The memorable book launch

Place: Sri Lanka Foundation Institute; Date: Friday, September 11, 2026; Time 3:30 p.m.

We went to the SLFI that day expecting to see a traditional book launch, but what really happened was an event very much unusual. The event having commenced dead on time, as much as the Indian Railway would, for almost two entertaining hours, we were taken on a rail tour, a rail tour of a different sort— Wandering with Pleasure – Along Indian Rail Tracks.

After witnessing Saman Athaudahetti, a very versatile human being, launching another of his literary works, Wandering with Pleasure – Along Indian Rail Tracks by Surasa Publishers, the notion of a book launch evaporated from my mind. The event was a living example of unfathomable human creativity. Generally, we expect to see a few speeches at these kinds of events. Most speeches including the keynote speech, if at all there is one, would take more time than necessary and not do any justice to the book being launched. To say the least, attending some of these book launches becomes an agony, but Saman and his clan completely demolished my notion of a traditional book launch on this day.

Saman in his usual out-of-the-box nature offered us, the audience, an experience rarely to be forgotten. The whole event left a vivid picture of what Saman is trying to narrate about his 40-day, 13,000 km rail tour in India. There were the speeches, but all of them were addresses of erudition—every speaker kept the audience enthralled and naturally attentive. Each address brought out not only different facets of the book, but also an aspect of incredible India which we were quite eager to assimilate. Though I had travelled widely within India, I savoured every bit of what was being said by the selected speakers.

Moving away from a traditional book launch, the organisers had thought it fit to throw in a musical extravaganza to make the evening aesthetically enticing. That, they did in great style befitting the contents of the book. Saman did not bring a modern dance troupe to fill in the gaps, but he shared with us his passion for India and its innumerable complexities and niceties by inviting an ensemble of lecturers of the Faculty of Music from Sri Lanka’s University of the Visual and Performing Arts, to treat us to a rare exposition of different genres of Indian music. These musicians represented the University’s departments of South Indian and North Indian music thus bringing in the musical tapestry India has to offer to the world of music. It was absolutely fascinating.

As each Indian folk song was so beautifully sung by these maestros, the digital displays too synced with those songs by showing what railway stations Saman would have touched in his rail tour. I am sure the audience, although physically deposited at the SLFI auditorium in Colombo, would have done a seamless “mind-travel” as each folk song rolled out. It was also lovely to see on digital screen a few renowned cinema clips with Hindi songs so popular among Sri Lankans, evoking nostalgic memories.

To his credit, Saman did not take the limelight. In fact, he was seated somewhere in the audience, I guess. He, as the author-traveller, did not speak of his personal experiences or what made him undertake this 40-day rail tour. In his own book launch, the author did not say a word at all, but Saman let others who knew so much about India speak and sing for him.

I haven’t yet started reading the book. But I am sure I soon will, because this memorable book launch etched an indelible impression of what Wandering with Pleasure – Along Indian Rail Tracks by Saman Athaudahetti has to offer.