Story of the Ratmalana Maha Pahan Kuduwa

 

Pics by Chandana Wijesinghe

It was Vesak season late 1950s. An innovative 12 year old kid from Ratmalana was bored with the usual lanterns he made for Vesak. He wanted to do something new, something different.  But during this period they didn’t have electricity. Yet he wanted to break new ground. After trying out few plans, he understood that he could make use of the Kuppi Lampuwa (kerosene lamp) to light up the lantern. He made a lantern which could rotate around the lamp. Also the light of the lamp made the lantern more ‘alive’. The 12-year-old was proud and overjoyed as the villagers flocked to see his creation. Unfortunately his happiness was short lived. Wind was strong that day and the lantern caught fire.

Within seconds the lantern was burnt to a crisp. Other kids, who weren’t happy with his new lantern because it distracted villagers from their lanterns, made fun of him. This was too much for the 12-year-old. He was shocked and disappointed that his days of hard work were destroyed within seconds. “But I wasn’t demotivated. Next year, I used a patrol max instead of the lamp. It was a success and my lantern became popular among the villagers,” that 12-year-old who tried to rotate a lantern around a kerosene lamp, today, the creator of the most popular as well as the largest lantern, the Ratmalana Maha Pahan Kuduwa, Gunasena Kurukulasuriya recalled how he was inspired to make magnificent lanterns employing the finest of engineering and art.

He was the eldest son of a single-parent family. His father had passed away when he was a child and he had a younger sister to take care of. After finishing his studies he joined a private company in 1969. The same year, one of his colleagues who knew what Kurukulasuriya was capable of, invited him to make a Vesak lantern at his hometown in Ratnapura. Kurukulasuriya agreed. With the help of the villagers in Ratnapura he created his first ever lantern using electricity. People in Ratnapura were excited by his creativity and invited him to construct another giant lantern the following year. “It was near the Ratnapura hospital. A massive crowd came to see the lantern. It was exhibited free of charge at the time. I remember that the buses that came to the bus stand were empty. The queue was so long that people had to walk a long distance to see the lantern,” he recalled.

In 1972, he started to build the lantern in Ratmalana, near the railway station. “My first lantern made in Ratmalana using electricity wasn’t very big, but was eye-catching enough to make people enthusiastic about Vesak decorations. And I was motivated,” he said. Next year, with the help and encouragement of the villagers he created a giant awe-inspiring lantern. He recounted his memories about this lantern made in 1973. “The lantern was built atop a giant iguana which moved its legs as if it was walking. A dog started barking nonstop, since it was switched on. We tried to chase the dog away but it kept on coming back,” he said.

The next morning while he was still tired from the previous day’s work, a group came to his house claiming that the lantern has been vandalized. He was shocked and ran to the lantern. “It was no thief. It was the dog. It had waited until we left to see this giant iguana and has pulled out the iguana’s legs.” He said that was enough proof for how lively his creation was. However, he managed to repair the lantern before it was opened for public again in the evening.

He started making a large scale lantern for Vesak 43 years ago and the lantern has been built in Ratmalana most of the time. Kurukulasuriya had also taken his annual Vesak lantern to various parts of the island including, Ratnapura, Borella Campbell Park, Seeduwa, Peliyagoda near Kelanitissa power plant and Bellanwila. In 2003, he was invited to display his lantern in Singapore for five days. “I was surprised to receive such an invitation. I was hesitant to go but the maha sangha and my friends encouraged me to go. It was a great opportunity to display the talent of our country. It attracted a large crowd,” he recalled.

He said, each year he attempts to make a lantern better than the previous year. His lanterns are designed around a particular Jathaka story. He explained how it takes him one whole year to find the best Jathaka story, get the material ready and build the lantern.

It is no surprise that it takes such a long time, looking at the complex designs and how he has gone over every little detail. He also said that choosing a Jathaka story for the lanterns is not an easy task. “It should convey a striking message to the society as well as be vivid enough to be conveyed through a lantern. I have to read the Jathaka Potha many a times to select the best story each year,” he said.

