Tamil Eelam Uprising Singer S.G. Shandan
Tell us about your youth as the lead singer of Tamil Eelam today and your background in the music industry.
When I was twelve, I took the stage at the Jaffna Kathiresan Temple in Colombo. That’s where my first show took place. My youth was in a great tug-of-war over whether to get into the music industry or get involved in a business. Then I was attracted to the music industry. I still love music alive.
What did you do until you became a regular singer.
My father did not want me to get involved in music and sing. His desire was to have a permanent career and income. One day I was singing somewhere in Colombo for the sake of some. I was ten years old than. Someone came there to listen to my song. Big twisted mustache, big look still asked to sing. I sang. He liked it. After hearing my description, he told me to get on the van tomorrow and left. He is the famous Yesuratnam known as Mukattar on Sri Lankan radio. In his arrangement I participated in all the performances of the children’s flower, the volleyball. Then little Pichaiyappa joined me in those shows.
Tell us about how you came to be a homeland singer who was a stage singer at concerts.
Peru Ganesan composed a song in Kilinochchi for Heroes’ Day when the Indian Army was on our land.
The song was then sung by Puthuvai Anna to me on the video tape “Intha man engal sontha man”. (Before and after that I had a band in my name.) I keep singing.
It is very important for a selected singer to have musical wisdom and pitch cleanliness. You can feel both of these when you listen to your songs. How did you subdue this ..?
I am a devotee and I think the Lord gave me these.
Today you are introduced through your songs all over the Tamil life. You have also sung a wide variety of songs to the music of many composers. Many experiences and interesting events have taken place during this time.
Tell me about them.
It will be interesting to do cinematography with Puthuvai Anna.
That’s the reason.
You have been singing the songs of the native uprising continuously since then. These songs are coming from a developmental stage like yesterday and today. What kind of songs do you want to be in this genre anymore?
Tamil pronunciation should be correct. Each of our songs is documented. So the music has to be sensible.
Tell us about your experiences and reminiscences with the singers who sang with you.
Unforgettable is Major Sittu, the hero from the warrior and singer. The mind will dream once whenever it thinks of him.
What is the feeling and experience you get when you sing in front of people as a liberation singer?
Once a female fighter addressed us before our show started. Then we sang. I cried while singing. How many wonderful events are taking place in this struggle on our soil. The militant had said only one of them. It has multiplied our emotion and made us cry. But, one of the people who came looking for us after the show said without understanding us that you are not only a good singer but also a good actor. There are also those who greet with flowers. There are also stone foundations. There is always a sense of pride, joy and national liberation in front of us as we sing liberation songs.
Being a famous singer you are living a very simple wartime burden. Tell me about it.
I end up living like this. I enjoy living in this soil during this time and doing my part for this struggle. This is enough for me.
You are the father of a hero and a warrior. How do these feelings affect you when you sing uprisings ..? How do these vulnerabilities reflect in the songs?
I was really blown away when I uttered the line “Madiyil thavazhtha makane” from the song that the hero sang for Thujilum Illam.
Tell us about them and the work that needs to be done for this struggle as you are directly acquainted with the Tamil Eelam National Leader and as a person who has been closely associated with many militants as a recipient of gifts from him.
We must all work together with God to understand and understand the God-given leader for Tamil Nadu. I consider the leader and the warriors to be the gods I have seen.
Published by: Erimalai Magazine -August 2001
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