Memories of the Solar Eclipse (1955) and the ‘ Vadakaha Sudiya’ song

Thanks to “Senaka’ for sharing the following……

 The memories of the solar eclipse of 1955 and the song that burst out of the event having a laugh at ourselves for drinking ‘ Vadakaha ‘ are worthy of revisiting. 

There were several renowned singers C.T. Fernando, Wally Bastian, Desmond de Silva, who made the song popular.

 Desmond Kelly stands out for taking the song overseas particularly to Australia. 

 He renamed it and called the song ‘ The Drink ‘ 

 In 1960, Des Kelly was the top star in a concert that was staged at the Royal College Hall ( Feb. 1960).

 It was called ‘ Starlight Cavalcade ‘.

 The person who sold the ticket to me was none other Indika Gunawardana, Dinesh’s brother.

 He came home and left a Book of Tickets for me to sell to others.

 Each ticket was priced at Rs. 4.00 ,

 A princely sum for schoolboys in 1960.

 This is just by the way.

 Enjoy the items appended below. 

 This is the holiday season for music and recreation.

 Best wishes

 Senaka 

Memories of Vadakaha Sudiya in 1955 eclipse

http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2010/01/10/spe15.asp

 ” Many with nostalgic memories may still remember when women were rushed to hospitals following the swallowing of “Wadakhaka,” a concoction made out of an indigenous recipe that made women vomit furiously. The circumstances that led women to the drinking of ‘Wadakaka’ was intriguing and hilarious. The perception was that dark complexioned women who drank “Wadakaha” during the eclipse would become fairer overnight. In fact it was a canard perpetrated by a local astrologer to create mischief. However gullible women became victims of this ruse and ended up at hospitals. Following the “Vadakaha” episode several lyricists composed songs such as the famous “Buiwa Neda Vadhakaha Sudhiya Lejje Wenda Harima kariya,” that became a instant hit overnight among the young and the old.

The renowned astrologer and the Consultant Editor of the Subasetha Astrological newspaper Piyasena Rathuwithana remembers explicitly how women in lorry loads were brought to the Nagoda hospital after consuming “Wadakaha”. “The women had a false notion of becoming fairer by consuming “Wadakaha” during the eclipse of 1955. He said another partial eclipse would occur on January 15 and be visible mainly over the Northern province.”

 Des Kelly Wadakaha Sudiya

The Drink – 3D – By Desmond Kelly

            Des Kelly   

 My lovely Island Home (Orig. Lyrics) – Des Kelly

Siripaaday Samanala – Des Kelly (Desmond Kelly)

My dear eLanka readers, one & all, this “video-clip” featured for your enjoyment (only), is not 3 dimensional. However, forget the foreign “lingo” imprinted on this Masterpiece and please only remember that my song, recorded a few years ago was the “hit” Wadakaha-sudhiya”, or, “The Drink”, as I “titled” it, for the “kalu-puka Suddhas” who followed me to Australia & then completely forgot the wonderful ” Sinhala-language” after being resident here for about 10 minutes. “Stop carrying on like a bloody 2 bob watch, Des & tell us your reasons for this brief “title”. “O.k, o.k, men, don’t get your amuday in a knot and I will tell” “3D” stands for “Dwarf Daniel & Dezabel” (she looks a bit of a Jezabel, but then, who cares?”. Sometimes, even I get my “spelling” wrong !. The first part of my song, like many of the “Singlish” ones I have written, always explains what the song is about, in Oxford English.(I pride myself in the use of our Queen Elizabeth’s English), then, of course, there is the “pure” Sinhalese, I can still read, write, & sing in. The “chorus” of “the drink” for all you new Lankan Aussies who want to “sing-along” with me, means exactly as it sounds. “Bivwa neda wadakaha sudhiya (she drank this crazy drink) “Bivwa neda wadakaha sudhiya (means same bloody thing) “Anay magay Emily-panay, kiyanda ko attha anay “Please, anay, my Emily-life, tell me the truth, anay “Bivwa neda wadakaha sudhiya ( do I have to keep repeating myself”)?, Just, as a matter of interest, folks, ANOTHER GROSS VERSION of this same song, sung by the same great singer (guess who)?, is now circulating in Australia.To the unknown producer, all I can say is, ” If you want to “repeat” these ” classic-clips”, always try to bring your viewers something different. Try to show that you are just a little more intelligent than you look, and try not to be incognito. Desmond Kelly Star of eLanka (Editor-in-Chief)

A Solar Eclipse on 26th –total eclipse 64 years ago

Remember Vadakaha?

https://www.dailynews.lk/2019/12/20/features/206208/remember-vadakaha

වදකහ බීලා නොමැරී ජීවත්වෙන මිනිස්සු.| Solar Eclipse 1955 |

1955 ජූනි මස 20 වන දින සිදුවන එම සූර්යග්‍රහණයට මුහුණ දිය යුතු ආකාරය බොහෝ ලිපිවල දක්වා තිබී ඇත. තාරකා, වෛද්‍ය, ජ්‍යෙතිෂ්‍ය ආදි විද්‍යාත්මක ක්ෂේත්‍ර ගණනාවකට අයත් ලිපි සූර්යග්‍රහණයටඅදාළව ලියවී තිබුණු අතර විශේෂයෙන්ම ජ්‍යෙතිෂවේදීන්ට මෙහිදී හොඳ ඉඩකඩක් වෙන්වී තිබුණි. 

This is a comprehensive account of the 1995 Solar Eclipse

https://thuppahis.com/2020/12/27/world-shaking-moments-and-bivva-neda-vadakaha-sudiya/

https://thuppahis.com/2020/12/27/world-shaking-moments-and-bivva-neda-vadakaha-sudiya/

https://thuppahis.com/2020/12/27/world-shaking-moments-and-bivva-neda-vadakaha-sudiya/