Christeena and Thisara Bandara ensuing trail of Legendary Latha and Dharmadasa Walpola – By Sunil Thenabadu

Christeena and Thisara Bandara ensuing trail of Legendary Latha and Dharmadasa Walpola – By Sunil Thenabadu

It was in year 2017 Christeena had tied the nuptial knot with Thisara Bandara the second son of famous musician, conductor of music cum Guitarist  Mahinda Bandara and vocalist Dhammika Walpola  daughter of legendary Latha  and Dharmadasa Walpola. Christeena was born in Lebanon ,father a volantary medical officer of Tanzanian origin. Unfortunately, when Christeena Ana Mudawadi  born in year 1993  was just four years old her father had died in a bomb explosion during the middle east war. Her mother Margret Grace, had met her father Winstone Lawrence Mudawadi when she went to Lebanon to take care of her sister’s newly born baby. A strong love affair had developed ending in a hasty marriage .After the tragic death of her father , mother had decided to leave Lebanon snappishly to settle down in Wennappuwa her native village to commence a new life, as according the Tanzanian law, after her father’s death she legally belongs to her father’s family. As Christeena was very young she only could remember her father only vaguely other than from photos.

There had been an issue to teach Sinhalese to Christeena initially but with difficulty she had been taught the Sinhalese vernacular by her mother. Christeena’s mother had told that she could pick up anything tersely. She is presently fluent in English and Turkish as she watches daily Turkish dramas.  Mother had  got married again to one Ravi to restart her life. She has two younger brothers Ravindra and Abhiman undergraduates who are younger to her by thirteen and ten years. Both brothers respect Christeena to tall boosts owed to the huge age gaps.

Thisara is the second brother among three siblings all were sent to Melbourne to study music. But after qualifying Thisara had returned home as he had felt dreadfully  home sick, had commenced to learn oriental music leaving his knowledge learnt in western music. Presently he has mastered the violin is busy in the music field making melodies has his own music studio. The love affair between Christeena and Thisara was described as a digital love had met each other initially on May 9th year 2016 had met subsequently at music rehearsals and concerts. Christeena was much-admired as a promising vocalist in school and in churches in Ja Ela area. They have been friends on Facebook having chatted uninterruptedly for some time. Once Thisara had uploaded a photo as ‘My Violin and Me’ seen it ,Christeena had called him to find out ‘ Oya Dukenda”, .This conversation which had begun at around 6 pm had dragged on to around 1 am… After a request made on Facebook the duo had decided to meet for a chat after Thisara had been impressed on Christeena’s photos posted on the FB. Thisara according to Christeena  had logged into her photos on her  FB daily with interest.. At the initial meeting Thisara had conveyed his willingness to marry Christeena soon.But she had replied saying ‘will wait and see’ .Thisara has had proposals from the home folks, mostly from close relatives but after the photos of Christeena were shown to his parents and grandmother there  had been encouraging responses by all.Grandmother Latha Walpola too had been impressed but had said she cannot be a Sri Lankan Then Thisara had  requested her to inform her home folks. Thisara’s family had wanted the marriage to take place instantaneously. Thisara’s family even today does not like to be called daughter in law , who insists she be titled always as ‘Duwa’. The nuptial knot had been tied  soon, to be precise on 19th January 2017.  About not having children her in laws say to the duo do not apprehensive  when the time comes it will transpire , for the present be happy.

Thisara’s family had not known the singing skills of Christeena who has established her singing via voice training and chorus singing .At school in her classroom  when she was singing the ‘Hindi’
song ‘Thumpasa Aye’ standing on a desk when  the Tamil teacher  Miss ‘Miran’ had arrived who had been impressed  had asked her to come to the staff room .She had no fear as she had not done an immoral thing  Christeena was requested to attend to the school ‘Geethika’ group practices which she had given as usual a  short reply as ‘Mata Be’ as the elder sisters give blows on her head. The teacher had told her that she will be posted in the front to lead the group. for which she had agreed. Christeena owes a huge gratitude to her Tamil Teacher Miss Miran for her opening she had given. Her mother had known Christeena could sing had told her to sing when she was cooking.. Christeena has had hereditary affiliations to singing via her mother’s innate aptitude   She had attended two schools initially St Martin de Porress convent in Wennappuwa, later was boarded at Hillwood College Kandy for her advanced level. Christeena recollects after leaving school she had got engaged with many professions like Marketing, HR, Cabin crew but for none she had not been satisfied with until she met Thisara .  Now she from home coaches others as a fitness trainer  while maintaining  her own physique too. She also is a social media evaluator, content creator, also in  ‘Nonine Ceylon’  weight loss company where she works as the brand Ambassador. With all these engrossments Christeena balances with home chaos too.

Both Christeena and Thisara do not wish to be called vocalists. Thisara wants him to be called a musician  as he is  specialised in the ‘Violin’, mainly making musical tracks. Christeena is busy with other business involvements hence unable to focus full time to music. Thisara says he is nevertheless obligatory to duet with Christeena as many request for the old songs of the grandparents. As there are a well over one thousand five hundred the parents of Thisara asserts to reproduce all old hits of Latha-Dharmadasa  with new music. This exercise has already been implemented which is a very fitting perception.

The music concert scheduled for the 7th November 2025 at the Musaeus College auditorium titled “Pem Rajjeya ‘was a resounding success as the first such musical concert in Sri Lanka by the duo Thisara and Christeena who sang exclusively the songs of the legendary duo Latha and Dharmadasa Walpola to coincide with the 91st birthday of legendary Latha Walpola and the 29th anniversary of ITN Lakhanda.

Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane

email sthenabadu@hotmail.com 

WhatsApp 0061444533242