Shyamhari Chakra
True to her name – Sithara – the self-luminous star, she has emerged as a star in the cultural sky of Sri Lanka. And like the pole star, she has also been an idol and the guide for several girls of her generation who have joined her famed first female drummers’ ensemble of Sri Lanka.
In her late 20’s, Colombo-based Sithara Maduwanthi has been a woman in the world of men. Her passion, vision, dream and determination have created history. She has been the first female percussionist of her country and the founder of Thuryaa, the all-woman drummers band that has gone into headlines.
“Sri Lankan percussion arts tradition was always the domain of men till I decided to study and master it. I faced lot of criticism and challenges by being a woman in the men’s land. But thanks to my tabla professor Sriyan Chandrasekara and my parents that I could carry on,” shared Sithara, the first female graduate in percussion from the University of Visual and Performance Arts in Colombo.
“I loved the drum beats the most as a kid and hence decided to study percussion. But, it was never my plan to form an all women band”, revealed the founder-director of the firebrand Thuryaa troupe that has already been invited to perform in India, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan apart from across Sri Lanka – all just in five years.
“It happened accidentally after a friend of mine invited me to perform in a children’s club conference as the lone female student of percussion. I encouraged some of my female friends from the University to join me in presentation of the concert. Though none of them had studied percussion, our show went on well due to our serious practice and we were invited again and again to perform following which our tabla professor, who is also my mentor, guided me to form an exclusive female percussionists’ band in 2015”, recalled Sithara.
Following the success of their exclusive concert of female percussion players, around 20 girls came forward to study percussion in the University and joined her in formation of her band as well.
Sithara is adept in playing eight kinds of percussion instruments that includes four of Sri Lankan classical drums and western drums as well. “I plan to have doctorate in percussion arts and I also wish to study various percussion traditions of different countries to enrich my knowledge and skill”, she shared.
“However, my mission will be the same – to induct more and more girls into my profession of a percussionist and to expand the trend to all over our country”, she revealed.
Sithara gratefully acknowledges the encouragement that she received from India in the journey of her band.
“India made a big difference to our lives as female drummers after we bagged the best music and best dance awards at the 18th Female Folk Arts carnival held in Punjab in 2016. It was our first ever trip to a foreign country. Barely two years later, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) invited us to its 8th International Dance and Music Festival to perform in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar and Benaras. This was also the first ever invitation from a foreign country. The incredible encouragement that we have received from India would remain etched in our memory for ever,” stated the star artiste in the making.
