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 සිරිබරිනී සුරැඳි අති සෝබමාන ලංකා
ධාන්‍ය ධනය නෙක මල් පලතුරු පිරි ජය භුමිය රම්‍යා
අප හට සැප සිරි සෙත සදනා ජීවනයේ මාතා
පිළිගනු මැන අප භක්තී පූජා
නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
අප ශ්‍රී..... ලංකා නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
ඔබ වේ අප විද්‍යා
ඔබ මය අප සත්‍යා
ඔබ වේ අප ශක්ති
අප හද තුළ භක්තී
ඔබ අප ආලෝකේ
අපගේ අනුප්‍රාණේ
ඔබ අප ජීවන වේ
අප මුක්තිය ඔබ වේ
නව ජීවන දෙමිනේ නිතින අප පුබුදු කරන් මාතා
ඥාන වීර්ය වඩවමින රැගෙන යනු මැන ජය භූමී කරා
එක මවකගෙ දරු කැල බැවිනා
යමු යමු වී නොපමා
ප්‍රේම වඩා සැම භේද දුරැර දා නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
අප ශ්‍රී..... ලංකා නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා
Translation
Mother Sri Lanka,
Our Sri Lanka, salute, salute, salute, salute to you, Mother!
Beautiful Lanka, rich in prosperity, lovely and most radiant,
Delightful land of victory, full of grain and wealth, of many flowers and fruits,
Mother of life, who brings us happiness, prosperity and well-being,
Accept, we pray, our offering of devotion.
Salute, salute to you, Mother!
Our Sri Lanka, salute, salute, salute, salute to you, Mother!
You are our knowledge,
You are our truth,
You are our strength,
The devotion in our hearts.
You are our light,
Our inspiration,
You are our life,
Our liberation is you.
Giving us new life, awaken us always, Mother.
Fostering our wisdom and courage, lead us on to the land of victory.
As we are children of one mother,
Let us go, let us go without delay,
Growing in love, casting away all division. Salute, salute to you, Mother!
Our Sri Lanka, salute, salute, salute, salute to you, Mother!
Maldives
ޤައުމީ ސަލާމް
Original
ކޯރަސް
ޤައުމީ މިއެކުވެރިކަން މަތީ ތިބެގެން ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ޤައުމީ ބަހުން ގިނަ ހެޔޮ ދުޢާ ކުރަމުން ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ޤައުމީ ނިޝާނަށް ޙުރުމަތާއެކު ބޯލަނބާ ތިބެގެން
އައުދާނަކަން ލިބިގެން އެވާ ދިދައަށް ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ކޯރަސް
ނަސްރާ ނަސީބާ ކާމިޔާބުގެ ރަމްޒަކަށް ހިމެނޭ
ފެއްސާއި ރަތާއި ހުދާ އެކީ ފެނުމުން ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ކޯރަސް
ފަޚުރާ ޝަރަފު ޤައުމަށް އެހޯދައިދެއްވި ބަޠަލުންނަށް
ޒިކުރާގެ މަތިވެރި ޅެންތަކުން އަދުގައި ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ކޯރަސް
ދިވެހީންގެ އެންމެން ކުރިއަރައި ސިލްމާ ސަލާމަތުގާ
ދިވެހީންގެ ނަން މޮޅުވުން އަދައި ތިބެގެން ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ކޯރަސް
މިނިވަންކަމާ މަދަނިއްޔަތާ ލިބިގެން މި ޢާލަމުގާ
ދިނިގެން ހިތާމަތަކުން ތިބުން އެދިގެން ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ކޯރަސް
ދީނާއި ވެރިންނަށް ހެޔޮހިތުން ހުރުމަތް އަދާކުރަމުން
ސީދާ ވަފާތެރިކަންމަތީ ތިބެގެން ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ކޯރަސް
ދައުލަތުގެ އަބުރާ ޢިއްޒަތާ މަތިވެރިވެގެން އަބަދަށް
އައުދާނަވުން އެދި ހެޔޮ ދުޢާ ކުރަމުން ކުރީމެ ސަލާމް
ކޯރަސް
Translation
[Chorus]
Standing firm in this national unity, we salute.
Offering many good prayers in the national tongue, we salute.
Bowing our heads with respect to the national emblem,
We salute the flag that has been endowed with might.
[Chorus]
The symbol of victory, fortune and success:
Seeing green, red and white together, we salute.
[Chorus]
To the heroes who won pride and honour for the nation,
With lofty verses of remembrance, today we salute.
[Chorus]
With all Maldivians advancing in peace and safety,
Upholding the greatness of the Maldivian name, we salute.
[Chorus]
Having gained freedom and civilisation in this world,
Wishing to remain far from sorrows, we salute.
[Chorus]
Paying respect with a good heart to our faith and our leaders,
Remaining in sincere loyalty, we salute.
[Chorus]
That the state's honour and dignity be exalted forever,
Wishing it might and praying for good, we salute.
[Chorus]
Interesting facts
Sri Lanka
- 1. The anthem has an official Tamil version, 'Sri Lanka Thaaye', a direct translation by M. Nallathamby that was approved in 1951 and is sung to the same music; the Tamil text of the 1978 Constitution prints its words.
- 2. In a letter of March 1962 Samarakoon called the change to his opening words a 'beheading' of the anthem; a month later he took his own life.
- 3. In 2016 the Tamil version was sung at the national Independence Day celebrations for the first time since 1949.
Maldives
- 1. Until 1972 the words were sung to 'Auld Lang Syne': Jameel Didi chose the tune after hearing it chime at noon from his uncle's new clock.
- 2. The new melody was commissioned in haste in 1972, ahead of a visit by Queen Elizabeth II, the first foreign head of state ever to visit the Maldives.
- 3. Composer W.D. Amaradeva received Sri Lanka's Kala Keerthi honour for the arts in 1986 and, posthumously in 2017, Sri Lankabhimanya, the country's highest national honour.
Listen
Sri Lanka
Maldives
