|
|
|
| Sunday, 3 July 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Prof. Gets a high on Sinhala beat Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake
Some of the better known popular singers always identified with green politics had set the mood for the show and the crowd was impatient for more of the fast-beat stuff, when a new singer was introduced. The MC said he was the latest find in the Green Glows talent hunt. In keeping with the theme of the show Maha Sinhala Sangeetha Raatriya (the Great Sinhala Musical Night) he would heighten the Sinhala mood of the night. Even before the MC stopped the new singer came on stage, trying to hide his swoop in a wide green shirt double his size. Before singing he asked the crowd to give a big cheer: Sinhalayata Jayaweva, which was fully echoed by the audience. His first song was Api okkoma Rajavaru, okkoma vasiyo, tun Sinhalayama ne deyo with him urging the audience to join as he sang Victor Ratnayake's popular song, to a beat faster than the normal. There was handclapping to the beat and some singing by the crowd. The singer was disappointed, and so asked the people, accusingly, "Surely can't you all join and sing louder about our own people". "Now come on, all of you join me in the next song," he said and the instrumentalists began the melody of Mey Sinhala apagey ratai originally sung by Nanda Malini, which he sang to a near rap rhythm. The guy had a repertoire of style, just like the double tongue. The crowd response was still not very good, although the singer grabbed the mike in one hand and kept on urging the people to sing louder. He was singing at his loudest, but the crowd was not impressed with the singing but enjoyed watching the gyrations on stage of this new singer who had sworn he would sing only about the Sinhalese. The MC revealed it was the usually verbose professori turned pop-star to promote the cause of the Sinhalese, who he, and possibility his party too, suddenly realised were left out of the P-TOMS, and decided to set about beating tom-toms and whatever drums available, to arouse the people about it. He broke away from song and began addressing the crowd. "You must understand the dangers that lurk ahead. There is no representative of the Sinhalese in the P-TOMS; we are being betrayed as a race. Can we put up with this kind of treachery any more," he asked. Mahacharya Sinha Sangeeeth took a breather as other and better known singers in the Green Cultural Bandwagon, with unquestioned popularity took over again, and got the audience into the proper mood. The music went on into the night, with the crowd getting into the current sangeetha sandharshana mood and dancing away in good choka baila style that has nothing to do with Sinhala culture, but for the Portuguese influence in it. After some time Mahacharya Sinha Sangeeth came back on stage to urge the people to sing more patriotic songs of the Sinhalese. Suddenly remembering that he was the green organiser for Moratuwa, he began singing Pun Sanda Paaya Moratuwa Dilenna, Moratuwa nam upan gama apey; Moratu kollo preethi geetha gayanna, Moratu kello dance natanna." He was economical with the truth about Moratuwa being his birthplace, but gave a new twist to the well-known baila, singing Sinhala kollo baila kiyanava, Sinhala kello dance natanava. The crowd was thrilled. He was in an ever jolly Moratu Sinhala mood, full of the kaffringa rhythm that caught on among the Sinhala people, making it their own music. The highly amplified songs, music, cheers and other noises made a huge din deep into the night, which is the style in this age of the sangeetha sandarshanaya. People in homes in the neighbourhood were up through the night. While mothers were trying their best to lull children to sleep, others were discussing current events, such as P-TOMS, the local Betel Boys and their future, the date of the next presidential election, and even taking bets on how long the present minority government would last. In one of these homes Sinhaputhra Weerawardana, who was certain the blood in his body was closer to that of lions, was showing his annoyance at what was going on. It was not that he did not enjoy some of the better known singers. But his anger was about Mahacharya Sinha Sangeeth suddenly becoming a champion of the Sinhalese. "Bloody fraud," he said. "He is suddenly showing a special love for the Sinhalese. What the hell were he and his leader doing at the several rounds of so-called peace talks with the Tigers? Was there anyone taken to specially represent the Sinhalese? I have my own doubts about this damn P-TOMS or whatever it is, but this is damn too much hypocrisy when these people who were stooping so low before the Tigers then, now lament about the helpless situation of the Sinhalese." "There is an interesting distribution of labour among these greens today," said Panduka Sinhavansa, a neighbour who had dropped in for a chat and drink. "While the Moratuwa organiser who hails from Panadura, talks about the plight of the Sinhalese in P-TOMS, his leader is silent about us, but is more concerned about the Muslims. This is typical double talk with which they are trying to fool the Sinhalese that the greens are their only saviours." "That is not all," said Vijaya Vickramage, another neighbour. "These greens are now worried that the Betel Boys and the political monks may take away Sinhala votes that they had considered to be traditionally with them. This is a problem for others who go by a Sinhala vote base too, but it seems too much of a threat to the greens with their urban leadership, and western ways." "Which means the country will have to suffer all these sangeetha sandarshanas for some time until the greens feel comfortable they have fooled the Sinhalese enough. It will take some time and trouble doing this time round," said Panduka Sinhavansa. "Typical of their strategy, one Sinhala columnist had given the President advice for her birthday, to do to the P-TOMS what her father did to the B-C Pact. These are the leaders of the monks who forced old Banda to tear up that pact, and also led the goons against the Tamils from 1958 till 1983. Everyone has to be very careful in believing what these green opportunists and proven racists will do next," said Sinhaputhra Weerawardana. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
It was a much publicised Sangeetha Sandarshana or Musical Show. The whole
park was decorated in green. The huge stage had a green backdrop at the
centre of which bright green lights were focused on an elephant wearing a
crown. 
