Semage's pandal depicts 'Dasaraja Dharma'ART: Renowned artist Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage's grand 'Vesak Pandal' to celebrate the 2550th 'Buddha Jayanthi' is now being built opposite parliament grounds. The pandal built under a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa depicts the 'Dasaraja Dharma' conveyed by the Buddha at the Jethawanarama temple. 'Dasa Raja Dharmaya' is Buddha's teaching on good leadership and leadership skills. Semage's relationship with pandals is quite old and strong. Born in downsouth, the veteran artist has been involved in creating pandals from his school days. The number of pandals that had been touched by Semage's magical artistic hands are numerous. His pandals as well as his other paintings had won worldwide acclaim due to their unique magical beauty. TraditionSemage's inclination to bring out Sri Lankan culture and tradition in his paintings attribute to the uniqueness of them.
After 30 years of painting, Semage has developed his own style of drawing. The sensual beauty and rhythmic style unique to Sri Lanka is highlighted. "I try to show love, happiness and beauty in my paintings and keep away cruelty, pain and horror from my paintings," he says. The pandal that is now being built opposite the parliament is 55 feet wide and 50 feet tall. The Vesak pandal's design itself is special and portrays a story. The pandal is headed by a 16 feet tall 'Budu Res Walalla' with a picture of Lord Buddha, and soothing water - 'ama diya'- falling down from it to extinguish the fire that engulfs the burning world. leadership"The theme had been adopted in a pandal for the first time, and I believe that it is a very relevant one in today's context. The paintings are all about good leadership, which I believe is what Mahinda Chinthanaya is all about too," he says.
The paintings show The Buddha preaching the 'Dasa Raja Dharma' to kings, queens and other leaders, how every person willingly contribute to enrich the country under the caring guidance of a compassionate king, how the king rules the public caringly and kindly and many other important factors that the rulers as well as the ruled should consider to make the country self sufficient and heavenly. Nearly 3,500 bulbs will illuminate the pandal sponsored by the Nawaloka Group of Companies. Semage, who had been the president of the 'Ceylon Society of Arts' had won many awards including the 'Kalasuri' and 'Kalabhushana'. He had built many pandals here as well as abroad including the largest pandal built in Sri Lanka, and the largest Buddhist pandal in South Asia. He had built many glamorous pandals in many foreign countries like Singapore, Bangkok, Sweden and Nepal. Semage had brought honour to Sri Lanka with his paintings 'Hands that Feed' being selected to be permanently hung in the United Nations Head Quarters in Geneva. |
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