Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole
The Struggle with Heritage Histories
My book Heritage Histories shows, definitively I believe, that our histories are all hocus pocus with a view to showing how great a people we are. We (or many of us) claim to be a pure race of “Aryans” but occasionally Mongol and Negroid features show up in our families. We claim to be high caste, but the occasional pinky skin or dark pigment, or high cheekbone or crinkly hair tells that all is not well and we are of mixed genes.
Likewise, those Sinhalese claiming to be Govi Buddhist Sinhalese, struggle with blue eyes, very white skin and concocted histories about being descended from pure Sinhalese Vijaya stock (Brahmin vaagay, they proudly say); they are embarrassed only when a new born is as dark as a South Indian or has Australoid features. Paraphrasing Gananath Obeyesekere, our light complexions and blue eyes are not from the ancient Aryan invaders but from our latter-day invaders. Muslims need to outlive their claims of being Arab and explain why most of them look no different from Tamils and can weakly point to occasional Arab features like tall height, green eyes, etc. as in their ruling families.
Choice
Our heritage histories are concocted to make us superior, but we all repeat them. We can subscribe intellectually to world views and religions, but cannot deny that our gene pool has many strands when Andaman and hunter gatherer features show. How nobly we live is what matters and it is based on choice. 
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith’s position against religious conversion, coming from a person whose ancestors converted and whose Church is founded upon sharing the Good News, is the most disgraceful retreat from principle. It is dishonest too. Buddhist missionaries came here to share what they thought was a superior faith, – just as Christian Missionaries did the same. Today the Sai Baba folk do the same. Choice is fundamental to our democratic way of life.
We who are inheritors of many strands of culture and gene pools, should be the most welcoming of the competition of ideas and faiths.
Hassan Shazuli
As religious conversions take centre stage in our debates, I was pleasantly surprised to see Hassan Shazuli hosting a discussion on NewsFirst with Colombo University Malay academic Tuan Zameer Careem (who also goes as Zameer Careem Khan of partly Afghan descent). These name changes suggest that he is also struggling with his different strands of pedigree. He need not because he is well-read, widely informed, articulate, brilliant, and comes across better than most academics here I know.
The Malays
As evident from the title of the programme, “The Valiant Malays of Ceylon: Lost and Forgotten,” it was about Malay History. It describes the rich contributions of the Malays to Sri Lanka. Zameer Careem explains that only a few of the Malays are from Malaya. Although he says the Malays have been here from time immemorial, he gives a late date for their entry when he gives Chandrabanu Dharmaraja, a Malay Buddhist Javaka king, who made a military incursion in 1247 AD with “Malay” soldiers. The majority came from Indonesia first under the Portuguese and then under the Dutch as both soldiers and slaves.
Careem says the Dutch used the term “Austranesian ethno-linguistic group” (that is how I heard it, but it does not show up in searches) to distinguish Malays from other peoples, I take it of brown skin like them but racially different. It was the British who first began calling them Malay, presumably because they ruled Malaya and knew them as Malays while the Dutch held Indonesia.
Colombo, says Careem, was 50% Malay in the seventeenth century because of the vast cinnamon plantations in what is now Cinnamon Gardens, perhaps the most expensive residential area in the country today. There were 4000 Kaffir [African] slaves building Colombo Fort. As far as I know they had no families. Did they sire no children? Are the Mongol and Negroid features that come up among us not from these times and a positive contribution to Sri Lanka?
Cultural Contributions
It is widely believed that mixing gene pools leads to higher intelligence in a people. While the Dutch slaves (and indeed slaves brought in from South India for tobacco cultivation and cinnamon gardens) contributed to our intelligence, they made cultural contributions too.
Kantharodai – from the Period of Tamil Buddhism. (Only the bases were there when I saw these as boy. The top is Archaeology Dept. imagination like Sinhala Brahmi
Careem mentions the shell comb worn by the Sinhalese, the sarong that all of us wear, kite flying, batik print, “beeralu lace-making,” dodol, nasi goreng (literally Rice-Fried), and rambutan (Malay for hair is rambu) as their contributions.
Borabudur, in Java, Ninth Century AD
Careem also claims that Vettil Appam (the jaggery coconut pudding) means vattamaanana (round) appam. I need to disagree here because in ancient Tamil Vattil is a plate – pudding on a plate, the way Vattil Appam was invariably served until restaurants took it over. How Careem pronounced vattamaana was so natural, I take it that he is as fluent in Tamil as he clearly is in English. I do contest the origin of Vattil Appam as being Malay because of the use of ancient Tamil in the nomenclature.
