Poetry

By

Indunil Madhusankha

Ode to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, thou art the loveliest daughter of Mother Nature!

Honoured with the prodigious glory of being christened

as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean

Calm waters, flowering trees, dense forests and

tranquil hamlets

capturing the harmonious serenity of nature

Vast stretches of rich green paddy fields

symbolizing thy great prosperity

Giant tanks revealing the progress of agriculture

Beauty of celestial maidens

adding colour to the citadel of Sigiriya

Caparisoned elephants of the Dalanda Maligaya

enhancing thy grandeur

Majestic Buddha statues standing like sentinels

thus demonstrating the outstanding abilities of our ancestors

Unflinching determination of the islanders

exploring boundaries beyond the horizons

Delightful fragrance of all the noble religions,

our greatest asset

All these supreme blessings

bestowing great prestige upon thyself

Mother Lanka,

Thou art the greatest of all!

Glossary

Dalanda Maligaya  –  Situated in the renowned city of Kandy in Sri Lanka, Sri Dalanda Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth houses the tooth relic of Gauthama Buddha. Hundreds of pilgrims and tourists, both local and foreign, visit this temple daily and the influence it has on the Sri Lankan Buddhist society is immeasurable.

Sigiriya  –  Located in the central Matale district of Sri Lanka, Sigiriya is dominated by a gigantic rock fortress where King Kasyapa (477 – 495 AD) established his capital as a city of amazing archeological and artistic excellence. It has been declared a world heritage site by the UNESCO and is famous for its gardens, the frescoes and the mirror wall.

The Resurgence of Your Country

Love your country from the bottom of your heart

Her welfare must be your prime concern

Always extend your cooperation and devotion to her

Be a genuine and ardent lover of your “island home”

Bless your homeland from your heart’s core

Start caring for your country more and more

while spreading the fragrance of humanity

Build good lives and a better community

Man’s prime duty is to serve mankind

Keep that well in your mind

Use your hands to break the vicious circle of poverty

Be a helping hand to the poor in their necessity

Strive to be prosperous through innovation

Help reduce injustice and eliminate corruption

Never neglect the other when he is in trouble

Make an effort to get him out of the suffering

Try your best to serve humanity

while improving your compassion and generosity

Have an intimate bond with your motherland

Don’t hesitate to make your country a fairyland

Indunil Madhusankha

Indunil Madhusankha is currently an undergraduate in the Faculty of Science of the University of Colombo. Even though he is academically involved with the subjects of Mathematics and Statistics, he also pursues a successful career in the field of English language and literature as a budding young researcher, reviewer, poet and content writer. Basically, he explores the miscellaneous complications of the human existence through his poetry by focussing on the burning issues in contemporary society. Besides that, Indunil’s works have been featured in several international anthologies and journals.