Sri Lanka, March 30 -- Five decades back, a writer composed an anthem in honour of Goddess Sarasvathi.

Since Chandraratne Manawasinghe penned the anthem in 1964, hardly a cultural ceremony goes by without the Sarasvathi anthem. For those of us with a penchant for tradition, every moment of those three to four minutes is cherished, from Maestro Amaradeva's melodious rendition to the graceful movements of the female dance troupe, symbolising a blossoming lotus.

In 1964, the Sarasaviya Film Awards were held for the first time, marking the launch of the Saraswathi tribute song. In an article, Chanda Daya Siriwardena elucidates the genesis of this composition.

Song composition

Siriwardene recounts this historical episode based on the first...