Sujatha the genius female musician in the annals of our history- Effervescent voyage in celebrity for over six decades – by Sunil Thenabadu
Weera Matha’ Visharada Dr Sujatha Attanayake, the musical genius acclaimed as one of the most popular vocalists, commenced her pivotal career in music when she was just eight years when she sang a song at the then Radio Ceylon ,to the music composed by AJ Kareem.Since then she had not looked back apart from deploying diverse techniques such as Gamak, Tan, Meend, and singing styles such as Khayal, Dhruvpad, Tarana and
Sujatha could sing in numeral styles and languages including Tamil and Hindi sans any clue of the slenderest Sinhalese inspiration, and when she sings a song in the North Indian classical music tradition, she is not influenced by South Indian or the Carnatic tradition of music although she is an expert in both. She had acquired the Tamil influence having visited India with her mother Wimala Kantha during her younger days. She was Sri Lanka’s female most
Sujatha the musician had surpassed in many distinct areas in music she ventured into. When compared with versatile Indian classical singers in North Indian and South Indian Carnatic traditions, Sujatha is the only Sri Lankan singer with such a wide tonal range of voice as wide as those of Indian classical singers. She has the best trained voice among all Sri Lankan singers.
Sujatha had been a sought-after vocalist for many Tamil films,concerts too. Fundamentally, the Carnatic tradition of music is entirely dissimilar to Hindustani tradition and in fact, there are few singers like Sujatha who had mastered both traditions which is a salient conception of hers. It is due to her sheer vocal ingenuity that she is able to sing songs in diverse genres in a array of languages such as Sinhala, Tamil, Hindi, Nepali, Marati, Urdu, Islamic, Gujarati and Bengali in which languages she is well familiar in.
Sujatha’s contribution to Sri Lankan arts and culture was emphasized by many to create a popular tradition of music that combined the essence of all three – folk, classical and popular – while not falling victim to the insignificance, debasements and vulgarization of flavor associated with popular mass musical culture.
Sujatha , is Sri Lanka’s first ever female film music director/composer, stands out as an object tutorial for a gifted musician who applies virtual creed in directing and composing music. The film was ‘Hariyata Hari’ In this backdrop she could take up any challenge in the music arena.For the 150th year of existence of the Police Department year before last when the authorities of the Police administration had entrusted Sujatha to compose the music for the Police theme song which she had done immaculately. It is pertinent to quote, her father MD Perera was a former Police Officer.
In the year 2013 her solo concert “Jeewana wila meda” after a lapse of decades since her solo “Esi Mihira” shows, was held to a packed house at the Nelum Pokuna performing arts theatre under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
“Sujatha Attanayaka
Sujatha was fittingly honored with a doctorate by the authorities in the Visual and Performing Arts University during the University’s annual convocation in December 2019 by the Chancellor Sangeeth Nipun
Sujatha has inherited the influence of ‘Noorthi Gee’from her mother Wimala Kantha and sister Flori Devi both exponents of Noorthi Gee. Recently with her wide knowledge she compiled and launched a book containing one hundred (100) Noorthi Gees of the Tower Hall era with accurate phonetics (swara prasthara),
Sujatha was never curious in receiving awards for reasons best known to her. To indicate a few in the year 1965 Sujatha received the Swarna Sanka award for the song Duka Ena Kala from the film “Yata giya dawasa“. In year 1966 Sarasaviya award and Sawarna Sanka award for the song ‘Parauna malwala suwanda
Sujatha was born on 12th of May 1942 she was the 3rd in a family of five siblings. Eldest sister Flori Devi a renowned Tower Hall actress then elder brother Dharmasiri Perera a music teacher, younger sister singer Ranjani and youngest brother Susil renowned as a drummer. She married Nawaratne Attanayake a Director of Education, Aesthetics. Sujatha too served the department of education as a Assistant Director of education-Aesthetics. The duo was blessed with three sons Heli, Chanaka and Samin.
At Fox Hill Chess Fiesta 2019 one of the highlights of the awards ceremony was the presentation of a souvenir to Sujatha the ‘Weeramatha’ souvenir in the form of a memento by Brigadier Kithsiri Ekanayaka, Chairman of the Army Chess Committee. Sujatha’s son, Captain Chanaka Sanjeewa Attanayake, sacrificed his life while on duty at Pooneryn on, 25th September 1992. He was an infantry colleague of Brigadier Kithsiri Ekanayake.
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Having known Sujatha-Nawaratne
The duo collects money from relations and friends to buy dry rations to be given to destitute living in the border villages in Weli Oya which they do every three months uninterruptedly. The distribution is done in a systemic transparent manner with the help of Army personnel in Weli Oya.
Sujatha during her peak had conducted music classes for novices. Two such who became fame were Uresha Ravihari and Asanka Piyamantha, still teaches music for University students. Her charges are very nominal, but do not charge from the poor folk. She is a staunch Buddhist who goes on pilgrimages to India each year, observes Eight Merits on every Poya day. She has put up a small house in Anuradhapura where the duo spends two weeks of the month specifically for worshiping the shrines and promoting Buddhist activities.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
