By Ayathuray Rajasingam –
Hindu temples were symbols of the cultural richness that was proudly revered by the Hindu Tamils of the North-Eastern Province. They were considered a national tradition for the Hindu Tamils. But due to the tyranny of Buddhist fundamentalism promoted by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the sacred Hindu sites are gradually being razed to the ground on the pretext of excavation by the Archeological Department.
Since the defeat of the LTTE the Rajapaka’s government showed interest in destroying the Tamils and their cultures for which some Muslim politicians like Hisbullah and Rishad Bathiudeen had joined in the fray. They never showed any mercy towards the helpless Tamils who were confined within the barbed wire fence. Even Emperor Asoka after listening to the preaching of a Buddhist monk changed his heart and began to look after the helpless people of Kalinga. But Rajapaksas and the military forces, in contrast, looted the wealth of the helpless Tamils and while on the other hand Muslim politicians threatened some Tamils and bought lands at much less than the market value.
Constructing a Dhamma School (Buddhist religious school) inside the premises of Badrakali Amman Temple in Trincomalee by the Sri Lanka Military Forces where Sinhalese are not found, has been a continuing story of the Rajapaksa’s regime. The construction was undertaken by the Gajaba Regiment troops while the ‘233 Brigade will supervise the project until its completion according to Sri Lanka Army’s Official website. What a wastage of money when it has not benefited the Sinhalese instead of settling the displaced Tamils in their area.
Recently Gotabaya Rajapaksa had discovered a new technique to utilize the Archeological Department to find evidence of ancient Sinhala-Buddhist settlements in some Hindu holy sites in the Northern & Eastern Province. The Archeological Department also threatened the existence of Hindu temples through some Buddhist monks along with the Military Forces when Buddhism was introduced in Sri Lanka in the 7th century while Hinduism was in existence for more than 3,000 years. The hypocrisy and the lack of knowledge in history of Rajapaksas had been exposed.
Even the former President Maithripala Sirisena was no exception when he gave the green light to the Archeological Department to construct a Stupa despite the resistance of Hindus when there was a dispute between the Hindus and Buddhists over a bid by the Archeological Department to excavate and erect a Buddhist Stupa at the site of a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha near the Hot Springs in Kinniya in Trincomalee District. Even the Police had no say when the Sinhalese splashed hot tea on the Saivaite leader Agathiya Akathiyar and the proprietor of Kinniya Temple Ms.Kokila Ramani during the mediation. Mention should be made that though an injunction stated that nobody should be allowed to enter hot wells premises, only Tamils were not allowed to enter while the Sinhalese were allowed to enter with police protection. It was a sad state of affair that even the President appeared to have disgraced the Court having known that Hot Springs and the Ganesha Temple were of utmost religious importance for the existence of Tamils in the North & East Provinces. It is also worth mentioning that though the Trincomalee District Secretary had ordered to stop constructing the Buddhist Stupa, construction work continued while the foundations of Ganesha Temple being destroyed despite the condemnation by the Association of Hindu Priests in Mutur. These incidents sent the message that Government was with the evil communal frame of mind with poor governance for a stubborn push for siege of Hindu Temples, thus denying justice for the Hindu Tamils. It appears that such construction of Buddhist temples as an extension of Sinhalese-Buddhist hegemony in the North-East Province.
Moreover, there are other temples namely Kankuveli Agathiyar Siva Temple, Kiliveddy Thirumangala Sivan Temple, Kallady Neeli Amman Temple, Koonitheevu Maththalamalai Kunrathu Kumaran Temple in Mutur also met the same fate.
Such incidents had demonstrated that the Government led by Rajapaksas and Maithripala Srisena were keen to destroy the Tamil habitations and the Hindu temples situated therein. The most surprising fact was that Buddhist monks who chants ‘Buddham Saranam Gachchami Dhammam Saranam Gachchami’ (meaning ‘I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dharma’) had engaged themselves in these evil unrighteous acts contrary to the Buddhist teachings. Merely carrying the pinnacles is insufficient without knowing the real meaning of Dhamma. Rajapaksas and Maithiripala Sirisena were behind the scenes in agitating the Buddhist monks for the creation animosity and hatred among religious and ethnic communities.
One ponders whether there is any guarantee that such Viharas constructed in the Hindu holy sites will be converted as a hotel for illegal purposes. There is a recently reported news item under the title ‘Sex inside the temple! Chinese women stay: Sensational information’ and that a Buddhist Vihara is utilized for sex. An organization called ‘Dukka Handunana Abi’ has alleged that a sex hotel called ‘Vihara’ is being run in Pothuhera, Arambepola area in Kurunegala district, despite strong opposition from the locals and the Buddhist clergy. Nilantha Ranasinghe, the leader of the organization, said that the building was registered as a hotel even though the temple was operating in the area. Member of Parliament Athuraliye Ratana Thera has sold the site of the temple. The hotel operates inside the temple. Chinese women stay at this hotel, also known as the Chinese Temple. The locals, having known what is going on in the temple, expressed strong opposition, but it is sad that though complaints have been lodged in this regard, no action has been taken due to the intervention of police officers and politicians. The hotel is a sex industry center run by government officials, members of parliament and the police. The monk in this temple is a monk who, after removing the saffron, got married. However, he went to China on a passport with the name of a monk and was ordained as a Mahayana monk. This monk has been handling various activities including banking under nine names. Many of the monks who appear and speak on television visit this hotel. The son of a Buddhist monk is allegedly to have offered women to Buddhist monks. They bring women to the temple and engage in sex work. Chinese women are being involved in fitness work there. Many politicians in Sri Lanka are coming there. People are wondering how Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ‘One Country One Law’ will operate on such matters.
