Sasara wasana thuru
This song by Pandit W.D. Amaradeva is one of my favourites.
Pandit W D Amaradeva or Wannakuwatta Waduge Don Albert Perera before he took the name of Amaradeva is one of Sri Lanka's most respected musicians. He is a violinist, singer and composer. He died in November 2016 at the age of 88 and achieved many honours and awards including the Philippine Ramon Magsaysay Award (2001), Indian Padma Sri Award (2002)[10] and Sri Lankan "President's Award of Kala Keerthi" (1986) and Deshamanya Award (1998). In 2003 the French government awarded him the prestigious honour; Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He was influenced by another great Sri Lankan musician, Sunil Shantha. It is a singular honour to sing this song.
Mahendra
ReplyDeleteThank you for that brilliant rendition of the Amaradeva favourite. It is a difficult song to sing due to the rise and fall of the voice and the difficulty in Maintaining the rhythm and the beat. You’ve done a marvellous job. Having listened to amaradeva sing this on so many occasions I never thought I would comment positively on anyone else singing this iconic piece. Sadly my Sinhala language is on the decline but I found the pearls of wisdom in the lyrics heart warming and the philosophy much closer to my own. Like Amaradeva his songs will live on forever.
Thanks,Speedy,
ReplyDeleteI,too enjoyed listening to his brilliant music.Sasara wasanathuru is my favourite.
We have been watching Sinhala channels,using Lyca TV,and my wife watches them all the time.
By the way,Nihal remember the word Amara stands for immortal.All the Devas are supposed to be immortal in Hindhu mythology.
Didn't know that Amara stood for immortal Thanks for that Sumathi. Does this mean that ND is "immortal-sekera"!
DeleteAmara=Immortal
Deletesekera=soldier
I am neither immortal nor a soldier. Perhaps my ancestors way back were soldiers of the realm protecting the king. The surname is my connection with the past binding me to my roots. I am immensely proud of this connection.
අමරසේකර or අමරණීය සොල්දාදුවෙක් . Is this a first for the blog? I mean sinhala script? පළමු වතාවට?
Deletesoldadu is derived from the Portuguese word for soldier
Deleteඔබට ඉතාම ස්තුතියි. මහේන්ද්ර ගොන්සල්කෝරාල
DeleteI,am sure name Sekera has derived from Tamil word Segara."Segaran",literary means a leader.For example Kulasegaran means the leader of the caste.
DeleteI,am sure when Segara has become Sekera in sinhala pronunciation.
I wish,Indra, may be able explain further on this subject.
Sumathi, thanks for that. Sounds correct. Indra, what say you? I thought the Tamil word for Leader is Talaivar and that Segaran means boy?
DeleteHi,Sppedy,
DeletePillai is child,in colloquial Tamil,is pulle for a child.Please correct me,Indra,if I am wrong?Thalai stands for our head,head of a department.I remember asking patients about head ache in Tamil,in good old days inSriLanka.Thai novu irrikkida?(Have you got a head ache)
Indra!,please come for our help.
Sorry Sumathi , I have been busy.
DeletePillai- is CHILD
Thalai- HEAD
thalai novu irrukutha.... Do you have a headache ?
ia
Thanks to both ND and Sumathi for taking the trouble to listen and comment. The fact that the comment was so positive is obviously pleasing, but even more, the fact that you listened and commented. A big thank you from me!
ReplyDeleteMahen, Thank you for another genre of music.
ReplyDeleteYou sing this with great control of voice. I listened to it very carefully to find the meaning and gathered it was a wish or a prayer- hope I am right !
I can see the influence of the South Indian Raga in this song you’ve sung so well.
Thanks Rohini. Roughly,the poignant lyrics are simple and evoke a longing for Sri Lanka, 'may I gather merit and be born once more in that golden land'. One yearns to see Ruvan Veli Seya, The Bo Tree, Tissa Veva and Sigiriya.
ReplyDeleteThe melody so beautiful.
Mahen, Many thanks for taking the trouble to enlighten me!
ReplyDeleteI realize now how much I missed ! Shall listen again- thank you.
Hi,Speedy,
ReplyDeleteI, am sure that you must have heard about the famous song,"Name nodhinara,kunukaya dhirana.Name Amaradewa will remain immortal in the annals of Srilanka.
All of Amaradeva's songs have poignant lyrics. Another one I like and which I hope Speedy will soon treat us with, is "Peradinayaka ma pem kala uvathiya".
ReplyDeleteThere is a programme on Derana TV on Tuesday nights called "Ma novena mama" in which well known (and not so well known) singers sing other legendary (like Sunil Shantha, Amaradeva, CT Fernando, Rukmani Devi, Mohideen Baig, Jothipala, Nanda Malini, Chitra Somapala et al) singers' songs that they themselves select. I wish Speedy was in Sri Lanka to be featured on "Ma Novena Mama".
