Ara-Liya Lyrics in Sinhala (අර ලිය ගී පද) and English by Umara Sinhawansha, written by Nishantha Shanthadeva and composed by Ranga Dasanayaka. This page includes the Sinhala lyrics, English transliteration, and English translation with meaning. Ara-Liya is a Sinhala song performed by Umara Sinhawansha with lyrics penned by Nishantha Shanthadeva and music composed by Ranga Dasanayaka. You can find the complete lyrics below in both the original Sinhala script and English transliteration (Singlish), making it easy to sing along or learn the words regardless of which script you read. An English translation is also provided to help listeners understand the full meaning of the song. This page also includes an interpretation of the song's themes and meaning.
| SONG | Ara-Liya |
|---|---|
| SINGER | Umara Sinhawansha |
| LYRICIST | Nishantha Shanthadeva |
| COMPOSER | Ranga Dasanayaka |
| VIEWS | 1 |
| UPDATED |
Husmak pitupasa obe husma thibuna
Kandulak pitupasa obe kandula thibuna
Susumak pitupasa obe susum thibuna
Hema husamak pitupasa obe sitiya
Ara liya sitiya......
Ahasa kotharam vehesa vuva
Neguna sandavatha tiyagannata
Tiyena sandavatha aayee gannata
Balanne kavurunda ahasa numba desa
Babalana sandavatha desama misa
Kiyanne kavurudo ahasata
(Ahasa pitupasa sitina vaga.....//)
Karadiya kotharam vehesa vuva
Punchi muthu kata opa damannata
Oba damu muthu hadakarannata
Ahannne kavuruda karadiye numba gena
Dilesena muthu genama misa
Kiyanne kavudo karadiyata
(Muthu pitupasin sitina vaga.....//)
Husmak pitupasa......
(Ara liya sitiya......///)හුස්මක් පිටුපස ඔබේ හුස්ම තිබුණා
කඳුළක් පිටුපස ඔබේ කඳුළ තිබුණා
සුසුමක් පිටුපස ඔබේ සුසුම් තිබුණා
හැම හුසමක් පිටුපස ඔබ සිටියා
අර ලිය සිටියා......
අහස කොතරම් වෙහෙස වූවා
නැගුන සඳවත තියාගන්නට
තියෙන සඳවත ආයේ ගන්නට
බලන්නේ කව්රුන්ද අහස නුඹ දෙස
බබලනා සඳවත දෙසම මිස
කියන්නේ කව්රුදෝ අහසට
(අහස පිටුපස සිටින වග.....//)
කරදිය කොතරම් වෙහෙස වූවා
පුංචි මුතු කැට ඔප දමන්නට
ඔබ දැමූ මුතු හැඩකරන්නට
අහන්නේ කව්රුද කරදියේ නුඹ ගැන
දිලෙසෙනා මුතු ගැනම මිස
කියන්නේ කව්දෝ කරදියට
(මුතු පිටුපසින් සිටින වග.....//)
හුස්මක් පිටුපස......
(අර ලිය සිටියා......///)
Behind every breath… was your breath
Behind every tear… was your tear
Behind every sigh… was your sigh
Behind every trace of air… you were there
You were there – Ara-Liya
How much the sky must have struggled
To hold up the rising moon
And now, to hold it again
But who looks up at the sky to see you?
They all look only at the glowing moon
But who speaks of you… sky-bearer?
(As if the sky behind it never existed…)
How much the ocean must have struggled
To cradle those tiny pearls
And shape the ones you gave
But who listens to the sea and thinks of you?
They only praise the shining pearls
But who speaks of you… sea-carer?
(As if the sea behind them never existed…)
Behind every breath…
You were there – Ara-Liya…
Translation provided by the Lyrics LK editorial team. Translations are interpretive and may not capture every nuance of the original Sinhala text.
“Ara-Liya” is a hauntingly beautiful tribute to those who stay in the background, unrecognized, but essential – especially those who love, protect, and sacrifice silently.
The metaphor of Ara-Liya (a delicate, small forest flower in Sinhala, often symbolizing grace and quiet strength) becomes a stand-in for someone whose presence is constant but unnoticed. The song draws parallels to the sky holding up the moon and the sea shaping and carrying pearls – two powerful forces whose labor is often ignored, while only the visible beauty they support is celebrated.
It’s a profound reflection on unseen emotional labor, especially the kind shown in love, caregiving, or relationships – where one person quietly supports the other, breath by breath, tear by tear, but is rarely acknowledged.
The repeated line “You were there – Ara-Liya” is not just romantic – it’s reverent. It honors someone whose quiet presence carried the weight of everything.
A powerful song about loyalty, invisibility, and the bittersweet ache of being essential yet forgotten.
Interpretation by the Lyrics LK editorial team. This reflects our understanding of the song and may differ from the artist's intended meaning.