news
An emotional song about daughters that two Consultant Surgeons created
* Lyrics & Acting in Video: Dr. Samira Jayasinghe
* Music: Dr. Devaka Ratnapala
It was the first week of October last year and I was in a small hotel room overseas, having just finished packing my bags to return home the next morning. It was in the thick of the Covid wave in Europe. I had just dropped my daughter in the university and was returning home the next morning, bags lighter, heart heavier.
I was scrolling through the Facebook feed to distract my mind for a moment from the rush of emotions welling up. There was one shared by one of my classmates, penned by him and music composed by another batch mate of mine. The song was about daughters.
“Nirathuru mage gatha dawatena, Muwa hasarali nithi nanwana” (often lingering around, and the smiles that bring to one’s heart) were the opening lines of the song. The familiar voice of T. M. Jayaratna, the same singer who sang “Amma Sandaki mama e lowa hiruya ridhi” (mother is the moon, I am the silver sun), the most beautiful song I have heard, sung by a father. His voice seemed mature, but still smooth as it has ever been.
He was singing about his daughter, and of all daughters. As he pauses, the second voice slides gently into the conversation, as a mother sometimes would waft into a conversation between a father and daughter, may be with a steaming cup of tea in hand.
As for me, Nelu Adhikari has always been that perfect voice one can listen to for hours. My distraction was becoming counteractive, the welled up emotions of leaving my daughter behind in a distant land to fend for herself, were rushing in from deep within and overwhelming my mind. I stopped the video.
Waiting for boarding at an empty Heathrow Airport the next day, I sent a quick message back to my old friend who shared the post, Dr. Samira Jayasinghe, the lyrics writer of the song, telling him honestly the effect the weave of words and the music had on me. I was delighted to learns that the music composition was also by another friend, Dr. Devaka Ratnapala.
I started prodding down memory lane. Samira and I followed two paths and ended up in the same school after passing the grade five scholarship exam, almost 35 years ago. We spent a few of our best years in school as class mates. Although, we parted ways after, and have kept very little contact, our friendship has not waned. The nostalgia of us singing song after song gathered around a school desk drum in free periods flowed in from bygone days.
Since then I have listened to the song many times. Surrendering to the urge to write something, I pen these thoughts not as a critique (to do so I am not qualified) but merely from an average father’s perspective, listening to the song.
The first verse bring memories of the first time a father sees the petite being. The moment many a men realize what an angel in flesh and blood looks like. The chorus, akin to the infinite waves that visit the shore, reminds you of the laughter, the gentleness that was a daughter that fill a home. The last verse has the line that captured me the most, when the father sings of watching from a distance and being content of simply being a father.
This song in whole feels like our story, parents somewhat lost in their empty nest where the young ones have taken their flight to find their own fortune. Feelings of pride, glee and loss fill the heart. Samira’s lyrics flow through, flipping through memories of seeing one’s daughter for the first time.
How she took baby steps and walked in to the centre of your heart and captivated it and grew up to be a young lady. Devaka’s smooth melody calms one’s conscious to allow it to reach deep within and stir up deeper feelings.
A man would become a better man because of a woman for sure, but he will become the best man he can be because of a daughter. Samira’s and Devaka’s creation has captured that essence
“Diyani obai ma sanasana” is a unique creation in another aspect as well. Both lyricist and the musician are Specialist Consultant Surgeons, who have excelled in their chosen fields. Samira becomes an actor in the music video with famous actress Manjula Kumari.
Dr. Samira Jayasinghe, a Consultant General Surgeon, is a journalist and author as well. He has authored three books and “Adaraneeya Corona” was the third launched during the pandemic. He writes a weekly column “Vini Viduma” in a Sunday national newspaper. On the other hand, Dr. Devaka was the music composer of the popular song “Ahasata soduruda Sanda ketharam” which has touched the hearts of many.
Jaliya Pilimatalawwe, From Hong Kong
Author
- News Advertiesment
See Kapruka’s top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Flowers, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka’s unique online services such as Money Remittence,News, Courier/Delivery, Food Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka.
Author
-
sdfsdf sdf sf sf sdf sf sdf
Author
PCoI on Easter Sunday attacks:
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC is not bound by recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (P CoI) into the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, or presidential directives in that regard, according to authoritative sources.
They said that the AG couldn’t under any circumstances initiate legal proceedings until he had received the full PCoI report.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa received the PCoI report on Feb 1. The President’s Office delivered a set of PCoI reports to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Feb 23, a day after the report was presented to the cabinet of ministers. The Island raised the matter with relevant authorities in the wake of a section of the media reporting the PCoI recommending punitive measures against former President Maithripala Sirisena, Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, IGP Pujitha Jayasundera, Chief of State Intelligence Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, Chief of National Intelligence retired DIG Sisira Mendis and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader and Samagi Jana Balavegaya MP Rishad Bathiudeen et al over the Easter Sunday carnage.
