Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
The 45th Memorial Lecture
April 26, 1977 was the day that Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam, Esquire, QC, the founder-leader of the Federal Party (a.k.a. the Ilangai Thamil Arasuk Katchi or ITAK) who is affectionately known as SJV, passed from this realm to the next. This 26th morning, promptly at 9:30 the 45th SJV Chelvanayagam event started as scheduled. The venue was the location of his memorial stupa across the Jaffna Public Library and next to Subramaniam Park.
SJV’s legacy to the Tamil people was the political belief that Sri Lanka has different peoples with different and even conflicting needs and aspirations, so that we must live together in a federalist undivided Sri Lanka pursuing our own aspirations without treading on each other’s toes. That belief came with a firm commitment to nonviolence. His is a legacy few quarrel with. His is a stature that even his detractors fear to speak against. Even violent LTTE backers claim to adore him, hoping his stature would rub off a little on them.
S.J.V. Chelvanayakam
Attendees and Absentees
Notable for their presence were C. Chandrahasan SJV’s son, his grandson Elangovan (also the grandson of ITAK stalwart Hensman Naganathan), and Soundari Watson who is SJV’s grandniece, the daughter of his niece Samathanam Somasundaram (nee Muththiah) of Alaveddy. Hon. K. Thirairajasingam, MP, the ITAK Secretary from Batticaloa, and Eastern PC Education Minister Mr.S. Thandayuthapani from Trincomalee were noted for their presence from the East. Present were also ITAK Secretary General Hon. Mavai Senathirajah, MP, Jaffna District ITAK MPs Hon. Shanthi Sriskantharajah and Hon. MA. Sumanthiran, and Vanni District MP Hon. Charles Nirmalanathan. The current diocesan Bishop of SJV’s Church of South India, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Daniel Thiagarajah, also made it despite his recent loss of his brother. The presence of Jaffna’s brand new mayor, His Worship Emmanuel Arnold, added a refreshing young face to an aging party.
Of special note was the presence of the new Indian Consul in Jaffna, HE Balachandran, an Andhra man speaking fluent Tamil. It is hoped that he would be less identified with the BJP’s religious policies. This is said to be his first public function and his presence augurs well for more secular policies from the Indian Consulate General.
Mr. R. Sampanthan and Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran were notable absentees, as also were most of the ITAK MPs. Chairman of the NPC, C.V.K. Sivagnanam whose wife’s funeral had been scheduled for 10:00 AM the same day was naturally absent. Some who came and showed their faces ran off quickly to the funeral thereby accounting for the less than expected crowd. The organizers should have coordinated better with Mr. Sivagnanam.
Perhaps the most serious absentee was the Muslim leader invited to be on the stage to show case the ITAK’s strength in having bridges to all communities as a secular party. It was Moulavi A.M.A. Aziz who was billed after he confirmed his acceptance, but did not show up.
The Chairman of the Organizing Committee, The Rt. Rev. S. Jebanesan opened the event with the welcome speech which was to be by Prof. S. Sathiaseelan, the organizing committee secretary who was another absentee. The Bishop wore a scarlet cassock but without the customary cross, perhaps to make the function more secular. The whole group moved to the stupa and the SJV statue where garlanding was done by a large number until they ran out of garlands.
Preliminary Speeches
The Bishop called upon Mr. S.X. Kulanayagam, the Administrative Secretary of the ITAK and the chief organizer of the event to speak. Kulanayagam spoke sweetly and briefly. He mentioned someone had complained that the event should be in a hall and not in a temporary tin-shack erected for the day. He promised that they had long term plans to build a hall and a library on the memorial grounds. These plans are being pushed by E. Saravanapavan, MP, with the government. He promised next year’s event in that new hall.
The next speaker was Nallai Aadheenakkarthar. He prayed “The people have suffered enough. We need peace, justice, and rights,” quite forgetting that in a public speech to welcome the new Jaffna Vice Chancellor last year he had entreated the new VC to make University of Jaffna a Hindu University.
The Very Rev. S.J. Emmanuel who spoke next reminded us that when things were very tight for Tamils under Mrs. Bandaranaike’s United Left Front, SJV had perceptively said, “Only God can save the Tamils.” Fr. Emmanuel added the tidbit that once Mrs. Bandaranaike had tried to needle SJV, telling him, “You are a Christian. The Hindus are the vast majority of Tamils. How can you even purport to be their leader?” The quick-witted SJV had responded, “Madam, unlike the Sinhalese, the Tamils do not demand that their leaders should change religions to be their leaders.” SJV’s path was clean and democratic, and he was always true to his principles, concluded the former Vicar General.
The next speaker was the highlight of the day – Bahu Karunaratne. He was introduced by the Bishop as a product of Ananda College, Peradeniya and Cambridge. Both he and Bahu had studied at Peradeniya at the same time. Of rigid principles and political consistency like SJV, Bahu had protested against the executive presidency and had been fired for that from Peradeniya. Among leftists he was exceptional for his consistency, perhaps the only one who spoke up for Tamils when other leftists like Colvin R de Silva had abandoned their principles claiming that “Politics is the Art of the Possible.” The Bishop thanked Bahu for being the only shining light speaking up for Tamils in the South.
Bahu: Entertaining as Usual
Bahu’s speech titled “SJV Chelvanayagam, the Father of the Tamil Nation,” was delivered in Sinhalese with a translation by Mr. S. Sivagurunathan who had come for this all the way from Colombo. Some wondered whether, given SJV’s language policies, it would not have been more appropriate to speak in English especially when large chunks of speech had to be translated with Sivagurunathan having to take notes to remember it all. Surely, parts were missed in translation. So my notes also from which I write might have gaps. Remember, Bahu probably framed his sentences in English, going by the fact he occasionally asked Sivagurunathan for appropriate Sinhalese words. His speech was in Sinhalese. The translation was into Tamil. And I am transcribing that Tamil back into English!
