In what maybe considered as a ‘baby step’ towards genuine reconciliation, Sri Lanka today witnessed a rare occurrence on it’s 68th Independence Day celebrations, when a symbolic gesture was made in decades with the singing of the national anthem in Tamil at the formal celebrations held at the Galle Face in Colombo.
Sampanthan
The singing of the national anthem also stirred emotions in several Tamil legislators including the leader of the Tamil National Alliance R. Sampanthan, who was reportedly seen in tears while the anthem was sung in his native language.
The event brought mixed reactions, with some taking to social media to approve and disapprove the move, where some termed the gesture as an important step towards genuine reconciliation, while others claimed it was another step towards separating the country into two.
Minister of National Dialogue, Mano Ganesan in a Tweet said that the national anthem sung in Tamil after decades is a victory in Sri Lanka’s co-existence journey. “Yes, it’s a very small act, but it’s a step forward.”
The Movement for Equal Rights said that if Sri Lanka is to achieve true independence and reconciliation, politicians harbouring extremists’ views who even go to the extent of protesting against the national anthem being sung in Tamil must first be defeated.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva in a Facebook post said, “A first in my lifetime. After many years, the independence day celebrations came to a close with the national anthem sung in Tamil.”
In response to his post, a follower on his page by the name of Amali de Silva said, “It should always be one country, one national anthem, get an example from our neighbour India, they have only one national anthem although they speak nearly 60 languages.”
In response to her, the deputy foreign minister wrote back saying, “According to her (Amali’s) FB page, she lives in Australia. I have noticed that a lot of Sri Lankans who are critical of our government’s efforts to unite this nation are actually living comfortable lives overseas!”
Meanwhile 600 prisoners, including 13 females, who had committed minor offences, were granted a presidential pardon in view of the 68th independence day.
Shrikharan / February 5, 2016
“In response to his post, a follower on his page by the name of Amali de Silva said, “It should always be one country, one national anthem, get an example from our neighbour India, they have only one national anthem although they speak nearly 60 languages.””
Why do people like Amali De Silva quote the Indian example to hold up when it comes to National Anthem but when it comes to Federal solution the Indian example is not applicable to Sri Lanka.
It is a habit to take examples from India when it conveniently suits them and discard what they do not want give as ‘not applicable’. India may have one national anthem but they have Federal states to all people belonging to different races and so there are no ‘minorities’ and ‘stateless people’ in India. All people have a strong sense of belonging to the great nation and are proud to express ‘we are Indian’ , unlike the Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka.
Tamils in Sri Lanka do not have that sense of homeliness and feel insecure, and that is very true. So don’t anyone with some feeling understand that a federal solution like in India will do a lot of good to make one strong united Sri Lanka. Certainly then singing National Anthem only in one language will not be a big issue like in India and nobody bothers.
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Sylvia Haik / February 5, 2016
We should accept that Sri Lanka is a multi-cultural country and unlike India which has over 250 spoken languages and dialects, all Sri Lankans speak and understand at least one of the tree languages i.e. Sinhalese, Tamil or English. Why not incorporate into our anthem verses in Tamil and English and then all to sing just one anthem. We should do the same to our flag and incorporate the two colours that have been added as an after-thought, into the background.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / February 5, 2016
The 68th anniversary celebration of our independence from colonial rule was momentous. Sambanthan’s tears, were tears of joy. I am sure many a Tamil and Muslm had tears in their eyes to, because the first step had been taken to accept their identity and affirm their equality. However, this is only a first step though momentous.
What is ahead is going to be a tortuous road and a difficult climb for this country and her people- Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Veddas and others. We have to share a common vision, exercise tolerance, forgive mistakes and mis-steps ,and ignore the cacophony of the bigots and extremists amongst us. We have to understand and recognize the rot that has crept into and taken hold of our society, as very wrong. We have to set the wrong right, regardless of how much we were hurt and hurt yet. We have to have a large heart to forgive, if we cannot bring ourselves to forget We have to have the patience of Mother Earth and mother Lanka to erase all the hurt we inflict on her.
I am beyond writing a long essay now. However, I provide below to the link to what I wrote in 2005 in response to an article written by Niro Dissanayake’s titled ‘ Prabakaran the Best Friend of the Sinhalese’ in the Asian Tribune. What Niro Dissanayake said and my thoughts, I think are yet valid.
http://www.tamilweek.com/DutugemunuStrategy_EllalanResponce_1030.html
We are being pushed to the brink of a deeper and wider whole by the extreme elements in both the Sinhala and Tamil polities. This is an old game that is being re-enacted. The dogs of war are being unleashed by short sighted men who lack wisdom> The TNA is not explicit and consistent in stating what it’s vision for the Tamils and this country is. It is hemming and hawing under pressure from the Tamil extreme, which is appearing to be rational but us quite immoderate. The Tamil extreme wants to play ball with the Dutigemuno Strategy demanded by the Sinhla extreme. What they forget is that we have to untangle a much tangled ball of thread. They may may sound sensible to the gullible but have to be treated as lunatics under the circumstances the Tamils live now.
Sambanthan has to be bold and decisive. This is his last hurrah! Let him show leadership and lead from the front. Let him throw by the way side the elements who are a hindrance.
Let this government too do what is right as in the instance of singing the national anthem in Tamil. Let it make its moves one step at a time towards an acceptable solution to a chronic and crippling problem, while keeping the exremists under vigilance and control, while keeping the moderates in its fold.
Dr,Rajasingham Narendran
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vishvajith / February 5, 2016
excellent piece Dr. RN.
I must say, I too was emotional as I watched from the Top of the World. As a child of a Tamil father and a Sinhala Mother, this was more than symbolic for me.
Let us heal, let us move forward.
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Mallaiyuran / February 5, 2016
“The TNA is not explicit and consistent in stating what it’s vision for the Tamils and this country is. “
Could you stop your Cacophony and tell what it is?
“Let him show leadership and lead from the front. Let him throw by the way side the elements who are a hindrance.”
After that what he has to do to get what you want to say in the answer one?
You are just a comedian trying to plow through the same field again and again to show you are constructive and productive, Please stop your cacophony, so the Sinhalese will realize that the Tamils have a problem.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / February 6, 2016
What Sumanthiran has defined as,”A power sharing arrangement with federal features’ is not federalism.
