Kandu Mudune Lyrics by Rookantha Gunathilaka

On the mountaintop, in white,
blankets of snow are spread
and among them, in the lonely night,
a golden star is shining
ha ha.. ha ha..

By the golden star, the kings
search for the signs of the way
in a cattle shed in Bethlehem
the divine child is born
ha ha…

The calves, making no sound,
sit with their ears raised
the divine child rests in comfort
in Mother Mary’s lap

From the dewdrops, upon a new world,
blessings are scattered
calling out, the streams of water
come down the mountainsides
ha ha.. ha ha…

Soft rays of dawn strike,
a golden rainbow forms
the divine child is born,
and tells it to the whole world
ha ha..

The calves, making no sound,
sit with their ears raised
the divine child rests in comfort
in Mother Mary’s lap

This is a Sinhala Christmas carol that retells the nativity in gentle, wintry pictures. It opens on a mountaintop laid over in white snow, and in the lonely night a single golden star begins to shine. Snow and mountain cold are no part of a Sri Lankan Christmas, yet the carol borrows them for the hush and wonder they bring to the scene.

The story then follows the familiar Bethlehem tale. The kings, the three Magi, follow that golden star to read the way, and in a cattle shed the divine child is born. The song lingers on one tender image: the calves fall silent with their ears raised, as if they too are listening, while the baby rests safe in Mother Mary’s lap.

The last verses turn the birth into a blessing for the whole earth. Dew scatters good fortune over a new world, mountain streams call out and run down the slopes, and as soft dawn light strikes, a golden rainbow forms. The divine child is born, the carol says, and announces it to all the world. It is a warm, picture-book telling of Christmas for Sinhala listeners.