Bahu began saying the idea of a Sinhalese nation is recent. The idea of Sinhale can be traced to Anagarika Dharmapala. To show that the idea of a Sinhalese nation is new, he pointed out that until recently among the Kandyans it was said it is better to beg than to marry in Ruhuna. There was simply no one Sinhalese nation. Our eyes need to be open to the dangers of this thesis of the anciency of Sinhale. Expressions like national people, and jathiya (caste) were work-related. In England too, the idea of a national people is after Cromwell. Similarly, in France and Germany the concept of a national people came with Napoleon and Bismarck, respectively.
In contrast, said Bahu, Tamil is 6000 years old (Yes, no mistake, that is what he said; it is an anciency rejected by most serious scholars who would put it at 2000 years). People like Gunadasa Amarasekera, said Bahu, will fall sick when they hear this about Tamil being so much older. In Ceylon the Tamil presence might be from 50 AD but in India it is from long before that.
After the establishment of Ceylon, all our representatives were English language based. They believed we could function in English. However, a trade-based economy created a need for Tamil and Sinhalese education. In the meantime, the voter-strength through elections forced all communities to work together and cooperate using the English language.
SJV and Bandaranaike studied together at St. Thomas’ College in/from 1926. Bandaranaike went for Samashti (equality). But later, under pressure over citizenship and language, Bandaranaike went back on his policies and under pressure SJV had to leave the All Ceylon Tamil Congress which was with the government in denying the franchise to many Tamils. When the Federal Party (ITAK) was formed, its focus was on principled policies – secularism, justice, devolution of powers, etc. But the people in the South selectively saw only devolution and Tamil rights, and politicians used these like showing the devil (poochaandi) to scare children.
In 1956 Bandaranaike was against Samashti and SJV was for it. By 1957, despite his Sinhalese only law, Bandaranaike saw the merit in SJV’s positions and proposed devolution through the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayagam Pact (the BC Pact). It is the Left that failed to support devolution. If not, the BC Pact could have been saved.
For this, Bandaranaike has been likened to a bandakkai (okra), and called slippery and having no backbone. There is some truth in this. But the real blame must be laid on the Left. In 1956 Dudley Senanayake’s stomach had masala vadai.
If there had been socialism, there would be no Tamil problem today.
Even after two defeats in the BC- and Dudley-Chelva Pacts, SJV never lost heart. Even after he fell sick, he never deviated from his principles. Even the Sri campaign brushing off the Sinhalese Sri and painting the Tamil Sri on motor car number plates was to show that the Tamil language too could be used, just like the Sinhalese language. When he travelled from Jaffna to Colombo on the Sri campaign, the Sinhalese really had nothing to fear from him.
The problem is not yet over. We still have no Tamil government. We cannot give up. During the recent no confidence motion, the communalists behaved like rowdies. We, the Tamils and the government, joined together and defeated the motion.
Vote of Thanks
With Bahu’s speech ended, Hon. K. Thirairajasingam extemporaneously delivered the vote of thanks in place of V.G. Thangavel of the organizing committee, another absentee. He thanked the family for its presence. He also thanked SJV’s Puthiri (daughter) for her presence although she was in Canada. The meeting concluded by 11:30.
The Future of ITAK
Looking back and writing as a nonpartisan technocrat, ITAK needs to really rethink its policies and reorganize itself. This was a major event to keep alive the memories and democratic ideals of its most revered founder. Nevertheless, there seems little interest in his principles as its MPs and Chief Minister quietly make undisguised pro-LTTE speeches. Most attendees were over 60 years of age, if not over 70 (The youngest, besides my daughter, seemed Kesavan Sayanthan of the Northern PC and the reporters). There were only five women present of whom two were from my family. Most ITAK MPs were absent. The ITAK voted against the recent No Confidence Motion and saved the government but has little to show for it, not even in getting its nominees in, on the University of Jaffna Council. SJV’s sweet memory and his party’s survival are at stake.
Kumar / May 1, 2018
2. In the recorded history of Sri Lanka, where is it mentioned that there was a mass exodus of Sinhalese from the North to the South? Did all the Sinhalese simply pack their bags and go to the South leaving all their precious lands to the newly arrived Tamils without any protest? (Please do not come up with stupid answers like malaria). If not, then what happened to all the Sinhalese in the North, did they all commit suicide?
3. Most of the Sinhalese have their ancestral native place name also as a part of their name, known as Vasagama. Is there any Sinhalese person from any part of Sri Lanka who can come out and say that his Vasagama is a name from any part of NorthEast?
Even those Sinhalese who are living in the NorthEast today were colonized after 1948 by DS Senanayake, if you ask them each one of them will say that their grandfather or great grandfather is from the South.
4. Bhuvanekabahu VI (Sapumal Kumaraya aka Chempaha Perumal) the adopted son of Parakrama Bahu VI captured the Jaffna Kingdom in 1450 (much before the Portuguese arrived). During his rule in Jaffna, he renovated/re-built the premier shrine of Hindu worship in the heart of Jaffna – the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil (he did not build or re-build any Buddhist temple) for the people of Jaffna peninsula. The Tamils of Jaffna are still invoking his name and singing thevarams to him in the Nallur Kovil before the temple procession of Lord Murukan.
As per your argument, if the Dutch brought the Jaffna Tamils, then the people of Jaffna before the Dutch arrived should have been the Sinhalese. If the people of Jaffna during the 13th Century AD were Sinhalese, then Sapumal Kumaraya should have built a Buddhist temple and NOT a Hindu temple in the heart of Jaffna. Why did he build the Hindu Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in the 13th Century AD for the so called Sinhalese of Jaffna?
