Iwill be sitting on the Sapsan train, which runs from Moscow to St. Petersburg at a speed of 225 kilometres per hour. For now, this super train, which covers 800 kilometres in four hours, is just a dream for us. However, Sri Lanka Railways is one of the oldest railway services in the world. Our country will achieve these goals when there is less talk and more action. Until then, I live in this beautiful dream.
Sapsan trains are truly a marvel of modern technology, featuring everything from comfortable seats, super clean cabins, Internet facilities, and lovely uniformed attendants to friendly service staff and top-class restaurants.
That is not where the miracles lie. It took only a decade for the Russian Railways to transition from the old Soviet train compartments to this modern marvel. We will take the Sapsan train to St. Petersburg to experience first-hand the memories of a wonderful writer who amazed us throughout his life. This writer, who captivated the world, lived in a place called Tula. I know you are probably already aware of the details I am going to share in this article. My dream of visiting Yasnaya Polyana has finally come true.
I do not hesitate to tell you that I was lucky enough to witness its beauty and the environment that inspired the creation of novels considered by critics to be among the world’s greatest. Today, the 462 hectares of land that sheltered the extraordinary writer Leo Tolstoy is a lush canopy, so dense that the sky is barely visible. Everywhere, there are large trees such as oak, birch, linden, pine, and maple.
Secluded environment
The occasional chirping of birds adds a unique charm to the secluded environment. The school where this great writer taught peasant children, the houses where the peasants worked in his garden, the farmland with storage rooms, and the small lakes and ponds make this land feel like a paradise.
I walk under the canopy. Our aim is to see the burial place of the great writer Leo Tolstoy. There are no white granite or golden monuments or canopied houses. Martin Wickramasinghe, in his book The Rise of the Soviet Union, said of Tolstoy’s grave that he saw it from afar as a bed of sweet potatoes. It is true; it looks the same. The ground is illuminated by an ecological harmony far superior to any artificial decorations. There is a natural light that thousands of gems cannot replicate. The place where Leo Tolstoy was cremated remains the same as it was on that day. Every two days, a group of dedicated people ensures this memorial remains a part of the environment.
After leaving his physical body on November 20, 1910, at the Astapovo railway station, Tolstoy was quietly buried in the middle of the Yasnaya Polyana garden, surrounded by a thicket of oaks and birch trees. Even today, 114 years later, Tolstoy lives on in the minds of readers, teaching us about the nature of immortality. The house where Tolstoy lived until his death has been preserved as a museum.
The things he used and wrote are preserved there. Among them, there was a place where my mind stopped. It was the last book he read before he secretly left home on November 10, 1910, in the early hours of the morning, accompanied by his doctor. That book was Pyotr Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov.” Inside a glass case, the last page he read in “The Brothers Karamazov” was kept, turned over.
Today, we see the page that Tolstoy was reading. The bed he slept in, the items he used to write, and the clothes he wore are all well-preserved here. Catherine, a very beautiful Russian lady, showed us Tolstoy’s memoirs and guided us through their artistic specialties. Her devotion to Tolstoy, combined with her beauty and knowledge, surprised us.
As mentioned earlier, we were fortunate to visit the museum containing the memoirs of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the author of “The Brothers Karamazov,” which Tolstoy read before his death. Janaka Inimankada found this place with the help of a Google search. The museum was located 700 metres from our hotel. In Petersburg, it has been raining intermittently these days.
When those water droplets touch our skin, it feels like tiny needle pricks – the cold is oppressive. However, the icy rain did not deter us. We were determined not to leave Petersburg without visiting the house where the novelist who penned “Crime and Punishment” once lived.
From 1878 to 1881, he lived in this four-story house for the last two and a half years of his life. He resided on the second floor with his wife, Anna, and child. Presently, the entire building serves as a museum housing Dostoevsky’s handwritten manuscripts, memoirs, books, photographs and sculptures.
The room where he took his last breath has been preserved in its original condition. The belongings used by his wife, Anna, and son are also maintained in the same manner. Two never-ending candles flank his desk. Indeed, mankind has been reading Dostoyevsky for quite some time, and throughout that time, Dostoevsky has lived on.
Afterward, we proceeded to visit the museum of the poetess Anna Akhmatova, disregarding the heavy rain and cold. Before delving into that, I must mention that almost 99 percent of Russians speak only Russian. Despite relying on Google search for this journey, we encountered some detours along the way. However, the young men and women of the country, kindly guided us using makeshift signs. Their friendly assistance was filled with warmth and camaraderie.
Drenched and trembling in the cold, we eventually found the museum of the poet Anna Akhmatova with some difficulty. Accompanying us was the writer Karunathilaka Handunpathirana, who translated around 25 of the poet’s poems into Sinhala. Dr. W. A. Abeysinghe translated a poem by Anna Akhmatova into Sinhala for the first time.
Sudharma Subhashini, who has provided translations of some insights and poems from Akhmatova’s life, was also with us. We feel fortunate to have these three individuals accompanying us. However, thus far, her poems have not been published in Sri Lanka as a collection.
