Remembering the Great Dancer

By D.C. Ranatunga

Hoiya, Hoiya – Hoiya, Hoiya – Maha muhude aatha indan…

The chorus singing heard over six decades ago still reverberates in my ears. We, the older generation folks, were so enamoured by ‘Karadiya’ – the ballet that Chitrasena produced in the early 1960s. His portrayal of Mandadirala, the tough guy, is unforgettable. 

And every time we hear Pandith Amaradeva singing ‘Aetha kandukara himavu arane’ we are taken back to ‘Nala Damayanthi’ which Chitrasena revived two years later. Three years after that, came yet another classic ‘Nurthanjali’. All this happened during the revival of the Sinhala arts with Sarachchandra’s ‘Maname’ and ‘Sinhabahu’, and Lester James Peries’ ‘Rekawa’ and ‘Gampreraliya’. 

 

Chitrasena Kalayatanaya

As I look back on the life of a great artiste who passed away exactly 10 years ago – on 18 July 2005 – I remember how we, as young parents, spent the Saturday mornings at the Chitrasena Kalayatanaya at Kollupitiya waiting for our children to finish their dancing classes.

While Vajira was busy directing operations, we leisurely chatted with Chitrasena who took it easy and preferred to relate old stories – from the time in the 1930s when he developed an interest in drama due to his father Seebert Dias’ involvement with the Tower Hall, to the days when his abode was the meeting place for many an artistes of the day.

That was after his return from Shantiniketan where he went for further studies having learnt Kandyan dancing under Algama Kiriganitha Gurunnanse, Muddanave Appuwa, a veteran dancer from Kandy, and Lapaya Gurunnanse.

In the 1940s gifted musician Ananda Samarakoon was a frequent visitor and worked with Chitrasena in his early productions. He composed the songs for the ballets ‘Vidura’ in 1944 and ‘Chandalika’ in 1952. The latter was staged to mark the opening of the open air theatre at the Kalayatanaya. Sunil Santha held his music classes there. Master craftsman Somabandu designed the costumes and stage decor in the later productions and Amaradeva became the much sought-after music director. Dramatists dropped in regularly and sought Chitrasena’s advice.

Chitrasena - Pic by Dominic Sansoni

‘Karadiya’

I was doing a column – ‘The Arts’ – in the Sunday Observer when ‘Karadiya’ was staged for the 198th time in December 1967. I remember Chitrasena telling me how he conceived ‘Karadiya’. 

It was while traveling by train from Colombo to Matara once a week to conduct a dancing class. He would watch the ‘maadela’ being hauled by the fisher-folk to the strains of ‘hoiya hoiya’. This inspired him and gave him the idea for the ballet, which introduced many an art lover to a new form of entertainment. 

It became the most popular ballet of the era, making Chitrasena confess: “So long as I can stage ‘Karadiya’, I am not worried.” He was commenting on the hard times that many an artiste had to face by way of finances. Crowds would turn up in their numbers to see ‘Karadiya’.

 

Tradition carried forward

We watched Chitrasena and wife Vajira building up a professional dancing troupe which any Sri Lankan could be proud of. They turned out to be the only troupe that could keep the Sri Lankan flag flying at any official function overseas. 

During my stint at CTC handling communications, I was happy to lend a hand whenever a Chitrasena-Vajira Festival was organised. Thus the contact over the years continued.

We saw daughters Upeka and Anjali turning out to be as talented as the mother. The parents could sit back and watch the tradition being carried forward without a break. And they did. Today the grandchildren have taken over. What an achievement!

The high standard reached in recent years by one-time students Channa and Ravibandu (there may be many others) in their productions is an honour to their ‘guru’. 

 

Popularising Sinhala ballet

When Eagle Insurance started an annual presentation of the Eagle Excellence Award to those who had contributed towards the enhancement of performing arts and who deserved to be honoured, I was in the selection team. Once the selections were made invariably I wrote the citations. 

The day the Chitrasena duo got the awards – one year before his death – we had dinner together. And he told us how he was keeping fit. “I take garlic daily and I have no health problems,” he said. He also did a regular swim in the sea. 

He was happy he continued his father’s mission of uplifting the local dance forms and popularising Sinhala ballet. “My father produced and choreographed the first national ballet in Sri Lanka,” he reminisced.

It was the first time that a story was related through dance, way back in 1936. The ballet was ‘Sri Sangabo’ in which Chitrasena did the main role at the age of 15. Judging from his physique in his heyday, he would have been well grown up at the time! 

Seebert Dias ran the Tower Hall for a number of years, during which time he produced many of John de Silva’s plays. He was actively involved with the Colombo Dramatic Club. He also produced and acted in several Shakespearean dramas. His portrayal of Shylock in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ was the talk of the town. Chitrasena himself played Othello in Ernest Macintyre’s production and Emperor Jones for Karan Breckenridge.

 

Creation of a new generation of dancers

Chitrasena and Vajira have over two dozen productions to their credit but their greatest contribution was the creation of a new generation of dancers. By the time Chitrasena passed away, he could look back with much satisfaction that he had given the lead in building up a talented lot to continue the good work. 

Recognition came in many forms to his contribution for his efforts over several decades. World leaders admired and enjoyed his performances. He was honoured by the State with the highest title given to a citizen, ‘Deshamanya’ in addition to the ones given for the promotion of art and culture. He was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy – Fine Arts by the Institute of Aesthetic Studies – Kelaniya University. 

 

A fine human being

I conclude this 10th anniversary tribute by repeating what I stated in a tribute paid to him immediately after his death: “Yet, with all the accolades and titles, Chitrasena remained the simple, unassuming individual he always was. Even in death he had insisted on a simple funeral within 24 hours with only the family members being present. Obviously he was not keen on being ‘exhibited’ at the left wing of the Art Gallery. Vajira and children Upeka, Anjali and Anudatta will miss him, just as we all will. Yet we will always remember a great artiste, good entertainer and above all, fine human being.”