The total cost of making this extravagant lantern exceeds Rs six million today. He explained that this is why he has to charge the public for viewing, so that it will cover the cost. “The price of a ticket started from five cents. It gradually became 50 rupees. And I don’t want to increase it further,” he iterated. He said that his intention is not to make money from the lantern and if he is to charge the public more, his motive will be lost. However, he has been living with what he earned from the lantern as he lost his job in 1983, for the simple reason that his priority was the lantern. Explaining further he said that this is the same reason he has decided to stop creating the lantern. “The cost is too much,” he confided.

He drew attention to the thousands of Vesak lanterns transforming the city during Vesak season. “The Vesak lantern should be something which brings the family together. It nurtures the creativity of the child. If he or she was encouraged to make something this Vesak season and his or her creativity is admired, next year he will think of improving his lantern,” he said. “Parents may wonder about the significance of letting the child waste his or her time on creating a lantern rather than buying something from a wayside stall. But what they cannot see is how the child hones his skills and creativity through the process,” Kurukulasuriya reiterated.

He also said that he is worried that there won’t be anyone to carry on his lantern-making tradition. He also expressed his concern about frauds that make use of his name to promote their lanterns. Kurukulasuriya, over the years, has tried to train someone using his skills and teach him to create something similar. “Few years ago, I invited students from Prince of Wales, Moratuwa to show them how the lantern was made. But I didn’t find the person I was searching for,” he said. “I would be glad if someone comes to me to learn this art, but he should acquire all the necessary skills from engineering to art and sculpture. It is no easy task,” he added.

In conclusion, he emphasized that he would not continue to create this outstanding Vesak lantern, the largest in Sri Lanka, if he has to increase the price of the ticket. “I cannot afford to continue to build the lantern without increasing the ticket price, which I will not do. But I will be more than happy to work on it again, if someone or some company volunteers to sponsor it. I will do it under their name so that they can promote themselves,” he said. “But on one condition; they have to exhibit the lantern free of charge to the general public.”

'Art can’t be faked’ - Sunil Edirisinghe

 

 “I believe what I sing through a song should be solely for the betterment of society” Pics by Chandana Wijesinghe

Only very few people can boast of having fulfilled their dreams. When Sunil Edirisinghe was young he too had a dream of becoming a singer one day. He had the talent, support, commitment as well as people to show him the way. He recognized this and used all these factors to become the best he could. Now a much older and wiser Sunil Edirisinghe, basking in this week’s spotlight of ‘The Notebook of an Achiever’, said that all these factors are vital prerequisites to succeeding in any field.

Edirisinghe was born and raised in Nugamugoda, Kelaniya. According to him the encouragement and influence of his own family contributed immensely to his success. “My mother could sing well and she used to recite poems at home. My father was also appreciative of art. I believe that my siblings and I were inclined to join the field of art because of our parents,” he said. He is the youngest in a family of eight and his eldest brother, PD Edirisinghe was the first to enter the field followed by Sathischandra Edirisinghe. Sunil Edirisinghe began his schooling at Sri Dharmaloka Vidyalaya in 1955. After completing his secondary education in 1969, Edirisinghe began working for the Government Printing Corporation.

Edirisinghe won the presidential award for playback singing in 1983 for Maya Miringuva Pirunu Lo Thale from Adhishtanaya. He was awarded with the Swarna Sankha Award for playback singing in 1988 for Thurulaka Hurathal from Mangala Thegga and for Walakulak Gena Muwa Karamu from Saharave Sihinaya in 1990. He has also won the Sarasaviya Award for playback singing several times.

“I remember, when I was just ten, I used to chaperone my sisters to music lessons,” recalled Edirisinghe. During these visits he developed the constructive habit of eavesdropping on what was taught in class. “I heard folk music in Dr. Makuluoluwa’s class and Ragas in Amaradeva Master’s class. I used to practice them by myself,” he added. He also remembers how he learnt, listening to his third brother Nimal Edirisinghe, who was a student of Haywood College. 

He said his first fans were his family and recounted how they encouraged him to improve vocal skills. He reiterated the importance of encouragement within the family system to help shaping a child’s future. “I remember, my father and mother embracing me, asking me to sing a song or recite a poem I learnt at school. I remember how they praised me. With time their appraisals made me realize what I could achieve,” he recalled. “I believe that what I received from my family is important to every child. The love, affection and kindness of family have the potential to shape the ideal child,” he said. He also remembered how he was loved by his classmates and music teachers at schools.

