Train Singers

 Have you ever travelled in a train in Sri Lanka? If your answer is YES, you must be familiar with those singers who would perform to entertain the passengers in the compartments. I do not like to label them as beggars since they literally provide a service to the passengers. These 'train singers' sometimes carry sophisticated tools such as microphones or speakers, but most performers carry what they call dolky. The reason I wanted to write this post is something I have observed when those singers song Sinhalese boot songs ( break up songs). If you carefully notice the passengers' faces who listen to those songs (I am not being misogynistic, but mostly men) you would notice that they reminisce their lost/acquired love stories serenely. If the singer shifts to a song with an extremely pathetic break up or an ending, you can literally see the way those listeners weep in their hearts. 

Most of the times, passengers would offer donations to these train singers and hardly a train singer frustrated after his/her round around the compartment asking money.

Life is a poem indeed! These train singers might remember you that art can find its way even during a busy train ride and you can enjoy the wonders of music and poetry can even entertain when you are bored standing or travelling in a train! 

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