ගම්පෙරළිය

ගම් පෙරළිය #1

by Martin Wickramasinghe

The trilogy consists of the following I - Gamperaliya, The Village; II - Kaliyugaya, The Village and the City; III - Yuganthaya, The City. The first novel depicts the crumbling of traditional village life under the pressure of modernisation. The story of a successful family in a Southern village is used to portray the gradual replacement of traditional economic and social structure of the village by commercial city influence. Yuganthaya and After the decay of traditional life, the story details the rise of the bourgeoisie, with its urban base and entrepreneurial drive, ending with the formation of the labour movement and socialist theology and rise of hopes for a new social order.

Genres: Novels, Fiction, Classics

234 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

The search for roots is the central theme in Martin Wickramasinghe’s writings on the culture and life of the people of Sri Lanka. He imaginatively explored and applied modern knowledge in natural and social sciences, literature, linguistics, the arts, philosophy, education, and Buddhism and comparative religion to reach beyond the superficial emotionalism of vulgar nationalism, and guide us to the enduring roots of our common national identity that exists in the folklife and folk culture of Sri Lanka...

Martin Wickramasinghe’s vision was primarily nurtured in the tolerant, humane, realistic attitude to life traditional to Buddhist folk culture. He valued the intellectual freedom and independence inspired by the Buddha’s ‘Kalama Sutta’ which he saw as a tradition to question tradition, not unlike the Western scientific attitude. Through his writings, he consistently opposed dogmatism, casuistry, elitism, and oppression in any form, be it cultural, religious, political or social.

His works have been translated and published in English, Hindi, Tamil, Russian, Chinese, Romanian, Dutch, German, French and Japanese languages.

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ගම්පෙරළිය, One of the best books of my childhood. It's not meant for children but still, I was never the one who stuck to the rules.

As the name depicts, the book is focused on "changes in the village". Mainly how the traditional village life changes with the impact of the modernization. It is basically the story of an upper class family of the village and how things changes from the way it was to a different situation and peoples views along with it. Mr. Wickramasinghe does an excellent job in capturing the sadness, helplessness, the rage, the love and the conflict of views.

Then there's is one interesting fellow. The youngest of the family, Tissa. The ever rebellious, young blood who seeks to break the norms. I quite like him.

ගම්පෙරළිය does not end from this book. It flows to the next couple of generations with the next two making this the first and the best of the trilogy. Undoubtedly one of the milestones in Sinhalese literature.

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first look into Sri Lankan literature, I picked this book up at a book store in Colombo a few weeks ago. I was looking at the English-language "Sri Lankan literature" section on the second floor of the mercifully air conditioned building after roaming around the hot streets for about forty five minutes looking for this particular book store, when one of the salesmen approached me. I pointed to the rack of novels and asked him which one I should buy (having really no information regarding the quality of different Sri Lankan authors). He picked out this book, translated as "Uprooted" in my copy, saying that Wickramasinghe was one of the authors who helped revolutionize Sri Lankan literature. I said, "Thanks, OK, good enough for me," paid the 300 rupees (roughly $3) down on the first floor, and stuck it in my backpack.

My favorite characters in this book were Tissa and sometimes Nanda. I actually felt like I saw a fair amount of myself in the younger brother Tissa, but I shan't ruin it by saying why. The book focuses around a family from the upper class of a southern village (a village that I actually went through myself on my recent trip to the island), and how it lives and changes with time. I actually really enjoyed this book, and if I had read it in Sinhala (original language) and if I knew more about the Sri Lankan culture and religion, I'm sure it would have been more meaningful and enjoyable. Nevertheless, though, reading this was both entertaining and enlightening (my favorite kind of book).

Thank you, man in the book store!

[Prasad Polwatte · Rating 5 out of 5]

ගම්පෙරලිය (1944)/ කලියුගය (1957)/ යුගාන්තය (1949)
හෙලයේ මහා ගත්කරු මාර්ටින් වික්‍රමසින්හ

ශ්‍රි ලන්කාවේ 1900 - 1950 දක්වා දිවෙන කාලයේදී සිදුවු සාමාජීය, ආර්ථික විකාශනය කොග්ගල ග්‍රාමයෙන් බිහිවු පවුලක සිදුවීම් ලෙස නවකතා ත්‍රිත්වකකට මාර්ටින් වික්‍රමසින්හ ඉදිරිපත්කර ඈත.

