‘Sacrifice is another name for love and marriage’

Somalatha talks of life with maestro Pemasiri Khemadasa:

How does one describe an icon whose influence has shaped and moulded the country’s musical culture for nearly forty five years? Words don’t do justice, to Pemasiri Khemadasa, the Lion who creates exciting melodies for our nightingales, and the giant who fills hearts and ears with a new wave of music, fusing Western classics with local folk tunes.

Music composition is a philosophy. The clamour of the ocean, the buzz of the breeze, the drilling at a building constructing site, the eerie sound of a Bulldozer at a road repairing and even the tingling of a dripping water from a roadside tap on to a galvanised tin are equally significant for Khemadasa.

He elaborates his music compositions with all that. But, the best choice he has made in his life is Somalatha, his betterhalf.

“Sacrifice is another name for love and marriage,” believes Somalatha Khemadasa, wife of the veteran musician, Pemasiri Khemadasa. No disagreements or arguments about it if one believes in it. Somalatha is the soul behind the great success of the celebrity who has won nearly hundred awards for his novel invention in music.

Khemadasa, a man who has been adored by Sri Lanka for his incomparable harmonious talents as a musician, is just an imp before her.

This fair, tiny, meek and good looking woman has been looking after him, attentive like a mother for the past 42 years. Her patience and tolerance should be compared with the Indian Ocean or the cool unshakable `Himalaya’ mountains.

Henadeera Arachchige Somalatha Perera was born on April 2 in 1943 to H. A. Simon Perera, a landed proprietor of Rubber estates and Malagalage Roslin Peiris at Bandaragama, Kalutara. Somalatha was the youngest to a brother and a sister.

After having her education first at Medagama Balika Vidyalaya she was admitted to Good Shepherd Convent, Panadura where she studied up to the Senior School Certificate (SSC).

“My brother studied at Cyril Jansz College, Panadura and my sister studied at St. John’s Girls School, Panadura. I took part in many extra-curricular activities at Medagama Balika, but at Good Shepherd, I preferred Maths and knitting a lot. I was really good in Maths, but since those days a girl was rarely sent for higher studies, I couldn’t achieve university level education.

After SSC, I stayed at home until I got the ‘Visa and ticket’ to get on to the `Magul Poruwa’ with Khemadasa Master,” laughs Somalatha.

The unforgettable incident in her life was the Penicillin injection she got for the tiny rash caused by a shoe cut on her leg.

“I got it around 9 o’clock in the morning from a Skin Specialist at Horana Hospital, but fainted soon after. I gained consciousness only around 5 pm that day. It was terrible. I was about 15 years then. Unlike today, those days Penicillin was not given after being tested for allergies,” she recalls.

Question: We would like to know how you met the maestro.

Somalatha: Khemadasa Master was a friend of my Aiya (my elder brother) at Cyril Jansz College. Master was popular student musician with all the schools at Panadura. He used to come to play the piano at our school concerts too.

He paid visits at our place as my brother’s friend, but we rarely had the opportunity to exchange a word. Our father was also very fond of music, and he had a few music instruments like flute, Serapina and Tabla at home.

If we heard Master was to visit our place, Akka (elder sister) and I used to place these instruments on the centre stool of the sitting room before he came and were waited to hear him play. We really enjoyed listening to him.

Guruge Pemasiri Khemadasa is not someone who can be described in a few pithy phrases. The magic of his creativity will be strong as ever, not simply in his music but also in his willingness to reach out to the young, and share his musical proficiency, experience and his genius.

Khemadasa who was born on January 25 in 1937 at Thalpavita, Wadduwa came from a family with a musical background. Khemadasa’s parents, Simon and Allen Perera were dairy farmers, and the family income was derived from selling milk and milk products. The big herd of cattle was often looked after by Khemadasa, who was the youngest of the 13 children in his family.

Khemadasa’s parents wanted their children to have a good education, and sent the boys to Sri Sumangala Boys College, Panadura. Little Khemadasa though was then not having any inclination towards music but was studious. He got his first double promotion when he was in the fifth standard.

