Nurthi the living art

Ruwini Jayawardana

The term ‘nurthi’ maybe a rarely used phrase today for only a few are aware that it was one of the most popular source of entertainment in the past. This melodramatic form of art which derived from India became extremely popular with the society for its plots based on myth and fantasy, new dramatic techniques and Hindustani music.

Nurthi plays made a breakthrough to the audience at the declining period of the nadagam style.

Since there were a limited number of lengthy nadagams which were performed over and over again by diverse actors, the emergence of the nurthis presented a novel experience to the audience as well as one they found up to their taste.

Inder Sabha was the first nurthi to be staged in Sri Lanka. It was brought to the country by a Hindustani Dramatic Company and staged in 1877.

This proved to be a whole new experience to the locals for apart from its entertaining storyline based on new concepts, women took part in the performances.

This new form of entertainment caught the interest of journalist and printer C. Don Bastian who decided to stage a production of his own. Thus he staged Rorina the first local nurthi play in 1877. John de Silva and Charles Dias followed him and soon a number of Sinhala nurthis were added to our list.

The era of John de Silva was when the popularity of nurthi plays were at its height.

De Silva directed and scripted a number of acclaimed nurthis accompanied by Vishvanath Lougi’s Hindustani raga melodies.

Thus many well loved tunes like Danno Budunge, Amba Damba Narang, Mihiri Nade, Kasthuri and many more nurthi songs followed. These plays were mainly based on history, Sanscript tales and Shakespearean dramas.

Another special feature in connection with nurthi was that they were the first to be set in gramophone style in 1906 when the gramophone was imported to Sri Lanka. Similarly in 1924 when the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation was incepted, nurthi gee were among the first to be broadcast. Hence the roots of these melodious tunes are deep rooted in our entertainment sector.

Torana Video Movies proprietor Kumar Kothalawala together with Maestro Lionel Goonatilaka and Mahinda Makalanda have launched a series of DVDs titled Nurthi Gee Jawanika. The first in the series Gee Ranga Mihira was launched last year. This was followed up with the second volume of the series which joined the stores recently.

‘Gee Ranga Mihira’ includes 22 nurthis composed by John de Silva along with a bonus track maned Suhada Hamuwakin Nurthi Gee Wang Hung. It runs for 170 minuted with performances by Prof. Amara Ranatunga, Dr. Dayaratne Ranatunga, Premadasa Withanage, Gamini Ambalangoda, Kanchanamaala Mahawithana, Visharada Yamuna Vinodani, Kumudu Prashanthi, Anton Jude, Clement Perera, Rodney Warnakula, Stanley Liyanage, Dhammika Senaratne and others.

“We aim to bring these powerful tracks which had enriched our culture and traditions to the present generation for they have missed the thrill of seeing the nurthi performances,” Kothalawala commented on the team’s project to bring the lively tunes to the present.

“This is a part of a project to preserve and promote the traditional art of the country. We hope to foster the youth on the subject and preserve these valuable melodies of the past so that many more generations would be able to enjoy the song which we relished during our time,” he said.