ගම්පෙරලිය

කොග්ගල ධනවත්, අහන්කාර රදලයකුවු කයිසාරුවත්තේ මුගන්දිරම්ගේ නන්දා නෑමති රුමත් දියනියට ඈයගේ ඉන්ග්‍රිසි ගුරුවරයාවු පියල් නම් ගමේ සාමාන්ය පවුලක උගත්, දියුනුවීමේ අපේක්ශාවලින් යුත් තරුනයා විවාහයොජනාවක් ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමෙන් නිග්‍රහයට ලක්වුයේය.

කයිසාරුවත්තේ සහ බිරිඳට (මාතර හාමිනේ) ධනවත් ඉඩම් හිමියන්වු නමුත් තම වියාපාර සාර්තකව පවත්වාගෑනීමට හෑකියාව නොතිබුනේය. ඔවුන් තම සමාජ තත්වය පෙන්වීමට දෑරිය නොහෑකි ලෙස මුදල් වෑය කලෝය. ඔවුන්ගේ පවුල් පසුබිමට ගෑලපෙන නන්දාගේ ස්වාමියා ලෙස තෝරාගත් ජිනදාස රෑකියාවක් නොමෑති දේපල වල ආදායමින් යෑපෙන මෑදවයසේ පුද්ගලයකු වුයේය.

කයිසාරුවත්ත පවුල ධනයෙන් පිරිහෙමින් ක්‍රමයෙන් දිලිඳු තත්වයට පත්වුයේය, නන්දාගේ සොහොයුරිය අනුලා ස්වාමියකු නෑතිව ගෙදරට නාකිවුවාය, සොහොයුරා තිස්සගේ අද්යාපනය කඩාකප්පල් වුයේය, රෑකියාවක් සොයා දුශ්කර පලාතකට ගිය ජිනදාස මෑරුන බවට ආරන්චිවුයේය.

පියල් කොළඹට ගොස් වියාපාර කරමින් දියුනුවී පොහොසතකුවී නන්දා හිමිකරගෑනීමේ අවස්තාව ලබාගත්තේය.

කලියුගය

පියල් සහ නන්දා කොළඹ පදින්චිවී ධනය රෑස්කරමින් උසස් සමාජයට අනුගතවීමට උත්සාහදෑරුහ. දරුවන්වු ඈලන්, නාලිකා සහ චන්ද්‍රසෝම හට උසස් පාසෑල් අද්යාපනය ලෑබීමට සෑලෑස්වුහ.

දෙමාපියන් කාර්ය බහුල නිසා දරුවන් සෙනෙහස ලබාගත්තේ නෑන්දනියවු අනුලාගෙනි. රෝගාතුරවීම නිසා අනුලා කොග්ගල මහ ගෙදර පදින්චියට ගියාය. දෙමාපියන්ගේ විරෝදය මෑද ඈලන් ලන්සි තරුනියක් විවාහ කරගෙන එන්ගලන්තයේ පදින්චිවුයේය. චන්ද්‍රසෝම හිතුවක්කාරයෙක් වුයේය. නාලිකා තම සමාජ තත්වයටවඩා පහත් සුලු වියාපාරිකයකුවු කබලාන සමඟ ප්‍රේම සම්බන්දතාවයක් ගොඩනගාගත්තාය.

සාර්ථක වියාපාරිකයකුවු පියල්ගේ ජීවිතයේ අවසාන කාලය තෘප්තිමත් නොවුයේය, කලකිරීමෙන් ගතකර රෝගාතුරවී මියගියේය.

යුගාන්තය

සවිමන් කබලාන සහ නාලිකා විවාහවී සාර්ථක වියාපාරික පවුලක් බවට ක්‍රමයෙන් පත්වි ඉහල සමජයේ වෑජඹිමට වෙරදරන්නන් වුහ. මාලින් සහ චමරි ඔවුන්ගේ දරුවන්වුහ.

එන්ගලන්තයේ අද්යාපනය නිමකර ලන්කාවට පෑමිනි මාලින් දෙමාපියන්ගේ සමාජ ජීවිතයද, පියාගේ වියාපාරවල සිදුවන සේවක අකටයුතුකම් ගෑන කලකිරී පවුලෙන් වෙන්වී සමාජවාදී දේශපාලන ක්‍රියාකාරිකයකුවූයේය.

චමරි තම පෙම්වතා ලෙස තෝරාගතතේ පිටිසර ගමකින් පෑමිනි වයිද්යවරයක්වන අරවින්දවය.