/
Punchi Point / May 3, 2018
No, the Sinhalese didn’t just pack their bags and go, but were ethnically cleansed by the Tamils. As late as 16th century Sinhalese were living in Jaffna, until Sankili ethnically cleansed Sinhalese from Jaffna. This ethnic cleansing happened in 1544 and is narrated in the Tamil document Yalpana Vaipava Malai and corroborated by Portuguese documents:
“After the massacre of the Christians Sankili’s insane fury longed for more victims and he fell upon the Buddhists of Jaffna who were all Sinhalese. He expelled them beyond the limits of the country and destroyed their numerous places of worship. Most of them betook themselves to the Vannis and the Kandyan territories”.
This also effectively proves that the Tamil Buddhist theory is false and it also exposes that Tamil claims to the Buddhist remains of Jaffna is fraudulent. What were the Buddhist temples and viharas destroyed by the Tamils in 1544?
/
Kumar / May 1, 2018
5. In his book ‘Jaffna under the Portuguese’, Tikiri Abeyasinghe who was the Professor of Modern History at the University of Colombo till 1985 notes that in the period 1624-1626 (during Portuguese rule of Jaffna), the Franciscans converted 52,000 Jaffna Tamil Hindus into Catholics. Prof. Tikiri Abeysinghe is one of the very few who has done extensive research on Portuguese archives and Goa archives by living in those countries. Read “Jaffna under the Portuguese” by Prof Tikiri Abeyasinghe.
6. In 1672, the Dutch Predikant PHILIPPUS BALDEAES was living in Jaffna and was preaching Christianity to the people of Jaffna (in Tamil language). In his famous 1682 historical account of Jaffna, he never says the people of Jaffna were brought by the Dutch. During the Dutch period, the Jaffna Tamil Vellala Cannecapul Moddeley Tamby revolted against the Dutch by rounding up the powerful Vellalas of Jaffna along with some extra help from the Vanni that shook the Dutch administration. How can he organize such a revolt if he was brought by the Dutch?
7. The people of Kerala are known as Malayalees (Malabars) and they speak a language called Malayalam (not Tamil). The Malayalees (Malabars) are proud of their own language Malayalam. How come those Malayalees (Malabars) tobacco farmers from Malabar Coastal in Kerala became Tamils and adopted Tamil language/culture instead of Malayalam language/culture after coming to Sri Lanka? Why did the Malayalees (Malabars) convert to Tamils (any advantage) and how did they convert themselves to Tamils (especially change their mother tongue)?
8. There is enough of authentic evidence (I can list you many and quote from reputed Sinhala historians) to prove that the large majority of the Sinhalese were originally low caste Indian Tamils brought in by the Portuguese and settled in the south who eventually got converted to Sinhala Buddhists but what authentic evidence do you have to prove that the majority of Jaffna Tamils were brought in by the Dutch?
/
John / May 1, 2018
Malaysian born Malayali Chelvanayagam the lunatic casteist who led his people off the cliff was a criminal. Chelvanayagam was a liar who changed his religion to Christianity in order to indulge perks and privileges from his then imperialist masters.
/
Banda-Chelva pact was a political gimmick.
/
Mrs Udubaddewa / May 1, 2018
Lots of Tamils whom I consider unreliable and untrustworthy have taken over Sinhala names recently. Examples: Indrapala, Rasaputhra, Sharvananda, Devananda. There was an n in the end, that is now gone!
The list goes on and on.
Shame on them!
Prior to Tamils were brought to the North as coolies to work in the Tobacco plantations there were very few people, predominantly Sinhala, living in Jaffna due to it being a dry, arid, inhospitable place to live. That’s why Sinhala kingdoms flourished in North Central Province but boundaries extended to the far ends of the North and East. Tamils try to say there were remnants of Tamils left from Elara. My foot. Elara was not a native Sri Lankan, an invader who was chased away by brave Dutu Gamunu. Chola and Pandya were invaders who were chased away by our brave Sinhala kings.
This is the true History of Sri Lanka as depicted in Mahavamsa.
Indrapala made a dramatic u turn to his historical analysis only after Prabhakaran made a claim to North East. Indrapala if an historian must know one cannot change history based on whim and fancy. Sadly all Tamils are like that.
This man Rathnajeewa [edited out]
The guy who states Southern Sinhalese came from Kerala, I say go and seek treatment from Angoda. That’s all.
Summary:
Sinhalese came to this magnificent land more than 2500 years ago. Our ancestory begins from Vijaya, and through Pandukabhaya we came blood relatives of Lord Buddha. Tamils are Dravidians and not Aryans. North Indian despise them. Like we Sinhalese they do not have a Sanskrit language. As a race Tamils were established here very recently since last 18th century.
/
Native Vedda / May 2, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa
lying through all nin holes
“The guy who states Southern Sinhalese came from Kerala, I say go and seek treatment from Angoda. That’s all.”
–
Did Angoda help you recover?
/
Kumar / May 2, 2018
“Lots of Tamils whom I consider unreliable and untrustworthy have taken over Sinhala names recently.”
Ignorant and stupid Mrs Udubaddewa,
Why don’t you learn some basic general knowledge before writing utter rubbish and bull crap in a public forum? Who told you that the Tamil names should always end with an ‘n’ or an ‘m’? Most of the old Tamil names did not end with ‘n’ or an ‘m’. That is why the Tamil Kings of Anuradhapura were known as Sena, Kuttika, Ellala, Pulahatha, Bahiya, Panayamara, Parinda, Dathiya, and so on. It is the present day Sinhalese who have copied all the Tamil names and made it Sinhala by removing the last letter ‘n’ or an ‘m’. If you go and check the names of the ancient kings of Tamil Nadu, their names are Kulothunga Chola, Vikrma Chola, Aditya Chola, Rajendra Chola, Rajendra Deva Pandya, Kula Sekara Pandya, Chandra Sekara Pandya, Vira Wickrama Pandya, Parakrama Pandya, Sundara Pandya, and so on. Today all these old Tamil names are adopted by the Sinhalese (not Tamils). The biggest joke is, when a Tamil goes back to his/her old Tamil name, the foolish Sinhalese like Mrs Udubaddewa is under the impression that they are Sinhala names. LOL!