Meanwhile some Hindu temples in the Eastern Province were destroyed and former Minister Hisbullah was instrumental for one Amman temple that had been acquired through local Council and was demolished and a Fish Market was constructed in its place. Instead of intervening in the incident as President of the entire people of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa maintained silence over this incident. Besides many Hindu temples were subjected to attacks by unknown mischievous persons who joined overnight.
To date the Sinhala political leaders and Muslim extremist politicians have not disclosed the loss they would incur in destroying the Hindu temples. There can be no reason other than that it is a frenzied act.
Merely going on pilgrimage to Thiruppathy is insufficient. Mahinda Rajapaksa may satisfy the people that he is not against the Hindus. But who knows what other plans Lord Thiruppathu has in his mind. Likewise, Maithiripala Sirisena can raise his both hands and worship at Nallur temple. Rajapaksas and Maithiripala Sirisena can cheat the Tamils and the international community with their calculated and systematic acts. But there is a limit where the Almighty may make a final and conclusive decision. Both Rajapaksas and Maithiripala Sirisena should be aware that Hinduism is best known for the virtue of self-restraint. In the Mahabharata, when no one was able to save the dignity of Draupati, Krishna stands with her. Bharat has so much to learn from the Mahabharata, most of all, that when dharma is fading, a new emanation of righteousness surges up. Raj Dharma matters in times when anarchy looms large and the rulers forget why they are there. This is what will happen to both Rajapaksas, Maithiripala Sirisena and other evil-minded politicians when they attempt to destroy a helpless ethnic community and their places of worship. In the circumstances it is of serious concern that people living in Sri Lanka are not treated as equals irrespective of language, ethnic or religious differences when observing the violations of the provisions of Sri Lanka Constitution (which is the Supreme Law of Sri Lanka) by depriving due protect of law to the helpless Hindu Tamils and to the holy Hindu sites thereof. It is sad that democracy is crushed by the tyranny of the Rajapaksas and Maithiripala Sirisena.
Apart than this, there was an incident where a Sinhala female officer in her shoes went with some soldiers inside a Hindu temple in Kilinochchi while the Hindu Sivachcharya was engaged in a special religious rite was also seen as an unhealthy sign. She should have known the difference between a God-centered religion and a prophet-centered religion, before abusing her authority.
Meanwhile, an Amman Hindu temple in the Eastern Province was taken over by some Muslim politicians through a local council and later demolished, and a fish market was set up there, thus challenging the Hindus. President Mahinda Rajapaksa maintained silence and took no steps to prevent such a notorious event. Mention should be made that Minister Hisbullah threatened several Tamils and converted them to Islam and also bought some 800 acres of land in Mannar area almost close to the India the purpose of which is known to him at a time he both Muslim Ministers had secret links with Islamic terrorists. It is questionable whether this will have any impact on famous Thiruketheeswaram temple.
One ponders whether the Sinhalese and Muslims consider the Hindu temples as a sign of Lanka being some part of India or India alone.
What is surprising is that the Sinhala political leaders have forgot that Ravana had not known Sinhala language other than Sanskrit and Tamil but praises him as their descendant. It is a question mark whether they would have destroyed the Shiva temples in the North-Eastern Provinces had they known that Ravana was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.
The President often appears as issuing special orders to the Armed Forces throughout Sri Lanka for his own protection but fails to consider the type of development he intends to implement in the country’s key economic sector and how he is going to deal with the disorders caused by Buddhist monks in the country, shows his inability to establish his good governance.
Therefore, considering that the 13th Amendment is not necessary for implementation, Sinhala political leaders are seeking to demonstrate to the international community the presence of Sinhala Buddhists in areas where Tamil populations are concentrated. Even the fourth draft constitution aims to persuade India to rescind the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord. It is regretted that Sinhala political leaders have conveniently avoided the most essential factor of ‘confidence-building measure’ and are engaged in a stubborn push for the siege of Hindu temples in North-East Sri Lanka with the aim of deceiving India and the international community.
Ajith / February 25, 2022
The objective of Rajapaksa regime or Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalism is to eliminate all non Buddhist people from this island to create a nation for only Buddhist Sinhala people. That is the mandate they asked for and given them by Buddhist Sinhala people. It is sad that there are some non Buddhist Tamil speaking Hindu, Christian and Islamic are helping this regime to achieve their goal for money and power. Unless there is a unity among the non Buddhist people, it is impossible to stop it.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / February 25, 2022
Yes, the country is on the brink of bankruptcy and the majority of the population starving with long power cuts, What they do is remove the Tamil and English lettering on the Rupavahini logo. Showing their true racist colours. Tamil is an official language on par with Sinhalese as per the constitution and English is the link language. This means they are violating their own constitution by denying the Tamil language equal status. People can starve with no electricity, production, however, the marginalization, discrimination dispossession of the island’s Tamils, and deliberate planned systematic destruction of ancient Hindu temples and worship sites in the north and east using the armed forces, and other government departments like the Archeological department with concocted fake history goes unabated and accelerated to keep the 6.9 Million racists who voted for them on the island and their overseas supporters, who whilst living the good life in the west and enjoying all the equal opportunities that the liberal west offers to their immigrant families want the destruction of the island’s Tamil speakers at any cost. Even if the country starves, becomes bankrupt, and becomes a vassal state of a foreign power, it does not matter to them.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / February 25, 2022
They will suffer and undergo all these indignities, as long the Tamils are destroyed. They have been so brainwashed by their politicians and elite by this hatred. Many do not even realize that most of the present-day Sinhalese are descended from South Indian Tamil Dravidian immigrants, invaders, and rulers. They do not realize that by destroying these ancient Hindu sites/temples, some of which predate Buddhism, they are destroying the island’s own history heritage and even the history of their ancestors. Just like the way the Taliban destroyed the pre-Islamic Bamiyan Buddhas or the Isis destroying Palmyra in Syria.