Sources pointed out that due to the inordinate delay in sharing the PCoI report with the AG, the department hadn’t been able to take preliminary measures required to initiate the proceedings. Sources said that a team of officers would take at least six weeks or more to examine the report before tangible measures could be taken.
With the AG scheduled to retire on May 24, 2021, even if the AG Department received the P CoI it would be quite a tough task to initiate proceedings ahead of retirement, sources said. However, in terms of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in last October, both the AG and the IGP could receive extensions beyond 60 at the President’s discretion.
Dappula de Livera received an Acting appointment as the AG a week after the Easter Sunday carnage whereas his predecessor Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, was elevated to Chief Justice.
Responding to another query, sources said that the Attorney General two weeks ago requested Secretary to the President for a copy of the P CoI. However, the AG was yet to receive one, sources said. In spite of the AG not receiving a P CoI copy, the AG had instructed the IGP to obtain a copy of the report when he requested the police to complete investigations into the Easter Sunday carnage. The AG issued specific instructions after having examined police files pertaining to the investigations.
The IGP, too, hadn’t received a copy so far though some sections of the report were in the public domain.
Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage displayed at a live political programme on Derana a copy of the P CoI report he received at the cabinet meeting earlier in the day.
Sources said that the Attorney General’s Department couldn’t decide on a course of action in respect of the Easter carnage on the basis of a section of the report. In terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act (Section 24), the AG enjoyed significant powers/authority in respect of investigations; sources said adding that the Department urgently required both the P CoI report and police investigations report. The Attorney General’s Department has raised the delay in receiving a P CoI report amidst the Catholic Church attacking the government over the same issue.
Sources said that ministerial committee appointed to study the P CoI report couldn’t decide on how to proceed with the recommendations and the matter was entirely in the hands of the AG. Sources pointed out that the delay on the part of the government to release the report had received the attention of sections of the international media, including the New York Times. Public Security Minister retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera having met Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith at the Bishop’s House on Dec 8, 2020 said that the AG would get a copy of the P CoI report once the President received it. Minister Weerasekera said that the CID had handed over the relevant files after having completed investigations into eight blasts. Referring to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) report on the Easter Sunday carnage, the former Navy Chief of Staff said that all such documents would have to be brought to one place and considered before initiating legal proceedings. Acknowledging that there could be delays, lawmaker Weerasekera said that on the instructions of the Attorney General a 12-member team of lawyers was working on the case. The minister vowed to expose the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks. Investigations continued while some of those wanted were overseas, the minister said.
The minister acknowledged that the Attorney General couldn’t proceed without the P CoI report. Minister Weerasekera reiterated that once the President received the P CoI report, it would be sent to the Attorney General. The minister said that there were documents two to three feet high that needed scrutiny. The minister assured comprehensive investigation. The minister said that investigations pertaining to eight blasts had been completed and the reports handed over to the AG. However, the Attorney General had found shortcomings in those investigations.
Author
By Saman Indrajith
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday bombings had failed to identify the mastermind of , the JVP said yesterday.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said that the PCoI report had levelled accusations against former President Maithripala Sirisena, former IGP and head of intelligence for their dereliction of duty, shirking of responsibilities and not taking action to prevent the attacks and negligence. There were reference to the causes of the terror attacks and actions to be taken to avoid such attacks and the influence of extremist organisations. “However, there is no mention of the mastermind of the attacks, the handlers of the attackers and those whose interests the carnage served. It is also not mentioned whether there has been any foreign or local organisation behind those attacks. As per the PCoI report the attack took place as a result of culmination of extremism.
“According to the PCoI the extremist activities were a result of the prevailing political situation then. The entire nation was waiting to see who was responsible and who masterminded those attacks. The PCoI has failed to identify the true culprits responsible for the terror attacks. The report says that the leader of the suicide cadres killed himself in the attacks and it was a puzzle. That means those who are actually responsible for the attacks are still at large. The report does not provide exact details of the sources of the attacks. The PCoI had sittings for one year and five months. It summoned various persons and got their statements but it has failed to shed any light on the terror attacks. Everybody knows that the top leaders of the government and heads of security and intelligence establishments failed in their duties. Ranil Wickremesinghe was the second in command and he too is bound by the responsibility but the PCoI report fails to identify him as one of the persons against whom legal action should be instituted. The PCoI has treated Wickremesinghe and former President Maithripala Sirisena differently. We are not telling that this report is a total failure but we cannot accept this as a complete report. The PCoI handed over its report to the President on Feb 1. After 23 days it was sent to Parliament. Now, a copy of the report is there in the parliamentary library for the perusal of MPs.”
Herath said that the PCoI did not have powers to take punitive action. “It only has powers to name those responsible and recommend action to be taken against those named.