But, a discrimination done by the Principal made him dislike both school and studies. The principal did not give five of the students including Khemadasa the due double promotion. Khemadasa was really disheartened and lost interest in everything.

After sitting for his Junior School Certificate (JSC) exam young Khemadasa wanted to quit studies, but he didn’t know what he wanted to do.

Though known as a `Humming bird’ by his family and relatives since he was a child, he didn’t think of music as a career option and didn’t realise he had an enviable talent until he came across a bamboo flute hanging at a shop in Panadura. He felt drawn to it, and for some unknown reason, he felt compelled to buy it. Looking back, the fifty cents worth of `tube’ changed his life.

He started playing the flute to his father’s herd of cattle, and so a great musician was born. Legend has it that flute music played by God Krishna enticed many, including Radha. But the villagers who heard the flute being played by young Khemadasa never thought that a future maestro was evolving in their midst.

Soon young Khemadasa became a popular musician in the area. On the insistence of his friends Khemadasa took part in music events at St. Joseph’s College, Panadura. The Principal of St. Joseph’s astonished by the beauty of the music played by the youngster invited him to join the school which turned a new leaf in his life. Khemadasa did his Senior School Certificate (SSC) at his new school, but did not want to discontinue learning music, which had already become his passion. He did the second part of SSC at Cyril Jansz College, Panadura where he met his future wife’s brother.

While studying for SSC, Khemadasa started studying music, and came to Colombo during the weekend to learn the music art from many veteran teachers. After his SSC he decided to dedicate his whole life to music and came to Colombo at the age of 18. He found life hard, but was determined not to turn back. He played music at weddings and other small functions for a living while studying.

While listening to various `ragas’, Khemadasa felt that he had a creative talent for composition. Whenever he saw a set of lyrics written by a known or unknown poet he created a beautiful tune to suit the words. Before long he established a reputation as a skilful composer. Singers began to come to him for melodies to their songs.

Not a musician restricted to the Eastern melodies Khemadasa’s was also inspired by the Western musical traditions. He never missed a single European symphony played in Colombo.

In 1959, Khemadasa started his own music school, `Sangeetha Manjariya’ at Maradana for which he got support from his intended in-laws. His first musical was `Beri Sil’ based on a priest who later gives up his robes. He followed this up with `Kele Mal’ (wild flowers) and later did `Nawa Rella’ (new wave).

In 1963 he wrote a new year musical symphony based on folk music, probably the first ever symphony in Sri Lanka. `The Sea Symphony’ he created in 1964 added a new dimension to the musical history of this country.

In what was widely perceived was the beginning of the golden era of the Sinhala cinema, film director K.A.W.Perera asked Khemadasa to compose music for his newest film `Senasuma Kothenada’. Khemadasa composed music for `Sulan Kurullo’. The song written by Dharmasiri Gamage and sung by the famous singing duo Harun Kumar Lantra and Angeline Gunathilaka brought a lot of fame to the film which was the hit at that time. Khemadasa walked away with the Journalists and Critics Award in 1966 for his effort.

He won the `Best Musician Award’ at the Sarasaviya Film Awards Festival for his second music direction in Lester James Peris’ film `Golu Hadawatha’ (Silent Heart) in 1967.

Since then Khemadasa’s name has been affiliated with many popular hits in the Sinhala Silver Screen. From Lester’s `Nidhanaya’ (treasure), Dharmasena Pathiraja’s `Bamabaru Awith’, (return of hornets), Tissa Liyansooriya’s `Naari Latha’, Parakrama Niriella’s `Siri Medura’ (mansion), Wasantha Obeysekara’s `Dadayama’ (the hunt), Dharmasiri Bandaranaike’s `Hansa Vilak’ (a lake of swans) and `Thunveni Yamaya’ to recent films like Jayantha Chandrasiri’s `Agni Daahaya’ (fire) and Jayantha Chandrasiri’s `Guerrilla Marketing’, Khemadasa has been winning awards as the best music director.

