Lanka’s pride

Saturday, 29 February 2020 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

To be recognised by the Indian Government for the award of one of the highest civilian honours is indeed great. For a Sri Lankan to be chosen for the ‘Padma Shri’ award is extremely rare. Thus the selection of two Sri Lankans for the award this year is an honour not only for the two individuals but also for the country. The two are dancer Vajira Chitrasena and late Professor Indra Dissanayake.

Vajira, as she is popularly referred to, is a household word. I can’t think of another female dancer who has gained such recognition in this country.

I can still recall the days when our two daughters attended the weekend class at the Chitrasena-Vajira dance school at Kollupitiya when we used to sit and chat with Chitrasena while Vajira conducted the classes. Amidst the sound of drums we could hear her voice giving instructions.

Beginning her career as Chitrasena’s pupil she matured into Sri Lanka’s outstanding danseuse and Prima Ballerina under his guidance.

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 even after the daughters finished dancing at the Kalayataya.

We watched Chitrasena and wife Vajira building up a professional dancing troupe which any Sri Lankan could be proud of. For several decades theirs was the only troupe that could keep the Sri Lankan flag flying at any official function overseas. Vajira should be proud looking back at the number of pupils they created and many of them conducting classes thereby helping to continue to Chitrasena-Vajira tradition. She must be quite satisfied that daughter Upekha and the grandchildren continue the tradition.

Living legend

Introducing Vajira when she won the Padma Shri award five years ago, the All India Radio said: “Dr. Vajira Chitrasena is considered a living legend of Sri Lankan dance. She heads the Chitrasena-Vajira Dance foundation and has been adorned with one of Sri Lanka’s highest awards ‘Deshabandu’ among many other awards. She has uniquely contributed to enhancing India-Sri Lanka relations through the promotion of dance and blending the art forms of both countries especially the Kandyan and Odissiial dance forms. She and her guru husband Chitrasena, together with the Chitrasena Dance Company undertook various visits to India between1959 to 1998.

“The connection established by Chitrasena and Vajira with India has continued to flourish and culminated in a recent collaboration between the Chitrasena Dance Company and Nirtyagram, an Indian dance ensemble of Odissi. Their joint production ‘Samhara’ combined the highky masculine and earthy Kandyan dance with the distinctly sensual and restrained Odissi with the production drawing critical acclaim and rare reviews.”

Chirang Jayatu, Vajira!