplying any design from any other country will be a failure. We need not go to Britain or Japan to take lessons, concepts for designing. The designing institute founded nearly 20 years ago in Ahamadebad in Gujarat has become one of the leading centres in the world.
Most of our housewives fancied the Japanese products such as kitchen appliances. But today they prefer the Indian made Sumit, the multi-purpose blender and mixture to any other product.
This is because Sumit is a heavy duty product designed and made considering the needs and functions of the Indian kitchen, grinding grains and vegetables including mallun.
For designing and manufacturing textile it should be done to suit our climatic conditions. There should be more cotton fibre than synthetic fibre. The woven patterns should be comfortable to our climatic conditions.
The colours should match our cultival requirements, for instance various ethnic groups prefer colour patterns. The designing of fabric should be done to suit our requirements.
Most of our handicrafts are now on the decline. This is because of the crafting processes. There is a wrong idea planted in our country by politicians and some learned persons that our tradition should be pursued as it was.
It is an impossible task. When the patron of crafts dies or no more the crafts dies or no more the craft tradition in turn disappear soon or later. During the time of the Kandyan kings, the relationship of patron and craftsmen was close but today in this complex society we live in, it cannot be continued.
Today our social requirements are complex and confused. Therefore we cannot pursue our craft tradition as it was. Instead we can develop craft tradition to suit contemporary social and market requirements.
In developing craft designs - architects, craftsmen, technologists and marketing people should work jointly to find out new forms and new frontiers. This includes the users for craft skills.
The traditional craftsmen possess a background going back to the days of craft guilds. The present need is to upgrade their production to meet the modern needs. This meant to create an awareness of new uses with the technical devices and processes.
The designer while creating new products he must improve the existing one and also find new uses for traditional craft skills. The task of the designer is to communicate his ideas through visual symbols.
The designer should be trained to evaluate a range of problems like source materials, market situations, contemporary trends and social values before creating new designs.
Towards these goals, the Sri Lanka Design Centre conducts training programmes at Nattarampotha in Kandy and Moratuwa. New technologies and designs have been introduced during the course of training.
Already two new machines have been designed namely, Paper Pulp Machine and Glass Engraving Machine. In addition a Coconut Shell Button Maker and Wood Chip Saw, Dust Press Machine have proved to be successful innovations.
It is imperative that the designer should take advantage of new markets and appropriate technologies in the development process. The proposed design and crafts college similar to the National Institute of Design at Ahamadebad in India will be a boon in the total education of perspective designers. This is a step in the right direction.
When a seven year old views an art exhibition and inscribes words to the effect that the artist is getting better and better that remark surely has to be amongst the most genuine remarks ever made.
Rhythms of NatureHaving had the opportunity of a sneak preview of Rienzie Fernando's collection for his second exhibition 'Thelithudaka Ridmaya' I must agree whole heartedly with the seven year old ! Rienzies first exhibition featured fifty felt pen drawings on Canvas. His subjects varied from Birds to Leopards to Elephants. Rienzie has a penchant for Nature. And he reproduces this love faithfully. Thelithudaka Ridmaya' will be held at the National Art Gallery from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on the 18th, 19th and 20th of December. It comprises a dozen or so water colours and forty five felt pen on canvas drawings. Rienzie captures his subjects with the ease of someone totally in touch with nature. An Interesting section awaits you at this exhibition, for Rienzie has experimented with the human form and captured these images as brilliantly as he did with the animal world.
One of the recently exhibited photograph
on nature by K. GH. Keerthiratne.Rienzie Fernandos work has matured and this artist has truly come of age since his first solo exhibition.
A Television producer by profession Rienzie says he paints for pleasure.
This may be one reason that his paintings bring so much pleasure to those who view them or possess them. 'Thelithudaka Ridmaya' is co-sponsored by Union Assurance and Donalds.
Two years after Clarence Wijewardene
by Prasad Gunewardene
You have been absent from the music scene for two years though your voice echoes over the mini screen and radio beams daily. Tomorrow (December 13) marks your second death anniversary.
Clarence WijewardeneTwo years ago, I still remember the last meeting I had with you by the side of your hospital bed at the Nawaloka hospital. When I came there to channel Neuro Surgeon Dr. Fred Perera, I met your wife Sheela at the entrance to the hospital. I was stunned and shocked to hear that you had been rushed a second time to hospital within ten days. On the previous occasion I visited you there and you were discharged in good health. I immediately rushed to your bedside and woke you up from your sleep. You were so happy to see me as a friend who was with you for thirty years. Our friendship began when I was schooling in Mt. Lavinia and you were leading the popular 'Moonstones' practising every evening in a house behind the Mount Post Office.
When you spoke to me from your hospital bed, I never even dreamt that God's call was only a few days away from you. You looked very much improved in health. The words you spoke till echo in my ears. You said, 'Prasad, this time when I am OK. I'll be going to the United States on an invitation by the Sri Lankans there and on my way back I want to visit 'our Lady of Lourdes' in Italy for the second time before I die'. Dear Clarence, it was not to be so as the fate was cruel and I was shocked to hear a few days later on a morning that God has called you to his kingdom to grant you eternal rest. My friend, our association for over thirty years warrant me to write folds and folds of reminiscences but, space here does not warrant many heart breaking lines.
It is timely to recall the role you played as a musician when Sri Lanka played its first test match at Asgiriya, Kandy against the mighty England team led by Keith Fletcher. I recollect the game was played in February 1982. In mid-January that year you called on me at my 'Island' editorial and said, 'Machang, I want to finish a cassette dedicated to the first test match before the test begins and present it to Mr. Gamini Dissanayake (then President of the Board of Control for Cricket), Keith Fletcher and Bandula Warnapura, so help me.' I replied, 'Don't worry Clarence, there's nothing that we cannot do when both of us are together'. You wanted a good artist to sketch a batsman to the cassette cover and my good friend, the popular artist Janaka Ratnayake readily accepted that responsibility. We worked every night at the recording studio and saw the recording was perfect and complete. Your composition of the song, 'Thana Nilla Dige' sung by Saman de Silva in that cassette gave Saman, an up and coming singer at that time a lot of fame.
We decided to reach Asgiriya on the morning of the inaugural test match but you asked me how we could gain entry to the venue to accomplish our mission as we had no tickets or passes. I said don't worry and I would ensure that the mission would be fulfilled. 'The Island' then Sports Editor T. M. K. Samat and the Reporter covering the match, Ranjeewa Seneviratne helped us to gain entry and you not only presented compliments and cassettes to both teams during the lunch break but also received assistance from the late Gamini Dissanayake to get the songs played over the loud speakers during the breaks. Clarence, this is only one episode of the many that we both had performed. There are many more to write about. The vacuum can never be filled in the music scene.You were a friend who made it a point to telephone me once a week to know how I was getting on.
We exchanged many ideas of which many you transformed into beautiful lyrics of your songs. One such song was 'Deviyan Wahanse Koheda Oba Inne' (God, where are you!) Dear Clarence, now you are with him in his kingdom and that is certain. While you sing beautiful melodies to the angels there, we comfort ourselves listening to the sweet melodies you composed to many and sang for yourself here.
So good-bye dear friend till we meet again in the golden shore of God where you have taken permanent residence.