He has composed music for more than 200 films. Beginning with Dharmasena Pathiraja’s award winning tele drama `Kadulla’, Khemadasa has composed music for nearly 100 tele dramas as well. Jayantha Chandrasiri’s `Weda Hamine’ and `Dandubasnamanaya’ were some of the hits of the small screen that displayed the creative talents of the maestro.

The founder of Sinhala operas in Sri Lanka, Khemadasa’s operas `Manasavila’ (1993), `Doramadalawa’ (1994), `Sondura, Varnadasi’ (2001) and `Agni’ (2007) have been etched in gold letters in the annals of Lankan music history.

Khemadasa’s father died when he was 8 years.

`Mage Kaalaye Mavuni’ (the mother of my era) was the symphony he produced in 1978 to felicitate his mother who was 80 years then. It was to be staged on May 4 at Ladies College Auditorium.

“Amma, you are the chief guest of my symphony which I created for you,” he invited his mother on May 1. His mother was to come to Colombo from Thalpavita on the following day, but instead he got a call from his brother to inform him of her death. It was hard for him.

However he managed to take part in the funeral on May 3 with somewhat tranquil mind and staged his symphony on May 4 as it was arranged. The chair he meant for the chief guest, (his mother) stayed vacant in the first row of the seats.

Lets zoom back to Somalatha who hosts us with her warm pleasing smile with a hot cup of milk coffee which really suited the hour of interview, during a rainy weather. She starts unfolding the other half of her story.

“Master, though became a good friend of my family, asked me my love through a friend of mine,” recalls Somalatha. Other than exchanging a smile, a few words and rolling an eye-ball whenever they meet, Khemadasa and Somalatha had no other opportunity to express themselves to each other. Somalatha’s father was a strict person and even her brother was not happy about her affair with a `musician’.

“My sister got married and it was my brother-in-law who came forward to my rescue, that was also after ten years. However my brother gave his consent. But my father though had a simple wedding ceremony at home for me, he maintained an unusual silence to show his disapproval. He didn’t even visit my place for about two years,” she reminisces.

Question: Master was very sick once due to renal failure.

Somalatha: It was the most difficult time in my life I have ever faced. He had to under go a Kidney transplant at Kandy Hospital in 2005... I really appreciate the support given by the Government, donors, surgeons and the hospital staff and everybody who prayed blessing for him. He is being adored by everybody, and I must say that he is very lucky in that sense,” she smiles.

Question: That is all as a famous figure. Him as a husband...?

Somalatha: Well! (with a broad smile), he is a difficult person to handle. I think I’ve practised and developed patience to the highest level during the past 42 years. Everybody, including my mother, daughters and close associates have been wondering how I have had such tolerance. My daughters sometimes say that `Amma Budu Venna Paaramitha Puranavada?’ (Mother, are you practising to achieve Enlightenment as the Buddha)... (laughs)...

But, I’ve always thought if I do not render service to my husband in that way, he would not be able to do great novel creativity in music. As a wife, I think I’ve done my part to the maximum level.

Question: That’s why you said, sacrifice is another name for love and marriage? Ok. Tell us about your children.

Somalatha: We have two daughters. Both studied at Ladies College, Colombo. Our eldest, Vayantha Anupama is a Computer Engineer in Canada, and plays the Cello at concerts. The youngest, Danesha Gayathri is a pianist in Czechoslovakia. She studied first at Conservatory University in Prague. Presently she is engaged with her Masters at Barno University. `The Prague Post’ carried a newspaper article about her concert with the title `A haunting meeting of Eastern and Western Music’ on June 18, 2008.

Question: Charity?

Somalatha: If we collected what he earned so far we would have built two or three palaces. But, what has happened was he has given away monies to so many of his friends in the field, which we have never got in return (smiles). That’s ok. Whatever that happened we did all that with good intention. Other than that both Master and I have been involved with temples and Buddhist priests. They shower the blessings upon us, we believe.