/
James / May 2, 2018
Folks,
Don’t waste your time on totally ignorant absolute morons, ill-informed and bigoted psychotics, two tongued fraudsters and pathetic liars like this anti-Tamil Mrs Udubaddewa. Whatever you say (rational arguments) just goes over their heads (they cannot comprehend/grasp).
/
Sinhala_Man / May 2, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa,
.
This last comment of yours has convinced me that what you’ve been trying to unload on readers is a load of garbage. So, you are going purely on the Mahavamsa, are you?
.
You are actually doing Bhikku Mahanama a great dis-service. If your appreciation of the Mahawamsa were rational, then the chances are that his work would be considered a valuable segment of human heritage, and would today be known (by name at least) to a billion people worldwide (estimate of world population today is 7.6 billion). It would be obviously different from, but on par with, Herodotus.
.
By the way, can you enlighten me on this? Had Vijaya got himself a valid passport before he arrived here?
.
The result of your version of History is that you are turning innocent toddlers in to racist fiends who may have to be “put down” like rabid canines. I don’t want my children and grand-children preyed upon by the likes of Prabhakaran and you. You know, there are guys like us who actually believe in human decencies, and Gautama was the supreme example of such a person. That is why he is so honoured throughout the World; but Mrs Udubaddewa, and Gnansara and Wirathu may together succeed in destroying the Buddha Dhamma itself.
.
I now remember where we first encountered you. Who could be a man more rooted in Sinhalese culture than “Helasingha Bandara”, the author of this tribute to Prof. Halpe:
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ashley-and-me/
.
Do you not remember writing all this?
/
LEELAGEMALLI / May 2, 2018
Sinhala Man,
I have a question to you.. why Mahavansa that should have been based on some facts at that time, never was subjected to any revisions ?
Archiologists have found lote more during the last few centuries, so today s reaserchers can update the version matcing with the requirements of the society right ?
I think what is being practised inthe country is not even the instructions given in Mahanwansa.
They just have closed to Jathaka katha than to anything else.
Jathaka stories are just fairy tales.
Just walking up biyagama road last time VISITING srilanka, I was disturbed by LOUDSPEAKER holders .. that ran PIRITH… but the place given to Pirith at any road corners has become a joke to me actually, since i dont think people are in a mind to listen to pirith while moving busily from a to b. Most ridiculously, those road side shops … sell alcohl and meat… fish… not even few yards away from MALU LAELLA. the place where such Malu or Mas vendors run their kiosks.
Buddhism has become to a laughing stock in my home country to this date.
Just to please Rajapakshes and let people be sunk blind, they introduced any bad habbits to the nation.
Longer people stay under their control, they can fool them easily.
More voters – longer they can abuse affinity to stay in power.
/
Sinhala_Man / May 2, 2018
I don’t have the capacity to provide an answer to such a fundamental question that requires a good overview of many fields, but here goes:
.
With increasing specialisation in the Sciences, there is a very real need for people of quality who have studied the Liberal Arts. It is quality that matters; instead we have too many who have had higher education in the Arts, but not much is expected of them, and even they have rather low self-esteem. A sad example: there was that poor girl, Vindya, who was gang-raped, then murdered. All were shocked. Her sister was given “an appointment” a few days ago by President My3. What work was it that was entrusted to her? Not mentioned. I’m almost sure another “guru pathweema” – work as a teacher, not worth even mentioning.
.
Yours is a deeper question. Value has to be attached, and then resources have to be allocated. That just doesn’t happen – must I enumerate them?
.
A modern Shakespeare text has so many footnotes, and end notes. Even more so when a scholar studies the History of Herodotus. However, there are so many other old works that will never receive such treatment.
.
Yes, the Mahawamsa is important, and instead of boasting about it the scholars prepared to do in depth studies must receive sufficient endowment to do the work. If done, we will never know how much strife has got PREVENTED. Only trouble wakes us from complacency.
.
Abuse of Technology – I may come up with more platitudes! No quality in my pontifications, is there?
/
Sinhala_Man / May 2, 2018
You wrote:
.
“How dare such a colossal as Ashley Halpe be compared with such an unknown quantity as Helasinghe. This is self agradizement at its very best.
Reminds me of Gulivar and Liliput.
Bineka is spot on about Thiru Kandaih, He supported division of Lanka very badly and also wrote vividly supporting Tamil separatism. Yes Bineka, he (Thiru) changed our correct history. I’m sad.”
.
How come you, the flag-bearer of Mahavamsaism venerate a Professor of English so much? When you read Helasingha’s story how is it that you could not empathise much more with a man who’d been a genuine villager?
.
As for Prof. Thiru Kandiah how come you say that about him? I have met his late mother – she could have passed off as a European. Half British, she was, and half Sinhalese. His wife was a Kannangara, and his children, Niranjan and Shivanthi studied in the Sinhalese medium. He was my teacher, now we may say we are friends. I get the feeling that you drop names, pretending you knew academics whom you just saw on the road. I’m not questioning the probability that you were associated with the University of Peradeniya. So what? You appear to have learnt little of worth there.
.
