By Pramod Kandanarachchi –

Pramod Kandanarachchi

The landscape of Sinhala literature is vast in scope, rich in depth, and crowded with contributors. Many essays have been written about the authors of short stories, novels, and poems who have expanded their horizons and delved deeply into subjects that captured their interest.

However, the written word that dares to explore vivid imaginations and push boundaries remains a rarity—though, paradoxically, it feels an oxymoron to suggest that imagination can ever have limits. When you see such work, then it is nearly impossible not to say something about that. The work of Kanchana Amilani is something that perfectly fits the bill.

This brief piece is about this author who has garnered considerable interest in her creations. She has made notable contributions to Sinhala literature while serving as a feature writer for Lakehouse Newspapers for nearly twenty years. She is a frequent guest on the literary discussion platform Talking Books. Her literary accomplishments include a short story collection (Gammiris Kurulla, 2015), a novel (Guhā Satana, 2020), a booklet of poems (Premaye Kārthu, 2015), and a poetry collection (Boomarangaya Obe Es Deka, 2017). Her latest work, a poetry collection published in 2024, is titled Kaala Rekhawa.

Additionally, Kanchana Amilani demonstrates her talent in photography across various social media platforms. Her work captures the moods, personalities, and quirks of both humans and animals, with a particular fondness for cats, through still images.

Gammiris Kurulla, 2015 (Black Pepper Bird)

This booklet features ten short stories, each accompanied by equally fascinating doodle. It invites readers into an intriguing world crafted from the intense dreamscapes of the author. While most of the characters hail from the animal kingdom, their daily struggles, conflicts, and aspirations bear striking similarities to those of Homo sapiens.

The title of the book is inspired by the third short story, Mrs. Samarasinghe and Gammiris Kurulla. Gammiris Kurulla’s romantic interests for Mrs. Samarasinghe as well as his species remain ambiguous. Whether she returns his affection is also uncertain—it might just be one of those classic love-hate relationships. Naturally, Mr. Samarasinghe is none too pleased with this feathered Romeo. The story unfolds as a tragi-comedy, blending humor and heartbreak.

Fish Wars is a political satire set in a shoal of fish scattered in their village—obviously located in some body of water. They are a different kettle of fish: their leader is a classic autocrat, wielding control with an iron fin (plus a machine gun too). His wife, Samantha, is delightfully eccentric, harboring grandiose aspirations to become a musical superstar—as is often the case with the spouses of dictators.

The village faces a threat from an octopus, a danger made up by the paranoid leader. All fish are ordered to arm themselves with hatchets hidden in their fins. This is a logistical nightmare since the weight of hatchets may even drown some of them. Meanwhile, Samantha, oblivious to such concerns, is busy watching American Idol. She organizes a massive musical show to display her singing talents, even inviting Ricky Martin and Shakira.

The result is a hilariously absurd tale that swims in the waters of satire, poking fun at autocracy and delusions of grandeur.

Guhā Satana, 2020 (Cave Encounter)

This novel, true to Kanchana Amilani’s fascination with non-humans, unfolds within the intricate world of an anthill at war. Like any armed conflict, this one is fought by generals, soldiers, and the ranks in between. There are many characters, perhaps too many. No Ant Man though.

The brilliance of the story lies in its dual layers, offering readers the freedom to interpret it from different perspectives. From a political angle, war or any violent conflict—is revealed as a facade of manipulative politics, evoking either laughter or tears. Alternatively, readers can enjoy it as pure entertainment, a gripping war story akin to a thrilling film.

Adding another layer of intrigue, the author introduces a female war hero. This character can be embraced as a feminist role model or simply enjoyed as a Wonder Woman in her own right.

Kaala Rekhawa, 2024 (Thread of Time)

When it comes to poetry, Kanchana Amilani is truly a unique voice, indeed a different kettle of fish. Her connection to the kingdom animalia remains, but gone are the colorful characters like a fish madam vying with Shakira for the spotlight or a duo of squirrels plotting to curse a bird. Unlike her short stories and novels, which primarily arise from her fertile mind, most of her poetry flows from a far deeper place—the hidden crevices of her heart. Her verses oscillate between bliss and despair, resonating with raw, unfiltered emotion.

It seems Kanchana Amilani’s true calling lies in poetry, as she fearlessly puts pen to paper, pouring the full extent of her heart into her verses. She boldly plays with language, crafting verses painted in a vivid color-spectrum. Subtle threads of feminist thought weave through her work. She does all these while leaving the reader suspended between reality and fantasy.

Reading her poetry collection, Kaala Rekhawa, leaves one wondering if her storytelling that is full of fun and fantasy is, in fact, a veiled cry, concealing a painful fragment of her soul.

At the end of the day, it becomes impossible not to fall in love with the art and the artist.

Let’s conclude this brief note with a translation—though I humbly apologize for the crudeness of the conversion—of one of her poems.

Kaala Rekhawa, page 86, Kanaamadiriya Niwwaa Thama Laitaya (Ladybird turned off its light)

Ladybird on the bed frame,

Soft luminescence glowing,
Projects a motion picture
Onto the white wall.

No, I wasn’t in that dream—Others were.
Who cares?

Even dreams are dreamt without me.
Logical, isn’t it?
Always me… Excluded.

Now, we lie asleep.
Who appeared in whose dream?
How would I know?

The Kanamadiriya
Has turned off its light.