Daily NEWS Srilanka

There is an untold story of popular singer Prins Udaya Priyantha who left all of us some days back and it has been revealed by Mr. Ananda Padmasiri, an artiste-friend of his.

Prins remained a bachelor until his last moment upto the age of 47 years and though many people identify him as a singer who destroyed his life because he was an alcohol-addict, the story that runs at the background of course is rather sorrowful to say the least. It has been revealed that the singer with whom he was in love with had kept a distance from him and deserted him for incredible reasons after which his life had taken a drastic change. After

"Towards the '90s Prins Udaya Priyantha was a singer who was embraced with great affection. After that, a young female singer trapped his heart. Love was expressed and consent from both parties was wholeheartedly given. But in this world where the unexpected takes place ... the songstress without becoming the bride of Prins happened to take the hand of another. The honest, innocent singer's heart fell apart. Sorrowful songs began to flow incessantly from the singer whose heart was thus scraped. Young male and female fans of his welcomed his songs with so much love. But only those who associated him closely knew that the source of most of those songs was Prins's songstress-lover who isolated him.

At a later date Prins provided a feature to a Sunday newspaper by the name of 'Thani Tharuwa' mentioning the name of that very songstress and that he was to wed her but that he was unable to figure out why she desolated him and finally became someone else's possession. After his hopes were so dashed he decided to remain single, giving vent to his feelings across his songs by singing more and more of songs of anguish. 'Kandulu ganga gala ... desa uthura giya ...', 'Ma thaniwee handana peye ... oba sengavee koheda giye', 'Thurulu vemin hemin sere, maa langin aadare kiyala dun lande', 'Vijithaya aadare obamaya landuni mage' were the songs that flowed from Prins's voice and with those songs his popularity too doubled and trebled.

It was seldom that one would hear of a music show where both Namal Udugama and Prins Udaya Priyantha were missing those days. The decade of the '90s were theirs. Though Namal took Ruwanthi Mala's hand in marriage, Prins Udaya Priyantha lived with his loving mother all alone embracing pangs of a broken romance.  He loved and cared for his beloved mother as his own life. His father had died some years ago. Though his mother, a former Principal, Mrs. Rosalin dreamt so much of seeing his son with a bride and it was only on that matter that he disobeyed his mother. As his sister Shironi Priyangika was married and staying close to his house he also had no problem, Prins once told me. Prins who participated on a number of outdoor concerts for a day did not feel that much of a loneliness.

As time passed by, Prins thought of taking his mother on a tour to Dambadiva. At a time when Prins was to appear in a performance in Dubai he escorted his mother on that tour and finally arrived in Dubai. Prins's mother who became sick there ultimately passed away at a Dubai hospital. Prins who then faced a severe shock in those circumstances too was hospitalised immediately. The path to Prins's departure forever on the morning of June 8th was signalled with the onset of his mother's death. That was in 2014. After that his whole world collapsed. With strong mental disturbance accompanied by physical debilitation Prins became a total wreck. Apart from his existent sickly condition the doctors pronounced that an infection had entered his brain and he could speak only just a few words. There was no attempt that his sister Shironi took from the year 2014 upto that moment in keeping his brother alive. While all properties and assets were dwindling away she unstintedly kept on hoping to keep Prins alive".

"The money and vehicles which aiyya saved are now over. The doctors say that continuous treatment is necessary for a further period. Because of that I speak out my sorrow to his fans who always helped him ...", his sister Shironi told our Dinamina - Sathsara page some months back. We published it under the title: Honourable President -- pay attention to Prins. As the sickly condition of Prins was published on Facebook and websites across other media, donations were bestowed by fans all over the world. Among that crowd were Ministers such as Ravi Karunanayaka and Gayantha Karunatilleka too. Whatever it is, just 5 days before his birthday in his 47th year on June 8th he closed his eyes forever thus shattering all hopes of his sister Shironi who was dreaming of rescuing his brother Prins by somehow or other finding the money necessary for him. That was exactly on Poson Day that he died.

Prins Udaya Priyantha who was born on 13th June, 1970 in Elpitiya, Galle has had his schooling at Elpitiya Aanda Maha Vidyalaya and it was after his school education that he entered the music field through the Jathika Tharuna Seva Sabhava.

"It was as a violinist that Prins joined Tharuna Seva Sabja Music group. At the same time he had a great skill in playing the keyboard. In the meantime he embarked on singing. Almost every song gained popularity. Though Prins is no more today ... those songs still remain in the hearts of his fans", said popular singer Chandana Liyanaarachchi, a contemporary of his. Songs such as, 'Sudu mal pokurak', 'Verala konakahinda', 'Kandulu ganga', 'Sandarenu vehena', 'Mahada premadare', 'Oba pe pem sina', 'Nilwan guwan gebe', 'Maa eda kiyu de', 'Maa handawala', 'Oba ha gevu athithe', 'Oba hamuwu dine', 'Sudumal visirunu', 'Pemwathun sinase', 'Sanda kumariyak', 'Samudenna samugannanam', 'Sithin ivasanna be', 'Vijithaya adare', 'Sulange selee', 'Maa thaniwee handana peye' the list of songs credited to him were sung by his own saddened voice and as Chandana Liyanaarachchi remarked became exceedingly popular. Cassettes with songs by Prins sold like hot cakes in cassette shops down Malwatta Road.

Apart from singing Prins displayed skills in lyric-writing and creation of music too. 'Maa handawala oba magen venwela' was written by him and the music was composed by Prins himself and that song became an outstanding hit from among such songs. It incidentally was a song written based on his heartbreaking experience. From among so many songs sung by Prins Udaya Priyantha, almost ninety nine percent were romantic songs. Even from among them the bulk were songs that spoke of separation. But a song he sang about his father who was not there to see him becoming a singer too became tremendously popular. Though the song 'Sudu mal pokurak athin daraa maa' was able to entertain hundreds and thousands of the fans. What his sister Shironi who let goof her possessions when her brother Prins was trapped in the grips of cruel fate and was on sick-bed asking for help from his fans was "My innocent aiyya now understands nothing of these things. What he thinks is that his nangi would only somehow take him out of the woods".

When death knocks at the door there is no one who can send him away and has no option than go with him. Our affectionate singer too did likewise. Prins who had to forego the sacred love that he cherished so much and having lost his loving mother who went with him abroad where he saw her pass away ... all added to his pain and to bring the physical misery he suffered to a close he ultimately closed his eyes forever on Poson Poya day.

(Note -- Ananda Padmasiri)