Reminiscence of life with a musical spouse

Prof. Amara Ranatunga talks of her life with Dr. Dayaratne Ranatunga:

By Lakmal Welabada
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Sapumal Suvandak se
Seethala Re yame
Hada kutiyata
Oba himihita aduna
Ma pamanayi dutve...

You slowly stepped into my heart
As a fragrance of a Sapumal flower...
None saw you coming into my mind
In this dark night
It’s only I who heard your footsteps,
My dearly Master....

Prof. Amara Ranatunga was plucking the strings of the Thampura while humming one of her famous songs recalling the happy days in her life when she was studying at Bhathkanda Music College, Lucknow, India in early 1960s.

“When I think of Bhathkanda and Benaras University I dream of heaven. It was both so serene and lively. I feel still happy when I`m recalling it,” says Prof.Amara Ranatunga, beginning to reveal her `musical’ life with her `musical’ spouse, Dr.Dayaratne Ranatunga.

Classical music is the second religion of both Amara and Dayaratne who worship the Buddha and follow the teaching of the Noble Truth to lead a virtuous life. Living with music more than half a century in Sri Lanka is an exquisite, exceptional and extraordinary achievement.

Hence, no matter whether they gain State admiration or not in their own motherland, the singer duo has been venerated greatly in Bharatha Desh (India) and many other lands both in the Eastern and Western worlds.

The `Bharatha Mithra’, awarded to the Professor and Doctor Ranatunga by the Indian Government in connection with the commemoration of the 55th Independence of India was just one such appreciation they were felicitated with, for their esteemed service rendered to the `Bharatha Sangeetha’ (Indian music) for the past half century.

The sweet smell of Sandun oil burning in the lamp lit to offer the Buddha makes anybody’s mind serene to whoever who enters their home at D.M.Kolambage Mawatha, Nawala, Nugegoda. The smooth harmonious North Indian melody that flows through every nook and corner of the house is

sedative and mesmerising. The students who step into their place carrying Sitars, violins, flutes or some other Eastern musical instrument soon become meditative sinking deep into the `Ragas’ played by Amara and Dayaratne. It’s like entering a little Bhathkanda. “Whereever in the world we meet at least one or two students of ours. It’s a pleasure,” smiles Amara.

Dona Amara Kasthuriarachchi was born on August 22 in 1939 at Hanwella to Don Wiyolis Kasthuriarachchi, Head Master of the Hanwella Primary School and Dona Alpinona Meegahapola. Amara was the fifth of the eleven children of their music loving family.

“My father and mother though there didn’t learn music as a subject, loved music passionately. Their keenness and enthusiasm inspired all of us to get into music,” says Amara.

“I studied at Hanwella Central College. My father was from Batuwatta and my mother was from Mathugama. But, since we were staying at Hanwella for long due to my father’s appointment at the school there, Hanwella became our home town. I studied up to SSC.

Played netball and attended other activities at school including learning ballet under maestro Wasantha Kumara and a couple of stage dramas of his and also radio artiste Ananda Sarath Wimalaweera.

But my main intent was learning music. I could remember how I used to return home from school and take my music books and run to the bushalt to come to Colombo. Both Daya and I were really fortunate to be the founder students of the Government College of Fine Arts Heywood (today known as University of Visual and Performing Arts).

It was opened mainly to train teachers. But, during the week days the College started classes for students of under 16 years. The extraordinary talent both Amara and Dayaratne showed in their performances opened them to the gates of the Music College at the age of 12.

Amara first got introduced to music and dancing by watching the performances of her older siblings. Dr. B.S. Wijeratne, and Dr. Lionel Edirisinghe, oldest veteran vocal trainers of Heywood and the great Sitarist Dr. B.S. Wijeratne and K.A. Dayaratne Silva were the maestros.

Generally the music degree course was for three years. Amara and Dayaratne followed it for six years, and when they reached the age of 18 years, their knowledge in `Raagadaari Sangeethaya’ was equivalent to the level of a Masters degree.

“Six years at Heywood; I never missed a single day, and attended to the classes daily, coming to Colombo from Hanwella after the school. It was hard. But, my enthusiasm kept me alive and energetic. Music has been part of my life, my body and my soul.

The Thampura; I don’t feel that it’s just an instrument, but another humanbeing who has been with me throughout this life,” she smiles. The calm streak that across Amara’s face in similar to Mona Lisa or some great Indian beauty of 1960s. With whom shall we compare her? None comes easily to the mind, as she is unique.

The doors of Radio Ceylon were opened to Amara and Dayaratne by Dr.Lionel Edirisinghe and Ananda Sarath Wimalaweera when they were about 10 or 11 years. Hence the `Radio Mahagedara’ is not a strange place to the veteran duo. Both got a lot of chances to perform in many children’s programmes broadcast on the National Radio Service.

In 1961-63, Amara and Dayaratne studied at Bhathkanda, Lucknow studying classical music. Amara entered the Benaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India to do the Masters degree offered by the Indian government through the Indian Cultural Centre of Sri Lanka in 1984.

“Additionally, I started to study `Drupath’ (one of the oldest vocal methods) under Prof.Ritwik Sanyal and `Khyal’ singing, from Dr. Chitta Ranjan Jyothish. Dr. Chitta was a Brahmin and took a long time to test me whether I was suitable to master the subject. Though he taught me, it was only after one year that he accepted me in full force, and after that offered me a glass of water from his place.

