ITN LAKHANDA’S EXISTENCE OF 29 YEARS SALUTED SINGING QUEEN LATHA WALPOLA IN CONCERT ON HER 91st BIRTHDAY ‘ WITH CONCERT PEM RAJJAYE’ THE VIDEO WAS TELECAST IN ITN ON last SUNDAY FOR AUDIENCES TO VIEW– By Sunil Thenabadu
Legendary singing Queen Latha Walpola celebrated her 91st Birthday on the 11th November while ITN Lakhanda’s Radio perpetual existence marked 29 years on the 15th November. To commemorate these two unique milestones a musical concert’ Pem Rajjaye” was staged at the Musaeus College auditorium on the 07th November.The video of the concert was made available by the authorities of the ITN for the viewing pleasure of the public on Sunday the 21st December at 10,30 pm as a true spectacle to reminisce the Golden History of Latha.To those who missed the telecast could find the video easily from related Apps.
There are more than 350 popular song solos and duets sung by the popular duo “Latha Dharmadasa Walpola” in the decades of 1950, 1960 and 1970’s. The music melodies and compositions have been made exclusively by the music legends MK Rocksamy and R Muthusamy .PLA Somapala who transformed our film music to alarmingly unique heights. At this concert it had been decided to sing twenty seven songs chosen after much deliberation by the family of the legendary famed trio Mahinda Bandara, son Thisara and wife Dhammika Walpola. and Thisara’s wife Christeena Incidentally it had been Thisara who had sounded to the authorities of the ITN in his dream to commemorate the legendary grand parents in a concert to evoke and reminisce the duo which had been given abruptly the green light sans much deliberation by the authorities of the ITN. As it was a gigantic implementation that could be achieved only by an institution like the ITN having all past records in films preserved in very safe storage.
The task of music was appropriately touched by legendary Mahinda Bandara who is termed as the ‘Lord of the Strings” having played the guitar for thousands of songs recorded in the annals of archives in native Sri Lanka in addition it is Mahinda Bandara who had sung the dummies for over five hundred songs prior to recordings. The orchestra led by Mahinda Bandara consisted of Sri Lanka’s best players like Drummer, Saxophonist, flutists, guitarists, violinists, keyboard players, one mandoline player and two exponents of tabla to make the musical extravaganza a splendour .It was mentioned by the compere Kelum Srimal that these songs were originally recorded with orchestras containing nearly hundreds of players but the music of entire concert was performed by this handful of professional players.
One who views the video released to the public by the authorities will be amazed to observe the details of the history of the songs , the names of the films ,the related musicians and the names of lyricists in the songs sung in the entire concert made flawlessly
It was observed that many musicians, lyricists were present in the audience well compered by Kelum Srimal in his own inimitable spectacular style. Most in the audience were interested aged septuagenarians and octogenarians who knew the words of all the songs well and sang promptly with Thisara, Dhammika and Christeena simultaneously which was a sporadic scene in contemporary recitals. This was ample testimony of the popularity of Dharmadasa and Latha Walpola duo’s solo songs and duets sung about seventy five years ago beginning from year 1958.Dharmadasa was then known as the ‘sinhala cinemawe pem handa’ a heartthrob playback soloist in his era.
On viewing the video completed by the authorities of the ITN it was observed that the names of the films, musicians , lyric writes the year of the films released were accurately portrayed which made the viewers refreshed and for those unaware to recognise all specific details of the song, musician, lyrics writer date and name of the film with clips from the interrelated scenes shown on top a comprehensive video ,
The music compositions befell obviously on Mahinda Bandara who has been instrumental in contributing music to perhaps the most number of Sinhalese songs had sung most song dummy’s before recordings. The motivative of this concert was purely to felicitate the legendary ‘Gee Rajina” Latha Walpola who is now ailing in twilight years with deterioration in health on her 91st birthday .
Among the songs selected were from films Sandehaya, Colomba Hardayo,.Ramyalatha,Ahankara Isthriya ,Akka Nago, Senasuma Kothenada,Mathalang,Sudu Nangi, Surathalee, Deepashika, Wana Mohini, Unnath Dahai Malth Dahai, Dheewarayo, Awa Soya Adare. Yata Giya Dawasa’,Dingiri Menika Sujage Rahasa etc.
