Ediriweera Sarachchandra
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Veditantirige Ediriweera Ranjitha Sarachchandra (born Veditantirige Eustace Reginold de Silva; 3 June 1914 – 16 August 1996), popularly known as Ediriweera Sarachchandra ), was a Sri Lankan playwright, novelist, poet, literary critic, essayist and social commentator. Considered as the premier playwright in Sri Lanka, Sarachchandra produced several critically acclaimed theatre plays in a career spanning more than four decades. He also served as a senior lecturer at the
University of Peradeniya The University of Peradeniya (, ) is a Public research university, public university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka, University Grants Commission. It is the largest university in Sri Lanka, which was origin ...
for many years and as Sri Lankan Ambassador to France from 1974 to 1977.


Personal life

Sarachchandra was born on 3 June 1914 in Dodanduwa, Rathgama,
Galle Galle (, ; , ) (formerly ) is a major city on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, south of Colombo. Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the capital of Galle District. Galle was known as ''Gi ...
, Sri Lanka. He completed his early education at Richmond College in
Galle Galle (, ; , ) (formerly ) is a major city on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, south of Colombo. Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the capital of Galle District. Galle was known as ''Gi ...
, St. John's College Panadura, S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and St. Aloysius' College in Galle. In 1939 Sarachchandra married Aileen Beleth. Then he married Lalitha Swarna Perera, a children's drama producer. Sarachchandra was the father of five children: Nanaditha, Sunethra, Kisagothami, Yashodhara and Ransi. His daughter Sunethra is also a popular actress in cinema, television and theatre who entered acting with her father's stage play ''Kapuwa Kapothii''. Her performance in ''Ves Muhunu'' made her the best actress. Since then, she has received several state awards.


Teaching career

Sarachchandra started his career as a teacher at St. Peter's College in Colombo 4. He then joined the publishing company Lake House in an administrative position. 1933, gained admission to the Ceylon University College and offered Pali, Sanskrit and Sinhala for the first degree and passed out in 1936 with a first class and sat for the Ceylon Civil Service examination (because of his parents' insistence) and came first in the islan

He subsequently travelled to
Santiniketan Shantiniketan (IPA: Help:IPA/Bengali, antiniketɔn is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Maharshi Devendra ...
to study
Indian philosophy Indian philosophy consists of philosophical traditions of the Indian subcontinent. The philosophies are often called darśana meaning, "to see" or "looking at." Ānvīkṣikī means “critical inquiry” or “investigation." Unlike darśan ...
and Music. Sarachchandra returned to Sri Lanka in 1940 and resumed his teaching career at St. Thomas College in Mt. Lavinia. From 1942 to 1944 he worked on his master's degree in Indian philosophy as an external student of the
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...
while holding the position of Sub-Editor of the Sinhala Dictionary. Sarachchandra returned to the
University of Ceylon The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka (earlier Ceylon) from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the Univ ...
serving as a lecturer in
Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
from 1947 to 1949. He gained entry to the
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...
in 1949 to study towards a postgraduate degree in
Western Philosophy Western philosophy refers to the Philosophy, philosophical thought, traditions and works of the Western world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning with the ancient Greek philosophy of the Pre ...
.