A poet who faced numerous persecutions following the revolution of 1917, Anna was subjected to severe retribution by the authorities. Thousands of poems by the poetess Anna, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize, were destroyed during that tumultuous period. Her memorabilia includes handwritten works, used books, photographs, kitchen utensils she used in her daily life as a woman, sewing and knitting materials, and more.
The path leading to her museum is bordered by tall linden trees. Similar to her life, this environment imparts a certain melancholy to the mind. Despite our bodies being chilled from the rain, her memories and the associated sorrow warmed us. I must emphasize that there are some things that defy written description.
Since it was a Wednesday, our desire to visit museums was extended by a few extra hours as museums typically remain open until 8 pm on Wednesdays. Therefore, we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in these memories without interruption until eight o’clock in the evening.
Darkness in Petersburg
Darkness is a familiar presence in Petersburg these days, where the sun and the moon share the sky, creating what is known as daylight nights. Nevertheless, I must convey that the experiences we are undergoing are the bright moments of our lives.
In Russia, statues of writers adorn every intersection, and the houses where many writers spent their final years have been preserved and transformed into museums. In our own country, only Martin Wickramasinghe has been so honoured, while W.A. Silva is remembered for diligently maintaining a collection of the writer’s memorabilia.
During our visit to Moscow, we also explored the archive of Nikolai Ostrovsky on Tverskaya Street. Among the mementos of this writer, who penned the renowned novel ‘How the Steel Was Tempered,’ we encountered numerous poignant recollections. Notable among them were his guitar, which he frequently played, a wooden board he crafted to aid his writing due to his poor eyesight, and a cane he used for navigation.
Every day, Ostrovsky’s wife would diligently seat the blind man in front of his writing desk, placing the aforementioned wooden object atop a stack of writing paper and handing him the pen. He would then engage in writing while she attended to her work. Ranjana Devamitra Senasinghe shared many details with us about how Ostrovsky crafted his sole novel, ‘How the Steel Was Tempered,’ despite his complete blindness.
Ostrovsky, who lived just forty-two years, battled numerous illnesses throughout his brief life and spent his final years in complete blindness. Born in Ukraine, Ostrovsky is presently even prohibited from using his name in his home country.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the house that originally belonged to a woman named Vankovsky was gifted to Ostrovsky by the Soviet Government. Everything he used has been preserved in this house where he spent his final days. The memoirs of this writer, who believed that even after losing much, one can still make meaningful contributions to others, are truly poignant.
Subsequently, we had the opportunity to visit the Maxim Gorky Memorial Museum. This exceptional house was bestowed upon Gorky by a businessman. Gorky meticulously designed the house to encompass all the energies of the environment around it.
Within the museum, three phones have been preserved. At that time, one of them was directly linked to his associates. One phone was designated for internal household matters, while the other was used for external city affairs. The collection also includes many books he used, along with his paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, and tools.
We then visited Anton Chekhov’s preserved house, where our guide, Galina, narrated Chekhov’s story to us with great devotion, meticulously detailing each aspect. Alongside Chekhov’s memoirs, the house also had his brother Nikolai’s paintings.
A pair of glasses, which Chekhov had used for the last time, was neatly stored in a drawer, closed and preserved. The house also contained manuscripts, second-hand items, well-read books, and numerous paintings. When Galina shared Chekhov’s memories of his trip to Sri Lanka, particularly recalling the Grand Oriental Hotel, her joy was palpable.
It is impossible to encapsulate all the museums preserving writers’ memories in a brief article like this. Our days in Moscow and Petersburg were made memorable by these experiences. Adjacent to the church where Pushkin’s wedding ceremony took place, our guide Yelena shared intricate details with us, showcasing her profound literary and historical knowledge.
Many aspects of Russian culture are familiar to us due to the Russian literature that enriched our childhood. A visit to a house in the Russian countryside may have contributed to enriching our journey in pursuit of these memories. Approximately 30 miles from Yasnaya Polyana, a home situated on the periphery of vast farmland stands as a lasting memory.
True happiness
We initially thought they might be facing challenges relative to the city, but upon seeing the happiness in their eyes, I realised they might not even be aware of any hardships. They seemed unwilling to acknowledge life’s difficulties, despite our perceptions. In their eyes, I witnessed the contentment of those who are dedicated to fulfilling their duties to the best of their abilities. I wanted to emphasise that true happiness is found among those who wholeheartedly commit to their endeavours with honesty.
As I sit on the banks of the River Neva, the water is calm. Both the sun and the moon grace the sky, and the river welcomes them both without distinction or boundary. There is no indication of nightfall; even as we perceive it as daytime, the roads remain bustling. Recalling the writers we discovered that day fills me with warmth and excitement. I cherish the time spent with them, envisioning a country that honours and embraces writers.
The above article first appeared in the Silumina and was translated for the Sunday Observer by Anuradha Kodagoda
