Doyen of dance to appear on stamp

Chitrasena honoured on his 11th death anniversary

It was long overdue. But finally the country has a stamp in honour of the doyen of dance Chitrasena issued on his 11th death anniversary on July 18.

It was a morning ceremony at the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya on Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 5 of course with drumming and dancing as befitting of any tribute to the legendary Chitrasena. Artistic Director of the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya, Chitrasena’s granddaughter Heshma Wignaraja welcomed the invitees, briefly overcome with emotion as she recalled memories of her grandfather and his utmost dedication to the dance, something stressed by the other speakers too.

The new postage stamp issued by the Sri Lanka Philatelic Bureau of the Department of Posts is of Rs 15 denomination. Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Posts Duleep Wijesekera were present along with the Post Master General D.L.P. Rohana Abeyratne and other officials of the Department for the ceremony.

The stamp and first day cover was presented to Chitrasena’s wife and prima ballerina Vajira and to other distinguished guests, many of them contemporaries and friends of the couple who had seen them rise from a struggling dance company to become the country’s ambassadors of dance, bringing Sri Lanka’s traditional dance rituals to the modern stage.

The speeches done, as always, it was the dance that held the small gathering spellbound when a group of dancers of the Kalayathanya led by another of Chitrasena’s granddaughters – the graceful Thaji delighted with a joyously celebratory performance of Theiya, a Chitrasena favourite.