Not every singer is lucky to be recognized from his or her very first song. Not only was Edirisinghe fortunate enough to be recognized, his first song is still much loved. He entered the field in 1970 with Sandakada Pahanaka for his brother Sathischandra's film Matara Achchi. Music for the song was composed by Victor Ratnayake, the song was written by Wally Nanayakkara. “According to Wally Nanayakkara it was the first song he wrote. It was the first film Victor composed music for and this film was my brother’s first attempt at directing. And it was my very first recording,” he reminisced. In the field of arts, this song is known as a Siw Kulundul (a debut effort of four different artists) and Edirisinghe believes that is no other song which could be unique in that way.

Edirisinghe was recognized for his talent through this song and he was encouraged to study music by his family and as well as Dr. Victor Ratnayake. “It was a challenge for me as well as for my brother. If he didn’t have faith in me and give me that opportunity, things would have been different,” he spoke of how he accepted and the challenge as a youngster who didn’t have experience in the field.

As humble as he is, he had to accept that suggestion to study music. His first music master was, renowned musician, PV Nandasiri. In early 1980s Edirisinghe joined Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and was graded an outstanding singer. According to him, meeting Dr. Rohana Weerasinghe and Kumaradasa Saputhanthri at SLBC was another milestone in his career. “Saputhanthri wrote many songs for me and Rohana composed melodies for them, which I believe, is the reason for the success in my career,” said Edirisinghe.

Since his debut song in 1970, he has been in the field for almost 45 years. Unlike many artistes who changed their style to suit the trend, Edirisinghe remained steadfast and consequently maintained the quality of his songs. None of his songs can be passed over as meaningless or not worth listening to. He attributes this pursuit for quality, as well, to the environment he grew up in, which inculcated in him a good taste for aesthetics. “I believe what I sing through a song should be solely for the betterment of society. I was trained to think like this because of the influence of my family throughout my childhood,” he said. “Credit for the lyrics should go to Kumaradasa Saputhanthri. Not only did he write most of the songs I sing, he also taught me how to choose songs,” said Edirisinghe.

According to him his friends, whom he considers a treasure, is another reason for his success. Apart from Rohana Weerasinghe and Kumaradasa Saputhanthri, he also mentioned Lakshman Wijesekara, Ananda Weerasiri, Kularathne Ariyawansha, Bandara Eheliyagoda, Sisira Wijethunge, Bandula Nanayakkarawasam and Wasantha Kumara Kobawaka. “They were always around. They were the influence behind choosing the best, always. It’s a rare strength for a person,” he said.

Compared with other mediums of art, song is considered powerful in that it has the capacity to change people. Edirisinghe explained why the song should be used for the betterment of society. “We should always seek ways to heal people as they are constantly suffering. The song should act as a salve for this suffering,” he explained. Pop art can only distract a person from his worries, he explained, there is a clear distinction in what a more meaningful art form can do. It has the potential to make a person realize the meaning of life, he pointed out.

When asked whether pop art, directed at satisfying pleasure senses is not necessary, Edirisinghe said, “Not everyone is intelligent enough to grasp the meaning of a song. Many covet simple things they can understand. It is the way of the world. We cannot change that.” Yet he said that it is the responsibility of the artiste to seek ways to provide society with meaningful songs in such a way that anyone could grasp. “They should look for ways to spiritually satisfy people while they also receive physical and mental satisfaction.”

Frequent Facebook users would have noticed a picture shared on Facebook, which compared Sunil Edirisinghe’s Malliye naraka mithuran piliganna epa and another new song sung by a novice singer which appreciates a thug’s life. The picture shared on Facebook compared the literary quality of songs now and then. It also pointed out how easy it is to remember these lyrics, but takes effort to by heart a meaningful song. “The human mind is reluctant to take the trouble to make sense of profound things. It can easily grasp the simple. A person’s education also plays a role in creating this attitude,” he said. “Even in Western countries few people enjoy a symphony. Millions would want to watch a popular music show,” he noted.