He of course refers to the Swiss model proposed by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike and the Kandyan demand for a Federal State ( listen to Video of Sumanthiran’s speech in a parallel thread written by Usha Sri-Skanda-Rajah).
An amended 13th amendment to can also have federal features and operate within a unitary constitution.
What is being touted in the media is the concept of ‘ Union of states- a different ball game altogether !
Dr.RN
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Mallaiyuran / February 6, 2016
Forget About What Sumanthiran wants!
Tell Sumanthiran what you want and tell him how to get. He is there only for a minister post. You too have been telling that many times.
For example, This government wants the 13A’s North-East Merger removed; Land Removed; Police removed. But, wants to keep the governor over CM. Even EPRLF Varadhar rejected it. Ranil and New King has said there won’t be any Federal features in the amended constitution. You are not attaching yourself to Swiss or Amended(I don’t know what it is, 13+ with senate)13A. What you want?
Tell Sumanthiran what you wants and tell him how to get.
Just don’t bluff!
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ravi perera / February 7, 2016
Malluran,
“This government wants the 13A’s North-East Merger removed; Land Removed; Police removed. But, wants to keep the governor over CM.”
The North -East merger has already been removed, it should not have been merged in the first place. According o the 13th amendment the land should be with the central government. It is only the police powers that would be vested with the council. Your patriots have statred to make a noise in the north with the same demands you always put forward, so don’t worry nothing will happen. This is ideal for the sihala government to carry out further delaying tactics.
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Kettikaran / February 7, 2016
One must give credit to commentator Ravi Perera for his consistent stand in favour of Sinhala extremism – though flawed and untenable. However, Land and Police Powers to the demerged North-East Province cannot be denied by obstinacy and majoritarianism alone. History, reason and justice will determine the final outcome – as it succeeded in the matter of parity to the Tamil language and the Citizenship Bill that affected Lankans of recent Indian origin in the country. Both of which were settled in 1987. On both issues Sinhala bigotry and extremism stood on the way for over four decades. They were eventually forced to yield due to global pressure.
Kettikaran
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Native Vedda / February 7, 2016
Kettikaran
“One must give credit to commentator Ravi Perera for his consistent stand in favour of Sinhala extremism – though flawed and untenable.”
The fact that Sinhala speaking ravi perera is a recent convert to Sinhala/Buddhism.
All recent converts naturally want to hide their ancestry which can be traced to his Demela origin.
The Sinhala speaking Demela is no different to his noisy Sinhala/Buddhist counter part.
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ravi perera / February 8, 2016
Kettikaran,
“History, reason and justice will determine the final out come.”
Certainly will. You will have nothing to worry then, what is right will happen.
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K Sundaram / February 7, 2016
Mallaiyuran
What is meant by your pseudonym name Mallaiyuran. Is it spelling mistake?
I am sure it must be spelt Malaiyuran- meaning man of a mountain village.You reflect a real ooran making kilangu (yam) comments.
If the spelling is right and you are Mallaiyran it is like the Sinhala joke malle pol.When I read your comments both kilangu and Malle pol suits you very very well indeed.
This is what we have to content in the ever rottening Tamil thinking and their way of life-in particular in the Tamil Diaspora.
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Mallaiyuran / February 8, 2016
Sundu
“If the spelling is right and you are Mallaiyran “
Mallaiyran is certainly wrong. Then the other one should be correct, logically or theoretically.
“I am sure it must be spelt Malaiyuran- meaning man of a mountain village”
You might have got something, But when, once you eat, you are still throwing up one. So, sadly the poor head still empty.
“You reflect a real ooran making kilangu (yam) comments.” Otherwise would you write “Malaiyuran writes ooran comments.” This is what you describe as donkey is doing the dogs’s job. Sundu leave it with the dog, you will be happy! Belive me!
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Sandy / February 5, 2016
” We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools” –
– Martin Luther King Jr. –
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Saman / February 5, 2016
Mahinda Rajapaksa is the NO.1 RACIST in Sri Lanka
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Ben Hurling / February 5, 2016
Saman,
Nope. Mahinda Rajapaksa is not a racist. He is a shameless political opportunist of the worst sort imaginable.
Gotabaya is a racist. His activities should be monitored by all means.
Basil, Namal, Yoshitha etc. do not care that much about race or religion. As long as they can bag a decent commission. Money does not discriminate.
Cheers!
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vishvajith / February 5, 2016
Ben, I give it to you. You nailed it.
If I may add, The next Gen of the Rajapaksas’s Namal et al, haven’t displayed racist tendencies ( if any ).
Fair warning to them, They do play with fire, as they bosom to their extremists buddies. Who will destroy them, when the extremists don’t get what they wish for.
Btw, I rather have Namal as a Head of State than Sajith. I won’t vote for neither.
Cheers.
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manisekaran / February 5, 2016
My thumps up for you! It is never late to demolish a devil.
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Cassandra / February 5, 2016
Deputy FM is right – These expatriates have abandoned the motherland, live comfortable lives and raise their children in foreign cultures pay fleeting visits to Sri Lanka to show off their newly acquired sophistication (?) and are in fact parlour nationalists.
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Pkj / February 5, 2016
Singing national anthem in tamil is a positive step towards national reconciliation ,this is one of the reason people brought yahapalanaya government to power
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sach / February 5, 2016
Mr.harsha points out that Amali De Silva is living in Aus and should actually mind her business. But if Amali happened to be a tamil that too who supported LTTE terrorism, Mr.harsha’s party will happily listen to her demands
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Japwatch / February 6, 2016
There are many Amalis and Amilas living overseas and using the social media to express their guilt or regret. Actually, no need to pay attention to what they say.
Just crossed my mind, the elderly parents of Amalis and Amilas living in Lanka, who is taking care of them? Rather than waste their time stirring trouble, come back take care of the country, and more importantly your parents. Minister Harsha and the like will take care of the national anthem and the nation :)))
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 5, 2016
TNA boss Vellala Sambandan was in tears of joy, while Vellala senator Usha looks gutted in her selfie. with a stream of tears flowing down her Brahamin colour cheeks..
Is it “Eka Mawakuge Daru Kela Bavina” “We all are the Children of one Mum” which induced these contrasting reactions?.
If that is the case I can understand.
Vellala TNA has always been in the same family with the Elite and the Anglicans, although they can’t be from the same mother..
The last one is in the TNA manifesto which says they are a different people, with a different culture and always lived in their traditional homelands ..( Wellala & Cinnamon Gardens must be exemptions ).
