Martin Wickramasinghe was born on the 29th of May in the year 1890 in the Southern Province of

Koggala, bounded on one side by the reef – fringed sea, and on the other by the large lake into which the
numerous tributaries of the Koggala Oya drain. The landscapes of the sea, lake studded with little
islands, the flora and fauna, the forested hinterland, and the changing patterns of life and culture of
the people of the village were the background of his early years, that Martin Wickramasinghe later
immortalized in his novels and short stories and autobiographical writings.
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 folk life 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.
Martin Wickramasinghe died on the 23rd of July 1976. His works have been translated and published
in English, Hindi, Tamil, Russian, Chinese, Romanian, Dutch, German, French and Japanese languages.