Bibiladeniye Mahanama
Bibiladeniye Mahanama Thero is a Buddhist monk of the Theravada Order. The thero is the only Buddhist priest in Asia of the Theravada order to actively engage in the experimentation and the creative exploration of music as a form of aesthetic expression. The thero has been actively engaged with the art, both on overseas projects as well as in Sri Lanka for nearly two decades. Share the Love, the album released in 2014, is his very first experimental attempt on Spirituality and Relaxation. The album was released in Europe, Asia and Sri Lanka. In 2015 the album was  awarded the prestigious State Music Award for the best album produced in Sri Lanka. In 2017, the venerable entered the world of cinema with the musical direction debut on the film Girivassipura’ directed by Devinda Konhahage. It is recorded that this is the first ever time a Buddhist priest achieved such a milestone. Bibiladeniye Mahanama Thero also works on a variety of Meditation, Mental well-being and Mood Uplifting music experimentations within the mobile App space. On this platform his most notable are with Mind Supply of the USA and Rest Tech India are notable. The Thero is also recognized  as the pioneer who introduced Conceptual Musical Short Films to Sri Lanka. In 2019, he started work on the first Conceptual Musical Short Film – Wallstory. It was released on the digital stream in 2020. This was a milestone for the Sri Lankan Cinema Music industry. On the 21st of September, 2021 on World Peace Day, he released the second Conceptual Musical Short Film – Piece for Peace, to celebrate peace and inter-religious harmony. The thero’s contribution to society is not limited to only music, cinema, Buddhist philosophy and spiritual harmony. The creative contribution too is immense. The most notable  being the restoration of the research based “Jathaka” Stories Recitals project in 2015-16. The “Jathaka Katha” (Jathaka Stories) is one of the most important works of literature in the Theravada Buddhist Tradition. With the participation of over 150 Buddhist monks, the Jathaka Stories were recorded in the traditional Jathaka Stories recital form. The project was envisioned as a means of preserving the traditional recital of Jathaka Stories in its original style, for posterity. The restoration work is a 500 plus hour voice recording project that was overlooked by Venerable Bibiladeniye Mahanama thero. Venerable Bibiladeniye Mahanama Thero is also the  Music Director from the Sri Lankan end, on the Television drama series “You Are Always with Me”, jointly produced by the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. It is the first Television Drama series co-produced between Sri Lanka and China and was directed by Cui Yali. Even at this young age, he holds various positions in global associations working that work on environmental and animal welfare, as well as multi-religious and welfare organizations. The thero is also the founder of the Share the Love Foundation Of Ceylon and Sandhara Spiritual Buddhist  Aesthetics & Arts Centre. Early life and education. Bibiladeniye Mahanama was born on 31 October 1989 at the government hospital in Dompe. His birth name, Wanaviraja Wasala Mudhiyanselage Lahiru Madhusanka, was given to him by his mother, Indrani Tennakoon, and father, Wanaviraja Wasala Mudhiyanselage Abeyratne Bandara. He is the eldest of their three children. Lahiru had his primary education at Jayanthi Central College in Nikaweratiya. He was ordained a Buddhist monk on 27 July 1999 and given his present name Bibiladeniye Mahanama. He is a student of Wahantare Siddhartha thero at Sri Shailathalaramaya - Panduwasnuwara. His initial Pirivena education was at the  Paramadhamma Cheitiya Pirivena in Ratmalana since 1999, and continued his higher studies at the Sri Pandukabhya Pirivena in Panduwasnuwara. His Advanced Level education was at the Kurunegala Baudhaloka Vidyawarthana Pirivena under the guidance of Wahantare Siddhartha Thero. He was awarded a scholarship to study computer science and music at the Kobeigana-Crasda Computer Institute, where he later worked as lecturer for two years from the age of 17. With the encouragement of Wahanthare Siddhartha Thero, he studied North Indian music styles and guitar technique under the musician Danister Perera. Bibiladeniye Mahanama was awarded a full scholarship by musician Dilup Gabadamudalige  to study at his institute for computerised music and sound engineering in Pelawatte for two years – 2007–2009.He also studied the basics of North Indian vocal styles under the musician and professor, Dayaratne Ranatunge and Usthad Gulam Nihaz Khan in Mumbai. Music career. Bibiladeniye Mahanama went on to work with professional musicians in Sri Lanka and internationally as a composer, director, music arranger, and recording artist.