Most readers I feel know my name; some have seen my photograph on some articles that I have written. No, I don’t look North Indian; I’m pretty sure that I’m mainly Dravidian. In any case, I know enough Linguistics (that knowledge may need revising, admittedly) to know that this whole Aryan thing gained currency only owing to some early European scholars about 200 years ago. What do YOU look like, I wonder?
/
Sinhala_Man / May 2, 2018
Do you really add anything to the stature of the Buddha by raising him to a peerage, like Lord Byron?He would hardly have approved of your imagining blood relationship to him. He was much nobler and more enlightened in his thinking than you can imagine. It is in Hinduism that birth and caste had a place. I believe the movement to reform those aspects of Hinduism are both widespread and serious – but your words, uttered while claiming to be a follower of the Buddha, reduce you to almost animal level.
.
“Hindutva” is a known problem, but there also are serious efforts to replace it with Gandhism. These are ongoing and ever changing attitudes.
.
I’ve already pleaded ignorance of History and Hinduism, so there’s little purpose anybody posing questions to me. But I have indicated what I have so far observed. It is only now that the reason for the burning of the Jaffna Library becomes clear to me. Some of the oldest and most precious documents that our country probably perished in that fire – because it didn’t suit the doctrine of “Udubaddewism” to have them in existence. That, too, was our Common Heritage.
/
Unreal / May 2, 2018
My dear Sinhala_Man, You take pains to bring about amity between the two communities in our beloved land. I salute you for that. But, how far one should go to make the antagonists to come to their senses. I wouldn’t waste my energy debating with people who are a lost cause.
*
As regards to the history of our past, I have a position. The history is immersed deep in dirt. We achieve nothing digging it up.
*
We, living in the modern era, have more better priorities than fighting over our disputed and debatable past. We should move on.
*
We are all children of the resplendent island, Sri Lanka. Let us march forward with everyone wanting to feel Sri Lankan. Let us leave behind those who wish to differ.
*
Politics and politicians are not going to advance this cause. Let us start a mass movement from the scratch. With modern technologies and sincerity this task can be accomplished.
/
oldcodger / May 2, 2018
Dear S.M,
I would gently advise you to save your breath.
I think you are taking some commentators’ ramblings too seriously. They are neither as lucid or logical as you do them the courtesy of assuming. Engaging in rational discussion is self-defeating. I have noted you suggesting that CT should ban these trolls. I don’t agree. This forum would be very boring if we all were to agree on everything. The best way to deal with them is ridicule, sarcasm, etc. Insult wherever possible. It’s very easy to get under their skins.
/
Native Vedda / May 2, 2018
oldcodger
–
I am in complete agreement with your comment.
–
“It’s very easy to get under their skins.”
–
Have you tried Dayan, Rajeewa Jayaweera, Sara Dissanayake, ……………… ?
/
Sinhala_Man / May 4, 2018
Dear Unreal, old codger, and NV,
.
Yes, it is true that I sometimes waste time on trolls, hoping may be that some other readers get some information out of it.
.
Very occasionally I meet with success, as here, with Percy:
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ashley-and-me/
.
“Dear Sinhala man
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to explain your position which I think is quite magnanimous on your part given my tirade of abuse directed at you. . . .”
.
I may have made him rethink his position.
.
Another is Champa. Man or woman? But I’ve been impressed with one fact about him. He is rabidly racist, but is honest about it, and frequently raises real issues. Also is independent of others.
.
But a guy like Jim softy is quite impossible, and one can have no respect for him. As you’ve pointed out, oc, one is amazed at how many articles he glances at – and mis-reads. Everything about him is nasty.
.
I thank you all for being so considerate towards me. You are always steady and reliable.
/
Samson Gunawardhana / May 2, 2018
Destroying any kind of things belonging to common heritage should be highly condemned.
But some today as Buddhist monks they are ready to destroy even some mosques becoming thugs working for some extremists groups.
There we have to stand very against those thugs though they are part of our buddhist community.
Those monks that hide behind red robes, should equally be punished by law not treating them with impunity.
If that is the case, even any killer can become a monk within 24 hrs after the crime is done by them.
Today we have a justice system – even every high killer could get escaped if they would hire so called bribes intoxicated lawyers.
Lately what came out was .. how some judges, in general behave in courts.
They seem to have no hearts.
No matter they are the professionals to deliver court cases, they themselves have turned out to be laughing stock… as Ms Fernando a junior lawyer revealed it… those senior men have become drunkard also within court halls.
This is the ground reality, but bitter truth about the lanken system.
But in the same time, protecting the system, politicians defend them in UNHRC.
Sure not just one or two, over 80% of LAW professionals are abusive.. HIGHLY abusive. so as POLITICIANS that filled their pockets during the high days of Maharaja.
They the politicians have surprisingly become untouchables … thanks to drug dealings or an yother stealings, but COURTS stay as if they have not seen it.
Their blood has been so mixed up as is the case in RAJAPAKSHE family.
/
Sinhala_Man / May 2, 2018
Udubaddewism vs Universalism
.
It looks as though it is owing to such wickedness that our country has been gradually getting impoverished since the early 1950s. No, I’m not blaming SWRD Bandaranaike’s nationalist movement. That was necessary to free ourselves from “white-man-thinking”. Old Banda was as much a patholaya as Maithripala. There was no need for him to deny an official status for Tamil. He ought to have forged an alliance with parties in the North and contested 1956 on a common platform of Dravidian identity.
.
Yes, that’s how firmly I believe our ethnic identity to be South Indian. Culturally – well, I have Beethoven’s 9th symphony playing in the background. For me it means universalism. If you don’t understand, think of how it ends:
.
https://www.thoughtco.com/beethovens-ode-to-joy-lyrics-history-724410
.
Or you could try listening to the finale alone, since the symphony may be over-long:
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6RAO7j5G_Q
.