/
Eagle Eye / February 25, 2022
Siva Sankaran Sharma,
“They will suffer and undergo all these indignities, as long the Tamils are destroyed.”
—
• They liberated Tamils who went through hell under the tyranny of megalomaniac Prabhakaran who killed more Tamils than others.
• They liberated children who were forcibly recruited as child soldiers and handed them over to their parents.
• They looked after about 300,000 Tamil civilians who were kept as a Human Shield after liberating them.
• They pardoned and rehabilitated LTTE cadres who were surrendered to Sri Lanka Army.
• They resettled thousands of displaced Tamils.
• They built houses for displaced people and took measures to provide water and electricity.
—
Do you think they did these things to destroy Tamils?
/
Pandi Kutti / February 26, 2022
Liberated! ask any Thamizh if they feel they were liberated? Looked after 300000 Thamizh! How keeping them inside barbed wire concentration camps, for a very long period where they were tortured, humiliated, given near starving rations? The idea was to keep these Vanni Thamizh permanently inside these camps and use them as slave labour, to work on farms and factories, whilst their lands, farms, and homes were to be given to outside Chingkalla settlers and even to Muslims, who at that time were hand in glove with the Chingkallams. It is not because of then congress Sonia India and the Malayali Mafia but because of pressure from the UN and the west they were forced to release the Vanni Thamizh from these concentration camps. Remember what happened in world war 2 and in Bosnia? Maybe for Chingkall racists like you, it is the liberation of the Thamizh, as this is what you wanted for them, whilst living a very nice life in the west, ironically with a Thamizh wife and thanks to her Thamizh relatives.
/
Pandi Kutti / February 26, 2022
Prapakaran may have been a dictatorial megalomaniac, but he also gave the Thamizh their dignity and kept them safe from state-sponsored Chingkalla racism and terrorism Islamic extremism and opportunism, especially in the east, as well as the north, when he found out in time what was planned for the northern Thamizh and took timely action. He kept China and all sorts of other undesirables and extremists religious at bay, especially in the north and east. It is now that India and the west foolishly realize what he did but too late. The Thamizh people may have lived an austere life y but they were not starving and had no food shortages. Everything was orderly in the regions where he had control. People were safe, no rapes, too frightened to commit crimes, most of all Thamizh felt safe as no one was going to forcibly steal their lands, homes, farms, rape their wife’s daughters, sisters, or even them. No ancient Hindu temple or even Christian church was ever going to be destroyed in the name of Chingkalla Buddhist Fascism and fake history. They would have rather put up with him and his dictatorial ways as there was law order and most of all dignity and safety. Compare this to what is happening to the Thamizh now under your so-called liberation, where everything from Thamizh is now being forcibly plundered. Liberation indeed.
/
Eagle Eye / February 25, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Eagle Eye / February 26, 2022
Siva Sankaran Sharma,
“Archeological department with concocted fake history…”
—
Conclusions made by Department of Archeology on pre-history of Sinhale are based on scientifically proven evidences unlike the concocted history of Sinhale presented in Vaddukkodai Resolution for which there are no solid evidences at all.
/
Mahila / March 1, 2022
Back again with the “Vaddukkodai Resolution”.
Repetition of the empty vessels making the loudest noise with no substance!!!
/
Eagle Eye / February 25, 2022
Ajith,
“The objective of Rajapaksa regime or Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalism is to eliminate all non Buddhist people from this island to create a nation for only Buddhist Sinhala people.”
—
• Who tried to eliminate indigenous Sinhala Buddhists by declaring war against them?
• Who tried to eliminate indigenous Sinhalayo by urging terrorists to massacre Sinhala Buddhists?
• Who did ethnic cleansing of Sinhalayo from Yapanaya in 1950s?
• Who did ethnic cleansing of Sinhalayo from NE after declaring war in 1976?
• Who grabbed land belonged to Sinhalayo in NE after massacring them?
—-
Tamils are making a desperate attempt to clean their blood-soaked hands by putting the blame on indigenous Sinhala Buddhists who accommodated them in their country.
/
Mahila / March 1, 2022
Craving to be the most Crazy!!!!!!
/
Jit / February 26, 2022
Ajith, you are so right on this. I guess this is the swan song time for Rajapaksha gang as the economy gone bankrupted at minus growth, no fuel, no fertilizer, no food stacks, no drugs, long power cuts, no water, no hope whatsoever for the future etc., they are doing their best to retain in power or else the next political generation will vanish them in no time. So they are desperate to the boiling point and the only thing they have any hope on is to trying to re-kindle the racist element in some stupid Sinhalese voters, as they did in the last election. I have not got much faith in the majority of our voters but time will only prove whether the racist pure Sinhala Buddhism slogan can be more powerful than starving tummies or long queues or candle lit darkness.
/
Eagle Eye / February 25, 2022
“But due to the tyranny of Buddhist fundamentalism promoted by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa,..”
—
Another article to put Government of Sri Lanka into an embarrassing situation before UNHRC sessions.
—
Gotabhaya Rajapakshe is not promoting tyranny of Buddhist fundamentalism in Sri Lanka. Trying to save Sinhala Buddhist heritage sites in NE which is the cradle of Sinhala Buddhist civilization from further destruction by Tamils and Muslims is not promoting tyranny of Buddhist fundamentalism.