The related film songs sung at the concert by the trio Thisara, Dhammika and Christeena titled were Lakaren Malak Pipee Selenne, Nilmini Senge,Rathu Guru Pare which incidentally were the initial songs sung by the legendary duo Dharmadasa and Latha in year 1958.The songs were made with Hindi tunes which in subsequent years were not followed copying. The lyrics of many songs were penned by Karunaratne Abeysekera, Arisen Ahubudu, Hugo Fernando, Premakeerthi De Alwis .Ajantha Ranasinghe , Herbert M Seneviratne, Susil Senadhira etc.
There was a period when Dharmadasa and Latha Walpola refrained from singing film songs, but sang many non-film songs as Sukumala Banda Nalawa to the music of PLA Somapala, Uththama Muni Dalada to the music melody and composition of Sanath Nandasiri, Rathu Guru Pare lyrics by Peemakeerthi de Alwis music by Stanley Peiris The song Adare Run Vimane a music composition was by Dr Premasiri Khemadasa to the lyrics of Dharmasiri Gamage. These songs were sung to precision in the concert by the trio Thisara, Dhammika and Christeena to keep the audience truly flabbergasted and spellbound. Thisara a person possessing a high degree of a sense of humour which during the duration of the concert made the audience to erupt in laughter. Thisara added that the grand parents duo had perfectly sung all songs ,the trio of self, wife Christeena and mother Dhammika are only endeavouring to imitate the duo. When the duo Thisara and Christeena sang the song Pen Rajjey referring to the line “Aley Doley Vile Made Ale Ape’ Thisara said for you senior lyricists pointing to Bandula Nanayakkarawasam in the audience, this was okay but if a young lyricist made similar lines the new generation would be blasted, this was his sense of humour when these line was sung by Christeena Thisara could not stop laughing in a sarcastic manner. Thisara also quipped that mama’s, Nandalas,Seeyalas, Achchilas never danced that only he danced. Sense of humour within Thisara is enormous in magnitude He got the audience to sing the song ‘Pem Rajjeya” along with him and said ‘Lassanai”.Most in the audience knew the lyrics of all songs that were seventy five years longstanding. remarkable memories .This was ample proof of the popularity of these songs which never perish. It was a lifetime opportunity to all who attended the live concert unlike in other concerts. . Although there was a compere in Kelum Srimal he himself made comments for songs he sang which kept the audience in upright stead.
During the concert an instrumental was played by the Father and Son duo Mahinda and Thisara Bandara father and son duo who are masters of the Guitar and Violin respectively played to the music of the song ‘Pem Nelawille Man Senasille”a duet song by Latha and Dharmadasa Walpola which was appropriately played evoking the audience the song which was an inspiring route in the concert.
Some of the songs sung by the trio were Pem Rajjey. Ganga Yanna Koheda Galaa,Mama Magiyeki, Me Soumya Rathriye.Sirini Saru Sara Weela, Sathuta Sokai, Nilmini Senge Pawe, Ron Soya,Siri Lankawe,Dakina Dakina Wele, Hanika Yayam Pulli Gono. Ambara Punsande etc…
It need to be mentioned that when Dharmadasa Walpola lived it was Latha Walpola and Dhammika who sang together. In this concert it was the trio Thisara, Christeena and Dhammika who harmonized together to precision. It need to be mentioned about the contribution of Dhammika towards the success of the concert as she sang superbly as a solo artiste and duetting with mother Dhammika and wife Christeena Daughter in law Christeena who to her is a Daughter as she has only three sons.
At the conclusion of the concert Legendary Latha Walpola sang on stage a part pf ‘Sri Wibhushitha Lanka song and said ‘MATA THAMA PULUWAN” smilingly in a good sense of humour.Thisara addressed the huge audience and said to sing ‘happy birthday’. She in a good sense of humour said ‘MATA 19 yayi’ Her song ‘Me Suba Upan Dine Song was played while she cut the cake and fed Thisara first who really loves his grandma, thereafter the family members and close associates of family who had gathered around her for this superior occasion.
The concert was a booming triumph .The efforts of the Thisara and father Mahinda Bandra were fulfilled to tall elevations , for those who attended the concert took home very pleasant memories which will never be found again in a concert.
