Daily News Editorial

Amaradeva

05 November 2016

Amaradeva. The name says it all. It is a name that is embedded in the heart of every Sri Lankan regardless of community and religion, from the toddler to the centenarian, living here or overseas. Music, they say is a universal language and Pandit Amaradeva spoke it fluently. Indeed, his music and songs have transcended our national boundaries and reverberated in India and Maldives and thanks to our Diaspora, practically all over the world.

One can hardly find a Sri Lankan who had not been moved by the mellifluous voice of this iconic maestro, who was undoubtedly a national treasure. Nearly all his songs are popular, but even among them, a few stand out for sheer creativity and melodious harmony. “Sasara Wasana Thuru”, “Maa Mala Pasu Sohon Kothey”, “Nim Him Sewwa Maa Sasare”, “Hanthane Kandu Muduna Sisara”, “Maha Wessaka Pera Nimithi”, “Mindada Hee Sara”, “Pera Dinayaka Maa”, “Vikasitha Pem”, “Sannaliyane”, “Piley Pedura”, “Sanda Horen Horen”, “Ran Dahadiya Bindu Bindu” and “Paaramitha Bala” are among his best known songs. Amaradeva’s songs have broken through the generational gap – whether you are eight or eighty, these songs will permeate right to your heart and soul. His songs cover a variety of genres – patriotic, devotional, cultural and romantic, but they are all inherently evocative of Sri Lankan vistas and ethos.

Born Albert Perera in Moratuwa in 1927, Amaradeva was brought up in a multi-cultural background that truly reflects Sri Lanka’s diversity. The son of a humble carpenter, Amaradeva got a sense of his future career by fiddling with violins that customers had handed over to his father for repairs. (Later, Amaradeva would go on to win an All-India violin contest). He felt equally at home in the temple and the church, being the star performer of devotional songs at both places of worship.

Amaradeva was fortunate to emerge at a time when a brave new crop of local musicians and lyricists were breaking free from the then prevailing trend of totally imitating North Indian music. Having lived and breathed Indian classical music at Bhatkhande in Lucknow where he emerged as one of the top students, Amaradeva realised the importance of creating a unique Sri Lankan musical identity that still paid homage to the fundamentals of Oriental Music. Hence his later experimentations with a finely tuned combination of Sinhala folk music and Indian Ragas. Living legend Lester James Peries’ “Rekhava” (Line of Destiny) showed the way with truly indigenous songs whose lyrics were penned by Rev. Fr. Merciline Jayakody and music composed by the inimitable Sunil Shantha.

Amaradeva was among the many aspiring musicians of the time who were impressed by Sunil Shantha’s localized flair and fare. The story of how a young Amaradeva auditioned in front of Sunil Shantha, doyen of dance Chitrasena and A.J. Ranasinghe is well known and the rest, as they say, is history. Doyen of local journalism D.B. Dhanapala laid the foundation for Amaradeva’s future by establishing a scholarship for his studies in India through the Lankadeepa.

Amaradeva was inspired by legends such as Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra of Maname fame (who gave him the name Amaradeva), Sri Chandraratna Manawasinghe, Ananda Samarakoon and Mahagama Sekara, who helped Amaradeva to straddle the fine line between folk music and poetry with finesse. In addition to becoming the country’s leading and most popular vocalist, Amaradeva turned into a versatile musician who composed music across genres such as ballet (Karadiya, Nala Damayanthi), film (Ran Muthu Duwa, Gam Peraliya, Thun Man Handiya) and drama (Wessanthara). He would also inspire the careers of Nanda Malini, Victor Ratnayake, Edward Jayakody, Sunil Edirisinghe and Neela Wickramasinghe who have since gone on to carve a niche for themselves in the music world.

Amaradeva was a man of our times and we are indeed fortunate to have lived in his lifetime. Amaradeva was also a man who changed with the times, even though his songs will always be perennial favourites. Nothing exemplifies his never ending quest for musical experimentation than his recent hit song “Hanthane Sihine” with new generation singer Umariya Sinhawansha and his rendition of “Shantha Me Re” with the Marians. From the scratchy LP records of yesteryear to the sophisticated music videos of today, Amaradeva strode the local music scene like a colossus who can never really be replaced or imitated. He may have been mortal, but his voice is not.

Today’s new generation artistes can draw many lessons from the life of Amaradeva who never ran after money or fame. Today, many “super stars” fizzle out after a few months of performing mediocre, meaningless and ephemeral songs, whereas the songs of Maestro Amaradeva will live in our hearts and waft over the airwaves for hundreds of years to come. Generations yet to be born will no doubt be mesmerized by his golden voice that has now been stilled. We hope the authorities will digitally remaster and store his songs for posterity. And may the Maestro be born again among us, as wished for in his song “Pin Ketha Hela Ran Derane Yali Ipadennata”.