|
Sesha Palihakkara:
A thespian in Fine Arts
H. Kamal Premadasa
Sesha Palihakkara, a thespian in his chosen field of Fine art,
entered the festival, voiceless, in the realm of the Great Beyond, (as
Tagore used to call it) after completing a life span of eighty one
years, leaving in that field a void for his peer in versatility is
difficult to find. Such versatility was not much known to the multitude,
for his versatility was mostly confined to the area of Fine Arts and he
bore the proclivity of not scurrying in the direction of limelight,
exposing any magnified shallowness. He was an individual steadfast in
character.
 His
versatility was evident in following ways mostly in the fields of Fine
Arts. He was an assistant make-up artist to begin with, who developed
into a 1st Grade make-up artist. Co-producer of movies, and then a
producer. Choreographer, Director and then an actor par excellence.
In Matalan, his debut film, he made his mark in cinematic art in
sheer excellence in performance in playing duel roles of father and son.
First time a Sinhala actor to perform double acting.
His character as a stilt walker, palm reader and viridu karaya in the
epoch making film Rekawa, was an exemplification in the finery in
acting.
Born on the June 5, 1928, he had his initial education at St.
Benedict's College, Kotahena. He thereafter entered St. Joseph's College
Colombo, for the further education.
In his formative years he had the proclivity of observing the rhythm
and movements in the environs created by nature which was freely
available to a keen observer. Such rhythmic and movements in nature
stirred the rhythm in his being and he reckoned that the fine art of
dancing, which is essentially disciplined rhythmic movement of the body,
was his calling.
He was inspired, in this direction by the doyen of local dancing
Chitrasena, who was the guru to many a dancing star in this country,
Sesha eventually took to dancing like a duck taking to water to enrich
that field of art in the fullness of the time. His next move, which was
a wise and a correct one was to seek admission to legendary
Shantinikethan, Vishva Bharati, which was referred to as Tagore
University, founded by the nobel prize winning Poet, the myriad minded
multi faceted personality Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. After having had
the polishing and moulding in that reputed seat of learning, he entered
the Bharata School of Dancing, to pursue his craving for dancing.
An opportunity was made available to him in 1948, when he was a lad
of exuberance and vitality, of just 20 years of age to make a dance
performance in the event to celebrate the independence, through which
event he broke into limelight.
Later his suppleness of movement, grace in the execution, portrayal
of the intricacies of abhinayas, aangika, aharya, and sathvika with
precision, caught the attention of the celebrated personality in Indian
Dancing, Ram Gopal, who took the profundity, richness and the refinement
of Indian Dancing to the international audience, offered Sesha a place
in his dancing troop. To him, presumably, belongs the pride distinction
of being the only Sri Lankan to be honoured in that manner.
The incident afforded him the opportunity to visit England, Ireland,
Scotland and various other European countries. This enabled him to
broaden his vistas and horizon by participating in workshops, based on
stage performing, which stood him in good stead in his subsequent stage
performances.
After a stint of teaching in the Teachers Training College Maharagama,
he founded the dancing academy Sardhapani in Cotta road Borella, which
was frequented by personalities inclined towards art like W. D.
Amaradeva, Lionel Edirisinghe, Miranda Hemalatha, Eyasha Weerakoon,
Seetha Nanayakkara, Ananda Weerakone, to name a few.
Later he formed an organization called Ghandrve Yatra, with the good
intention of sharing his artistic potence with the young crowd, but
found the lack of enthusiasm. The Yatra therefore did not take off at
the speed he expected. He had no other alternative other than to make it
stay.
He functioned for a short period of time as the president of the
Ballet Panel of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka, during this period he
choreographed and produced a Ballet in collaboration with Ravibandu
Vidyapathy, another dancing stat of international repute.
Sesha was active and busy till the time of demise, always seeking an
opportunity to do something new in the sphere of fine arts.
He never sought the limelight although artiste of versatility of
Sesha's calibre are hard to find.
Sesha's demise reminds me of the maxim "Men live in deeds not in
years."
(The writer is
the President of the Tagore Society of Sri Lanka) |