/
Pandi Kutti / February 26, 2022
The cradle of Chingkalla Buddhist civilization was Aunradhapuram and Kandy, not the north and east which had always been Thamizh Saivite and at times Thamizh Buddhist. Never Chingkallam. You are trying to claim the wrong cradle. Racism and dotage is now blinding you.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / February 26, 2022
Yes, even Hitler also stated that he was trying to protect Aryan German lands, civilization from others and find more space for them to live and see what it led to. This local Hitler is also stating the same, trying to protect an imaginary Sinhalese Buddhist civilization in the north and east, that hardly ever existed from the others( Tamil speakers) and we will see where this will lead to. In the meantime please have a lovely life in the safety of Australia and give my regards to your Tamil wife.
/
Eagle Eye / February 25, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Eratne / February 25, 2022
let the status quo remain. Stop all destruction and new buildings – Buddhist, Hindu or any other
/
Eagle Eye / February 25, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Eagle Eye / February 25, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Manel Fonseka / February 25, 2022
Mr Rajasingham
I am utterly shocked by what you have presented here — so far as I can comprehend it.
If this is all true, then we cannot be surprised if the Tamil people, despairing of ever being equal citizens in this so-called unitary state, renew the call for separation.
The current attempt to fashion one country, one law, is already a joke, when, going by what has been said here, “law” is something the majority group command; the rights of the minority are just cast into outer darkness.
–
How can a govt, allowing — promoting even — such a situation, have the audacity to go before the UNHCR at all?
/
SJ / February 25, 2022
“Hindu temples were symbols of the cultural richness”–
like denying entry to some Hindus of particular description.
/
Pandi Kutti / February 26, 2022
Manel Thankyou if there were more good and just Chingkallams like you. Most Chingkallams most probably do not know or care what is really happening to the Thamizh, in fact, the vast majority of them, not only the 6.9 Million, who voted for these racists and war criminals but even many who did not vote, will be very happy as to what is happening to the Thamizh and now in the north and east, under the army occupation, which they ironically, some of them call liberation, proving their true racist feelings. They do not care if the country goes to the dogs or China or India or someone else takes over, as it happened previously. Invited the Dutch and the British and fought for the Portuguese against the Thamizh Jaffna kingdom. They can starve, undergo hardships, have no electricity, no work but do not care. Thamizh must be ruined and destroyed. These willy opportunistic selfish politicians also know this and cater to these baser racist feelings, sadly that most Chingkallams harbour. Not that they also have these feelings, especially the Rajapakses. All this cannot happen without the support of the majority of the population. Some like Eagle Thaata and others here openly support this but most silently support this, as you see the way they vote.
/
Sinhala_Man / February 26, 2022
Thanks, Manel.
.
You speak here for all Lankans. I’ve been busy monitoring what the evil Putin has been doing. One man has wreaked so much damage there.
.
We have four blood-thirsty Rajapaksas, or is it five, six,… it seems to stretch to the edge of doom.
.
We know that Michelle Bachelet will do her best for us, the people of Lanka against one of the most corrupt and blood-stained regimes in the world. She understands; she will condemn using the strongest possible language, but we know that she has no real power to enforce anything significant.
.
I fear that even her words on Monday will not receive the attention that they deserve because of what the criminal in Moscow is doing. We, the people of Lanka must stand together to reject our murderous regime.
.
Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela
/
Manel Fonseka / February 26, 2022
Sinhala_Man
Re “the evil Putin” may I suggest you have a look at what Henry Kissinger (arch-devil) has to offer on the Ukraine crisis? His article (‘To Understand the Ukraine-Russia conflict, look to colonialism’) first appeared on 23 or 24 Feb in the Washington Post but is going the rounds now, so you might see a copy of it in time.
I think it is well worth reading if, like me, you dont know too much about Ukrainian history. Though even before it turned up I certainly hadnt taken sides in the matter.
/
Agnos / February 26, 2022
Manel,
It wasn’t by Henry Kissinger, but Linda Kinstler.
/
Sinhala_Man / February 27, 2022
Agnos,
.
Manel has a sharp mind, knows much, and is genuinely concerned . However, isolated by deafness as she is, I have neither met her nor spoken to her. We often correct each others ignorance through emails, but I hope that you understand the limitations.
.
Although Kissinger still lives, aged 98, it is likely that you are right. I’m also sure that Manel will be grateful for your correction.
.
We who think that we are somewhat enlightened in our views must persist with these efforts to understand.
.
Panini Edirisinhe
/
Manel Fonseka / February 27, 2022
Thank you, Agnos, you are absolutely right, of course. Kissinger’s article is “How the Ukraine crisis ends.”
Good thing you spotted that.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 1, 2022
Guys, this Manel is using her real (maiden) name. She has told LM that she’s “LeelageAkka”, since she has a younger sister named Leela. She is surely one of the most remarkable humans on this planet.
.
She is herself. She will not allow anybody to know who her late husband (whom she loved with all the fervour that you can imagine) was. Quite a well-known guy, he was, but she insists on taking responsibility for her own actions.
.
Yesterdays action was sending me the whole of Kissinger’s article via WhatsApp.
.
Her mother still lives, aged 103. Unfortunately nature stopped manufacturing such characters as them, her husband, and Mikhail Gorbachev some time before I was born. However, it looks as though their clones, of all ages, amazingly survive in Ukraine.
/
Jit / March 1, 2022
Panini, would she not become somewhat uncomfortable when you publish some of her personal information here, which she might have communicated to you through emails?? No disrespect intended, but just wondering……!!
/
MyView / February 27, 2022
Yes. Incidentally a snippet of info. Henry Kissinger will be 99 years old in May this year.
/
MyView / February 26, 2022
Dear MF
…the audacity to go before the UNHCR…
We have a Prof (Legal) as Foreign Minister and a Prof (Admiral) as Foreign Secretary to tackle UNHRC on March 02 while Fake Prof Jayasumana is also joining them as back up as per DM today.
