Lotus Pond in the heart of Colombo:

The wonder world of performing artistes

by Padma EDIRISINGHE

Right now it has no name, I mean a cute little name. Its long and official baptismal name however is National Performing Arts Theatre. In Sinhala, Jathika Prasanga Kala Rangahala, a long-felt need in the aesthetic arena of the country.

The big baby, or more correctly, the huge giant is gradually emerging from the womb of the mega city in one corner of the cultural box of Colombo. This box in itself is fantastic in that for about two-and-a-half centuries it has been housing such vital institutions as the National Museum, the Archaeological Department premises and the Royal Asiatic Society premises. No other apt location could the baby have chosen to come out into the wide world.

For those digging into the antecedents of the area, it was at one time blanketed with the Kurundu Kale or the cinnamon groves of Colombo. Once this hotly pursued bride of the Orient, promoted here by the Dutch, was chased away by the British to make way for a swarm of human habitats and commercial complexes with the above mentioned venues too sprouting here and there.

The whole city was burgeoning not only into prominence, but also to an overspill of asphalt constructions that the city found it hard to breathe.

Prof. Nimal De Silva, who leads the Sri Lankan team in the venture of putting up the wonderland, says that the golf links of Colombo came to play the role of the lungs of Colombo enabling the city to breathe.

The Nomads Golf Links, one such land that later was converted into the Municipality Cricket Grounds of Colombo, today is the sprawling area throwing up the ‘wonderland’ with gusto and grandeur.

Springboard for action

According to the Professor, the idea of putting up a spacious venue for performing artistes was born as far away as the Sirimavo Bandaranaike regime. It again made some headway during Chandrika Bandaranaike's regime too, but only as an idea. The springboard for action was the vision and the electrified energy of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. Fuelled by the attention of Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, bristling and vibrant action commenced.

Perhaps, some may argue whether there is the need for such a centre when the city is already endowed with the grand BMICH and other venues such as the John De Silva Theatre (in the vicinity), the Tower Hall, the Elphinstone and Lionel Wendt. But each of them does not aspire to the standards of a proper centre for performing arts.

The BMICH was built as a conference hall and not as a theatre hall and the others specifically built as theatre halls are not spacious enough and lack many a facility.

According to Cultural Ministry sources, the total project is funded by the Chinese Government - 40 percent as a grant and 60 percent as a soft loan. When the Chinese team came in, they had a look around the island for inspiration from Sri Lanka's traditional architecture, and the Lotus Pond of Polonnaruwa caught their roving eye.

So the Theatre for Performing Arts would bloom out in Colombo 7 in exactly the same aesthetic glory that is stamped in our second capital. Artistic motifs such as Palapethi and Narilatha will embellish its balustrades and stairways and ceilings, evoking the cultural efflorescence of the island of centuries gone by.

Seven storeys high, it is again a Sath Mahal Prasada in itself, sprawling in an area, which according to Ministry sources, spans 2.17 hectares, the building covering 15,562 square metres. Its main components are the theatre hall, rehearsal and dressing rooms, large cafeteria, and car park for 550 vehicles. A sophisticated lighting and sound system is another asset.

The petals as they open out provide seating to spectators. The ensuing dazzling view has only to be seen to be believed, but to be seen it is not yet complete and the accompanying visuals will help, constructing the envisaged Nelum Pokuna that will grace our commercial capital from the dawn of the 21st Century.

Nelum Pokuna! It means the Lotus Pond! What more fitting name than this for a venue of aesthetes that will raise the city to the choicest of the world's mega cities in the sphere of cultural showcasing and entertainment of rich vintage?

The writer is indebted to Wimal Rubasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs for his assistance in gathering information for this article.