Why aren’t they ‘Superstars’?

Text and pictures by Ganga Pradeepa

“Ama dahara diya gala gala....thuru latha thulin mal piyali sala”.....On the train that plies on the coastal belt towards Colombo most mornings this song by a clear voice could be heard in the compartments. It is a very familiar voice for daily travellers by train. After a few minutes he came to our compartment with his ‘mini piano’ coupled with a buffel. He sat on it and took his piano on to his lap.

“Me era handa yata kothenaka sitiyath ma mala dawasata mage langa thaniyata enu menawi..............” he voiced along. The tone was mellow and sorrowful. There were no disturbances except for the sound of the train’s horn.

His voice mixed with the sea breeze giving gratifying entertainment for travellers. Why is his voice so sad? Did he lose a loved one? Or... can’t he simply cope with the cost of living? Or may be other reasons effect him?

Some people closed their eyes and listened to him while others just gazed. “Amma.... pew kiri kandulin... me lowa metharam heda une....” It is a popular mothers’ love song. Like me it made some travellers also remember their mothers too. I wanted to take a photograph of him. But he turned the other way and sang. I waited.

He is Saman Fernando. Saman lives in Egoda Uyana, Moratuwa. “There are seven members in my family including myself, he told me later. They are my mother, sister and her four daughters. I am the bread winner of my family. I started my journey with “Mawathe Api” group.

After a few years it was finished. I lost my income. I have been coming to sing with my piano in the trains since 2004. But I can’t come every day. If I sing every day my voice can change. I studied music under Shirley WaiJayantha for seven months. Then I learned to play piano also.

In addition I went to a class at Sarasavipaya to learn swara abyasa for four years. I studied at Sugatha Dharmadara School and passed grade five only. Because of my parents’ low income I had to discontinue my studies at school,” he said.

Saman Fernando doesn’t have a house. He lives at his sisters’ house with his mother. If somebody gives some support to him he can live comfortably. Most of the days Saman comes to sing songs in the trains. He is looking for the loves of his life. If he meets some he’s a happy man. Perhaps you too can enjoy a little of Saman’s voice on his journey by train.

On the other side of the coastal line leading up to Puttalam was a similar situation. Two men, both visually impaired were singing from compartment to compartment moving cautiously and doggedly, one leading the other holding a rabana and flute. To those who were seeing them for the first time doing their ‘act’ it would be an overwhelming sight.

Many were moved to tears seeing this spectacle, and I could feel my vision becoming blurred as well. Their presentation in spite of the jerks and jolts of the moving train was quite remarkable. It was clear that they were, in their mind, performing and that nothing should come in the way of their want to make it perfect.

The eyes of every one in the compartment were glued on them and egging them on. Perhaps they were singing and drumming solely by talent or they would have had some training, but boy, that episode needed some training!

The bottom line is, how many such performers operate in such unfriendly conditions and how widely spread are they? You may hear such folks in your day to day living and may have even been attracted or pleased with their voice.

These simple folk are not ‘Stars’ who are churned out from fancy television reality shows season after season and emptied worldly goods on.

These folk may be equally talented or perhaps even more than the ‘Stars’, leaving out the glitz. But is it fair that we rest our case and leave the blame on their fate alone? Shouldn’t those who can afford be civil enough to raise these simple folks’ lot? Or doesn’t any body care?

The Social Services Ministry doesn’t consider these folk as “Street People” or beggars. “Such folks are considered as earning a living since they have shelter and housing. Theirs is self employment, according to Additional Secretary of Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare Sunil Samaraweera.

“We have launched a programme since 1996 titled ‘Social Security Pension Scheme for the Self Employed’ where a group of 250,000 such people have been enrolled starting from very low income earners’.

To fund this pension scheme a minimum of Rs 500/= is mandatory from each individual every month. For those without a family or for the physically impaired a once-in-a-lifetime grant of Rs10,000/= is given to be utilised for their welfare.

The conspicuous question that begs is; Why isn’t the private sector supporting such a cause?