By Ozlanka Webmaster
It is a great news that two songs “Manaram Giri Sikhare” (මනරම් ගිරි ශිඛරේ) & “Sansara Sagare” (සංසාර සාගරේ) in contemporary Sinhala music stream were released in Sri Lanka recently. These songs were sang by most popular Sri Lanka singers Visharadha Amarasiri Peris and Sashika Nissansala respectively. For both the songs, music was composed by the most respected Sri Lankan musician Dr Rohana Weerasinghe. This is a great news for the Sri Lankan Australians because both the songs were written by Sydney based Artist Dr. Mahendra Samarawickrama!
You can find a review and an appreciation of the two songs by Dr Ubeyasiri Wijeyananda Wickrama below. Further the songs and the lyrics are also posted.
A Positive Addition to Sinhala “Subhavita-Gita” or “Perceptive-Arts” Mode
By Dr Ubeyasiri Wijeyananda Wickrama
It is a rare opportunity to enjoy a versatile music composition conveyed through the “Subhavita Gita” genre in the contemporary Sinhala music stream. The two passionate and perceptive lyrics of Dr Mahendra Samarawickrama, namely “Manaram Giri Sikhare” (The Picturesque Rock) and “Samsara Sagare” (The Cycle of Existence Like Ocean) provides us with this unique opportunity to rekindle our aesthetic taste. Moreover the mellifluous melodies of Dr Rohana Weerasinghe blended with vocal prowess of Visaradha Amarasiri Peris and Sashika Nissansala respectively have added soothing serenity to the songs.
The theme of the first song’ Manaram Giri Sikare” portrays intuitively the contrasting feelings depicted through “Sonduru Situvam’ , attractive images versus ever disturbing human thoughts. In the second verse, the mind led by courage seek to achieve the highest irrespective of enjoying the surrounding beauty. Another seeks to achieve the highest, not knowing its supreme bliss. Amidst the calm and sublime vicinity, there stands a hermitage and a hermit tranquil. Through his penetrating wisdom he sees the reality of the rock, despite its external charm. The symbolic use of language in this song coupled with the melodious rhythm with excellent vocal presentation, contributes eventually to “Perceptive-Art’ music tradition of Sinhala.
In the second song “Samsara Sagare”(The Cycle of Existence Like Ocean) the lyricist presents us with a highly complex metaphysical theme. The song elucidates the deception of the mind in this limitless universal cycle of existence. Further the attachment or relationship between the two are compared to the image in a mirror which is not real. Here the author reminds us of the salient features in a Buddhist Psychology, “that grasping or bonds we create (Upadana) leads to the deception of ‘I and Mine”‘.
It further reveals how one could be overwhelmed with material affection viewing worthless or worthy of love. The song questions why detachment is impossible? In this limitless cycle of birth and death (Samsara) the song unveils a loving bond of delusion.
An in depth appreciation of the two songs reveal the salutary contribution made by the lyricist to promote and foster “Subhavita Gita” or Perceptive-Art music tradition in Sinhala. Dr Mahendra Samarawickrama deserves the congratulation of all music loving Sinhala audiences for his adventurous endeavour.