Sambnadan has been fighting tooth & nail to get the” Family into power specially after Nanthikadal..
And finally he pulled it off with the help of Suren Surendran and the Diaspora Elite Faction.
Which of course must have brought out those tears to his eyes.
On the other hand Usha must be feeling like a big loser although she has recruited a one big vellala in the form of the CM into their camp.
Besides, Samabandan sitting with Bodhipala to take the Army salute must have added insult to the injury.
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Native Vedda / February 5, 2016
KAS Maalam K.A Sumanasekera
“Is it “Eka Mawakuge Daru Kela Bavina” “We all are the Children of one Mum” which induced these contrasting reactions?.”
Now you seem to agree that both you and Trinco Sam are descendants of the same Kallthoni mum from South India.
Keep up the good work for the sake of your ancestors.
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 6, 2016
Dear Native,
If you call me a cousin of Vellala Ssmbandan , I take it with pride.,
If you call our ancestral mum is a Kallathoni woman I am happy to take it too.
But I am not sure how your mate Trinco Sam will feel about it.
Because your Yahapalana Foreign minister said that our ancestral mum was laid by a lion.
That is why we believe in Mahavamsa according to the FM.
How cool is that you reckon?
Wonder who rooted his ancestral mom…
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Piranha / February 5, 2016
Humane machang,
How come you detest the vellalas so much, eh? Are you from the paraya class? Have you been treated badly by the vellalas?
Because of your low cast a vellala person must have treated you badly and that’s why you show so much anger against all vellalas. Most vellalas are good people, you know.
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kodithuwaku / February 6, 2016
Piranha
Well said.
This KA Sumane is always harping on the word Vellala.
Surely what you said is correct.
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Jim softy / February 6, 2016
Kodithuwaku is a demala who likes to be sinhala but can not write the name properly.
first learn sinhala properly.
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 6, 2016
Piranha mate.
Do you want me to call them Tamils. like the way you lot call us Sinhala Buddhists and Sinhala Buddhist extremists who come from Lions and call us racists?..
BTW what is P caste?.
Only Parawa I know is the ones which I buy from Sea Fresh in Wellala Gardens.
Do the Vellals still mistreat the Dalits?..
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Backlash / February 7, 2016
Piranha,
Sinhala supremacist Sumane does not denigrate the Vellalas. He is enamoured by them and would give more than a hand a leg to become one. But the accident of his birth prevents the zealot from realising his fondest dream. His only hope is to marry a Vellala lady. But the qualifying features for that are pretty stiff, as Sumane knows.
Backlash
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lal / February 5, 2016
What they do in in Singapore and India is irrelevant. People in Sri Lanka should be free to sing tha National Anthem in the language they choose. I would request the Sinhalese to sing in Tamil and Tamils to sing in Sinhalese – just for once. I doubt the die hard diaspora racists would approve that!
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Kumar R. / February 5, 2016
Lal,
You could not me more wrong.
It is not the Diaspora (that is only in your imagination die-hard racists) who will not approve it – Rather, it is the yellow-robed die-hard thugs in the country, who pretend to be Buddhists (it is a sacrilege to call them that), that would object to such – and you already have ample evidence on that, don’t you?!
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Nirmala N / February 6, 2016
Kumar R.
‘Rather, it is the yellow-robed die-hard thugs in the country’— are you calling all the Buddhist monks yellow-robed die-hard thugs? Possibly there are two types of monks, one wearing yellow robes and the other saffron colourerd.
Your comment is too much isn’t it?
Tell me why it is sacrilege to call a young yellow robed thug a thug. If we don’t call a spade a spade, then spade will not be known a spade.
Darling! do not give any room for your emotions. We are lion kings and we must act like strong lion kings.
Let us work together to finalise the new version of the Mahinda Chinthanaya. There is room to include something about your yellow robed enemies.
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Kettikaran / February 5, 2016
Lal,
Excellent idea. I have often thought about this. It is time we had a drama or movie sent in a Sinhala-Tamil background where there is space
for the players/actors to sing the national anthem in all four corners of the country in the language of the other. Today, I see a battle of thoughts between Sinhala and Tamil activists. Unity and reconciliation, it appears to me, is on the road to victory. Both our people, long at each others throats, are overcoming the ghost of extreme prejudice that has consumed us for long with such devastating effect.
Kettikaran
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Sylvia Haik / February 8, 2016
Why not do what they do in Canada, New Zealand etc. In Canada their national anthem have stanzas in English and French and in New Zealand they have stanzas in English and Maori. We should be having stanzas in Sinhalese and Tamil and everyone celebrating with just one national anthem. All bigots silenced.
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Saman Adikari / February 5, 2016
MR is NOT racist, he is nationalist and person who respected norms of democracy in Sri lanka and man who protect country sovereignty during his 9 years rule. It would be a mistaken to think so-called Tamil Territories and TNA separatism such effects were confined to cases where devolution power of federalism exerted direct US or Indian rule.
The TNA came both Tamil Eealm formal and informal variants.
Indeed Tamil rough state and their regime of TNA -Tamils political class and Tamil diasporas of exile Government of Eealm did no always have extended direct rule to bend region to US and Indian will.
The politics of Tamil separatism willing to offer military bases and their forces and while political vested interest of US and Indian adequate resources in Sri lanakn soil. The classic rule of Tamil Eealm show that there is continuum between informal influence and formal rule of US domination in Indian Ocean by TNA political leadership.
The TNA formal rule only the last resort when conditions were to unsettled and unruly to achieve desired of Tamil Eealm that in effects through UNP rulers.
The every political short cuts, every mystery, every hypostasis in Tamil power devolution of Federalism is thus swept away by simple sense common building of Tamil state of being.
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Sanakiyan / February 5, 2016
“In response to his post, a follower on his page by the name of Amali de Silva said, “It should always be one country, one national anthem, get an example from our neighbour India, they have only one national anthem although they speak nearly 60 languages.”
Amali, the bitter truth is India’s national anthem is in Bengali, which is not the majority’s language. So will it be alright for you to sing the SL national anthem in Tamil only?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana
Bengali
“Jana Gana Mana” is the national anthem of India. Originally written in Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of a poem written and later set to notations by Rabindranath Tagore. It was first sung in the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on December 27, 1911.14 Aug 2012
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eldorado / February 5, 2016
It was a symbolic, yet important gesture towards the uniting of a divided Country. Maybe there was political foresight with the local Govt elections looming. Nevertheless well done Mr President, I hope this reaching out will not stop with this, let it be the beginning and let there be a reciprocal reaching out from the Tamils. It is only then that this Country can go forward.
