Comments on: The Art of Chithrasena – by Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy

By: Bandu Mirigama

Bandu Mirigama — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 04:55:03 +0000

Great proudness of being a Sri Lankan filled the heart to see how these great sons and daughers of mother Lanka, Dr. Radhika, Chithrasena and Vajira. Congradulations again Dr. Radhka for you making our motherland so proud by representing the world

By: Tissa Atukorala, Portland, Oregon, USA

Tissa Atukorala, Portland, Oregon, USA — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 18:14:04 +0000

I was very happy and proud as a Sri Lankan to read Dr Coomaraswamy’s article about our national form of dance, and about the culture of our mother land. I am e-mailing this article to many of my friends. Incidently on April 2nd, Channa & Upekha are performing in Vancouver, Canada. Since it is about a 5 hour drive from Portland, I was initially not planning on attending. Now after reading this wonderful article, I have decided to attend this performance and show our support both financially and by our presence.
Thank you again Dr Coomaraswamy for the shining example of a truly Sri Lankan native that you are.

By: Gamini Edirisinghe - USA

Gamini Edirisinghe - USA — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 07:09:51 +0000

I read the article, The Art of Chithrasena, by Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy with awe. It is a very insightful article and it also brings up a point – the national pride – that is bitter-sweet. Bitter, as Dr. Radhika says, its present condition and sweet, what it used to be in those good old days, the days of innocence. We should all work together with commitment to bring our national pride back to its authentic state transcending race, caste and gender. It may be difficult but not impossible.

Dr. Radhika, thank you very much for this enlightening article.

By: Lalith Jayawickrama-USA Hawaii

Lalith Jayawickrama-USA Hawaii — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 19:35:53 +0000

I too being a Sri Lankan and being one of the first male students of Chitrasena-Vajira Dance School moved me to tears and brought back the wonderful memories of the days at Colpetty. I joined them in my teen years and learned under their guidance for 12 years or more. It was not just learning to dance I was taught to be a strong person with values that made me into a beautiful Sri Lankan. I was not just a student but part of the family where “they” are like my parents. Having growing up with Anji, Upeka, Anu, and then Tanya, Channa, Ravibandhu & others we were taught not just dancing but developed human values and to bring out the pride & beauty of a Sri Lankan to the public.
Chitrasena-Vajira Dance School is the glue that binds our crumbling nation into a “Strong-Proud-One-Nation”. They represent the best of Nation and Culture. Therefore helping them is like helping to build & preserve our Nation with due respect to our culture and pride.

By: sudheera - /canada

sudheera - /canada — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 17:26:54 +0000

I being a Sri Lankan and a student of the Chitrasena dance school for a short time fully agree to the comments Dr. Coomaraswamy had made about the duo late Chitrasena and Vajira. I think we all should support the school they are trying to build to carry the tradition for the years to come.

By: Dr Thushara Rodrigo

Dr Thushara Rodrigo — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 13:29:33 +0000

Radhika’s comments indeed made me proud to be a Srilankan! As a past student of Chitrsena and Vajira ,reading this moved me to tears and brought back the wonderful memories of the school’s hay day at Colpetty.
We Srilankans should be proud to have interlectuals of the callibre of Radhika…is it surprising that she was slected to the UN system?
We should be releived that we have Heshma and Thaji to carry the Chitrasena tradition to the next millenium.