Admittedly takes a bit of getting used to for Sri Lankans, but isn’t that the way we should be pointing out for our children? An appreciation of all the variety that is so easily come by compared with even our childhood, but these doctrines of Udubaddewism and Jimsoftism have to be first overcome – through non-violent means.
/
Mallaiyuran / May 2, 2018
Iravatham Mahadevan is the final authority in Epigraphy at this time. He is the one identified the Tamil Brahmi. In 2015 he gave an interview to BBC explaining how he was connecting the Indus Scripts with Tamils. Probably that interview has to be searched in BBC site. Not in google.
Here is an earlier interview with Hindu. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/indus-script-early-form-of-dravidian-iravatham-mahadevan/article6600394.ece
Because of the anciency – earliness of that time, there wouldn’t be any possibilities couple of Languages to have existed. All other languages suggested were far away from the local site. Sanskrit was rejected long ago, though it was closest to site, because of its juniority. After all, all artifacts are pointing at one language, not multiple. Some letters dated as back as 3500 BC. That makes sure the spoken language was there before 6000 years. In any arguments Ratnajeevan doesn’t qualify to date a Language. Only one way to deny Iravatham Mahadevan, i.e is somebody completely deciphers all codes and prove it as another Language.
“You are a Christian. The Hindus are the vast majority of Tamils. How can you even purport to be their leader?” The quick-witted SJV had responded, “Madam, unlike the Sinhalese, the Tamils do not demand that their leaders should change religions to be their leaders.” SJV is very foresighted person. He did not tell this just for Sirimavo alone, He did know Ratnajeevan also there and he too would need this answer a later day.
He has no knowledge of Vaddukoddai Convention. It was SJV’s decision to fight with the government for self-determination. Ratnajeevan, an EPDP supporter, to promote Sumanthiran, switching loyalties will not make him a Federal Party long term member.
/
Mrs Udubaddewa / May 2, 2018
Sinhala man
Helasinghe may be a Sinhalese with a nice Sinhala name. But there are lots of Sinhalese that toe the Tamil separatist line because they get the thrown away bones to lick.
Indrapalan, Thiru Kandaih are men who used their scholry titles to advance the cause of Tamil eelam. They both purposely changed our true history to show Tamils have been here long time ago, when they were brought in large numbers from Malabar by the Dutch.
Yes Mahavamsa is 100% true and accurate.
I;m proud to be Sinhala Buddhist.
You are a con man using a Sinhala name but inside a Tamil.
/
Mathugamagodaya / May 2, 2018
Mahawansa may be somewhat true, but what is being practised in the country today is not true.
Please read and get your facts right.
What ever buddhist you may be, we need to focus on the facts and updates.
Mahawanse has never asked BBS to go on riots right ?
Mahawanse has never asked Rajaakshes or the like extremists to twist the gulliable mindsets who are th emajority in this country… for their political gains.
Besides, why you say, Mahawanse is very true, what is found since then in the line of Archio research should beLOT more and should have revealed lot more or not ?
We cant say that we the lanken s or entire world enjoyed technology better few decades ago. That is factually wrong …
Like wise, you cant be gummed to a book which should have been written few centureies ago… please realize it.
/
Kumar / May 2, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa,
Sinhalese did not come from North India, they all came from South India. Vijay was a Malabar from Kerala. Everything changed when the North Indian Emperor Asoka’s missionary monks led by Mahinda Thero converted the Saivaite Dravidian/Tamil King Muta Siva’s second son Thissa (brother of Maha Siva) to Buddhism in the 2nd century BC. Following the king Devanampiya Tissa, a large number of Saivaite Dravidian tribes in the island (originally South Indians) embraced Asoka’s Buddhism, Aryanised/Prakritised (later Sinhala) their speech, learned to write using Asoka Bhrami script, adopted the Asoka’s Lion symbol (the Indian Lion, no lions in Sri Lanka) and the Dhamma Chakra (also called the Asoka Chakra), accepted the Asoka Buddhist culture and implemented Asoka’s technology to build Stupas, Chaityas, Viharas, Sangharama, and so on.
In the 5th century AD (almost 800 years later), the Mahavihara monks who wrote the Dipawamsa/Mahavamsa imagined/visualized a mass ‘Aryan migration’ from North India to create a Sinhala-Buddhist society (who will protect the Buddhist dharma in the island Dammadvipa/Sinhaladvipa – the ‘chosen land’ of Buddha where Theravada Buddhism will prevail for 5000 years). The native Saivaite Dravidian Chieftains (Sena, Kuttika, Ellala and so on who were strong devotees of Lord Siva) who refused to accept Devanampiya Tissa as their Maharaja and resisted his effort to impose Buddhism on them (did not convert) but was posing a threat to Buddhism were projected in the Mahavamsa as ‘Damila enemies or invaders’.
In Sri Lanka, the so called ‘history’ is already twisted many centuries ago and sealed in the book called Mahavamsa. What we have is not history but his-story (Mahavihara monk Ven. Mahanama’s story). After several centuries today the myth has become the truth and the Sinhalese believe it as gospel. If anybody tries to undo the twist (after enormous amount of new discoveries) he/she will be considered an unpatriotic traitor or even a terrorist supporter.
/
MsMaralathoni / May 2, 2018
Well you could be proud of a buddhists, but no means a sinhala buddhist.
I am born buddhist too.
But what counts me is not lanken kind of buddhism that harbouring and spreading extremism and leaving space abusive politicians to mobilise easily….. just good buddhism the manner westerners do it.
Lankens that follow buddhism is said to be over 70%.
But most of them dont know what the real teachings of the buddha.
They just abuse the buddhism for their fraudulent businesses today.
Number one example – Mahinda Jarapakshes behavoiurs since he is defeated by the very same folks.