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Sylvia Haik / February 5, 2016
I am no fan of Mahinda Rajapakse but I am sad that he was not invited to the Independence Day celebrations. He was after all a former President to our everlastin misfortune. The Tamil version of the Anthem was beautifully sung and we missed an opportunity to rub his nose in it.
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bo / February 6, 2016
He has said that he won’t come. There is an interview with him in Maubima daily/ webpage.
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Plato. / February 5, 2016
Native.
Had the ancestry of Amali De Silva remained in South India,without migrating to SriLanka between the 14th- 17th centuries,her progeny would be singing the National Anthem in Bengali!
The Diaspora types both Sinhala and Tamil,it appears,are not keen to allow the Srilankan citizenry to resolve their problems!
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Native Vedda / February 6, 2016
Plato.
I agree.
Do you think Sri Lankan politicians want to solve any problem not just the ethnic issue? Instead, they create more problems.
How parochial can these racists be? For example, a few days ago MR and Senior Sanga member said no to Tamil Anthem.
Udhaya Ganapathipillai was going to take this matter to supreme court as if Tamil anthem was bootlegged from Tamilnadu.
In this forum too you would have noticed a Constitutional Expert “CountryFirst” typed it was illegal to sing the national anthem in Tamil. When pointed out Tamil and Sinhala are national languages, he vanished into thin air.
Where do you think these racists are being manufactured? Though late can we not perform gene editing on these people soon after the medical councils approve such treatment legal or how about bio brick building.
I wonder why MR and his supporters failed to organise a protest march from Kelaniya to Kandy?
By the way, where is war crime denier, Dayan?
“The Diaspora types both Sinhala and Tamil,it appears,are not keen to allow the Srilankan citizenry to resolve their problems!”
I hear there is a sea change taking place among the third generation Sinhalese as well as Tamils. They are mostly career oriented kids, who travel, explore, care about fellow human beings, respect human rights, their ideas are conditioned by wider world view.
If the old guards in Sri Lanka refuse to change may be the third generation Tamil/Sinhalese diaspora can assert and play a role in order to educate the stupid people who refused see beyond their nose.
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Jim softy / February 6, 2016
Only problem is late migrated some hindians established their culture and civilization.
those Tamils who lived since the times unknown still practice indian culture
Why is that ?
Now only they build their tamil in Jaffniasthan by converting every sinhala name to thamiz and writing every thing in tamil.
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Burning Issue / February 7, 2016
Jim,
You are well and truly brainwashed – inculcated with complete garbage! It is not your fault.
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ramona therese fernando / February 5, 2016
Singing the National anthem in Tamil is kindly token gesture of goodwill towards the Tamils. It was very sweetly done. However, we hope that Tamils will not take advantage the kindness shown, but understand that over 80% of Sri Lanka is Sinhala speaking.
We hope that Tamils also understand they have a huge Tamil bastion just north of Sri Lanka that they can involve themselves in. But Sinhalese have none other but Sri Lanka for themselves.
And that Sambandan was shedding tears cannot mean that he was harkening back to pre-Vijaya times, when Tamils were attempting to colonize Sri Lanka, but they lost to Vijaya and his band.
But if he was crying because of the racial riots of the 50’s 60’s 70’s, and 80’s, then that is truly is a sad thing. Hence the singing of the National anthem in Tamil also, to ease Sinhala conscience. Sad thing too, about the Nandikadail time, but that was Tamils sacrificing their own blood (low-cast mostly) for the pre-Vijaya time.
Hope the Anthem is sung in future with 12-20% of Tamils words also (20% as an extra measure of goodwill….although it should be 12 % according to country demographics, in spite of 12% occupying 33% of the land).
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Paul / February 6, 2016
Seems from your name/identity, you are another one of these Karawa descended from the recently Sinhalised low caste Tamil slaves who were imported into the island from South India by the Portuguese, now beating and dancing to the anti Tamil drum.
What a lot of lies and bullshit. Sinhalese spoken by 80% or more. Sinhalese is not spoken by 80% but only by 74% as their mother tongue and the so called present day Sinhalese( Largely made up of recently Sinhalised low caste Indian Tamil immigrants) are 74% of the population. Stop lying and distorting facts. Tamil is the mother tongue of the 25 %of the island’s population. 11% indigenous Eelam Tamils 5% Indian origin Tamils and 9% Tamil Muslims( also from India and not from the Arabian Gulf). The mother tongue of the rest of the 1% are other languages. EG, Veddah,Malay, Guajarati,Sindhi ETC. So stop lying and posting bullshit. The 25% Tamil speakers also deserve the national anthem to be sung in their language which is also a national and official language, not just Sinhalese.
For a change make a pilgrimage to your ancestral fishing village, somewhere in modern day Kerala or Tamil Nadu that your ancestors were imported into the island by the Portuguese and make contact with your long lost Tamil relatives ( now Malayalee if it is in Kerala) in India. Will be very good for your soul and to know from where you really originated from.
So what is the indigenous Tamils now make up 11% or 12% of the population and own 33% of the island’s land. Is that a concern for you and the rest of the Sinhalese racists most of whom, like are descended from largely low born Indian Tamil imports? It has been their land from time immemorial and not Sinhalese or Muslim land. They had lived there ruled themselves and the entire history of this land is Tamil and Hindu or at times Tamil Buddhist. Not Sinhalese or Muslim. Both you communities are only recently arrivals here largely due various Sinhalese government efforts. Just because the British annexed the Tamil lands in the north east north west, where they were an outright majority in all the areas, to the Sinhalese lands down south in 1830 and made the Eelam Tamil nation a minority in the newly formed Colony called Ceylon ( the name is derived from Eelam) does not mean you Sinhalese own the entire island. Coppice?
You only own the southern parts and not the north and east that is Tamil land. It can be 12% or 20% or 33% of the land mass of the island but it is their land and not yours. Understood. The Scots make up only around 5% of the British population but own 30% of Britain. Do you even hear any Englishman/woman stating that the Scottish do not deserve 30% of Britain only 5%. The answer is no. The English are not stupid or idiotic as this 30% has always been Scottish and not English land. Similarly the 33% of the island has always been Tamil and not Sinhalese land. Understood you have no right to this.