මාලින් තම කම්කරු වියාපාරය සාර්ථක ලෙස මෙහෙයවමින් තම පියාගේ කර්මාන්තවලටද අහිතකර බලපෑම් කලේය. ඔහු සාමාන්ය ජනතාව නියෝජනය කරන මන්ත්‍රිවරයකු ලෙස පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට පත්වුයේය.
නාලිකා තම ජීවිතයේ අවසාන කාලය ධනවත් සහ බලවත්ව සිටි නමුත් කලකිරීමකින් යුතුව ගතකලාය.

මාර්ටින් වික්‍රමසින්හ තම තරුන වියේදීම කොග්ගල සිට කොළඹට පෑමින පොත පත හදාරමින, විවිද රෑකියාවල යෙදෙමින් කොළඹ සමාජය ගෑන අද්දෑකීම් ලබාගත් පුද්ගලයෙකි. සිලුමින සහ දිනමින පත්තරවල කර්තෘවරයකු ලෙස වසර 20 පමන සේවයකර ඈත. මෙම පොත් ත්‍රිත්වය ලියන කාලයේදී ඔහු වයස 45 ඉක්මවු පරිනත ලේඛකයකු වුයේය.

මාර්ටින් වික්‍රමසින්හ හට ගෑමි සමාජයත් නාගරික සාමාන්ය සහ ඉහල සමාජයත් තාත්විකව විස්තර කිරිමේ හෑකියාව ඈත්තේය. ඔහු ධනපතියන්ගේ සාර්ථකත්වය විස්තරන්නේ ඔවුන් සතු කාර්යක්ශම තාවයත් කෑපකිරීමත් අද්යනය කරමිනි. කබලානගේ චරිතය ගොඩනඟා ඈත්තේ ලේක් හවුස් නිර්මර්තෘ ඩි ආර් විජේවර්ධනගේ චරිත ලක්ශන අද්යනය කිරීමෙනි.

[Charvi Janathri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gamperaliya is a beautiful story unfolding in a village in the southern province of Sri Lanka.

It starts with a picturesque illustration of the village setting, and introduces you to the Maha Gedera where Muhandiram and his family lives. This family presides in the upper class of the village and well respected by the village people.

This Maha Gedara shows signs of falling away, or getting old and barren, in spite of the rising ego of the members of the house, who holds themselves with pride due to their place in society.

The story evolves from the life of a high class businessman family with two daughter and a son, who is well respected in their village but slowly and steadily looses their income due to negligence on the part of their father.
The main characters in this book are Piyal, Nanda,Tissa, Anula, Matara Haminne and Muhandiram. There are many fascinating side characters as well such as Laissa, Katrinna, Baladasa.

Piyal is a non traditional man, who thinks far ahead of his time, and has true traits of a good businessman. He is well spoken in English, and comes to tutor Nanda and eventually develops feelings for her.
Nanda is a proud woman with an egoistical mind, I think she turned out to be such a person due to the restricted way of thinking influenced by her parents, having no freedom to think for herself and her high regard and respect for her family's caste and place in society.

This book beautifully explains the village life, the activities they do during Awurudu, their unshaken blind faith towards rocks and sprits and believes that sickness can be chased away with the help of spiritual activities.

This book looks at how Piyal despite his place in society through sheer hard work and talent , combined with his English knowledge becomes rich, rises up the ranks to a better life, while the residents of the Maha gedara sees their downfall due to their own carelessness.

In the end , Piyal marries Nanda and saves her family from going into utter poverty and this book purely describes the transformation of village life that used to be bounded upon caste, holding onto traditions that has no purpose for anyone using the symbol of the Maha gedara that almost gets demolished by the end of the book.

It also highlights the rising of Piyal who finds his place in the world not by his family heritage or his caste but by his own business acumen and his wise decisions to make money.

[Thisuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

My parents bought me this series back from Sri Lanka and this was the first volume.
A very traditional, classic, and old SL story, books that my parents read when they were teenagers.

Very sweet read :)

[Chamodi Waidyathilaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the famous novels written by Martin Wickramasinghe of Sri Lanka, the father of modern sinhala literature. Gamperaliya is knows as a historical sinhala literature novel, which beautiful describes about a traditional village in Koggala, Sri Lanka and the good and bad impact on it’s families due to modernisation. The book clearly explains about the mentality of village folks, myths and social structures. Also this book clearly shows how an aristocratic family loses their social status due to being obsessively sticking in to their social differences and despise the changes in the modernising society. ——spoiler notes: piyal is a well educated young man who came to teach English for Nanda and Anula. The two daughters of the aristocratic family of the village that i have mentioned above. Piyal falls in love with Nanda but Nanda’s parents were against for their relationship nothing because piyal’s great grandfather sold vegetables in the village. Nanda was forced to marry Jinadhasa, a middle age man who belonged to another aristocratic family but penniless. After series of events Nanda and Piyal was able to get back together.
..... but will they live happily ever after?
Gamperaliya is the first book of A trilogy. Recommend to read all three books. Then you will have a better understanding about how each generation faces the changes of the society and how their lives flow.

[Malsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book!A classic which will never ever get old!

[Vi · Rating 4 out of 5]

a must read

[Haresh Eranga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two bad that I had read many reviews of the book before reading the book itself. A paragraph from it included in the grade 6 Sinhala text book and it completely summarized the book with added parts from the good teacher we had.

I've also seen many versions of it repeating till now in Sri Lankan culture. Seen the teledrama about 25-30 years ago and watched the movie again few months ago. So the story and the political text laying under was crystal clear to me.

But still it was wondrous to me. Though I haven't read many of the great Mr. Martin Wickramasinghe's work, when every time I do, I realize he's one of the best writers from Sri Lanka. He's unique style and storytelling never fails in drawing amazing pictures of the scene.

So now I'm in to the second book of the series.

[Chami]

good

[Raisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Late last year I was tagged in a Twitter exchange and asked about Sinhala fiction in translation - it was then that I recalled Gamperaliya, which I had picked up years and years ago, and started, but never finished.

Being at home more has meant that I've made much more rapid progress with reading compared to the past few years, so I decided that this time I'd read it through to the end.

Every Sri Lankan knows or has heard of Martin Wickramasinghe and his efforts to preserve Sinhala folk culture and literature. Many have probably visited the Folk Culture Museum in Koggala (I must confess, what I remember most vividly was the open space where the museum was located, rather than the exhibits). Martin Wickramasinghe does have a way of capturing an old and fast-disappearing way of life in Southern Sri Lanka, and in fact this tension between old and new is a central theme in Gamperaliya.

The characters in Gamperaliya adhere strongly to tradition, from the games played in the lead up to Sinhala New Year to receiving visitors and even searching for a life partner. The story revolves around a family of some social standing, whose fortunes are beginning to change. It is in fact their strong adherence to tradition which ends up causing them trouble. Reading the women's stories in particular was frustrating; they were often stifled, suppressing their own desires and ambition in favour of providing for their family and loved ones, often at their own expense. And yet this is probably a true expression of what life must have been like for women at the time. It is similar to the frustration that I feel when I read Jane Austen (and the themes, for women, aren't dissimilar). It was also frustrating to read about the intense scrutiny women were placed under for the slightest impropriety - for smiling too freely, for exchanging letters with a suitor, for going places unaccompanied. The petty and malicious gossip was definitely familiar (would argue it is one of many traits that continues into present day. #sorrynotsorry).

This isn't to say that men didn't suffer from equally stifling pressures as providers. What is perhaps refreshing here is that the author implies that clinging to tradition as the family in Gamperaliya do can only lead to suffering - he is not overly sentimental about it, and suggests that changing with the times is necessary and even inevitable. And yet, it's hard not to feel a little nostalgia when reading about childhood games and long days spent outdoors, in the sunshine. It's also jarring to realise the impact of inflation - at one point, a much-needed roof repair is expected to cost Rs. 2000 or 3000 - now the cost of a meal at a midrange restaurant. Expenses of Rs. 500 in the book, can lead to financial ruin - now, this amount would be enough only to cover a single person's lunch. I did find that the writer's description of poverty and low income settlements seemed heavily influenced by his own prejudice (unsure if this was simply an effect of bad translation, though). This extended to some of the poorer characters, as well.

The language of the translation was simple - not hard to read, apart from the long descriptions of landscape (which to be fair, was a feature in English too). I finished it in a single day - it's an easy read, and you do get drawn into the story.

In reading the story of this family, their struggles and triumphs, their secret hopes and pleasures and fears, we get a glimpse into what life must have been like in 1944, on the cusp of independence. Wickramasinghe reveals a society heavily influenced by tradition, with fairly rigid social structure, where class and family background played a central role. In a way, some of what is described lingers today, but just as much has all but disappeared.

