D. T. Fernando
Encyclopedia
Danister Thomas Fernando (February 9, 1909 – October 14, 2004 ) is a pioneer Sri Lanka
n lyricist. Some of the pioneers, whose names most people could not even remember were honoured. The oldest lyricist, D. T. Fernando, was a forgotten name.
He first wrote the lyrics to "Shanthame Rathriye" for the film Asokamala
in 1947. Later he wrote very famous songs including: "Pem kekula pipi enavita mahade", "Premalokaya nivigiya", "Pemrella nagi gal thalle vadi", "Prema gange menik vage", "Jeewana gamana me sansare", "Somibara pamreli mahada nege", "Mihira pennadee ale pe mahade", "Malpethi ralarela athare", "Oo Enna", "Parana thale ape seeyala", "Premaloke Rajabhiseke", "Thirasara Ale Amaraneeyave", and "Nayanaveni Sudo Oba ma"
, Sri Lanka to Charlis Fernando and licia Fernando. He had five sisters with one brother. He studied at Kalutara Silver Jubilee boys' school. His father was a wholesale businessmen in North Kalutara. He had shown his vocal talents early as child and he had had lots of invitations to perform as a child singer during the Vesākha and Poson festivals and he became famous. There was the Vesak song competition organized by Society of Vishakya with North Kalutara and South Kalutara in 1916 and D.T. performed and won top prize. In 1925 when he was 16 years old, he sat for the monitor exam. He was talented and passed (the so called Guru Sishya Exam) with flying colors. Afterward he entered Nittambuwa Teachers Training College in 1927. It was a great period his life and he taught under Cumaratunga Munidasa
. He learned the Sinhala language and literature very well and this knowledge was an influence to his imagination and creativity. During this time Cumaratunga Munidasa
had an invitation to teach Sinhala language to S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike. Kumarathunga was forwarded D.T and other four fellows. They conducted class at S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike at Horagolla under the mango tree D.T mentioned, and it was at that time that S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike came to Sri Lanka finish his higher studies. After having teacher's training he had an appointment as an assistant principal at Balapitiya Sidhartha College. Next he worked at Patabandimulla School now called Devananda College for four years and received a promotion to Principal, serving from May 1, 1934 to January 3, 1954.
Shanthi Lekha and her first husband Shanthi Viraj, played the lead roles in Shantha Prabh, the first stage play of Shanthi Lekha
in 1942.
Shanthikumar was invited to see D.T.’s production and Shanthikumar was very happy and invited him write lyrics for the film Asokamala
. D.T was introduced to Mohammed Gauss
who was the composer of Asokamala and he went to Kotahena to write lyrics. D.T. mentioned that Mohammed Gauss played foot bellow at midnight as playing a Gramophone record
player and he wrote suitable Sinhala words for those melodies. He wrote his first lyrics for "Shanthame Rathreey" Chandra kanthi de Aloke. He had a feeling about night and he tried describe the calmness and aesthetic of night. The film was released on April 9, 1947. He wrote "Preethe prethee", "Ai kalae yameku ale" lyrics to Asokamala. This was a original composition from Mohammed Gauss with original lyrics by D.T Fernando and was the first time that the Sri Lankan Film history composed original music. Asokamala was directed by Shanthi Kumar Senavirathne / T. R. Goppu.
in Lucknow, India in the middle of 1950. After coming back to Sri Lanka one day, D .T. was travelling from Kalutara to Colombo. Amaradewa also got on the same bus from Moratuwa and they met. Amaradeva invited D.T. to write lyrics for him. D.T. says that he wrote "Peenamuko Kalugange" while travelling on the bus but could not write the last verse because Amaradewa needed to get off at Bambalapitiya.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n lyricist. Some of the pioneers, whose names most people could not even remember were honoured. The oldest lyricist, D. T. Fernando, was a forgotten name.
He first wrote the lyrics to "Shanthame Rathriye" for the film Asokamala
Asokamala
Asokamala is a 1947 Sri Lankan historical film. It was the second film made in the Sinhalese language and the first by a Sinhalese director. It also was the first film that W. D. Albert Perera , Mohideen Baig and Mohammed Ghouse contributed to...
in 1947. Later he wrote very famous songs including: "Pem kekula pipi enavita mahade", "Premalokaya nivigiya", "Pemrella nagi gal thalle vadi", "Prema gange menik vage", "Jeewana gamana me sansare", "Somibara pamreli mahada nege", "Mihira pennadee ale pe mahade", "Malpethi ralarela athare", "Oo Enna", "Parana thale ape seeyala", "Premaloke Rajabhiseke", "Thirasara Ale Amaraneeyave", and "Nayanaveni Sudo Oba ma"
Early life and education
Danister was born KalutaraKalutara
Kalutara is a resort town located approximately 40 km south of Colombo in Sri Lanka.- Overview :Once an important spice-trading center, the city's name is derived from the Kalu Ganga River . In the 11th Century, the town was temporarily made a capital on the orders of a South Indian Prince...
, Sri Lanka to Charlis Fernando and licia Fernando. He had five sisters with one brother. He studied at Kalutara Silver Jubilee boys' school. His father was a wholesale businessmen in North Kalutara. He had shown his vocal talents early as child and he had had lots of invitations to perform as a child singer during the Vesākha and Poson festivals and he became famous. There was the Vesak song competition organized by Society of Vishakya with North Kalutara and South Kalutara in 1916 and D.T. performed and won top prize. In 1925 when he was 16 years old, he sat for the monitor exam. He was talented and passed (the so called Guru Sishya Exam) with flying colors. Afterward he entered Nittambuwa Teachers Training College in 1927. It was a great period his life and he taught under Cumaratunga Munidasa
Cumaratunga Munidasa
Kumaratunga Munidasa was a pioneer Sri Lankan linguist, grammarian, commentator, writer, poet, and journalist. He founded the Hela Havula movement which sought to remove Sanskrit influences in the Sinhala language promote its correct usage. He was one of the most eminent scholars Sri Lanka has...