The Sinhalese only became a majority thanks to the Portuguese and the Dutch colonials importing hundreds of thousands of low caste Indian Tamil slave labour, like your ancestors, from then Tamil Kerala and modern day Tamil Nadu and settling them along the southern and western littorals. Now the descendants of these recently Sinhalised Indian Tamil slaves make up 50% of the present day so called Sinhalese and are the biggest Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists supporting the Mahavamsa fairy tales and the fake Sinhalese Aryan origin. They are the biggest anti Tamils( most probably to hide their own recent low caste Indian Tamil origin)
What concern it is to you if the national anthem is to be sung in Tamil? Tamils have every right to the island as much as the Sinhalese to the island and the anthem should have been sung in the Tamil version from 1948 everywhere. Who the hell are you or any other Sinhalese to demand that it should not be sung in Tamil or only 12% of if sung in Tamil? This especially galling coming from a Sinhalese Karawa like you whose, low caste Tamil ancestors only arrived in the island as slaves a few centuries ago. Now trying to tell the indigenous Eelam Tamils in the island that they have no right to anything, as you and your recently Sinhalised slave ancestors from Tamil Nadu/Kerala now speak Sinhalese? GO and get a life.
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ramon therese fernando / February 6, 2016
Paul,
Of course! I am proudly Lankan and Karawa! Quite a different set of philosophical aspiration Mother Lanka has isn’t it, compared to your perverse Tamil castisism that you brought down from Tamil Nadu. What disgust you are trying to impose onto our Lankan Motherland.
But we are not shamed by you! You are not daunted! We will take your filth and bombs and evolve even higher with it! We, as a Buddhist Nation hold our noses to your putrid nature.
Jayaweeva to our Mother Lanka!
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ramona therese fernando / February 7, 2016
Also Paul,
I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again: We Karawas are Sinhalese with less than 1% of your Tamil tradesmen genes. Besides the Sinhalese that were already on the coast, millions of inland Sinhalese who were driven off their lands by the colonists for their tea and rubber plantations had nowhere else to go other than to the coast. Hence was the exponential growth of the coastal population during colonial rule.
It is a huge shame on your race that you use and abuse your own people, the Dalits, as your slaves. You could have intermingled with the Sinhalese a long time ago, and become one race (or even remained two), but for your incessant and putrid racism. Sinhalese, whilst annoyingly taking on a superior stance, were no match for the ugliness of the Tamil racist cast-ists. You were very quick to rile up ethnic tensions, but you were not clever enough to make your way, and live amongst the Sinhalese. You dug your own hole.
5% of Scottish on 30% of England is because that 30% is mountainous. It is not prime and usable land, and so it doesn’t matter one bit.
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ravi perera / February 7, 2016
Paul,
“Seems from your name/identity, you are another one of these Karawa descended from the recently Sinhalised low caste Tamil slaves who were imported into the island from South India by the Portuguese, now beating and dancing to the anti Tamil drum.”
Now you say they are of low caste Tamils. Wether low caste or Brahmin , thalaya is a thalaya.Most of the business people and intellectuals in Sri Lanka are from the Karawa community. Most probaly the coastal belt sinhalese are of Kerala origin. The fact that they are highly intelligent and rabidly anti Tamils, makes this argument more logical.
“Sinhalese spoken by 80% or more. Sinhalese is not spoken by 80% but only by 74% as their mother tongue and the so called present day Sinhalese( Largely made up of recently Sinhalised low caste Indian Tamil immigrants) are 74% of the population. “
Sinhala infact is spoken by over 90% of the people in Sri Lanka. Sinala people make up of 74% besides the entirety of the Indian Tamil, 70& of the Muslims and ad a good portion of Jaffna Tamils speak sinhala. Also you say the majority of the sinhalese are recently arrived low caste demalas. This is absolutle bull. The coastal belt sinhalese make up less than 10% of the sinhala population. If they did not assimilate there would have been a high malayalam poulation. Besides the Coastal belt sinhalese are fully assimilated and due to marrying of the sinala people over a few centuries, the original form of malayalees would be very much lower than even 10%.
“Tamil is the mother tongue of the 25 % of the island’s population. 11% indigenous Eelam Tamils 5% Indian origin Tamils and 9% Tamil Muslims( also from India and not from the Arabian Gulf).”
70% of the muslims live in Sinhala areas. There are more and more of the muslims now studying in school in Sinala medium, similarly the indian Tamils too are little by little assimilating in to the sinhala community. Hopefully they too will become rabidly anti Tamil in time to come. So Tamil spoken as a a mother tongue most likely falls well below 20%.
“So what is the indigenous Tamils now make up 11% or 12% of the population and own 33% of the island’s land. Is that a concern for you and the rest of the Sinhalese racists most of whom, like are descended from largely low born Indian Tamil imports? It has been their land from time immemorial and not Sinhalese or Muslim land. “
It has been their land in wild imagination. Your land is Tamil Nadu
Sri lanka is the country that gave birth to the sinhala language and the culture.This language is not spoke anywhere in the world except Sri lnak (Excpet recent migrants to west). Tamil is spoken just across the sea from the Sri lanka in a place call Tamil Nadu a place which gave birth to Tamil culture and language. That is your homeland. You buggers are no different to the tamils living in the adjoing states of Tamil Nadu. This kind of scenario is very common in Europe, where a big minority of a country lives right next to the border of country where they are a majority. These are the migrants like you Tamils. As to the assimlilation of Keralites and also some low/high caste Thalays into sinhala , this is not something unique to Sri lanka. This is very common in europe and UK in particular. In the UK there are many Poles who have migrated in the last half a century have asssimilated into the English population. In Tamil Nadu there are many Telegus who have assimilated in to Tamil (I personally know such people)
“Just because the British annexed the Tamil lands in the north east north west, where they were an outright majority in all the areas, to the Sinhalese land”
Of the 2600 yrs history you tammas have rules the North for 300 yrs. But you stiull had to pay Tax to the Kotte/Kandyan kings. So if is unlikely during that period that the Jaffna kingdom would have been completely independent, besides most of the time Jaffna kingdom did not go beyond the Jaffna Peninsula.