I also am skeptical of his placing Kandarodai Temples in parallel with Ninth Cent. Borobudur Temples in Java when Chandrabanu Dharmarajah ruled Jaffna in the Thirteenth Century AD as he says. Though similar in appearance, Kandarodai hails much earlier from Tamils’ Buddhist times (from the 2nd cent. BC up to Manimehalai which is no later than the Fifth Cent. AD).
This was also the time, says Careem, Jaffna came to be called Java Pattinam. A 1619 AD Portuguese era map calls Jaffna “Jafna Patnam.” Philippe de Oliveira who moved the capital from Nallur to Jaffna around 1619 AD called it Jaffnapatão. I believe Careem errs in saying the name Jaffna is from Java Pattinam. In1614 AD we see the name statue of “Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffna patão.” The kind of ão, as in pão for our bread, is pronounced with a soft n at the end (paan), obviously making patão to be pronounced as pataan, a corruption of pattinam.
Careem’s arguments are weak, similarly, when he says it was during Chandrabanu Dharmaraja’s period that Thavasi kulam came from Java Kulam and likewise Java Thoppu, and Java Kottai. He needs to explain how Java got twisted into Yaalpaanam, Thavasi etc.
Tackling Heritage Histories
People whose power is based on heritage histories, react violently when that history is questioned. A long-serving Malaysian Prime Minister, known popularly as “The Little Indian” was the offspring of a Malayali Butcher and a Malay woman. A reporter doing a story on it, it is reported, disappeared.
Weerabansa
Similarly, a relation of mine was tutoring a princess, and married her after getting converted to Islam. He was sent to Saudi Arabia for 4 years of training, and pulled off calling himself a Saudi because he was tall and light skinned. When his brother (our grandfather) saw him on the street and went up to him, the brother was signalled to go away. When the granduncle died, there was a terse letter to our grandmother “From the Palace” stating so – the first communication after the marriage.
In my time the son had become Prime Minister of Malaysia. When the family tried to make contact, his staff told the family not to speak of the matter again, but thankfully were not disappeared! Such is the stranglehold of heritage histories, especially when being elected depends on cooked up histories.
A Sampan
Shifting to Careem, he said nutmeg was brought here by the Dutch from an island called Banda. When the Banda folk rioted, many were executed, and the remainder brought here as prisoners. Some escaped and fled to Kandy where the king was hospitable. These Malays gave us the Bandas.
More sensitively, Careem says the Weerabansa surname is from Malaya.
Explaining the Javanese influence in Hambantota, Careem said Sampanthot is from Sampan (boater’s gift) + Tot. I believe it comes from Tamil. Many Tamil words beginning “ch” have it turned to “h” in Sinhalese. Examples are Sothi or Chothi (yellow gravy) to Hothi; and Santhi or Chanthi (Junction) to Hanthi. So the Malay word for Champan or Sampan, a boat, absorbed into Tamil, becomes Hampan in Sinhalese, and combined with thottam (garden) makes Hambanthota. This is what Tamils say.
In Hambanthottai, with its huge Malay influence we can easily discern the genes turning up in so-called Govi-Sinhalese-Buddhists. Given the history of Hambanthota, these must be from Malays. The unlikely alternative is that these genes are from the Andaman and Nicobar islands pictured at the top who have also a unique unnamed DNA sequence (from a third hominid – vide Nature India, 30 Jan. 2017).
There is no problem at all if there are all kinds of genes in us. We really have no choice in that. Some of us go to worship in Churches, Mosques, Temples and Viharas. We do have choice, but our choice is ours to make.
The problem is when people with all kinds of genes and going to Churches, Mosques, Temple and Viharas as multiple insurance with the gods, keep repeating that this country is only for Sinhalese Buddhists; even then, they will not vote for a non-Govi.
How great an opportunity it would be if those of us with mixed genes and worshiping all kinds of gods, would say so, and that in this country our race does not matter and that we have full choice in whom we worship, or in not worshipping at all. That is the only way to make Sri Lanka great again.
Noel / March 8, 2021
I think we are all from different people.
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S. C. Pasqual / March 8, 2021
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/open-letter-to-professor-ratnajeevan-hoole-which-tamils-hopes-are-fading/
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Sinhala_Man / March 9, 2021
Pasqual,
.
As a courtesy, I did click that link open and glanced at the article and the comments, but unless you tell me the relevance of what you’ve done giving it to me, I’m not going to bother reading it.
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That story is surely over and done with.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / March 9, 2021
Both Tamils and Sinhalese have origin from the same people, the south Indians with varying degree of genetic input from Bengali and Veddha. Very soon for crime detecting purposes, it will become mandatory for every person to have his genetic pattern tested and recorded in their identity cards. This will put an end to denial of one’s ancestry. Careem is correct about Malay influence on Sri Lanka such as Mangosteen (Manggis), Rambuttan (Hair like – Rambut is hair) and Durian (Thorn like – Duri is thorn). Vattil appam is Tamilized version for Seri Kaya (seri is beautiful, kaya is rich) and has origin from Malays. Though Lamprais was introduced by Dutch, it has origin from Indonesia. Similarly Tamil influence in Malay archipelago is seen food- Appam, Puttu, Puttu Mayam (string hoppers) etc, and in language and culture.
