Prodigious princess

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

Meeting Vihangi Rajapakse for the first time, one may take her for a shy little girl willing to write stories about princesses. A conversation with her, however, will make the picture different. Engaging in conversation with Vihangi and her grandparents will be enough to realize her reserved talent in writing and singing.

Vihangi Rajapakse recently staged a live performance launching her maiden CD titled Ranliya Dahasak. In actuality the concert was an overwhelming success where she sang 12 Sinhala songs composed by Samanmalie Padmakumara.

Vihangi's potential for greatness was discovered earlier by composer Samanmalie Padmakumara when she attended the juvenile author's book launch.

Samanmalie and Vihangi immediately connected and the former asked her if she could sing. Vihangi replied that she could sing, and showed her talents by singing a song of Nanda Malini.

Realizing the girl's potential, Samanmalie told Vihangi that she was releasing a CD called Kubalo Leno Alipatiyo and if she would like to sing a few songs. Vihangi agreed and from that moment onwards her talents began to rise.

"As I met aunty Samanmalie when we went to invite her for my book launch with my grandparents. As I met aunty Samanmalie I instantly started to love her and she was very interested to listen to me on everything I said," mentions Vihangi in her thank-you message on the brochure.

Vihangi cannot read Sinhala. Samanmalie therefore wrote the Sinhala words in English and incredibly Vihangi's Sinhala pronunciation was flawless.

She pronounced exactly the way a native speaker does. She sang five songs on the Kubalo Leno Alipatiyo.

Samanmalie then composed 12 songs mainly for Vihangi to sing, hence the launch of the CD.

"Everyone is surprised how she pronounces the Sinhala words properly. The Sinhala words in the songs are written in English and she pronounces the words correctly," her grandmother Sandaya said.

Any song in a different language, as long as she can read the words, she catches up immediately.

Vihangi has had the fortune of having a strong support system. All the teachers encouraged her a lot and backed her up.

"As a valued pupil in my Grade One class, she soon began writing stories and poems of her own, often using the activities in our English lessons as a basis for her inspirations. It has been truly wonderful to take part in Vihangi's progress, experiencing firsthand the enthusiasm and commitment she dedicates to her writing." Said Grade One classteacher Serfontein Weltevreden.

Her first book titled Tales from an Angel published in 2009 was both authored and illustrated by Vihangi. It includes five stories and nine poems. An excerpt from the first story The Magic Crystal:

... Rita shouted for help. A handsome prince was riding in the woods. He heard Rita shouting for help. He rode his horse as quickly as he could and came to the tower. Rita saw the handsome prince and said, 'hello there! Can you please come and save me?' The prince climbed up the wall and caught Rita's hand and pulled her out of the tower. He climbed back down with Rita, got on the horse and went back to his castle. They were married and lived happily ever after...

"We went to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa to give him a copy of the book, and to tell him that there is this little girl who has written a book which is going to be published. We had the last appointment. The president gave little Vihangi a lot of attention and took such interest in her. He was very kind to her and gave her an English and Sinhala dictionary." Vihangi's parents recalled.

In Vihangi's maiden CD Ranliya Dahasak four visuals have been done for Deva Meniyan, Dalada Perahera, Kadale Kadale and Punchi Gurutumie.

"Whatever she did, whatever she liked, we encouraged her. She is very good in her studies as well as playing the piano. We gave her a normal Sri Lankan cultural upbringing and she is a very good Buddhist." Said Sandaya.

Manoj Peiris has composed music to the CD.

"We wanted to do a live concert. We contacted Chandana Wickramasingha, because we wanted someone who could perform the dances for the songs. He took up the challenge and Vihangi's performance was incredible. Chandana was amazing, very dedicated, in training Vihangi for all the songs." Sandaya said.

Other than the 12 songs there were three duets. A father and daughter duet by Vihangi and her father Ravi Rajapaksa, with Rohana Weerasinghe's music.

The second is a grandfather and granddaughter duet by Vihangi and Harris Wijesinghe, a close friend of the family. The song was composed by Ravi Siriwardene with music by Rohana Weerasinghe. The third is an uncle and niece duet done by Vihangi and Dayan Vitharana, another close friend of the family.

The song was composed by Asanka Ruwan Sagara with Rohana Weerasinghe's music.

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