Who can match that team of conning their way through.
/
Eagle Eye / February 26, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Eagle Eye / February 26, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / March 2, 2022
Manel Fonseka,
All I can say is Political leaders and Buddhist monks engaged in governing the country are racists and not patriots. It is only the racists who will take such barbaric actions.
/
nimal fernando / February 25, 2022
I too noticed, when visiting, after the war ……… the subtle concerted attempt to Sinhala-nise the Tamil areas.
–
Sadly, it won’t protect/safeguard Sri Lanka ……… only alienate the Tamils even more ……….. and create more peril ……….
–
There should be a limit to stupidity ……. 2500 years is a long time to wise-up ………
/
Sinhala_Man / February 27, 2022
Yes, nimal,
.
You’re quite right . I’m not a guy who has visited all the places that I ought to have. I’m back to my hermit-like existence now, owing to CORONA restrictions, the expense of travel, and my efforts to be act responsibly in relation to family and dependants. So one has to compromise, but we dare not be indifferent to social issues.
.
For a period which may have been from about 2013 to 2019, I joined a group of retired teachers of Bandarawela M.V. to visit “the liberated areas” in a hired bus. As you can well imagine, such a group was wedded to the “Sinhalayo-Buddhist” mindset. I had only a couple still talking about their Marxist Social Equality Party (research that) taking an independent line in quiet support of me.
.
So, I can confirm your observations from a perspective somewhat different from yours. We certainly must do what we can to restrain the prevailing lunacy .
.
Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela
/
Native Vedda / March 1, 2022
nimal fernando
–
“There should be a limit to stupidity ……. 2500 years is a long time to wise-up ………”
–
How much of it can you tolerate?
This is why we should demand soma, Eagle, N Pererass …………………. are educated. This is why I demand soma to grow up.
/
Eagle Eye / February 26, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Eagle Eye / February 26, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Thanga / February 27, 2022
Like an unlettered person, Eagle Eye repeats ad nauseam, the same questions over and over. He suffers from an inferiority complex and from an incurable disease called Nosophobia, or illness anxiety disorder. Nosophobia is an uncontrollable and persistent fear of Tamils.
Q1. Who tried to eliminate indigenous Sinhala Buddhists by declaring war against them?
A. Sinhalayoas are not indigenous people. According to the author of Mahavamsa, the indigenous people of Lanka are Nagas, Yakkas, Ratchathar, Thevar, and Veddas. He has purposely omitted the Tamils. Anyway, there is no mention of Sinhalas. Tamils inhabited the island long before the arrival of Vijaya.
One proof was created by Sinhalese and they themselves destroyed. A stamp denoting Vijay’s arrival was published in 1956, but hurriedly withdrawn because it depicted her as an illegal immigrant! Also, that stamp has a picture showing Kuveni with a spinning wheel weaving cloth. It is the Sinhalese and not the Tamils who declared war against Tamils first in 1956, then 1958, 1977, 1979, 1981 and 1983. Unarmed Tamils were killed by Sinhala – Buddhist thugs and their houses were destroyed/looted. Buddhist monks who chant the triple gem went with electoral lists to identify Tamil-owned houses to the looters!
½
/
Thanga / February 27, 2022
Q. Who tried to eliminate indigenous Sinhalayo by urging terrorists to massacre Sinhala Buddhists?
A. Yes, some Sinhala Buddhists were killed in retaliatory attacks, but they were far less than Tamils killed in their thousands by the Sinhalese armed forces Tamil outside the war zone.
The non-indigenous (The Tamils brought by Dutch were assimilated by Sinhalese in the 17th century, they are now called Karaya, Salagama, Durawe who showed 70% genetic similarity with Tamils.
The Sinhalese, both upcountry and low country are heavily mixed people. The last four Kings who ruled Kandy from 1739 – 1815 were Nayakar (or Vaduga) from Madurai (Tamil Nadu).
During the 75 years period, many of their people (relatives, close associates, and others) have come from Tamil Nadu mixed with the up-country Sinhalese. The King had them married to Kandyan Sinhalese women of distinction (a royal affair). In fact, the Kandyan rulers had close ties with Tamils (marry from Tamil royalty) than with low country Sinhalese.
Q. Who did the ethnic cleansing of Sinhalayo from Yapanaya in the 1950s?
The Sinhalese people left Jaffna on their own accord. Some have returned after the war was over in May 2009. Likewise, there was the exodus of Tamils living in the South to the Northeast.
2/2
/
Rohan25 / February 28, 2022
Even prior to this from ancient times, many of the so-called Sinhalese kings had a Pandian origin, some Kalinga. Whenever a king marries a Tamil South Indian princess a huge retinue comes with her and they have also settled provided lands, partners, and get assimilated. Most of these huge temples and tanks were largely built by imported South Indian labor and artisans from the Tamil country, who later remained and got assimilated. Most of the Chola, Chera, and Pandian invaders and immigrants, especially after the 10Th century got assimilated into the Sinhalese identity and hardly into the Sri Lankan Tamil identity. Just look at even many of the Govigamma Sinhalese family names, let alone the Karawa, Salagama, Durawa, and others, who we know are descended from South Indian Tamil immigrants who were imported into the island by the Portuguese and Dutch. It is a virtual Tamil who is who. Much of the aristocracy both low country and Kandyan is of recent South Indian origin. There was a caste called Demala Gatara now assimilated into the Govigamma caste Identity, who were proudly identifying with their Tamil origin from South India. They were very aggressive and warlike and are descended from South Indian Tamil mercenaries and soldiers, who were employed by the King.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demala-Gattara
/
KA / February 27, 2022
Eagle Eye,
I have a proposition, serious one and can solve all issues fair and square.