To Say you buggers owned EAST is absolute bull. Tamils do live about 10 miles from the coast of the east. When the britsh demarcated provincial boundaries, they annexed large chuncks of sparsely populated sinhala villages with relatively thickly populated Tamil speaking villages on the coast to create the illuusionary Tamil Majority Eastern Province. Also along the coast in between the Tamil Villages were Muslim villages.
You never ownded East and will nevere own east.
“he Scots make up only around 5% of the British population but own 30% of Britain. Do you even hear any Englishman/woman stating that the Scottish do not deserve 30% of Britain only 5%. The answer is no. The English are not stupid or idiotic as this 30% has always been Scottish and not English land. Similarly the 33% of the island has always been Tamil and not Sinhalese land. Understood you have no right to this”
Scotland is the homeland of the scottish, there is no argument about it. The scotland equivalent for the tammas is Tamil Nau not Sri Lanka. You are a migrant population from Tamil nadu. This is the sinhala land, you have no right to A separate state. Understood
“The Sinhalese only became a majority thanks to the Portuguese and the Dutch colonials importing hundreds of thousands of low caste Indian Tamil slave labour, like your ancestors, from then Tamil Kerala and modern day Tamil Nadu and settling them along the southern and western littorals. “
The coastal belt sinhalese make up less than 10% of the sinhala population. If they did not assimilate there would have been a high malayalam poulation. Besides the Coastal belt sinhalese are fully assimilated and due to marrying of the sinala people , the original forma of malayalees would be very much lower than even 10%.
There goes that theory.
SINHALA people will never give you a federal state or even to implement the 13th amendment in full form.Your best chance is to take it up at the UN and prove that SRI Lanka was a Tamil Country and you should get not just the area you ask as Eeelam but the whole country. Vigneswaran has called for some historians to debate on this issue.I am sure you tamils are excited about this because you must be having plenty of evidence. I think that is a good idea. Let the process be monitored by US, Uk and other international actors. Let them monitor closely so that people similar to Boyle(the legal prostitutes) will not be involved.
Good luck
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Mallaiyuran / February 5, 2016
I do not know whether it is a gesture or a jest-ure. But there were some other jest too we have seen. Richard Premadasa gave arms to LTTE. Percy gave money to LTTE. I think Ranil’s and New King’s one is coming in this form. These guys may not have learned the rolling mechanisms, or misers, do not like to throw even a pawn to catch a shark.
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Sellam / February 6, 2016
Sambanthan is playing a double game. One game to the Tamils and another to the Sinhalese. Time will tell but he won’t live that long to face the music. The Tamil’s former leader Amirthalingam and his wife played the same double game.
Sambanthan’s tears are crocodile tears if there was any tears.
National anthem in Tamil at a latter stage in the ceremony did not bring anything to the Tamils. Did it bring the thousands of disappeared and murdered Tamil people, did it bring the Tamil prisoners who are still languishing in jails. Did it do any good to those who lost their lands and languishing in camps. Would the Tamil national anthem bring what the Tamils hoped and fought for so many years? Those who praise and saying it is the way forward is utter rubbish and foolishness. I wondered even Wigneshwaran attending the Buddhist Temple in the North said “if the Sinhalese take one step forward towards the Tamils, the Tamils would take ten steps towards the Sinhalese”. What a nonsense it is. I suppose he too is taking the steps towards the political tantrum. Let our politicians hear the words of the South Indian leader’s statements on the stance taken by the President Sirisena with regard to Federalism.
Sambanthan’s famous phrase ” Thamil Makkalin Abilashaikal theerkapadavendum”. If he is for a federal set up under a united Sri lanka, why did he and Sumanthiran go to Scotland. They should have gone to Switzerland. It is the reason why I say that he is playing a double game.
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Douglas / February 6, 2016
What a fuss we are making on this “National Anthem” being sung in Tamil. If we know the “History” and background to this “Namo Namo Matha….. and how that evolved into being the National Anthem, all those “Patriots” who want to go to the extent of even bringing in a “No Confidence Motion” against the Government would see their own nakedness and observe how they look so ugly. Here the history:
It was that great pre-eminent, man of letters, poet, artist, playwright, mystic thinker, a great Humanist from Bengal by the name Rabindranath Tagore who originated this “song”. That MAN, Rabindranath Tagore to Bengal was what William Shakespeare to England. He was a “Mystic Thinker” because his grasp of Human Psychology was very UNIQUE. That was that “Mystic Thinker” who composed three National Songs for three Asian Countries viz. India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The “Original” words were “Nama Nama Sri Lanka Mata” and the “TUNE” too was set by him. He did this at the request of his “favourite” Sri lankan student at Shanthiniketan, Ananda Samarakone in 1938. In 1940 this Ananada Samarakone returned to Sri Lanka and in 1946 he translated the song into Sinhalese and recorded in Tagore’s tune. Later, on the formation of National Anthem Committee, this song – a translation of the original song, sung to the tune of Tagore was chosen as the National Anthem.
Now, what a bunch of “Idiotic Patriots” are them to make such a big loud “fart” over this song being sung in Tamil, instead of “celebrating’ that event to make it a turning point in our history. My BIG THANK you to both Raindranath Tagore and Ananda Samarakone. You are our HEROES.
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ramona therese fernando / February 6, 2016
Douglas,
[The “Original” words were “Nama Nama Sri Lanka Mata” and the “TUNE” too was set by him]
Truth is, Rabindranath Tagore composed some kind of abstract tune and put some abstract words into (as is with most of Indian songs and lyrics with their “ah-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh” in all kinds of throaty undulations) – such that can only come from cast-ist society that demeans its masses, and therefore cannot learn interesting and finer things from 99% of the population.
Ananda Samarakoon, coming from a Buddhist and egalitarian country, hearing Indian music, was disappointed by the vapidity, but was excited by the possibility of forming his own melody and verse with his Lankan impression.
Being progressive and advanced, he went beyond the abstract Indian style, to form a melody that actually had a relatable tune.
It was a tune with lyrics that people could relate to, that did not keep the masses (like in India), wondering where the hell the next step of evolution would be.
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vishvajith / February 6, 2016
Douglas, thank you for sharing this.
You didn’t mention, Ananda Samarakone died, heart broken, as his lyrics were hijacked by a political party, who wanted their brand associated with it.
Hence, the opener. ” Srilanka Matha “.
I don’t have to say which party it is, no ?
Vishvajith.
