A Tribute to Pandith Amaradeva

                       

[Introduction]   [News]    [Articles]    [Songs]     [Lyrics]     [Slide Show]    [Chat Room]

W. D. Amaradeva

The sweetness of his contemplative sounds has so far provided us a supportive hand rail in our journey through the valley of life.

The Sweet voice flowing from him has added a new meaning for our lives by eliminating weariness and dreariness, we have held his hand and marched along a valley which has no bounds. It has truly a great path opened by a saint.

His songs provided us with a vision in life and a spiritual and moral dictum. They provided solace to the mind confronted with pain, tears and harassment. He provided delight and joy to his fans as there cannot be fulfilment or nirvana without them. The journey we have come along with him has pervaded several eras.

The rhythm of life spent in the field, hut and the mountain slopes has been transformed into his songs.

The maestro in a celebrating mood with his wife Wimala.

"Me Guru Pare", "Me Dola Ayine", "Swarna Vimaneta Eha Lokayeth" - Pandit Amaradeva you are immortal whether it is along this gravel road, beside the stream or in the world beyond the golden mansion. Pandit Amaradeva was born as the youngest in a family of six at Janapriya Mawatha, Koralawella, Moratuwa. His parents were Wannakuwatta Waduge Don Ginoris Perera a much sought after carpenter by profession and Mrs. Balapuwaduge Maggie Weslina Mendis. His original name was Wannakuwatta Waduge Don Albert Perera. Two other elder children died before birth.

Ginoris Perera was a Buddhist but his wife Maggie Weslina was a Methodist. So the family was closely associated with both the Buddhist temple and the Church.

A skilled carpenter of the highest calibre Ginoris Perera turned out violins which were no second in quality to the imported ones. So Albert Perera's home was full of violins including old ones given to his father for repairs. Albert made it a habit to strum the newly turned out violins and enjoy the sound emanated by them. Since Ginoris was himself an adept violinist his wife Maggie used to open the book of hymns and accompany him by singing hymns to the tunes played by him. On such occasions Albert too joined in by using his inborn talents in strumming a violin by himself.

Albert's parents got Ven. Malalankara Nayake Thera of the Koralawella Temple to chart his horoscope and the Nayaka Thera predicted that Albert will one day scale great heights in music and the arts.

Although Koralawella was a fishery village on the coastline it was nurtured in spiritual and moral values. Albert who read his first letters at the feet of Ven. Malalankara Nayaka Thera later studied the Ganadevi Hella, Loweda Sangarawa and Pirith Gathas.

Albert who used to join his mother in singing hymns and strum the violins manufactured by his father received a gift of a brand new violin from his father on his 7th birthday. The whole village came to know about Albert's talents.

The high priest of the village temple suggested that Albert should recite a 'Dorakada Asna' at the temple. The temple was packed to capacity the day albert performed this right. The Parish Priest who got wind of this feat summoned Albert's mother and said Albert should lead the Christmas choir of the church. Eventually a village choir led by Albert was born.

The Principal of Sri Saddharmodaya Buddhist Mixed School Koralawella was K. P. Perera, a member of the Hela Havula. He treated eminent Grammarian Kumaratunga as a god. Albert was very keen to witness and listen to debates featuring K. P. Perera, Kumaratunga and other scholars. Very often Albert got the opportunity of reciting poems in the presence of Kumaratunga.

When Albert was 7 or 8 years Kumaratunga got him to recite poems in his operas.

While studying at Saddharmodaya Buddhist School Albert won a poetry contest held at Moratuwa Vidyalaya. The staff at the school provided Albert with an opportunity to recite poems over the radio for the listening pleasure of people all over the country.

Although Albert's eldest brother was a carpenter by profession he was allowed to study music at the feet of M. G. Perera at Maradana. When the brother practised tunes late into the night Albert too kept up and listened to him intently. The eldest brother who discovered Albert's love for music encouraged him by teaching his own lessons in music.

At Saddharmodaya Albert took a leading part in aesthetic activities. He was soon the leading student in music. The school choir led by Albert won golds and other medals at the music contest held by the Colombo Arts Society.

Albert Perera won a gold medal at a music and violin contest held by the Jana Kala Mandalaya in 1945.

Albert who won a scholarship for English language at Suddharmodaya was admitted to Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, Panadura. There too he took part in Arts and Culture and came into contact with W. J. Fernando who was a brother of Danister Thomas, Principal, Patabendimulla MV, Ambalangoda.

Danister Thomas who came to know about Albert Perera's talents got him admitted to Kalutara Vidyalaya and from there to the Siddharta Vidyalaya Balapitiya. It was the period during which work started on the Sinhala film Asokamala directed by Shanthi Kumar of Shanthi Kala Niketanaya at Jaya Road, Bambalapitiya.

Dancing in this film was directed by Kunji Kurukku, an Indian artiste while the music direction was handled by Mohamed Ghouse Master. Gerard J. Pieris of Moratuwa introduced Albert Perera to Mohamed Ghouse and Ghouse fathomed Albert's capabilities instantly. Albert was selected as the leading violinist in his band. From that day Albert bade goodbye to schooling to take up to the violin.

Albert had to accompany Ghouse to India to provide music to the film Asokamala while serving in the band. Albert got an opportunity to play the triple role of actor, dancer and vocalist in Asokamala. "Ayi Yameku Kale Ale" was his first song as a vocalist in the film Asokamala.