Get a brave Sinhala woman in her sexual prime and ask her copulate with a male lion in its sexual prime – the genetic memory must be there for a Sinhala woman to cope with copulating with lion in its sexual prime.
Let’s see what happens.
I am actually interested in seeing how the woman and male lion copulate and whether the Sinhala woman can come out of it in one piece.
This is not intended be anything sexually vulgar, and it is for testing truth and reality of historical hypothesis.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 1, 2022
Dear KA,
.
I don’t know who you are, but on behalf of all Sinhalese people, who would like ourselves to be rid of the stigma of bestiality and incest, I applaud your proposal.
.
I’m a poor retired teacher, to whose pension Gota recently added 5K. I suggest that we start a fund to get the brave Sinhalese lass ready for the task. I hereby pledge 10K. Please note that I’m not some anonymous character.
.
Panini Edirisinhe of 51B, Golf Links Road, Bandarawela (National Identity card number 483111 444V) Grama Niladhari Division 67G – Wewatenne
/
Eagle Eye / February 27, 2022
Thanga,
“Sinhalayoas are not indigenous people.”
—
Your knowledge on history of Sinhale is out of date and you have no idea about the latest archeological findings.
Update your knowledge on these things before you use the keyboard.
/
Pandi Kutti / February 28, 2022
Modiji states that every Indian should be proud that one of the world’s oldest languages or the oldest language is still spoken in the world Thamizh is in India, during the world’s mother tongue day.
However India and most Indians do not care that the Chingkallams are deliberately destroying the ancient Thamizh language, culture, history, and the Hindu religion in the ancient Eezham Thamizh homeland of North-East Sri Lanka, where its purest spoken form has been so far. Many even overtly and covertly support this destruction. Some even call themselves Thamizh but very anti-Thamizh in their actions, with the belief by supporting the destruction of ancient Thamizh, they do a great service to India’s other ancient rich and classical language Sanskrit. Sanskrit and Thamizh have had a very ancient close Symbiotic relationship for thousands of years and is also a great language in its own right. A mother to many languages enriched many languages in the world, including, most modern European languages, English too and does not need this sort of stupid support. So many words in European languages have Sanskrit origin. Eg Mother Goddess Janani/Ambal/Amma. Jannai means the one who gave birth. Mother Goddess. A common name given to Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi, and other Hindu females.
https://www.indiapost.com/pm-modi-urges-people-to-speak-their-mother-tongue-with-pride/
/
Sinhala_Man / March 1, 2022
Dear Pandi Kutti,
.
This is being written after anther message which will likely go below this.
.
Modi, unfortunately, is regarded as a Hindutva racist by many, mostly by Muslims. Politicians say many things for momentary advantages. You should know that, surely!
.
My father was just a humble teacher, specialising in Primary Teaching, I think. He died before I had “adult-knowledge” of him. He named me after this guy:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81%E1%B9%87ini
.
Best regards,
.
Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela
/
Pandi Kutti / February 28, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkvMqwwIBhU
Listen to this beautiful song in praise of the Mother Goddess Janani and despite being a Christian I beseech the Mother Goddess Jannai ( the one who gives life( Jaan) or birth) to give life to the Thamizjh on the island and save their ancient Saivite religion, that predated Buddhism, from the hands of ill-informed racist Chingkalla Buddhist Fascists and racist.
/
Rohan25 / February 28, 2022
Strange in another country if they had a language that was native to their land is now the oldest language in the world. They will be very proud of this fact and will try their best to preserve this language its culture and the people who speak this. Just like the way the Indian Prime Minister stated that Indians should be very proud that the world’s oldest language Tamil is native to India. However in neighboring Sri Lanka where it is also native to the island and spoken in a much older and purer form and is the mother tongue of 25% of its population and the majority spoken language in nine of its 26 districts, every effort is being made by the state to destroy this language, the people who speak, their language and Saivite religion, that is now being increasingly proven to have a much older history on the island and far ancient than the Sinhalese language and Buddhism, all in the name of Sinhalese Buddhism.
/
Sinhala_Man / February 28, 2022
Very true, Rohan25,
.
Please note that I have myself said this many times in CT comments – that we could actually “boast” of the fact that some Lankans speak the oldest extant language in the world.
.
Therefore “some Sinhalese” say this; our task is to change the thinking of Sinhalese who think otherwise.
.
This is a task in which we must adopt pragmatism. I’ve had a WhatsApp chat with the anti-racist Sinhalese who calls himself “Human Touch”. He’s holding back from fully endorsing the NPP in the politics of Lanka. I keep telling him that he’s taking himself too seriously. I must be a supporter, not a guy who advises the leadership on tactics to be adopted (“strategy” denotes something more serious). If I do, “too many cooks …, etc”.
.
I saw the admirable Sarath de Alwis complaining in his current article that he has lost respect for the NPP because AKD has visited the prelates at Malwatte and Asgiriya. To win the votes of “Buddhist” voters this may be necessary. Note that he didn’t meet Galabodaththe Gnanasara.
.
Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela
/
Jit / March 1, 2022
Rohan, with all due respect to ‘one of the’ oldest languages in the world, Tamil is NOT the oldest living language. Modi may have read out what somebody have written down which is not true, but please Google and you will find many other ancient languages spoken by many tribes and communities even today which are older than Tamil language.