As no other presidents or PMs, he hangs on with politics further and make every thing he can to grab power again.
All because then only he can enjoy impunity FOR all high crimes.
/
raman / May 2, 2018
Mrs Gonbeddewa,
“Yes Mahavamsa is 100% true and accurate. “
So how much of Lion genes have you got in your DNA?
Judging from your writing, I would guess the rest of your genes come from braying herbivores.
/
Mrs Udubaddewa / May 2, 2018
My dear Mathugamagodaya
Thank you so much.
I agree corruption rules the country since JR then Chandrika times. It reached the peak during Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapakse times.
But, that does not negates Mahavamsa.
Mahavamsa is the gospel truth. Read a bit every day. I do.
/
Sinhala_Man / May 3, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa,
.
You say this:
.
“Mahavamsa is the gospel truth.” What does that mean, please?
.
There are four accounts of the life of Jesus (called the Christ) written in Greek. Many Christians believe every word there to be the truth.
.
Ask a Christian when Jesus Christ was born; most will say “Christmas Day in the year nought”. There is no such year. For purposes of history the year 001 AD is preceded by 001 BC.
.
Ask a serious scholar and he/she will say that Jesus was born in the year 4 B.C. Month and Day? I have no idea, but I could check and let you know what most scholars feel. But why should I? You may do so.
.
4 B.C. is enough for me. So you believe that every word of the Gospels is true – that Jesus raised Lazarus from the Dead, walked on the sea., rose from the dead etc.
.
As ridiculous are the things that the Mahawamsa says – about Buddhas visits to Sri Lanka in a Dandu Monara, about Vijaya setting out (without passport) on the day Gautama died.
.
I’m no scholar, but I know that much.
/
Mrs Udubaddewa / May 2, 2018
Chelvanagam was not even a Ceylonese. Born in Malaysia after landing in South India he swam and landed in Ceylon as a Kallathoni. I totally detest him. He should be prosecuted Posthumously for coming to this beautiful island, Sinhale, illegally. Furhtermore, his kids should be caught and prosecuted for being in this land illegally and then deported to Malaysia.
/
Adida Sundaralingam / May 2, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa,
First of all, there was no such country called ‘sinhale’ in this world. Only Kandy was once known as ‘Sinhale’.
SJV Chelva was an original native from Eelam, a decedent of the native Tamil king Ellala. He was born in Malaya (now Malaysia) to Ceylon Tamil parents because his father was employed in the Malayan Civil Service. Later, as citizens of Ceylon, they moved back to their native homeland.
Apart from their intelligence, good command of the English language and capacity for hard work, the Ceylon Tamils also had a good reputation for their integrity and honesty. The British preferred employing the Ceylon Tamils as bureaucrats in many of their Asian colonies because they were clever, ready to learn, industrious, honest and hardworking (the Tamil work ethics – work is worship). That is why the Ceylon Tamils dominated the Ceylonese bureaucracy as well as the bureaucracy in the then Malaya and Singapore.
On the other hand, the Sinhalese were very lazy, violent, racist, hateful, jealous and mean spirited. This is the reason why, when it came to white collar jobs in the Ceylon Civil Service during the British period, most of them were held by the Ceylon Tamils. Even after the British left, Ceylon Tamils were holding top positions in the government service. Most of the Doctors, Postmasters, Railway Station Masters, Police OICs, PWD overseers, Colombo School Head Masters, University Professors, and most of the Executive Officers in the public/civil service in the whole country were Ceylon Tamils, even in remote Sinhalese village government dispensaries, the Doctors were Ceylon Tamils whereas the laborers, attendants, peons, and drivers were the Sinhalese. The reason for this was, the Ceylon Tamils were hard working and English educated whereas the Sinhalese were lazy and did not bother to learn.
/
Usha Sriskandarajah / May 2, 2018
I have read all the comments herein very carefully
I think Mrs Udubaddawe is right. She is spot on.
/
Sinhala_Man / May 2, 2018
I think somebody should check this gravitar.
.
This is such an unlikely comment.
/
Minolika Rathwatte / May 2, 2018
Speaking of Kallathonis, some of the famous Kallathonis that come to my mind are:
AYS Gnanam of St Anthony’s group fame, Gunarathnam of Cinemas fame, owner of Majestic Boot works Colombo 4, Chandra Rathnam, Charles Vedamutthu of Colombo 4 and of course Prabhakaran;s father who fled Kerala
/
Adida Sundaralingam / May 2, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa,
The word kallathoni has no meaning in the Sinhala language. ‘Kallathoni’ is a Tamil word used by the Tamils of Eelam to call your forefathers who came to our country in a boat from India. Today they are called Sinhalese. They were also ‘Kalu’ before the Portuguese came to Sri Lanka. Your forefathers shared their women with the Portuguese in return for a bottle of wine and a piece of bread and that made your skin color a little bit lighter.
Didn’t your grandmother tell you as bedtime story that:
Once upon a time in Sinhapura, India, some convicted criminals were exiled out of the country?
Due to a heavy Strom in the Bay of Bengal, their boat drifted for days and finally by chance, it landed in an Island where people (Tamils) were already living. Not only Tamil Nadu but this island (Eelam) is also the homeland of the Tamils.
These kallathoni criminals led by their chief known as Vijay landed without any permission from these people, attacked and killed these people, took their princess and their whole country.
Didn’t your grandma tell you that the biggest kallathonies were Vijay and his men (the forefathers of the Sinhala race) whose descendants are the Sinhalese?
All the kallathonies and low caste coolies who came later also got converted into Sinhala Buddhists. That is how the Sinhalese became a majority.
/
Sadhu / May 2, 2018
Well known Tigers’ songs that stirs the tamils’ emotions were played at TNA’s May Day rally in Jaffna. Is there an election nearby?
