Artist Avanti completes difficult mission

An oil colour painting depicting the manner in which King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe ordered Devendra Mulachari to build the Octagon or Pathirippuwa was presented to Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela by Avanti Sri Nissanka Karunaratne.   

The book ‘The Great Royal Artificer of the Kandyan Kingdom’ was authored by one of the former Commissioners of the Inland Revenue Department D.D.M.Waidyasekera.   

Avanti said that her grandfather was H.Sri Nissanka and that her father was Dr. Gemunu Karunartne. She said that they were both painters. She said that there was a twenty foot extraordinary painting which hung under the great Dome and painted by Karl Kassman. The painting was of Gautama Buddha wearing a wonderful ochre coloured robe and descending from the heavens of Thusitha to Mount Meru. She said that she had grown up with this painting at “ Yamuna mandir”, the home of her grandfather.   

Contributions by teachers 
She said that she had set aside much time for painting while being educated at Mahamaya Girls’ College. She attended this school from age three till she reached her seventeenth birthday. She said that she had never won any prize for art, but added that her art teacher was at this presentation. Her art teacher was Mrs. Niyangoda, who taught her to draw faces and dancers.   

Avanti said that while she was studying in New Zealand, she had the opportunity to converse with various teachers. She said that she had decided to take time out and have a formal training in art. She had her training at Michael Angelo Academy in Florence, Italy. She rates the time spent at this institute as an exciting and invigorating time in her life. She received training in renaissance art. She also learned how to draw and paint portraits and figures. She also says that this was a unique period in her life. Later she had the opportunity of learning at the famous Art Students League of New York and participated in a collaborative Art exhibition with the Tunisian artist Hechmi Chacem.  

She added that a friend of hers, Senaka Weeraratne, was very much instrumental in guiding her as to how she should attend to this task of painting

After her training she returned to Sri Lanka. She said that one day a friend had visited her and inquired as to what she was doing? That was the time she had just opened a studio, which contained all her paintings. She said that a friend had opened an hotel and there were paintings of all sorts. Then she had decided to showcase her skills horned through the experiences gained by painting and training, she received in Florence.   

Kandyan period 
Then she came into contact with the former Commissioner D.D.M.Waidyasekera. He had only given her a small description of the appearance and bearing of Devendra Mulachari. She added that a friend of hers, Senaka Weeraratne, was very much instrumental in guiding her as to how she should attend to this task of painting, which was to showcase the most valuable piece of Architecture during the Kandyan period. The picture related to the last King of Kandy in his youth and the brilliant designer and great architect of several icons. According to her Weeraratne had said drawing a landmark event in terms of painting was a form of a celebration through art. 

The original suggestion to construct a Paththiruppuwa was for the king to have a view of the city. The king used this to see various displays of sports and martial arts. This idea to build the Paththiruppuwa came from Dhigama Nilame Ratemahatmaya of Yatinuwara. The conversation between the King and Dehigama Nilame is documented in the book. Reputed artificer during that time Devendra Mulachari was entrusted with the task of constructing this building. Devendra is supposed to have initially built a model using plantain tree stems. The King had been satisfied and the task of constructing the Paththiruppuwa was entrusted to him.

Devendras are said to have had their roots in India. According to the professor they were from Andhra Pradesh and had settled down in the South of Sri Lanka in Angulmaduwa and Devundara.