From that day onwards he treated me as one of his own family member. Those high caste Indian teachers were from certain `Guru Kulas’ and were very caste conscious. They protected their `Shaasthra’ (school of knowledge) venerating it by offering various Poojas to Hindu gods and goddesses for generations.

So, they were very particular when imparting that reverent knowledge to someone out of their caste or nationality. However I got the blessing of all my Gurus.

I was the student who got 150 out of 150 (the highest score) for both written and practical performances at Benaras University, and it was a record after a period of 20 years. After doing the Masters, I did my doctorate composing my own classical melodies for 34 Hindi lyrics and 10 Sinhala songs. Sinhala verses were also my own creations.” reminisces Amara.

`Gentle lady’ was the title given to Amara by the staff at Benaras University who admired her calm and peaceful nature which matched with the heavenly classical music she immensed herself in.

“I used to get up at 5.00 am and go to get a cup of fresh `garam Dhuth’ (hot buffalo milk). After that I would walk to the Vishvanath Mandir (temple) and read the `Dhammapada’ (Buddhist doctrine) written on the wall in one section there. I used to do this as a routine before I started the performances,” she reminisces.

`Amara Geetha’, `Sarasa Sambhava’, `Saundarya Avabodhaya’ and `Sambhavya Sangeethaya’ were among the high classical books written by Prof. Amara Ranatunga in her great service to the music field.

“I assume, the talent I’ve got for music is something that I’ve been gifted during my journey through this Sansara as it has been part of my life since I was 10 or 11 years. And the other thing that comes along with me was his love,” laughs Amara.

Ranatunga Arachchige Dayaratne Ranatunga was born on October 29 in 1940 to Charles Peter Ranatunga, school principal and Dona Maslin Kolombage of Nawala, Nugegoda. D.M.Kolambage Mawatha which adjoins the Open University of Sri Lanka was named after his maternal uncle, who was the first Sinhala announcer at the Radio Ceylon. Dayaratne was the youngest of the six in his family.

While having the education at Ananda Shahsthralaya, Kotte, Dayaratne too joined Heywood and mastered classical music. After sitting for the SSC, he entered Zahira College, Colombo studied in the Maths stream. Volleyball and Wrestling were his sports.

Like Amara, Dayaratne’s whole family too was a music loving one. His duet `Maha Re yame’ was first sung by him and his elder sister, Somalatha Ranatunga. Dayaratne acquired his London BSc in Maths. After teaching at the Buddhist University College, Rosmead Place for a short time, he too joined Amara to do his Visharada (the first degree in music) at Bhathkanda.

While Amara got the post as a lecturer at Heywood, their second home, Dayaratne was selected to a research officer post at the Tyre Corporation in 1964. However, his soul was with music and not with `tyres’. Hence, he readily accepted the opportunity given to him to work as the first Producer in the Music Unit at the SLBC in 1969. He was promoted as the Head of Department - Controller of Sinhala Music in 1978.

In 1984, he became the Director of Music and Music Research in-charge of all four music units - Sinhala, English, Tamil, Hindi and Muslim, and all the regional services, rendering a golden service to the music field through the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Services until he retired in 1996.

Dr. Dayaratne Ranatunga has written many classical books which will be helpful to the local students who sit for the Bhathkanda classical exams including `Sangeetha Vimarshana’ (Sinhala) and `Sangeethaya’ (English).

Introducing music as a therapy for the first time in Sri Lanka, he has written `Music Mind Therapy’. `Polynesian Music and Dancing’ depicts the culture and performing arts of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji Islands.

`Salmal’ was the children’s book he published. All these publications were ‘in-depth’ research and studies which were unfortunately not acclaimed locally though the books cater to the local students in many ways as a great source of information enhancing their knowledge in classical music.

Amara and Dayaratne reminisce the opportunity they got to lecture on North Indian Classical music in the Ethno Musicology Department at the California University from 1997 to 2001.

“While teaching we too enhanced our knowledge as the scholars and lecturers we were associated with walking universities who had a vast knowledge of so many subjects,” says Amara who today extends her services even after her retirement as a Senior Professor of Music at the University of Visual and Performing Arts (Heywood). Amara is the first ever Professor of Music in Sri Lanka.

Question: A bit about your romance in life?

Amara: (Smiles) We were together since we were about 10 or 11 years, studying music at the same class at Heywood.

There was a competition between the two of us to be the top in the class as there was a prize given annually for the best student. We did the children’s programmes at Radio Ceylon also together.

When we were leaving Heywood, we felt the need of continuing being together. And so we decided to spend our life together. We never had a problem as we knew each other’s family very well. We had a secured background though we were sent out for performances.

There was somebody either my father or my elder brother who accompanied with me whereever I went. I never had an idea of starting a love affair with anybody as my whole soul was engrossed with music. We got registered on August 8 in 1963 and had the wedding on January 30 in 1964.

Question: Marriage between two competitors?

Amara: No competitions after that (laughs).

Question: Your children?

Amara: Two sons and a daughter. Pulasthi Indika was a Producer at ITN and now works in an embassy in Italy. He sang a duet with me when he was a kid. That song is still a hit among kids for generation. Nanditha Sarada worked at the SriLankan Airlines and switched on to the hospitality.

He is married to Visharada Sadana Ranatunga. Our daughter, Kumudumathie Rupashika studied Kathak dancing and vocal music at Benaras University, and at present teaches music at Musaeus College, Colombo. We are proud grand parents of 5 grand children ages ranging from 2 years to 7 years. All our three children learnt music well, but we didn’t want them to choose this field as their sole profession.