Mahagama Sekara

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Mahagama Sekera (Mahagamage Sekera)
Born(1929-04-07)7 April 1929
Radawana, Gampaha, Sri Lanka
Died14 January 1976(1976-01-14) (aged 46)
NationalitySri Lankan
Education Government College of Fine Arts
SpouseKusumalatha Suraweera (1963–1976)
Children3
Website Official website

Mahagama Sekera (Mahagamage Sekera) (Sinhala:මහගම සේකර / මහගමගේ සේකර ) (7 April 1929 – 14 January 1976) was a famed Sri Lankan poet, lyricist, playwright, novelist, artist, translator and filmmaker. He is considered to be a groundbreaking figure in Sinhalese poetry and literature. [1] He is best remembered as a poet and songwriter with several of his works even becoming popular songs in Sri Lanka. His works occasionally have an introspective Buddhist-influenced outlook. His poems and songs remain widely quoted on the island nearly thirty years after his death.

Contents

Early life and education

Mahagama Sekera was born on 7 April 1929 in Radawana, Gampaha. His father was Maha Gamage John Singho, mother was Ranawaka Arachchige Roslin Ranawaka. He had his initial education at Government School in Radawana and Kirindiwela Maha Vidayalaya. Sekera started life as an artist and in his later paintings and book covers he tended towards modern art. He got a thorough grounding in the forms and techniques of formal art at the Government School of Fine Arts of which he later became the Principal. Thus at a young age he was exposed to new ways of looking at the world and perceiving reality which combined with the folk culture of his inheritance in a typical village milieu gave its particular strength to his world view. [2]

Sekera started his doctoral studies at Vidyodaya University of Ceylon in 1974. His thesis on "Sinhala Gadya Padya Nirmana Kerehi Ridmaya Balapa Athi Akaraya" (Influence of Rhythm on the Sinhala Prose and Poetry) was submitted to the university in 1975. At the time of his death in 1976, he was attending to the final editing of the thesis as recommended by the supervisors. [3] He was appointed as a teacher to Gampaha Bandaranayaka School, where he worked for few months.

Bibliography

Mahagama Sekera started his artistic and creative career as a painter. He contributed to every branch of literature. He wrote short essays and plays to sinhala weekly papers and magazines, published several novels and poetry, and wrote over 100 songs. Many of his songs were vocalised and music directed by Pandit W. D. Amaradeva. He wrote and produced the musical play Swarnathilaka, which was critically acclaimed.

Poetry

Novels

Short stories

Films

Plays

List of plays written by Sekera [5]

Notable songs written by Sekera

Awards

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "සිංහල කවියෙහි මහගම සේකර බලපෑම සහ ඔහුගේ නිර්මාණ". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "Mahagama Sekara". Sri Lanka Poems. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Mahagama Sekera PhD Research". Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 Mahendra, Prof Sunanda. "Remembering Mahagama Sekara and his halo". Daily News. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Official Website of Mahagama Sekera". Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "WD Amaradeva ~ Sandakath Pini Diya.. සඳකත් පිණිදිය...♫" . Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Lionel Algama no more".
  8. ↑ Parasathu Mal.
  9. ↑ "Sannaliyane Sannaliyane Song" . Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Adavan Desin Song" . Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  11. ↑ "Etha Kandukara Himaw Arane - WD Amaradeva Mp3 Song".
  12. ↑ "Anna Balan Sanda lyrics".


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