When it comes to meaningful songs, Sunil Edirisinghe’s Banen banda raja rata pedesinne and Miniseku pita nagi asaruweki, written by late Premakeerthi de Alwis are two examples for how songs can make a change in society. During the time these songs were first broadcast, beef consumption and gambling had dropped. “Once I was asked to do a program at SLBC on the value of cattle. I asked Premakeerthi whether he could write me a song for the program. He agreed and wrote a few songs on the topic and Banen bande was among them,” he recalled. “Premakeerthi wrote Miniseku pita nagi asaruweki for a Sarala Gee program.” He explained that it was capable of bringing about a change in society, pointing out certain lines from the songs.

“Heta mama gedarata sura sapa denawa…tomorrow I would treat my family to comforts of heaven, Ada raa lunu mirisen gatha wenawa…His children would have to satisfy their hunger with basic foods. But he won’t be able to give them the comforts he dreams of tomorrow either, as he loses his money betting on a horse race and the children would have to continue to sleep on their mats. Kasi malla sathekuge pita yanawa, Du daruwan padure nidiyanawa,” he explained how Premakeerthi de Alwis contributed to making a difference in the society. “These songs at least forces people to think and question what they do. That’s where change begins,” he reiterated.

Edirisinghe has this amazing ability to sing the song as if he is living in that moment. He makes the listener believe that it’s his experience and going beyond this, his voice makes the listener feel the same emotions that a person in that situation would feel. “If you contribute to a song, you should be honest to what you do. Art can’t be faked. When I receive lyrics and music composition, I should study both, so that I can make a note of where I should emphasize with feeling,” said Edirisinghe. It’s the kind of commitment Sunil Edirisinghe shows for his vocation.  Good lyrics, music composition, voice, rhythm, simple language, honesty and commitment; all these should come together to make a song successful,” he added.

According to Edirisinghe, this song Seethala diya piri sunila wilai, was selected from Mahagama Sekara’s book, Nopala Kavi (Unpublished Poems) after his demise and he considered it as one of the greatest opportunities of his singing career. “I have not met him, but I was fortunate enough to see him on several occasions at the Fort railway station. I was taking the train from Wellawatta as I took a typing course there. He takes the train from Fort. Unfortunately I never got a chance to speak to him,” he remembered. Edirisinghe was excited to see him, but he never imagined that he would sing one of his songs. “Sekara was a highly influential character back then. I put him on a pedestal, since I was young and I never imagined that I would ever get a chance to sing one of his songs.” After many years Edirisinghe was still excited to recount seeing his childhood idol.  

He expressed his grief at commercialization of the industry. “Time is money. This concept came to us from the West and we have also become slaves to money. Our society depends on money,” he said. “We travelled far with gifts bestowed on us by a culture based on the Buddhist philosophy. But now, we have to give up these time tested good practices, since we are obsessed with money. There were people who foresaw this Kaliyugg. What can be said but, Antho jata bahi jata, entanglement inside and out,” he concluded.

Kumaradasa Saputhanthri - In tune with human emotion

 

Pic by Sakuna Gamage

Though they fly from flower to flower, they are not butterflies. Though they suck the nectar from the flowers they are not bees. They are just poor human beings who make a living by beating the coconut flower, trying to feed their starving kids, overwhelmed by immense hardships that life entails. While on a train from Colombo to Matara, Kumaradasa Saputhanthri, veteran lyricist, noticed that there is more to the nectar producing process of a coconut flower. To him it was as if the tears of the flower were rushing out, as if in sympathy for the life of the toddy tapper, turned into nectar.

“The train used to stop for a while before the Kalutara station. On the seaside I could see the toddy tappers at work. One day I saw a little girl coming to one of the tappers who was ready to climb a tree. She was dressed in a school uniform. She worshiped the man and he stroked her head. She left with her books and the man climbed the tree. I remembered this incident. I was wondering what would happen to the girl. ‘She will not be able to get a government job in the future. She will have to get married to another toddy tapper and her life will be the same,’ I thought,” said , Kumaradasa Saputhanthri. “After about 12 years, I went in search of them. The toddy tapper was already dead. Villagers said he died after falling from a tree. The girl was still in the village, married to another toddy tapper just as I predicted. I felt sad for them. This story later became the song Malin malata igilunata samanalayin nowe,” he explained how the much admired song Malin malata was written.

