Mesmerizing, mystical and magical music at Sigiraya, Sri Lanka

Ron Advani
3 min readMay 4, 2024
Sigiraya, Sri Lanka

Listening to the masterful flute player Prem Rana Autari on the lawn terrace of Hotel Kandalama in Dambulla, Sri Lanka in the shadow of Sigiraya, a 5th century palace fortress was an unforgettable magical and spiritual experience. The juxtaposition of the hauntingly evocative flute music on the heritage hotel lawn while gazing at a 5th century UNESCO World Heritage monument is unrivaled in my decades of travel around the world.

Prem Rana Autari is a Nepali musician who trained under world renowned Hari Prasad Chaurasia and has performed in several countries and won numerous awards. Around sunset I often listen to his music including “ A Fisherman’s Song”, “ Rajamati” and “ Resham Fitri” that are mesmerizing and ethereal tunes infusing me with a feeling of peace and calm. His songs were being played by a flutist on the lawn terrace as we sipped wine. I bought his CDs immediately and listened to to them for years until all music moved online.

Hotel Kandalama, Dambulla, Sri Lanka

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Ron Advani

Wannabe writer and voracious reader. Love traveling and observing local cultures and traditions. Lived in India, Egypt, Singapore and retired in the Bay Area.