[Lanil Marasinghe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gamperaliya is not just a love novel or an exemplary story about Piyal's progress. Gamperaliya is based on a traditional wealthy family in the Koggala area and several members of their family. Gam + Peraliya or the Revolution of the Village subtly highlights the decline of the Sri Lankan traditional environment, economic, social levels and traditions. Muhandiram of Kaisaruwatte is a traditional wealthy man who owns a lands and businesses. His daughter Nanda is a beautiful young woman. In this story, Piyal is first introduced as a handsome young man from a traditionally low caste family who comes to teach Nanda English. I think Martin Wickramasinghe symbolizes the English language as a tool. Nanda’s family are not educated people no matter how rich they are. Piyal secretly falls in love with Nanda. Nanda's family is unhappy about this because of the caste issue. Then Nanda gets two marriage proposals. One is from Piyal. The other is from a young man named Jinadasa who does not even have a job in a high family. Nanda's mother says that Piyal's grandfather was a vegetable seller and that Nanda was unfit for such a family. But the talented Piyal is still much improved in his ability. Here Martin Wickramasinghe points out that caste or his family are the most unnecessary factors for development. However, in time, Muhandiram dies and Nanda marries Jinadasa. After that, the family is in a very bad situation as they lost their income with the death of Muhandiram. Their mansion is crumbling and they are living very hard. But they are not revealing this to protect their family reputation. Jinadasa leaves the village to start a business. Meanwhile, Piyal never stops loving Nanda. Nanda is his dream princess. Knowing this, Nanda's mother somehow plans to remarry Nanda to Piyal. That is, showing that everything is subject to Piyal's money, which is now thriving. Jinadasa falls ill with a fever and dies helpless. This makes Nanda's mother and Piyal happy but Nanda is really sad. Nanda marries Piyal. In the end, it was Piyal who paid for Jinadasa's funeral. The deaths of Jinadasa and Muhandiram mark the end of two traditional families. By now, Piyal has reached the peak. Piyal also repairs the dilapidated house. I like Piyal's character. He was never hindered by his birth caste or family level. Also, Nanda's family was proud of their caste and never tried to improve. Martin Wickramasinghe teaches a valuable lesson from this. The traditional Sinhalese person is a lazy person. They do not want to make a difference unless they accept what they have. This is what we need to change. And in the modern world, your traditions can be worthless.

[David Kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 20th century author often called the father of modern literature in Sri Lanka. He wrote prolifically from the 1920s to 1970s, on Sri Lankan history, society, philosophy and religion, culture and rural life - essays, criticism, novels, poetry and short stories. Many of his books written in Sinhala have been translated into other languages. They are most easily found in a bookstore just beside the folk museum centered around his house in Kogalle, between Galle and Matara.

In particular one should work through his three volume “Gamperaliya/Uprooted” trilogy - a four generation saga looking at the lives of families through the 20th century - initially those from a southern district village, then their children gaining an education and moving to Colombo, then the later generations, those who travel overseas for education returning as the political and social influencers - society elite or rebels.

Wickramasighe as a deep nationalist, writes his novels in Sinhala. which have been translated. Thus it reflects the tone and style of Sinhala analysis often wordy, repetitive, and circular, but often singularly perceptive and poetic. It is unfamiliar to those used to novelists writing in English. However his observations and style are deeply informative - helping an outsider understand the mindset, concerns and prejudices of different Sri Lankan communities.

[Iqbal Safirul Barqi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book unintentionally at local Sri Lankan bookstore. Written by legendary Sri Lankan author in the colonial era.

It carry the themes relatable in his era: tradition meet with modernization.

The story itself is not that fascinating, however, it gives good insight of Sri Lankan village culture and lifes at that period of time.

[Lukshitha Godakumbura · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest books in Sinhala literature. It takes us back to the post colonial era, a typical Sri lankan village in Southern province. It looks into the concept of class domination in sinahlese culture and how lives are constructed around it.

[Roshen Kumara · Rating 1 out of 5]

How to reading option

[Janith Kulathunga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Sachith]

good

[Ashen Kna]

Excellent

[Nala Roshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need to read

[KalPa Samarasekara Weerasoori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one

[Kasun Prageeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best novel in 🇱🇰

[Harshani Sri Kanthi]

I have heard this is good book

[Sasanka Maduwantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't find the book. Plase who can teach me how to find the story.

[Dilan · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤👌

[කවි සම්මාදම]

ගම්පෙරළිය

[Tharindu Priyashan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book

[Chamindu Lakshan]

I

[Chathuka Kaushan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good nowels

[Lahiru Erangana · Rating 5 out of 5]

J