Career

Sarachchandra entered the drama around 1940 as a playwright who followed the Western natural drama tradition. For the next ten years or so, he was involved in Western natural drama adapted into Sinhala. During that time, he made the stage plays ''Mudalalige Peraliya'' (1943), ''Kapuwa Kapoti'' (1945), ''Hangi Hora'' (1949), ''Valaha'', ''Magul Prasthava'' and ''Manager'' (1950) which were adaptive natural dramas produced by him. In 1951, he produced the play ''Bahina Kalawa'' which was his first naturalistic creation. Then he made three independent, natural short plays: ''Vala Ihagena Kema'', ''Tharuna Lekakaya'' and ''Sathwa Karunawa''. In 1955, he made his longest natural drama ''Wadinna Giya Devale'', which is a semi-natural drama with two songs based on a golden folk tale. Sarachchandra's concept of drama has undergone a major transformation since the early 1950s. In 1952, he produced a semi-natural semi-stylized play ''Pabawathi'' which was the first step he took to create a local drama tradition. It was the first time that his play included "Pothe Gura" and songs. Later, he had the opportunity to study in Eastern countries such as India and Japan. After returning, he produced his first stylist play ''Maname'' in 1956 to widespread acclaim. Maname is generally considered the first real Sinhala drama, signalling the transition from the ''Nadagam'' or folk drama to the modern theatrical drama format. After the successful venture, he continued as a playwright, developing his next stylist play ''Sinhabahu'' in 1961, which is widely considered as his best work. Based on the Nadagam tradition, he produced only these two plays. After those critically acclaimed plays, he made several beyond 'Nadagam' tradition dramas including: ''Kada Walalu'' (1958), ''Elova Gihin Melova Ava'' (1959), ''Hasthikantha Manthare'' (1959), ''Mahasara'' (1968), ''Prematho Jayathi Soko'' (1969), ''Wesasanthara Natakaya'' (1980), ''Lomahansa Natakaya'' (1958), ''Bhava Kadathurava'' (1988). Most of his plays were adaptations from
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
''Jathakas'' or Sinhala folklore giving his work instant and lasting popularity with the population that identified with their roots. He followed a stylistic tradition that included singing, playing and dancing in these stage plays. Composed and first produced in 1969, the lyric drama ''Pematho Jayathi Soko'' was based on the classic poetry "Swarnathilaka" included in "Saddharmalankaraya". It was first presented by the Sinhala Drama Board of the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya and was staged for a week from 25 February 1969, to 2 March 1969, at 8 pm at the Sukhawathie Theater (EOE Perera Theater) in the Engineering Department of the university. The
University of Jaffna The University of Jaffna (, ''Yāpanaya Wiśwawidyālaya''; ; abbreviated UoJ) is a public university in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Established in 1974 as the sixth campus of the University of Sri Lanka, it became an independent, autonomous university in 1 ...
and the
University of Peradeniya The University of Peradeniya (, ) is a Public research university, public university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka, University Grants Commission. It is the largest university in Sri Lanka, which was origin ...
conferred Sarachchandra the degree of Doctor of Literature in 1982. Also in that year, he was made an Emeritus Professor at the University of Peradeniya. In 1983 the State of
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
in
South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
awarded Sarachchandra the Kumaran Asan World Prize. In 1988 he won the
Ramon Magsaysay Award The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Gawad Ramon Magsaysay'') is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, ...
for Literature. On 3 June 2014, Sarachchandra's birth centenary falls which has been recognized by UNESCO. With that, he became the first and only Sri Lankan artist to be recognized by UNESCO.


Stage plays

*''Bahina Kalawa'' *''Bhavakaḍaturāwa'' *'' Elowa gihin Melowa Āwā'' *''Kada Walalu'' *''Kirimuttiya Gangea Giya'' – 1985 *''Lomahansa'' *''Mahasara'' *'' Maname'' *''Mudalalige Peraliya'' *''Pabāvatī'' *''Pematho Jayathi Soko'' *''Raththaran'' *'' Sinhabāhu'' *''Wessantara''


Author works


Novels

*Geethulata hina (1959) *''Walmath Wee Hasarak Nudutimi'' (1962) *''Malwunge Awrudhuda'' (1965) *''Loku Putha Nohoth Bandulage Parawarthaya'' (1971) *''Heta Echchara Kaluwara Ne'' (1975) *''Wilasiniyakage Premaya'' (1988) *''Curfew and a Full Moon'' (1978) *''With the Begging Bowl'' (1986) *''Foam Upon the Stream'' (1987)


Short stories

*''Kalayage Awemen'' (1969) *''Maya Roopaya'' (1974) *''Roopa Sundari'' (1984) *''Midiya, Gruhaniya ha Upasikawa'' (1993) *''Of a Queen and a Courtesan'' (1970) *''The Death of a Friend'' (1981)


Research, Literary Theory and Criticism

*Sahithya Vidyawa (1949) *Sinhala Nawakatha Ithihasaya ha Wicharaya (1951) *Kalpana Lokaya (1958) *Natya Gaweshana (1967) *Wes Muhunuda Sebe Muhunuda? (1971) *Modern Sinhalese Fiction (1943) *The Sinhalese Novel (1950) *The folk Drama of Ceylon (1952) *Buddhist Psychology of Perception (1958)


Other

*''Ape Withthi'' (1942) *''Asampurna Charika Satahan'' (1967) *''Dharmishta Samajaya'' (1982) *''Pin Ethi Sarasawi Waramak Denne'' (1985)


See also

* Theatre of Sri Lanka * Sri Lankan Non Career Diplomats


References


External links


Sarachchandra Org
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20070929092341/http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1604/16040710.htm SYMPOSIUM: SRI LANKA'S CULTURAL EXPERIENCE Between Home and the Worldbr>Sarachchandra the diplomat – a few recollections Integral dramatist, doyen among intellectualsසරච්චන්ද්‍ර හිටියානම් අද මොනවා කියයිද?
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarachchandra, Ediriweera 1914 births 1996 deaths Sinhalese people Sri Lankan dramatists and playwrights Alumni of University of London Worldwide Alumni of the University of London Alumni of the Ceylon University College Alumni of Richmond College, Galle Alumni of St. Aloysius' College, Galle Alumni of St. John's College, Panadura Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia Academic staff of the University of Ceylon (Colombo) Academic staff of the University of Ceylon (Peradeniya) Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to France Sinhala-language poets Sinhalese writers 20th-century Sri Lankan novelists 20th-century Sri Lankan poets 20th-century dramatists and playwrights Sri Lankan academics Academics from Galle