Bandara Athauda

VISHARADA BANDARA ATHAUDA MOST HUMBLE MODEST MUSIC LECTURER, VIOLINIST, VOCALIST IN A GLITTERING CRUISE FOR OVER FORTY NINE YEARS

Singer, Senior Lecturer in Music, Classical Vocalist and Violinist

Visharada Bandara Athauda was born in  his ancestral village in Ankumbura Kandy to parents MKDA Athauda and Charlotte Samaratunga  , a Principal and Teacher, on 23rd February 1948 . as the third child of six siblings  ,three brothers and three sisters. Father had been a native of Ankumbura Kandy while mother from Udugampola in the Gampaha district, the two had met while worshipping the sacred tooth relic at the Dalada Maligawa. After Bandara’s  birth in a village in Ankumbura  he had been forced to live in Uva Welassa located between Bibile and Moneragala  cities as his parents were on a transferable service. From year one to the year five Bandara had studied in the in the Senapathiya Vidyalaya beginning from year 1953. Bandara reminisces the fauna and flora of the village which was wrapped within jungles having very attractive lakes running within. the sceneries of which still lingers in his mind to tall altitudes. Bandara also recollects his father after school hours was used to sing many old numbers delightfully playing the ‘Serpina” which he was competent in with other teachers who too were away from their dwellings, living in boarding houses who had congregated in the school premises to sing and enjoy which Bandara too had witnessed. Bandara may have inherited genetic affiliations from his father for his flair for music which he blossomed to unparalleled tall boosts later in his illustrated career.

From year six Bandara had attended Ankumbura Maha Vidyalaya ,his parents getting back to ancestral village due the transferable services. Bandara had been brilliant in his studies as well as in vocal music. His music teacher  KC Liyanage a native of Katugastota having identified his innate talent had requested his father to buy him a Violin to get him involved more in the music arena. The teacher had been so inquisitive about the future and progress of Bandara had even asked for his horoscope which had foretold about his illustrious music career.His father too had read his horoscope earlier which had revealed the same predictions. Anyway it had been CK Liyanage who had insisted his father to commence a career in music as father had focussed him on his academic success. It is from then onwards from seventh standard he had learnt to play the Violin and to dominate in its execution. It was under his music teacher he had blossomed his music career becoming very enthusiastic. Bandara had admitted in a television confrontation that from the day the father bought the violin he had been practicing daily. In school he had been recognised by his teacher for his singing aptitudes in ‘Kavi’ and songs had even accompanied him to all classes had asked to sing for all contemporary students to hear. The teacher had told all students to follow him ,which is the manner to sing