Kumaradasa Saputhanthri was born in Aththudawa, Matara. He lived in his grandparents’ house since his father worked in Colombo. His father had to travel from Colombo to Matara to see little Kumaradasa, which was not an easy task. When Saputhanthri turned seven, their parents decided that they should all move to Colombo and live there. Therefore they moved to a rented house in Kotta Road. Their home was located near Gothami Viharaya and this closeness encouraged a great bond between this family and the temple. He first learned to read at the Gothami Viharaya from its chief incumbent at the time. He received his primary education from Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Kotta Road. “It was called Jaadi iskole at that time. Later we moved to a house in Rajagiriya, but I didn’t have to change schools. But I had to change schools when our father wanted us to move to his village, Beruwala since he wanted to look after his father,” he recalled.

He entered Kalutara Maha Vidyalaya after moving to Beruwala. As a child, he was amazed by the natural beauty of the village. “There were fields and cinnamon gardens where we could play all day,” he said. He had to stay home after finishing his ordinary level exams since there were no advanced level classes in his school at that time. Again, his father decided to bring his child to Colombo, so that he could obtain higher education. They moved to Welikada. With the support of his uncle, who lived in Kiribathgoda, he received admission to the popular Institute of Commerce. He also joined the Jethavana Piriven University and continued his Advanced Level. “I met few friends there who changed my life. I was inspired by their socialist political ideologies and my priorities shifted accordingly. I passed my advanced level exams too, but my interests were no more educational,” he recalled.

As a young man inspired by socialist ideologies he joined Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). He remained an active member of the party for long. When the JVP spilt in 1970s, he chose GID Dharmasekara’s faction and continued his work in politics. During the same era, a cousin encouraged him to write to newspapers such as Lankadeepa. “I also got the opportunity to go to Sudarshi Sinhala Cultural Center. It was headed by Dayananda Gunawardena and Chandra Kaluarachchi back then. I received their blessing and my interests started deviating from politics to arts,” he reminisced.

He remained as a member of Dayananda Gunawardena’s drama team for a long time as a set designer and a makeup artiste. “I even got a chance to act in Jasaya saha Lenchina,” he reminisced his time working with Gunawardana. “There was a time when the actors boycotted a show. But Mr. Gunawardena was so confident that we could do the drama without them. I was beside myself, I finally got to act. Fortunately there weren’t any dialogue,” Saputhanthri explained how he enjoyed working with Dayananda Gunawardena.

With the invitation of Dayananda Gunawardena, Saputhanthri joined the programs in Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) where he started writing songs instead of poems. “Sunil Edirisinghe, Edward Jayakody and Rohana Weerasinghe helped me immensely at SLBC,” he iterated. Unlike today, as he said, he received plenty of opportunities and the blessings of the seniors to blossom as a lyricist. Since then he has written hundreds of memorable songs for almost 40 years. Speaking of his achievements he mentioned the Presidential Award he received as the best lyricist for writing Ran malak lesa dev bambun during President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunge’s regime. It was also selected as the best patriotic song of the decade. With this recognition, he staged his debut show, Malin Malata and along with it, published a collection of his lyrics. “I continued to hone my abilities. Looking back, I am extremely satisfied with what I have achieved,” Saputhanthri said. He currently works as a working director for SLBC.

He believes that some of his songs like Landu owiti kalal mathin or Karakena rode were influenced by the political ideologies he followed. “I was travelling with Rohana Weerasinghe one day in his scooter. We observed a few laborers engaged in road construction in Narahenpita. They were working in the hot sun, their legs covered with gunny bags. They were hard at work. It got me thinking. Although they sweat like this, none of these roads will be named after them. It will be named after some politico who didn’t even know how this road was laid,” he said, remembering what inspired him to write the song, Landu owiti kalal mathin…aluth paara hadenawa. He also mentioned how the late poetess Monika Ruwanpathirana also encouraged him to write songs.

He considers the song as a weapon capable of reminding people what’s right and wrong. Yet he lamented that a politician’s lie is stronger than the messages sent to society through songs. Therefore, this system where laborers get undermined despite their hard labor, will be difficult to change. However, he strongly believes that an artiste should not be involved in party politics directly. “It hinders your freedom. If you work solely for one political party it will be disadvantageous to his creative work as well,” he pointed out. “The artiste’s political partiality should be in his heart. He or she should be sensitive to what’s happening to the society as a whole regardless of which party is doing more harm or good. But that’s not what’s happening today,” he added.