/
Rohan25 / March 1, 2022
The Tamil language is recognized as the oldest language in the world and it is the oldest language of the Dravidian family. This language had a presence even around 5,000 years ago. Other languages and dialects that may have appeared before Tamil are all dead and gone thousands of years ago and this includes Sanskrit. There may be African, Australian, and Native American dialects that may be older than Tamil but they are dialects and not are fully developed classical languages like Tamil is. Tamil has not changed much over the thousands of years people who speak modern Tamil, even the corrupted versions can still understand Old Tamil that was written more than 2000 years ago. It is not the same for Hebrew, Greek, and other languages.
/
Jit / March 1, 2022
Rohan, can you show us any empirical evidences or scholarly articles to prove your point? I couldn’t! The most reliable one I found was a leading Indian newspaper article that recognize Sanskrit as the oldest living language in the world. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/whatsup-university/oldest-language-of-the-world-19460/
/
Rohan25 / March 1, 2022
That article states Tamil is recognized as the oldest language in the world and then under Sanskrit, it states Sanskrit is the most ancient language in the world. Both Tamil and Sanskrit are thought to be more than 5000 years old, Sanskrit may be slightly older but it definitely died off more than 2000 years ago. Many consider Sanskrit as an artificially created language that was not widely spoken and the language created by the priestly class for literary and religious purposes. Especially Vedic Sanskrit, which has lots of Dravidian vocabulary and even the Dravidian syntax and grammar, basically Tamil. This is why Sanskrit died off. Whereas Tamil is still alive and kicking. Modern Tamil also has lots of Sanskrit words around 18-20% but these can be discarded and pure Tamil words instead. Usually called High Tamil. Tamil poetry more than 1000 years ago was in high Tamil and then, with the advent of North Indian origin Aryan Brahmins into the Tamil country, Sanskrit words started to creep in, just like the way English does now. This is why Sanskrit died off. Whereas Tamil is still alive and kicking. What the article states are correct to what I state and what Modi stated and is widely recognized. Tamil is the oldest language in the world.
/
Jit / March 1, 2022
Hebrew is older than Tamil by about 800 years. https://www.k-international.com/blog/oldest-living-languages/
Your claim that Hebrew is not used widely is not true as it is being spoken by 5m people in Israel. It certainly underwent a lull period but revived again in the 19th century.
Also Tamil spoken by Sri Lanka’s up country estate workers is supposed to be very different to what people in Jaffna speaks. In fact up country Tamil dialect is seriously looked down by the Jaffna Tamils.
/
Rohan25 / March 1, 2022
Hebrew is 3000 years old. However, Tamil is 5000 years old and Sanskrit maybe even be slightly more ancient and older but has died off more than 2000 years ago, whereas Tamil is alive and kicking. Ancient Hebrew writings found, may date ancient Tamil writing by more than 800 years but that does not mean, Hebrew is older. Many of the ancient Tamil writings more than 2400 years ago have been destroyed by the sea. Also, many of the ancient inscriptions found in Keeladi in Tamil Nadu more than 2000 years ago, are similar to the Indus Valley inscriptions which are more than 5000 years old. These ancient Indus valley inscriptions are definitely Dravidian and there is a high probability that it will be Proto Tamil or a very old form of Tamil, which means Tamil may be more ancient than Sanskrit but this is a probability. As it stands now Tamil is recognized as the oldest language in the world and Sanskrit the most ancient but it died more than 2000 years ago and Tamil has outlived it by more than 2000 years so the most ancient.
/
Rohan25 / March 1, 2022
What is now called modern Hebrew was artificially recreated after the creation of the state of Israel or during that period is very different from ancient Hebrew. It is based on it but a different language, just like the way modern Malayalam is highly based on middle Tamil but is a very different language. The difference is it is using the same name Hebrew to show continuity with ancient Israel and modern Malayalam is using the ancient Tamil word that was used for the western Tamil dialect that was spoken in ancient Tamil Chera Nadu is now modern-day Kerala. Whereas Tamil has been a continual living language from 5000 years old and Old Tamil can still be understood by modern Tamil speakers.
/
Rohan25 / March 1, 2022
People stopped speaking Hebrew even during the time of Christ. It was only used for religious purposes. The language of the people of Israel at the time of Christ was Aramaic, which is still spoken in some ancient Christian villages in Syria. It is a sister Semitic language of Hebrew and the more polished younger Semitic Arabic language. When Lord Jesus gave his sermons and spoke to the disciples and cried out on the cross ” my God My God why has thou forsaken me” It was not in Hebrew but in Aramaic. Aram means Syria. Only the most ancient books in the bible are written in Hebrew, after that they were written in Aramaic and Greek. Ethnic Sri Lankan Tamils generally speak an ancient archaic form of Tamil that is around 1000 years old and much closer to old Tamil, with many words common to modern Malayalam, that have now gone out of usage in Tamil Nadu. Whereas the Indian origin estate Tamils, speak an Indian Tamil dialect that was spoken around 100 years ago, and the Muslims or Tamil Muslims living in the south speak an Indian Tamil Muslim dialect. It is because the Jaffna Tamil dialect was purer and more closer to classical Tamil that they looked down upon the other Tamil dialects.
/
Jit / March 2, 2022
Rohan, honestly I do not intend to continue with this never ending ‘which is the oldest, living’ language’ debate, though I appreciate your wide knowledge on the subject. I am no Archaeologist nor historian, what I tried to tell you was, there had been many languages, literature, and cultures in the ancient world much older than Tamil according to so many archaeological excavations. Whether one language or culture still living or not living does not make it any superior to any other. Ironically, a much younger language – English is dominated in the whole world today and it is the language of choice or default language for so many advancements in science, technology, medicine, art and literature today. And millions of people, if not billions, are craving to learn English, want to live and work in English dominated countries and live the English way of life!! Don’t they?? I am a firm believer in equality, and I do not believe any race is superior to the other because of their language or culture. ALL human beings are of mixed-up genes, nobody is ‘pure’ or ‘indigenous’. Likewise, there are no superior genes, languages, or cultures including that of mine!