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Native Vedda / February 6, 2016
Douglas
Some years ago as a young student(?)I read the history of and background to the development of Sri Lankan national anthem somewhere and didn’t have time to verify the veracity of the article. In essence your above comment closely follows the article.
Could you cite reference to your summary.
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Mallaiyuran / February 6, 2016
Tamileela Anthem for the 40th Anniversary of Vaddukoddai Convention
Vinnilea thavazhnththu varum vennilavu tharakaiyaai
Mannilea vanthuthitha tharanikkoru perumaniyea
Kannilea arumaniyaai emmaikkaakum aunamarunthea
Valar pukazh thaLaiththaunka valar mathiyaai nee malarE
Manithirala maathaavai maathaavai Tamileela thiruththaayea
Kaathalukku kanniyumaam, karunaikkaur arulththaai
Paechchukku Pillaithamizhaanaal peyar valarththaai
Puranaanooru maram valarkka perum thalaivar perreduththaai
Vanappukkum, vannadal nilaththukkum, pasum thinai pulaththukkum koluththaai
Manithirala maathaavai maathaavai Tamileela thiruththaayea
Saanraurkkum saalap payinrOrukkum gnalam valarththannaiyea
Noolkal noorpaurum nunthozhil iyaippaurum peRRannaiyea
Saivamum, Saakkiyamum,mukamathiyamum maddanri mearrku vEtamum mathithannaiyea
Niththila Nedumkaraiyum neerupooththa venmanalum suththi sooanhthannaiyea
Manithirala maathaavai maathaavai Tamileela thiruththaayea
(I cannot translate, so I try to bring out some senses)
Like the crawling white shining moon on the sky,
Came down to earth as large precise stone,
caring us like caring the ball on the eye, you the disease curing medicine
To the flourishing fame to grow up further you flower like a crescent moon
Pearl like mother, mother our Tamileela holy mother.
For the love and enjoy language being virgin Tamil, on the gracefulness being boon-full Tamil mother,
To speak, sweet like Children’s broken language, you are blessing the great Tamil in you land,
To continue on the bravery of “Puranaanooru” you gave birth to leaders, mother
For beauty, fertility, and the long green grain fields you are fatty mother,
Pearl like mother, mother our Tamileela holy mother.
For gentlemen, for the highly educated, you provided land mother,
You gave birth to writers and high tech professional mother
Not only Saisiam,Buddhism, Mohamadium you equally treated(or hugged)) even the western Christianity, mother
You are surrounded by the Pearl like white sandy beaches, mother
Pearl like mother, mother our Tamileela holy mother.
In Tamil Fonts
விண்ணினிலே தவழ்ந்து வரும் வெண்ணிலவுத் தாரகையாய்
மண்ணினிலே வந்துத்த தரணிக்கொரு பெருமணியே
கண்ணிலே அருமணியாய் எமைக்காக்கும் குணமருந்தே
வளர் புகழ்தளைத்தோங்க வளர் மதியாய் நீ மலரே.
மணிதிரல மாதாவே மாதாவே தமிழீழ திருத்தாயே
காதலுக்கு கன்னியுமாம் கருணைக்கோர் அருள்த்தாய்,
பேச்சுக்கோர் பிள்ளைத்தமிழானாள் பெயர் வளர்த்தாய்
புறனானூறு மறம் வளர்க்க பெரும் தலைவர் பெற்றேடுத்தாய்
வனப்புக்கும் வண்டல் நிலத்துக்கும் பசும் தினைப் புலத்துக்கும் கொளுத்தாய்
மணிதிரல மாதாவே மாதாவே தமிழீழ திருத்தாயே
சான்றோக்கும் சாலப் பயின்றோர்க்கும் ஞாலம் வளர்த்தன்னையே
நூல்கள் நூற்போரும் நுண்தொழில் இயைப்போரும்பெற்றன்னையே
சைவமும், சாக்கியமும், முகமதியம் மட்டன்றி மேற்கு வேதமும் அணைத்தன்னையே
நித்தில நெடும் கரையும் நீறுபூத்த வெண்மணலும்சுத்தி சூழ்ந்தன்னையே
மணிதிரல மாதாவே மாதாவே தமிழீழ திருத்தாயே -Tamileela Anthem by Mallaiyuran
I want to see if a river will flow out of Sampanthar’s eyes when he hear this.
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MOHAMED MARZOOK / February 6, 2016
There is no doubt that the living Elder Statesman of Sri Lanka cried a thousand times or more in privacy over the unfortunate plight of the Tamil people. This time too, incidentally caught by the photographer, cried of sorrow of the past and of the coming in change for the better of the people. He is above par of all the politicians we could see now.
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Anuruddha / February 6, 2016
Our national anthem was written by Ananda Samarakoon. He was helped by his Indian tutor, the great Bengali Poet Rabindranath Tagore. Even the Indian national anthem was written by Tagore. This is mutual co-operation. Do we dump “Namo Namo Matha” because it is inspired by the Indian national anthem ? (Our anthem has a similar tune to the Indian one.)
Its time for all Sinhalese to give up petty racism and embrace other minorities. (I’m a Sinhalese).
It is extremely heartening to hear Chief Minister Mr. Wigneswaran’s very positive comments re. the Tamil version being sung on 4th Feb. We never expected such a positive one. Pls. approve and give publicity to those comments.
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MOHAMED MARZOOK / February 6, 2016
Those who shout about the Anthem being sung in Tamil should not forget that the Ananda Samarakoon’s original version was tampered with in the 1960s for political advantages. It is said that Samarakoon’s sudden death following the tampering was due to him beng heart-broken by it.
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anura / February 6, 2016
I consider this as a big step towards reconciliation . we all Sri lankans should really around to uplift our lives leaving petty differences and taking the country forward by addressing our children grievances such as youth unemployment with good human beings and turning our society to happy and proud nation.
Yes.. we all need to do more to heal the wounds which needs come from the society and leaders and reject all politicians which who preach hate to divide the nation.
let’s be unite, we all are Sri Lankan and belongs one country
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Senthil / February 6, 2016
The main reason for many Asian countries are in a bad state is because the army is more powerful than the Government in those countries. Gotha through MR nearly brought that situation to Srilanka. Now the clever srilankans have to work hard to get rid of those heads and replace with educated professional defence heads slowly to revert back our country to old paradise. One of my directors came to srilanka on a holiday last week and he praised about very friendly people and lovely country (he only visited Singhalese area not to North). So the majority of our people did not change except few incidents by politically influenced people and escaped from punishments.