Thanks for that very useful information Lucky.I shall try and listen. You flatter me Lucky! I also heard about the Over 60s Derana programme. Is this the same?
DeleteThis comment is from the Island of 24th April 2018 by Satyajith Andradi and beautifully describes the work of the genius Amaradeva. "The love of country is yet another integral facet of the Sinhala soul. ‘Muni siripa’ and ‘Sasara wasana thuru’ are two songs of Amaradeva, which evoke the love of country. The lyrics of the former are by the venerable Tibet S Mahinda, whilst those of the later are by Dalton Alwis. It seems that Pandith Amaradeva has been singularly fortunate to have been provided wonderful lyrics penned by gifted Sinhala poets. The poems are essentially pictorial – graphic, in nature. They are the children of imagination rather than of emotion, although they evoke serene emotions in abundance. They are, in effect, word paintings: They are paintings of the beautiful dream images of the Sinhala soul such as the Buddha, the Samanala Giri ( Adam’s Peak ), Saraswati Devi, the moon, jasmine petels, the village maiden, the lotus flower, and the country-side. Amaradeva’s tasteful tunes and golden voice serve to intensify the charming images evoked by the lyrics. He re-paints in tones the same dream images of the Sinhala soul, which the lyricist has already painted in words. His profound intuitive grasp of the Sinhala language and the Apollonian dream impulse of the Sinhala soul facilitate this creative process. It is interesting to note that he describes himself as a tone painter in a book on music authored by him titled ‘Nada Sittam’, which means ‘Tone Paintings’. Amaradeva’s songs are the happy outcome of the perfect harmony of the word painting of the lyricist and the tone painting of the musician. They give powerful expression to the Sinhala soul.
ReplyDeleteIf you got the time, inclination and curiosity, please listen to a version of a Hindi song which came out in 1968, a key year for us in a Hindi film called "Kismat", originally sung by Mahendra (sorry not Gonsalkorale but Kapoor), sung by an Indian Boys Choir.It is brilliant and the song is called "LAKHON HAI YAHAN DILWALE".
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KamfS_Pxifs
Could Lucky or other knowledgeable person tell me whether there is a Sinhala version.
The Original Mahendra Kapoor song is at:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bYGaC83_fM
again.copy and paste on your browser window.
I am certain you will enjoy this.
Of course, there is a Sinhala version made popular by Jothipala. That too was around 1968.
DeleteLucky, can you tell me the name of the Sinhala version by HRJ please?
DeleteLucky- Found it out! Mal Hee Gena Ayi. This appeared about him in the YouTube version.
DeleteHe studies at St. Johns College in Dematagoda. Jothipala would visit tea kiosks during this period to hear music as his family didn't own a radio.[2]
Jothipala made his debut as a playback singer on Cyril P. Abeyratne's Surathalee singing, "Siriyame Sara," in 1956.[3] Prior to this he had recorded a song for the late Sirisena Wimalaweera's Podi Putha. This song didn't make the final cut, as the Indian film composer on the film didn't consider Jothipala's voice good enough.
Jothi has said that he contemplated taking his life when he went with his friends to watch Podi Putha and found out that his song was not included. Later when Surathalee producer Jabir A. Cader wanted to hear one of his songs to consider him for the film, Jothipala almost passed on the offer as he did not possess enough money to cut a record. He was helped out by veteran musician Stanley Omar who financed him for the sum of 35 rupees a large amount at the time. Jothipala's song on the film, "Siriyame Sara," still remains popular in Sri Lanka. He sang the popular number under the direction of T.R. Papa at Wahini Studio in India.
Jothipala has worked with many reputed directors of Sri Lanka. In the early stages of his prolific career, Jothipala got the chance to work with prolific film maker, Lester James Peries on the movie Sandeshaya. Jothipala sang the song "Puruthugeesikara" for the film, which was composed by the legendary Sunil Santha and written by veteran lyricist Arisen Ahubudu.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdpbiuKH7og
Enjoyed it very much- thanks for sharing Mahen.
ReplyDeletePatkai has an interesting history. Patkai Chorale is in the Music Department of Patkai Christian College which is in Nagaland, North East India.It is a college of higher education and firmly believes that education is for the whole man in a framework of spiritual and moral absolutes. ... The founders of the College maintain that academic excellence and Biblical Christian faith and practice are essential to a meaningful and purposeful life. It was set up in 1966. The college offers various courses from all available art courses, social sciences, commerce, sciences, computer sciences, business administration, and music courses.
ReplyDeleteGlad some of you listened to both versions. The Hindi one sounds bettter.
ReplyDelete