National Anthem Comparison
Sri Lanka vs Maldives
3
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
8
8 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Sri Lanka and Maldives, both Asia nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Sri Lanka's "Mother Sri Lanka" was written in 1940, while Maldives's "National Salute" dates to 1948.
Both anthems share themes of Love of homeland, Unity and Identity.
The emotional tones differ: Sri Lanka's anthem is Solemn, while Maldives's is Proud.
Maldives changed its national anthem in 1972, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Sri Lanka
❤ Love of homeland 🤝 Unity 🏛 Identity
Maldives
🤝 Unity 🏛 Identity ❤ Love of homeland
Shared themes:
❤ Love of homeland 🤝 Unity 🏛 Identity
Metadata
| Sri Lanka | Maldives | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1940 | 1948 |
| Adopted | 1951 | 1972 |
| Lyricist | Ananda Samarakoon | Muhammad Jameel Didi |
| Composer | Ananda Samarakoon | Wannakuwattawaduge Don Amaradeva |
| Language | si | dv |
| Region | South Asia | South Asia |
Lyrics Side by Side
Sri Lanka
ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා
Original
ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා
අප ශ්රී ලංකා නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
සුන්දර සුබරනි
සුරම්ය අති ශෝභමාන ලංකා
පාලනය නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
අප හත අප සිත පිරි ජීවනයේ
නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
අප ශ්රී ලංකා
නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
ඔබ කම කැමති
එක මානයකි එක හිතකි
එසේ නිතයන්
මෙත මෙත සිතී
ඇදුරු යන මක් සේවා අයිනි
නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
Translation
Mother Sri Lanka,
We salute Thee, salute, salute, salute, Mother.
Beautiful and bountiful,
Graceful and full of splendour, our Lanka,
We bow to your governance, salute, Mother.
You are our life, our being,
Salute, salute, Mother,
Our Sri Lanka.
Salute, salute, Mother,
Your will, your virtue,
One aspiration, one resolve,
These are the eternal bonds,
That bind our hearts,
Engraved forever in our service,
Salute, salute, Mother.
Maldives
ޤައުމީ ސަލާމް
Original
ނަސްޓަންލައިޔައި ކިބްރިންށަ ސަލާމް ކޮސްކޮސް
އައްށާރަފa6ން މި އިއްޒާޓަކަސް ކޮސްކޮސް
ނަސްރައިޔައިންނައި ސަލާމް
ނަސްރައިޔައިންނައި ބަޓަކަމައިން ސަލާމް
ނަސްޓަންލައިޔައި ކިބްރިންށަ ސަލާމް ކޮސްކޮސް
Translation
We salute you in this national unity.
We salute you, with many good wishes in the national tongue,
Bowing the head in respect.
We salute you, the nation.
We salute you with pride and in the national tongue.
We salute you in this national unity.
Interesting facts
Sri Lanka
- 1. Sri Lanka is one of the few countries where the national anthem must legally be performed in two languages (Sinhala and Tamil), with both versions given equal constitutional status.
- 2. The original composition was in the key of E major, but the government transposed it to F major without the composer's permission, a change that deeply distressed Samarakoon.
- 3. The Tamil version is not a direct translation of the Sinhala lyrics but rather an independent adaptation that preserves the spirit while using different poetic imagery.
Maldives
- 1. At roughly 35 seconds, the Maldivian anthem is one of the shortest national anthems in the world when performed in full.
- 2. The anthem's melody uses a pentatonic scale common in South Asian classical music, giving it a distinctly different sound from most other national anthems.
- 3. The Maldives is the only country whose anthem was composed by someone who later received their nation's highest cultural honor: W.D. Amaradeva was named a Sri Lankan national treasure.
Listen
Sri Lanka
Maldives