. He learned the Sinhala language and literature very well and this knowledge was an influence to his imagination and creativity. During this time Cumaratunga Munidasa
Cumaratunga Munidasa
Kumaratunga Munidasa was a pioneer Sri Lankan linguist, grammarian, commentator, writer, poet, and journalist. He founded the Hela Havula movement which sought to remove Sanskrit influences in the Sinhala language promote its correct usage. He was one of the most eminent scholars Sri Lanka has...
had an invitation to teach Sinhala language to S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike. Kumarathunga was forwarded D.T and other four fellows. They conducted class at S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike at Horagolla under the mango tree D.T mentioned, and it was at that time that S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike came to Sri Lanka finish his higher studies. After having teacher's training he had an appointment as an assistant principal at Balapitiya Sidhartha College. Next he worked at Patabandimulla School now called Devananda College for four years and received a promotion to Principal, serving from May 1, 1934 to January 3, 1954.
"Shanthame Rathreeye"
He was involved in lots of creations when he was at Patabandimulla School. He produced a few dramas with school students. Shantha Praba is the most memorable production he has done. He met Shanthi Kumar at that time. It was an accident. One day he was finding suitable tinkles for this play at 5th cross street in Colombo at a street music instruments shop. He spend few hours finding out good sounding tinkles he noticed Shanthikumar come into this shop. He asked whether D.T was a music teacher and D.T introduced himself. It was the first step in the friendship of D.T and Shanthikumar.Shanthi Lekha and her first husband Shanthi Viraj, played the lead roles in Shantha Prabh, the first stage play of Shanthi Lekha
Shanthi Lekha
Rita Irene Quyn , better known as Shanthi Lekha, was a Sri Lankan actress. She played the role of mother in more films than any other actress in Sinhala cinema....
in 1942.
Shanthikumar was invited to see D.T.’s production and Shanthikumar was very happy and invited him write lyrics for the film Asokamala
Asokamala
Asokamala is a 1947 Sri Lankan historical film. It was the second film made in the Sinhalese language and the first by a Sinhalese director. It also was the first film that W. D. Albert Perera , Mohideen Baig and Mohammed Ghouse contributed to...
. D.T was introduced to Mohammed Gauss
Mohammed Gauss
Mohammed Gauss was a Sri Lankan film music composer. His compositions for filmi in the 1950s are credited by music critics as having been influential in developing a Sri Lankan style of film composition distinct from that of Indian films.-References:...
who was the composer of Asokamala and he went to Kotahena to write lyrics. D.T. mentioned that Mohammed Gauss played foot bellow at midnight as playing a Gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
player and he wrote suitable Sinhala words for those melodies. He wrote his first lyrics for "Shanthame Rathreey" Chandra kanthi de Aloke. He had a feeling about night and he tried describe the calmness and aesthetic of night. The film was released on April 9, 1947. He wrote "Preethe prethee", "Ai kalae yameku ale" lyrics to Asokamala. This was a original composition from Mohammed Gauss with original lyrics by D.T Fernando and was the first time that the Sri Lankan Film history composed original music. Asokamala was directed by Shanthi Kumar Senavirathne / T. R. Goppu.
"Peenamuko Kalugange"
His brother W.J. Fernando also was a music teacher and while working in Koralawella school noticed W. D. Amaradeva‘s talent. He noticed Amaradeva playing violin very well at the school. Later Amaradeva’s father made a violin and he learned under him. D.T. was introduced to Asokamala film and Amaradeva played under Mohamed Ghouse. Later he went for his higher studies at Bhatkhande Music InstituteBhatkhande Music Institute
Bhatkhande Music Institute is a renowned music institute in Lucknow. Established in 1926 by Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, it was declared a deemed university by University Grants Commission in 2000, and offers music education in Vocal Music, Instrumental, Rhythms, Dance, Musicology and Research and...
in Lucknow, India in the middle of 1950. After coming back to Sri Lanka one day, D .T. was travelling from Kalutara to Colombo. Amaradewa also got on the same bus from Moratuwa and they met. Amaradeva invited D.T. to write lyrics for him. D.T. says that he wrote "Peenamuko Kalugange" while travelling on the bus but could not write the last verse because Amaradewa needed to get off at Bambalapitiya.
"Other lyrics "
Afterwards D.T Fernando he wrote lyrics to:- 1948 - Kapati Arakshakaya (by Jyothish Sinha)
- 1952 - Eda Ree (by Shanthi Kumar)
- 1953 - SujathaSujatha (film)Sujatha is a 1953 Sri Lankan romantic musical based on the Bollywood film Badi Bahen. It was the most successful Sri Lankan film made up to that time and started the trend of blatantly copying Indian films.-Plot summary:...
(by Sirisena wimalaweera) other lyrics Ananda Samarakoon and Sirisena Wimalaweera. - 1954 - Radala Pilithura (by T.R Sundaram)
- 1954 - Varada kageda (by T R Sundaram)
- 1955 - Seda SulangSeda SulangSeda Sulang is a 1955 Sri Lankan romantic musical starring Florida Jayalath and Prem Jayanth.-Songs:*"Pem Kekulu Pipee" – Jamuna Rani and A. M. Rajah...
(T Somasekaran) some other lyrics Ananda Samarakoon - 1956 -Duppathage Duka (by T R Sundaram)
- 1957 - Jewitha hatana (by Shanthi Kumar).
Awards
- 1986 O.C.I C Kathalic Award
- 1997 KalaBhushana award
- 1997 Sarasavi Rajatha award
- 1997 presidential award