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Douglas / February 6, 2016
ramona therese fernando: No comment; but I leave it to all those artists who are alive in Sri Lanka today and carry the “Honour” of “Pandith”; (e.g. Pandith Amaradeva) “Maha Chariya”; “Aachariya” with reminiscence to Sunil Shantha and Ananda Samarakone (all who received their Honours from Indian Universities) to EDUCATE you on the musical aspects of Indian music and those great, great personalities such as Rabindranath Tagore and those followed him.If I agree with your comment -( “All kinds of throty ubdulations”) either because, I am a “bastard” or a “paraya” to dishonour our great Sri Lankan artists. I am neither of that class.
Vishvajith: Thank you. Yes I forgot to mention the plight of that HERO, Ananda Samarakone that fell on him. More so, it was also not that relevant to the main subject. As I heard, it was only a Rs. 20.00 that he received for the composition.
Native Vedda: Thank you for your interests. I read this in a publication that came out at the time of commemorating the 150 years of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore. This could be found, I believe in the Google.
In my earlier comment, I forgot to bestow my sincere thanks and gratitude to all those who were involved in translating it to Tamil, maintaining the “meaning” and the “tune” of the original song and those who sang it very well. I heard one of our so called “educated Gura” from a University taking objection to the word “Thaaye” for “Matha” in the first line. What a bunch of “knowledge fed” but “unintelligent” “Guras” are in Sri Lanka?
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ramona therese fernando / February 6, 2016
Douglas,
Perverse name-calling (even in insinuation) is typical of those that get riled up whenever there is an attempt at progression from within a culture. It is oppression towards those who would prefer advancement away from that which is antiquated and redundant. There is hardly any rationality given, but a discrediting in the basest of terms, and at times with bombs being thrown. It is typical of those that would prefer to lay allegiance and worship to cousin India, and not to the Nation of Lanka.
Nation of Lanka is of Sinhalese and Tamils uniting in one unique advanced society, as per the teachings of Buddha (i.e. Buddha who purified Hinduism….note that I do not disassociate Buddhism from Hinduism, but see it as an evolved form of religion and heritage, albeit its association with cousin India).
Rather the being mired in the culture of cousin India’s caste-system that benefits the Indian 1% – such a culture that also relates to its vapid musical and lyrical style,- Sri Lanka has formed her own imaginative style, quite unique to her Buddhist heritage. It is one that comes from the richness of the soul of the Lankan Masses (of both races).
Yes, we are still mistakenly attempting to still learn from India- India that has a dearth and poverty of inclusiveness that reflects grossly in her heritage. The truth is that we go to India; we learn; we take that DNA (musical style and all) to that higher, unique, and more evolved spirit.
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Native Vedda / February 7, 2016
Douglas
Please leave ramona grandma therese fernando to dwell on her own mythic past, present and future. When challenged it changes along with what comes out her scatter brain at that moment. She needs no research, evidence, logic, …. to sustain her grand thesis.
Here is an excerpt from Hindu:
Celebrating Rabindranath Tagore’s legacy
HAROON HABI
May 17, 2011
Sri Lanka’s national anthem was also penned by Tagore: Apa Sri Lanka, Nama Nama Nama Nama Mata, Sundar Sri Boroni was originally Nama Nama Sri Lanka Mata in Bangla, written and set to its tune by Tagore. He did it at the request of his favourite Sri Lankan student at Santiniketan, Ananda Samarkun, in 1938. In 1940, Ananda returned to his native land and translated the song into Sinhalese and recorded it in Tagore’s tune.
thehindu.com/opinion/lead/
celebrating-rabindranath-tagores-legacy/
article2026880.ece
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ramona therese fernando / February 7, 2016
Native Vedda,
That article is by an Indian, writing about another Indian. Of course, Indians will try and take the credit for themselves and celebrate it galore. In the end, it is the opinion that has been published in a Hindu opinion newspaper.
Mythic past, present and future sometimes has more clarity than a smug Indian trying to take credit, after merely creating some vague set of Indians sawras, learned mostly from bird-song and other animal sounds(and the undulating ah-eh-eh-eh-eh’s of karma sutra sounds). In the absence of mingling with their 99% low-castes, they could only resort to the above said.
For me, just listening to any Indian song, and comparing it to Lankan melodies is enough to convince me. Just go down to the simple elementary facts and realization will burst forth.
Ananda Samarakoon’s and the many other Lankans create melodies that truly come from the human spirit, taking it to the higher and finer depths of the soul.
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ramona therese fernando / February 9, 2016
Carnetic music (Tamil music) is profound.
Carnatic Music Krithi Audio Archive (the ORIGINAL (MP3) at the end of the 2nd bullet point sentence is intense).
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Douglas / February 6, 2016
ramona therese fernando: Thank you for your “Yanne Koheda, Malle Pol”.
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ramona therese fernando / February 7, 2016
Douglas,
Speak for yourself.
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MIckey Mouse. / February 7, 2016
I find it incredible that Politicians are more concerned with breaking 100,000 coconuts and the National Anthem being sung in Tamil.
I’ve yet to hear these opposition MPs show concern re poverty in the country instead of being totally obsessed with their own enormous egos. Maybe they are getting a little concerned about their own situation.
This new government is a breath of fresh air. You can actually feel the difference.
I sincerely hope that those people who have committed acts of blatant corruption and other crimes are brought to justice. That’s the only way for Sri lanka to move forward.
Let’s see some Buddhist compassion emanating from what seems to be a bed of hatred.
Lets think more about what the Buddha taught ……that will soon sort out the sheep from the wolves. :)
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Jayasingha / February 7, 2016
Singing the National Anthem on independence day was only a little now but more to come will be later.
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shankar / February 7, 2016
the national anthem should be sung in arabic and also in portuguese in all fairness to the muslims and fernando’s,perera’s and silva’s.This gesture will go a long way to winning their hearts and minds and you will see some tears even flowing down their cheeks.
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radish.S / February 7, 2016
But the Indian National anthem is in the language of minority Bangalese, written by the Bengalee Poet R.B. and translated into English too by him. It is not even written originally in Majority Hindi.Pity it has taken 68 years to sing SL National anthem in Tamil and bring tears in the eyes of Uncle Sam(panthar). Hopefully during the time of his grandson Tamils may enjoy equal rights with Sinhalese.
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