Recently we had a rare opportunity to enjoy a versatile music presentation at the launch of” Donee” audio CD consisting of seventeen songs sung by father and daughter Chaminda and Parami Kuruppu on 30^th of April 2022 in Sydney Australia.

Most of the lyrics were by well-known famous writers such as Bandula Nanayakkarawasam, Nilar N Cassim, Kelum Srimal and Maithree Panagoda while music direction was provided by Dr. Rohana Weerasingha, Mahinda Bandara, Rookantha Gunathilake, Navaratna Gamage, Theja Iddamalgoda and Suresh Maliyadda to name a few. This enhanced the variety of rhythms included in the CD.

The themes of the songs in the CD may be broadly classified in to “Children’s thoughts, Romantic and nostalgic feelings and contemporary social justice views”.

The lyrics on “Beautiful butterflies (Lassana Samanalu)” portrays a vivid thought process to save the environment and to promote peace and tranquillity among humans. The lyric recapturing “the dream (Sihinaya)” conveys the paradox in life, where fragrant flowers are borne in dry arid trees and impossible images of “Rabbits chasing foxes and flying pigs”.

The thoughts provoking lyrics “You are my sun (Obai Hiru)” resonates the metaphysical image of addressing “Sun” as a source of enlightening life. Further this song is a duet sung by Chaminda (Father) and Parami (daughter) which depicts the inter relationship of the two worlds symbolically presented by the daughter and the father.

Accordingly, childhood innocence is represented in the lyric “Little Birds (Punchi Kurullane)” which inevitably reflects the serene environment of Sri Lanka.

“The Kite (Sarungale)” is another creation that pierce into the thoughts and life of young children, symbolically representing the “freedom, nature and environment” which are salient features of childhood.

“The line of clouds (Wala Pele)” conveys the social justice and reconciliation concepts emerged is Sri Lanka between the ethnic identities of the North and the South.

Then saying “Friend in need is a friend indeed” is well demonstrated in the lyric “A true friend (Kalana Mithuriya)” which perhaps is dedicated to a life-long partners. The song these pre-occupies a distant travel with a lifelong friend, a female partner who is a solace to the arid, monotonous life, where she is a lone star in the darkest night.

In conclusion, it is heartening to note that a new generation of lyric writers, musicians and singers living overseas are genuinely dedicated to continuing the historic legacy of Pandit Amaradewa and Mahagama Sekara in promoting and fostering the “Perceptive Art” genre of Sinhalese music from the distant Southern land of Australia.

By: Dr. Ubayasiri Wijayananda Wickrama

Sydney – Australia

To view the full photo album of the event, please Click Here.