Tamil theatre group inspires Ceylon’s arts scene
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In 1911, Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar and the Suguna Vilasa Sabha, a Tamil theatre group from India, travelled to Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) to perform their plays.
Sambanda Mudaliar faced challenges preparing for the tour, including internal disagreements within the Sabha and securing time off work for his performers. A drama contractor funded the trip, providing the Sabha with 2,500 rupees to stage five plays in Colombo.
The Sabha’s performances in Ceylon drew large audiences and received support from prominent figures like lawyer Sir A. Kanagasabai and Governor Sir Henry Edward McCallum. They even staged a special performance to raise money for the Governor’s Tuberculosis Fund. During a second visit in 1913, the group encountered difficulties in Jaffna when Sambanda Mudaliar became ill and the performance venue was inadequate.
Local lawyers intervened to improve the conditions, allowing the tour to continue and contribute 1,500 rupees to the Sabha’s building fund. The Suguna Vilasa Sabha’s success in Ceylon inspired Kalaiarasu K. Sornalingam to establish the Lanka Subodha Vilasa Sabha in 1913, fostering the growth of theatre across the island nation. Sambanda Mudaliar received the ‘Rao Sahib’ title during a final visit in 1916.
