“Danno Budunge Sri Dharmaskandha” song made national heritage

The Government yesterday announced that it has decided to make the song “Danno Budunge Sri Dharmaskandha” a national heritage.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal to make the 120-year-old song a national heritage. “Taking into consideration the fact that this song has continuously influenced the thinking of the nation for more than a century, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in his capacity as the Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Council and Local Government Minister to declare the song a national heritage,” the Government said.

The approval has been granted on the recommendation of the Special Committee appointed on the instructions of Prime Minister Gunawardena.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, as a song that has continued to influence the nation’s thoughts and aesthetic values for more than a century, “Danno Budunge Sri Dharmaskandha” has become popular since time immemorial. 

This song, which has been used continuously to express national pride and historical consciousness, can be considered a key factor in the study of the local genre of music and it will be an inspiration to the musicians of this country.

This will have a unique impact on building national identity. There is evidence that this song was used as a national anthem in festivals and other occasions until the current national anthem was officially selected, the PM’s office stated.

 ”Danno Budunge” is a song from the Sirisangabo stage drama (1903) by John de Silva which expresses the historical consciousness coloured by the environment of the contemporary Anuradhapura era. The melody has been composed by Vishwanath Lauji. The Special Committee appointed by the PM has decided that there is no legal or other hindrance to making this song a national heritage and the committee has also emphasised that it is not affected by the intellectual law enforcement of the country. The Special Committee was chaired by Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry Secretary K.D.N. Ranjith Ashoka. 

Buddhasasana and Cultural Affairs Ministry Secretary Somarathne Vidanapathirana, Department of Archeology Director-General Prof. Anura Manatunga, Cultural Affairs Department Director Bhagya Katudeniya, Hela Haula President Srinath Ganewatta, All Ceylon Buddhist Congress President Chandra Nimal Vakistha, literary scholar Sunil Sarath Perera, musician Lionel Gunathilake, and Retired Ministry Secretary Kanthi Wijethunga were the other members of the committee.