Sanda Horen Lyrics by Rookantha Gunathilaka

Stars rose in the sky, Christmas night..
the sun rose within my heart, Christmas night..

The moon shone in secret, in the cool,
the sun slowly sank into the sea,
on Christmas evening
comfort was felt,
and everyone’s heart lit up like a lamp
the sun slowly sank into the sea,
on Christmas evening
comfort was felt,
and everyone’s heart lit up like a lamp

In the far village, the blue paddy fields,
a soft rustling sound
happiness says that you have come,
carrying the message
the honey-bats, the crickets,
why do they cry?
the divine infant, in Mother Mary’s lap,
in a deep and comforting sleep

The moon shone in secret, in the cool…

The god who made the world came in an infant’s guise
this Christmas day
worshipping him, praying to him,
every doubt was stilled
the divine prince who came
to save us from the world’s sins
let us praise him together, singing the verses,
beating the rabana

The moon shone in secret, in the cool…
evening has come..

This is a Christmas carol that plants the nativity firmly in the Sri Lankan countryside. Stars rise in the sky on Christmas night, the singer says, and the sun rises inside my heart. As evening falls, the moon shines quietly in the cool air and the sun sinks into the sea, comfort settles over everything, and everyone’s heart lights up like a lamp.

What makes it distinctive is how local the scene is. The message that the child has come travels across far villages and blue paddy fields on a soft rustling breeze, and even the honey-bats and crickets seem to cry out. At the centre of all this island imagery lies the familiar picture: the divine infant asleep in Mother Mary’s lap, in a deep and peaceful sleep.

The last verse states the meaning and calls for celebration. The god who made the world has come in the guise of an infant this Christmas day, the divine prince who came to save us from the world’s sins, and worshipping him stills every doubt. Let us praise him together, it ends, singing the verses and beating the rabana, the traditional Sri Lankan frame drum, so the carol closes with the sound of a local village celebration rather than a foreign hymn.