He speaks about the underdog in his songs. He has tried to bring out the feelings of the isolated people in the society through songs. The lonely boy, who isolates himself from the children going home after school in Issara man giya pasala aril; where a lonely girl stands in the fork of her parents’ divorce in Santhapa mawathe; or the untold troubles of the child who pushes his disabled father’s cart, is capable of forcing people to ponder different aspects of life, which they choose not to see otherwise. He believes that he has honed this ability through living in the village, interacting with villagers in their good times and bad. “I always saw people. I felt for them. I didn’t care whether they were rich or poor,” he reiterated. “That is why they are mostly about human emotions.”

Separation is one of the most unbearable things in life. Among hundreds of songs written about separation, Saputhanthri’s Hade kothanaka ho hindi oba - nida nonida men tops the list. He describes the pain of a man, left by his girlfriend, in Sunil Edirisinghe’s voice. It is astonishing how he understands the stages of pain this man undergoes. Only a broken heart would know the pain of another broken heart. Proving that, Saputhanthri said that he also had tried walking in those shoes long ago while he was still a student.

“I was in love with a girl from Kiribathgoda during the time I was in politics. She was from a well-to-do family with powerful relatives who strongly believed in UNP ideologies. I was known as an active JVP member. And when they were informed about the relationship, all hell broke lose. We knew we don’t have a future together and we decided to end it. It was a mutual decision but it was hard,” he explained how his experiences in early life later became a great song.

Another notable significance of his songs is that he always finds connections with nature and environment. He pointed out that the young amateur songwriters lack the skills to see the connections between life and nature. “This is the result of the contemporary education system. It has destroyed their senses. Today, young people would not notice even if the aesthetic hits them between their eyes. The child imprisoned in this system does not have the time or the patience to observe nature,” he pointed out. “I admired and enjoyed the environment in both my villages, Beruwala and Matara. That’s what’s mixed with the songs,” he added.

He also expressed his grief about the lack of opportunities in the field for amateur lyricists and drew the attention to the lack of high quality programs dedicated to broadcasting decent songs. “There are veterans who are willing to do better at SLBC. But they stay idle because of improper administration,” he noted. “Recognition for the lyricist is poor in this country anyway. Good lyricists will further dwindle if this system continues,” he added. He also said that this frustration could also be the reason for the absence of new songs by veterans including him. “It’s a shame if it happens. We still have potential to take the new song to the previously admired quality,” Saputhanthri concluded.

When jumbos trumpet on the canvas

Vishi R Dharmasiriwardena says it’s hard for him to even hear about it. The wildlife and nature artist covered his ears when he was asked about what he thinks about the human elephant conflict and hakka patas, frequently on the news. “It is a very sad story. The elephant is a national treasure. An elephant in the wild is an awe inspiring sight. These animals cannot articulate their struggle to survive. That is why we should be helping them,” Vishi pointed out. “I believe we have to promote the elephant everywhere including hotels. Take Africa or Kenya for example, they promote their wildlife. I have travelled a lot, I have seen how it’s promoted. Why can’t we do it here? Why can’t we use the elephants to our advantage, so that we will be protecting the elephant while also promoting tourism,” he stressed.

Vishi is a nature lover and he believes that this love for Mother Nature made him a wildlife painter. He started painting at the age of five and has had neither formal training nor an academic training in art. When he was young he used to visit national parks and zoological gardens on many occasions to study animal behavior and anatomy. He claimed that he is a self- taught artist, except for the help he received from the art master at school. Little Vishi started his work with pencil sketches, moved on to crayon and then tried his hand at water colors. By the age of 14, he had already begun to use oil paint. Recalling his journey, he said he was inspired to become a professional wildlife artist, upon seeing the work of wildlife artists published in magazines.

