email from J. K. S. Weerasekera
On the link
is a popular song with video 3 minutes. by Ravindra Yasas. Have a
good-speaker for clarity.
Background
to song.
From the
play ‘Rajakapuru’ the top drama in the 1990s.
Plot. The king of the land dies.
In the
absence of progeny, they are kingless and the next king has to be
selected among then public.
Procedure is to get the
castle elephant to go from village to village and where the elephant kneels
down in front of any person, that person becomes king.
The
elephant travels, goes across a field and unexpectedly kneels down in
front of a scarecrow.
The
scarecrow has to be king by law however unsuitable he is for the job.
He is
brought to life by the Kattadiya.
And
confined to the castle, advised by catchers, he manages knowing nothing
other than the castle.
He is
advised to get married for propriety.
Drums are
rolled, kaviyas are sung in the search.
And
-everybody- all the women vie to be queen.
The singer describes how the women competed.
Bathing, application of aromatics, hair, body decorations etc. etc
At the
contest the king selects an eunuch to be queen.
This theme
was a pointed satire at the incumbents then in the country. We appreciated and
agreed.
