Martin Wickramasinghe

Lama Hewage Don Martin Wickramasinghe commonly Martin Wickramasinghe, MBE (29 May 1890 – 23 July 1976) was a Sri Lankan novelist. His books have been translated into several languages.

The search for roots is a central theme in Wickramasinghe’s writings on the culture and life of the people of Sri Lanka. His work explored and applied modern knowledge in natural and social sciences, literature, linguistics, the arts, philosophy, education, Buddhism and comparative religion. Wickramasinghe is often acclaimed as the father of modern Sinhala literature.

A Comprehensive list of Works by Martin Wickramasinghe

Novels

•  Leela (1914)
•  Soma (1920)
•  Irangani (1923)
•  Seetha (1923)
•  Miringu Diya (Mirage) (1925)
•  Unmada Chitra (1929)
•  Rohini (1929)
•  Gamperaliya (The Uprooted/Changing Village) (1944)
•  Madol Doova (Mangrove Island) (1947)
•  Yuganthaya (End of the Era) (1949)
•  Viragaya (Devoid of Passions) (1956)
•  Kaliyugaya (Age of Destruction) (1957)
•  Karuvala Gedara (House of Shadows) (1963)
•  Bhavatharanaya (Siddhartha’s Quest) (1973)

Short Story Collections

• Geheniyak (A Woman) (1924)
• Magul Gedara (The Wedding) (1927)
• Pavkarayata Galgesima (Stoning the Sinner) (1936);
• Apuru Muhuna (The Strange Face) (1944)
• Handa Sakki Kima (The Moon is Witness) (1945)
• Mara Yuddhaya (Mara’s War) (1945)
• Mage Kathawa (My Story) (1947)
• Vahallu (Bondage) (1951)

Plays

• Chithra (1940)
• Mayuri (1944)
• Vijitha (1952)

Poems, Prose and Literary criticism

• Shastriya Lekshana (Educational Essays) (1919)
• Sinhala Sahitya Katha (Sinhala Literary Essays) (1932);
• Sahitya Shiksha 1 (Essays on Literature) (1936)
• Sahitya Shiksha 2 (1938)
• Vichara Lipi (Literary Criticism) (1941)
• Guttila Gitaya 1 (Critical Review) (1943)
• Sinhala Sahityaye Negima (Landmarks of Sinhala Literature) (1945)
• Sahitya Kalava (Art of Literature) (1950)
• Kavya Vicharaya (Sinhala Poetry: A critical Review) (1954)
• Atta Yutta (Essays in Literature) (1955)
• Bana Katha Sahitya (Buddhist Folk Literature) (1955)
• Nava Padya Sinhalaya (Modern Sinhala Poetry) (1957)
• Rasavadaya Ha Bauddha Kavyaya (Aesthetics and Buddhist Poetry) (1961)
• Sinhala Vichara Maga (Sinhala Literary Criticism) (1964)
• Sinhala Navakathawa Ha Japan Kama Katha Sevanella (The Sinhala Novel in the Shadow of the Japanese Erotic Novel) (1969)
• Sinhala Natakaya Ha Sanda Kinduruwa (Sanda Kinduru and Sinhala Drama) (1970)
• Sampradaya Ha Vicharaya (Tradition and Criticism) (1971)
• Vyavahara Bhashava Ha Parinama Dharmaya (Contemporary Sinhala and Its Evolotion)

Evolution and Anthropology

• Sathwa Sanhathiya (Biological Evolution) (1934)
• Bhavakarma Vikashaya (An Unorthodox Interpretation of Buddhist Philosophy) (1967)
• Manava Vidyava Ha Bauddha Vignana Vadaya (Anthropology and Buddhist Idealism) (1974)

Philosophy

• Sinhala Lakuna (The Sinhalese Identity) (1947)
• Budu Samaya Ha Samaja Darshanaya (Buddhism and Social Philosophy) (1948)
• Denuma Ha Dekuma (Knowledge and Reality) (1958)
• Sinhala Sakaskada (Sociological Writings) (1962)
• Bauddha Darshanaya Ha Margaya (Buddhist Philosophy and the Way) (1968)
• Nivan Muhunuvara Ha Bamunu Dittiya (Face of Nirvana and Brahmin Dogma) (1972)

Autobiography

• Ape Gama (Our Village) (1940)
• Biography
• Chechov Ha Lankava (Chechov and Sri Lanka) (1970)
• Ape Urumaya Ha Bhikshun Vahanse (The contribution of Buddhist Monks to our Cultural Heritage)
• Ape Viyath Parapura Ha Bhasha Samaja Parinamaya (The role of Our Leaders in the Evolution of Our Language and Society)

Books in English

• Aspects of Sinhalese Culture (1952)
• The Buddhist Jataka Stories and the Russian Novel (1952)
• The Mysticism of D H Lawrence (1957)
• Buddhism and Culture (1964)
• Revolution and Evolution (1971)
• Buddhism and Art (1973)
• Sinhala Language and Culture (1975)

History

• Purana Sinhala Stringe Enduma (Women’s Attire in Ancient Lanka) (1935)
• Kalunika Sevima (Search for Our Past) (1950)

Travel

• Soviet Deshaye Negima (The Rise of the Soviet Union) (1962)