Siyada Lyrics by Manula Nipun

Romantic love-letters,
sent bundled up in the winter,
red leaves falling to the ground,
lovers even in the autumn,
festival nights where the wine-cups clink,
white wine wetting the lips,
let us go and watch the opera in Cairo, Siyada

In an ancient temple in Greece,
lighting the lamp of love’s devotion,
the moment our eyes pierce through that light,
will, like the note of a viola,
bring the comfort of peace,
one day we shall meet,
Siyada

Smearing lilac-flower fragrance
on the handkerchief that hints at your name,
the hour that carries that same scent,
like poem-letters being composed,
will ask the wonder of it,
and linger on in the heart,
Siyada

A lush, cosmopolitan love song, unusual in Sinhala for roaming the whole world in its imagery, addressed throughout to a beloved called Siyada. It begins in winter, with romantic love-letters sent bundled against the cold, red leaves falling in autumn and lovers walking through it, festive nights of clinking glasses and white wine, and the dreamy invitation that ties it together: let us go and watch the opera in Cairo, Siyada. Love here is imagined as a grand, far-travelling romance.

The middle grows quieter and more sacred. In an ancient temple in Greece the singer lights the lamp of love’s devotion, and imagines the moment their eyes meet through that light bringing peace like the note of a viola, soft, resonant, consoling. Out of all the grandeur comes one simple faith: one day we shall meet, Siyada.

The last verse returns to something small and intimate, a handkerchief. Dabbed with lilac fragrance and hinting at her name, it makes the whole passing hour carry that same scent, and, like poem-letters being composed, the wonder of it lingers in the heart. Sung by Manula Nipun, composed by Tharindu Damsara to words by the Ven. Ruhunuketha Dhammadewa Thero, it is an elegant, worldly love song about a romance dreamed across Cairo, Greece and the turning seasons, always circling back to one name.