/
Mrs Udubaddewa / May 2, 2018
Adida Suntharalingam,
First of all I hope and pray you are not a relative of DIG Suntharalingam, the number 1 racist in the then Police Force, I can write a book about him.
Kuweni was a hela woman. She bore kids to Vijaya ( Prince from Sinhapura, son of King Sinhabahu). Thus, emerged the Great Race of the Civilisation – the Sinhalese (Sinha + Hela = Sinhale).
Until 1815 this entire nation was named as Sinhale (note the Kandyan Convention).
Historians like Indrapalan, Hoole, Sachi Ponnambalam, Kumaraswamy, Kumari Jayawardane try to distort this History.
I can’t repeat this again again – Tamils came in large numbers during Dutch period and established in the North. Read my above clips.
The Great Race Sinhala has ruled not only this land but also parts of Burma. Indonesia and South India.
When Rev Mahinda arrived 5 BC he converted the whole land to Buddhism who were until then worshiping other gods. The whole country became Buddhist. There were NIL Tamils and Muslims then.
Sinhala man, read the Great Chronicle Mahavamsa daily. It is like sipping good old red wine bit by bit. I do read it.
/
Adida Sundaralingam / May 2, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa
You do not seem to know even your basic history. At least, try to read the Mahavamsa and learn something. It is available on the web.
According to the Mahavamsa, Sinhabahu’s eldest son Vijaya and his followers who were banished from India (Sinhapura) landed in the island Lanka. He used Kuveni to get a foothold in the country and seized power by annihilating most of those aboriginal natives (Similar to what happened to the aboriginals/natives of Australia and North America). Once he had achieved that, he abandoned Kuveni and his two children to marry a princess from the royal family of India (a Pandyan princess of Madurai, South India). His followers married women from the land of this princess and from this union sprang the Sinhala race. Kuveni then went back to her clan, only to be put to death for the crime of betraying the country and its people to the foreign invader (Kallathoni) Vijaya. The Sinhalese people who today wants to own the whole of Sri Lanka are made up of half North Indian (Paternal) and half South Indian (maternal) and the poor aboriginal Veddhas (the original natives) had to live in the jungle forever.
It is said that in her dying moments, Kuveni cursed Vijaya and the entire Sinhala race stating that no ruler would ever be able to rule the island without bloodshed and strife. Of the 54 rulers recounted in the Mahavamsa, 22 were murdered by their successors; 11 were overthrown; 13 killed were killed in battle and 6 were assassinated. Every time when the Chola and Pandya arrived, there was enough bloodshed. The Sinhala race is a cursed race, if you are born a Sinhalese, then you are already a part of this curse and you have no choice but to suffer.
/
Adida Sundaralingam / May 2, 2018
Mrs Udubaddewa
Hela is the Pali word for the Tamil word Eela. It is the Eela people of Eelam that the Sinhalese call Hela people of heladiva (in Pali). They were all originally Tamil speaking Dravidian tribes who settled during the ancient period from South India when the sea was shallow. Elu basa (Dravidian language) was known in Pali as Hela basa.
The Mahavamsa does not say anywhere that Sinha + Hela = Sinhala. There is no archaeological or epigraphic evidence what so ever to prove SINHALA is a Hybrid race of SINHA+HELA (that Sinha cross-breeding with Hela to become Sinhala). Sinha + Hela = Sinhala is only an imagination (or an assumption) of a few Sinhalese like the Sinhala Jaathika Chinthanaya movement that created these stories from thin air (totally contradicting the Mahavamsa and the archaeological/epigraphic evidence) to claim that the Sinhalese also have nativity in Sri Lanka.
The Sinhalese are nothing but Indians and most of them are South Indian converts.
/
Raman / May 2, 2018
MRS U,
“The Great Race Sinhala has ruled not only this land but also parts of Burma. Indonesia and South India.”
“Sinhala man, read the Great Chronicle Mahavamsa daily. It is like sipping good old red wine bit by bit. I do read it.”
You must be taking something stronger than red wine if you managed to see all that in your Mahavamsa.
/
James / May 2, 2018
Folks,
This poor lady seems to have a huge chip on her shoulder. She is expressing her past agony/feelings. Looks like some Tamil fellow has screwed her so badly and dumped her. I feel sorry for her.
/
Pygmalion / May 2, 2018
SJ.
The Federal Party is your bete noire eh?
/
Mrs Udubaddewa / May 2, 2018
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/
/
Sirisena Yatawara / May 4, 2018
SJV was/ is fully mouth piece of Tamil separatism advocated by TNA, LTTE ,World Tamil Congress and Global Tamil Forum finically back by Tamil Diasporas and mainly sources of fund derived from Intelligence agencies by western powers.
SJV was born hard core Tamil political terrorist ,by nature of created New Tamil puppet regime in Indian Ocean Island by aim of undermined valued democracy of Sri Lankan.
Undenibially, that SJV of Tamil Federalist was the diehard enemy of Sinhalese-Buddhist majority of people of Sri Lankan?
Did SJV forget that 75 millions of Tamil Nadu homeland of Tamil race in world ?
No that SJV of FP knows very well Tamil Nadu is their Homeland of their Mother land, of that every Tamil speaking living in world -wide.
By knowing that SJV has move different path for Tamil Nation- STATE an Island in Sri lanakn is very easy path to be established Tamil New puppet regime in our soil by support of western powers of their local agent of FP, TULF and TNA….since 1949?
Hence SJV projects of Tamil separatism has Gun Rule power by LTTE end with failure after 2009 May 18?
LTTE was armed-wing of TNA and Diaspora of Tamils still advanced for Tamil regime in North -east of Island last couple of years?
/