/
Pandi Kutti / March 2, 2022
With all due respect to you also Jit, unlike Sri Lanka, the Indian speech writers are professional people and they check and research before writing a speech, especially it if is for important VIPs like the President, Prime Minister, or senior Ministers. They do not want to make themselves or these leaders of the nations look like a fool in public by giving incorrect information and making them objects of ridicule. Modiji also would have gone through the speech and approved this before making it and if he wanted anything to be changed, he would have requested this. They are not of the same caliber as the Sri Lankan leaders, who may blindly read ill-prepared speeches by others. These speech writers and even Modiji are aware that just like in Sri Lanka, there are lots of anti-Thamizh in India both from the north and south, who do not like anything good or accurate to be stated about the Thamizh language its people, history, or antiquity and most of these people only form the backbone of Modiji’s electoral base, therefore he and the speechwriters would have been very careful and researched thoroughly before writing and making this speech with regards to the antiquity of the Thamizh language.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 2, 2022
Neither the Indian speech writers are that naive and silly to write inaccurate facts for their Prime Minister to read out and make a fool of himself nor is Modi that naive or silly to read out a speech without checking the content and approving As he is the one giving the speech and is a leader of an important nation. Great power in Asia with the sixth-largest economy in the world and will soon advance much further. This shows how accepting, tolerant and inclusive India is of all its people, religions, languages, and cultures. Even the so-called rightwing Hinduthtuva openly Sanskrit-loving Modi and the BJP party. They may be biased Sanskrit and its daughter language Hindu, which is now written in the Sanskrit Devanagari script and getting highly Sanskritized too, but they are still very fair and are not afraid to state the truth, even if this truth is unpopular with the vast majority.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 2, 2022
Compare this to all the Sinhalese leaders who had led and ruined the country since independence, using racism, religious fanaticism of one kind or another to divide and rule the island. Would one of them ever dare to state this truth and fact, despite Tamil also being native to the island and the mother tongue of 25% of the island’s population, compared to around 6 0r 7% of India’s population? The answer is no, they would have choked on this and never accepted this. Especially the current one. All he does is even when the country is being ruined, try to find a way and means to further marginalize the island’s Tamil speakers. This proves also the Indian population is more multicultural and tolerant unlike the vast majority of the Sinhalese, who will never accept the truth about the Tamil language and its ancient history on the island and the rest of South India. Your desperate attempts to disprove the antiquity of the Tamil language, also prove how intolerant most Sinhalese are. It is widely believed and the opinion of most reputed linguists, historians, and anthropologists both in the east and the west that the Tamil language is the oldest living language in the world.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 2, 2022
It is believed to be around 5000 years old. There may be other ancient languages like Sanskrit ancient Egyptian that may have originated before Tamil but they are all dead and gone thousands of years ago. Tamil is still living and is the first and second language of around 100 million. Ancient dialects spoken by tribes are just dialects and not fully-fledged developed written languages, with a history and literature. Lots of Anti-Tamils also are very busy on the website trying to disprove what all these reputed linguists, historians, and anthropologists stated and bring all sorts of arguments.
/
leelagemalli / March 1, 2022
Roha25,
.
Indian leaders would not wait to appreciate, even if they place nationalism before anything else.
.
However, our leaders yet today have not uttered a thanking note to the west though thousands if not millions of slankens are given refuge at the time brutal war killed unestimable numbers of our people. Had late Mr Kadir been alive today, he would have done it many a times, but today KAPUTA s family behave like frogs in a well.
They could easily twist the stupid mind set of the masses for their power greedy politics, but forget the cruciality of such public statements.
This reminds me at the time grand coalition of UNP-UPFA (good governance) came int obeing, entire west praised – and made hopes, but they knew in a country rascals and varioius other forms of culprits of Rajapakshes are the majority, such coalitions would not bring much and last even a year or so. Their predictions worked well until sorysena broke all records believing that pseduo informants word – about that there was a conspiracy on assasination of president, and as a result he himself appointed ballige putha of srilanken devious politics- Mahinda Rajapakshe as the premier in his govt…..
/
Sinhala_Man / February 28, 2022
Dear Pandi Kutti ,
.
Thanks; that is beautifully sung by young and old , although I don’t understand any of it!
.
I’m glad to note that you are in the “comfortable” position of being a “Christian”. I was, but I could be more accurately described as agnostic.
.
Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela
/
Rohan25 / March 1, 2022
It is a very beautiful song, giving praise to the mother goddess, Janani the one who gave life or birth, or Ambal in Sanskrit of Amman in Tamil. It is made more beautiful as it is a blend of India’s two ancient and classical languages, Sanskrit and Tamil which gave birth to all modern Indian and other South Asian languages, and highly influenced the vocabulary and grammar of many SE Asian languages like Malay, Burmese, Thai, Cambodian, Lao, and Indonesian. The scripts of these languages are largely based on Tamil Brahmi. The song starts with Vedic Sanskrit slokas giving praise to the Hindu gods and when Vedic Sanskrit is pronounced and chanted beautifully as these singers did, you get this beautiful feeling listening to it and getting goosebumps. It takes you to a higher elevation listening to these chants and then the proper song is sung in Tamil or a very highly Sanskritized form of Tamil, that starts giving praise to the mother goddess or the female form of god.
/
Jit / March 1, 2022
Pandi, if we shelve all these Aesop fables from our nationalistic, racist minds and start believe in science, genetics and origin of the universe, most of our minds would be cleaner and the world would be a better place to live!!
/
Rohan25 / March 1, 2022
@
/