A few days after his return from India a recording of songs for Colombia Recording Company took place at a house at Campbell Place, Colombo. A band led by Ghouse Master supplied the music. Ghouse was not satisfied about the way two vocalists rendered the duet "Rasayi Kiriyi". Ghouse summoned Albert Perera and got him to sing this song. Ghouse was so satisfied with his rendering that he got the song recorded at once. This was the first recording by Albert after a film debut. Later Ghouse Master was so highly taken up with Albert that he gave him a byline as Assistant Music Director in the film Asokamala. This was a vast stride in the field of music for Albert.

At the beginning of 1950 Albert showed his prowess by penning and singing songs for people like Chitrasena and Premakumara Epitawala.

Prof. Sri Ratna Jankar who arrived from India to Grade vocalists for SLBC (then Radio Ceylon) in 1951 granted A Grade status for W. D. Albert Perera (male vocalists section) and Kokila Devi Weeratunga (female section).

Albert Perera who was the vocalist in the "Selalihini Sandesaya" Ballet produced by Premakumara Epitawela in the 1950 decade received a wide response from the chief guests - Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra, D. B. Dhanapala and Sri Chandraratne Manawasinghe. Prof. Sarachchandra considered Albert Perera as a sage and thought that he should be provided with the blessings of the great Indian tradition of Music.

He therefore got media baron D. B. Dhanapala's Lankadeepa paper to launch a fund in aid of Albert Perera. Sri Chandraratne Manawasinghe introduced Albert Perera to the nation through the Lankadeepa and public contributions flooded in to the fund. Artistes made special performances in aid of the Fund.

Amidst all this Prof. Sarachchandra christened Albert Perera as W. D. Amaradeva, which became a household word thereafter.

It was in 1953 that Albert Perera came to be known as W. D. Amaradeva. He entered the Bhatkande University in India to master the art of playing the violin and obtained a distinction at the Music Diploma examination in 1955. He won the All India violin contest held in 1956 with honours. Unfortunately his father Ginoris was unable to witness his son's achievement as he was already dead and gone. Amaradeva who was grieved by his fathers untimely demise paid him tribute by becoming a maestro in the field of music in fulfilment of the father's desire for his offspring.

At Bhatkande, Amaradeva had the distinction of learning at the feet of giants such as Govind Joge, Usman Khan and Makshood Ali Khan. Sri Vishnu Govind Joge was so taken up with his pupil Amaradeva that he named his own son after Amaradeva. This was clearly a unique tribute from teacher to pupil. Amaradeva's music life reached a milestone when he was appointed a consultant to the mela class at the Peradeniya University. The Chairman of this class was Prof. Gunapala Malalasekara. Amaradeva penned a song and sang it for the play 'Sunethra' produced by this class. Thereafter he undertook research in music in the company of people like Chitrasena, Premakumara, Vasantha Kumara and Sesha Palihakkara and joined Radio Ceylon in 1959. Jana Gayana (folk songs), Madhuwanthie, Kasa Miyuni, Vijaya Geetha and Swara Warna were some of the research programs undertaken by him.

He also supplied music to a host of plays including 'Selalihini Sandeshaya', 'Sunethra', 'Ravana', 'Chandalie', 'Vidhura', 'Pushpa Sungaraya', 'Titta Batha', 'Pabhawathie' and 'Karadiya'.

Amaradeva befriended Vimala Gunaratne during a cultural tour to India in 1959 and married her in August 1963. He was the leader of the musical section of this Cultural delegation. Amaradeva delivered a special lecture at an International Seminar on Music held in Manila in 1967. In 1971 he visited the Maldives on the invitation of the Maldivian government and composed the Maldivian National Anthem. He also attended a seminar on the 'Music tradition of Asia and the Pacific' held in Islamabad, Pakistan in 1982.

He also functioned as Principal of the Sri Lanka School of Music from 1964 to 1974 and a visiting lecturer in music at the Sri Jayawardenapura University in 1985.

He has won the Sarasaviya, Presidential and Swarna Sanka as a vocalist and a music director.

He received a sahitya award at the State Literary Festival held in 1990 for his book 'Nada Sittam'. The number of songs he has sung and provided music direction so far exceeds 1000.

He was honoured with the 'Kala Keerthi' award in 1986 and the 'Deshamanya' award in 1998.

A Cultural Tour offered by the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Conferment of the title 'Pandit' from Bhatkande University of Music, India for the Outstanding Contribution made towards the development of Sri Lankan Creative Music - 1991.

Conferment of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Fine Arts) 'Honoris Causa' from University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka 1991.

Conferment of the Degree of Doctor of Literature (D-Litt) from University of Ruhuna Sri Lanka.

Artists Ambassador Award for distinguished service furthering Intercultural Understanding through the universal language of the Arts (Artistes Embassy International) 1993.

Conferment of the Degree of Doctor of Literature (D-Litt) from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 1998.

National Awards of Sarvodaya Trust Fund for the Advancement of Humanity Development and peace through Music and Art, in recognition of significant contribution in the field.

By Geesha Munasingha

Sign Amara Sara Arana Guestbook
View Amara Sara Arana Guestbook



Web space for Amara Gee Vimana is provided by,

UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK SRI LANKAN SOCIETY , TRIPOD , XOOM

Created and Maintained by Malitha Wijesundara

© Malitha Wijesundara March 1998
Last Update: January 04, 2001