When he held a joint exhibition with his brother titled ‘Weluwana Siththaru’, at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery Colombo in 1985, he was just 16 years old. Following year, he did 65 oil paintings for a leading beach hotel in Sri Lanka. He got the opportunity to exhibit some of his art work at the Mondial International Art Festival held in Hong Kong in 1996. He held his second exhibition ‘Nature’s Savage Innocence’ in 2001 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery. He received much critical acclaim from the British, French, Canadian, Italian and American ambassadors who were highly impressed with his work. His two large paintings, ‘The Charge’ and ‘The Serpent Eagle’ were purchased for the lifetime private collection of the USA embassy in Colombo few years ago.

Majority among his paintings are elephants. Moreover, he received his recent title for a painting of a magnificent elephant during the Jaipur Art Festival. “I was fond of the elephant since I was a kid. I used to sketch elephants since I was very young. At school also I selected art as a subject. After school I worked in the advertising field for a while as an artist. My interests were on landscaping and painting. But with time I developed my drawing skills and became a full time painter. When I visit other countries to take part in workshops, especially in India, I get lot of attention. This time, I painted an elephant in five days. I have never finished a painting within such a short period of time before. It is a personal record. My painting came out so well, the Indians who saw the painting were amazed. For them it was something that they have never seen,” he reiterated.

The International Jaipur Art Festival was held from March 19 to 23 at Hotel Diggi Palace Jaipur.  It is an international event where artists from all over the world participate. This year over 220 Indian and international artists joined the workshop from 25 countries and 22 states of India. “Madam Kiran Soni Gupta is the lady who invited me to this event. She saw my work last year. She was very pleased,” he recounted how he received the opportunity to participate at the Jaipur Art Festival. Kiran Soni Gupta is an Indian Administrative service officer of Rajasthan, more famous as an artist. “I was the only artist to represent Sri Lanka and I received the artist of the day title on the final day, which is considered a prestigious achievement,” he said proudly. “I believe it is a great honor to the country,” he added.

“People ask me why I am more interested in painting elephants. The elephant is an animal anybody loves to watch. It is intelligent and magnificent. Moreover we have our own elephant, Elephas maximus maximus, which I believe is a gift of Mother Nature,” he said. “My intentions of painting elephants are to promote them and make awareness on protecting them,” he added. His paintings are highly realistic and carries a three dimensional (3D) effect. Vishi does not use photographs or any other picture as reference when drawing. His paintings are what he has observed, he says. “They are experiences I gathered through continuous visits to national wildlife parks.”

According to him there is high demand for realistic art in Jaipur, where as Delhi and Mumbai has demand for abstract and modern art. But as he sees, there is no demand at all for paintings among the Sri Lankans. “Jaipur is a beautiful place with lot of cultural values unlike Mumbai. Maybe that’s why they have demand for realistic art. However, there is a demand for art and artists in India unlike in Sri Lanka,” he expressed his grief about the lack of enthusiasm for art in Sri Lanka. “The demand is actually going down in Sri Lanka. It is a pathetic situation. Our artists are literally on the road now. There is no proper gallery for them. Look at all the talented artists selling paintings along the road,” he pointed out.

He also said that it is hard for an artist to make money selling paintings in Sri Lanka, “Painting can only be engaged in as a pastime for fun. The artist should definitely engage in some other job, something like advertising to make a living. This happens because people don’t know how to appreciate art,” Vishi lamented. “People don’t want to buy paintings for large sums of money. They always go for the cheaper ones, despite the quality of the work. Our people spend lots of money building huge houses. But get cheaper paintings to decorate their walls. They don’t know the value of a painting. It’s as if they know nothing about art,” he added.

Vishi believes that people should make a habit of buying paintings for house decorations rather than buying printed foreign sceneries. “We should start talking about this for a start. Then we might be able to start a new trend,” he said while pointing out that such a trend would help the amateur artists struggling to build a name for themselves.

He also believes that it is an easy task to promote wildlife and nature paintings, photography as well as tourism since we have been gifted with all the necessities to do so by Mother Nature. “If people get organized and if the government imposes proper laws and a strong hand is extended to armature artists, it will not be a difficult task,” he opined. “Now it’s the time to promote Sri Lanka; the country, its culture, wildlife and nature as well as the artists. Foreigners are paying attention to Sri Lanka these days. If we promote our country methodically, they will be fascinated.”