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Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
No, they do not. It’s already proven that Sinhalese has ties to the Bengalis.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 9, 2021
Yes around 25% genetic contribution from Bengali but 70% from Tamils. Sri Lankan Tamils have a higher direct genetic contribution from the Bengali 30%, compared to the 25% for the Sinhalese , who are actually largely descended from Indian Tamil immigrants but keep on crowing that their of Bengali descent, which is minor. Similarly 95% of the Sri Lankan Muslims are descended from South Indian largely Hindu and other low caste Tamil converts to Islam but keep on crowing about a pure Arab origin ,especially the lighter skinned ones ( This most probably has nothing to do with an Arab ancestor, recent or distant) which only around 5% of them, partially have and even this 5% is around 85% of Tamil descent.
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SJ / March 9, 2021
Y11
“It’s already proven that Sinhalese has ties to the Bengalis.”
By whom may I ask?
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SJ / March 9, 2021
SSS has a bank of DNA data and can tell each of us exactly what percentage of genetic material from various races in our genes..
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But I wonder if the Bengalis comprise a distinct race with ethnic identity etched into the DNA. They are perhaps more mixed than the Sinhalese, and do not care two hoots about such identification– but are strong on their language and culture.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 10, 2021
Keep on wondering or google and read what was stated. Spiteful old man.
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SJ / March 10, 2021
SSS
If there is a Bengali DNA signature, is that common to all castes from Kayasta and Brahmin (including fake Brahmins) to Dalit?
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By that token, will there not be a Batticaloa Tamil DNA signature shared by the Mukkivar, Karayar, Velalar and other castes?
*
But inter-caste marriages are rare in South Asian communities so that the DNA signature of any caste is not easily diluted or compromised.
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Sinhala_Man / March 9, 2021
Yes, that is what all of us are saying. Our genetic makeups have ties to all sorts of ethnic groups – in India as well as elsewhere.
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“Elsewhere” – Malaysia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Africa. So you’re now proving our case for us.
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Good Sense / March 8, 2021
The essential sentences of this article are: “Choice is fundamental to our democratic way of life.” and “How nobly we live is what matters and it is based on choice.”. I could not agree with you more Prof!. Hence this country must recognise the principles of meritocracy. Prof! Were you allowed to function as the Vice Chancellor of the UOJ when you were appointed. NO!. It is set of thugs who prevented it aided and abetted by your own colleagues in the University. The same sense of tribalism which the prevails in the rest of the country prevails in the North. Certainly Prof, you did not fit into the system and tribalism too played a part in preventing you from serving as the VC of UOJ.
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SJ / March 9, 2021
“Certainly Prof, you did not fit into the system”
Do not insult him GS.
He fitted into it far better than many.
Although he was never the top preference of either university he wanted to be VC. But he was offered the job twice, once by someone as great as Mahinda R.
He was even in the good books of Douglas D for a while.
He was in the Elections Commission, thanks to the TNA and Yahapalanaya.
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Ferryman / March 8, 2021
Rules made can also be broken if a situation demands it.
Here is one instance.
Though I said “no more” I could not restrain myself when I read this wonderful piece by SRHH.
“”that in this country our race does not matter and that we have full choice in whom we worship, or in not worshipping at all. That is the only way to make Sri Lanka great again. “”.
Yes so very true and I salute your saying it.
But when you see the CT comments of the so called “educated” class on various topics, I wonder if even half a millennium hence that your wish will be realised.
Peace to all. Live in hope.
Back into my “Shell”.
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SarathP / March 8, 2021
Brilliant piece of writing! Thanks, Prof. Hoole.
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old codger / March 8, 2021
Weerasangilige Wimal has added on “Weerawansa”, which sounds better.
Does anyone know what Wasagama the Rajapaksas are blessed with? Or the Wickremesinghes? Or even the Premadasas? Why is Sajit a Premadasa and not a Ranasingha?
All curious matters indeed. We aren’t alone either. Alexander Boris DePfeffel Johnson can hardly claim to be English though he is the UK PM.
Yes, we are all mixed.
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Lanka Canuck / March 8, 2021
The Sinhalese are 100% mixed. Buddhism in Sri Lanka was actually a North Indian conspiracy organized by the North Indian Emperor Asoka with the support from the local stooge Tissa who seized the Anuradapura throne. Tissa was the 2nd son of the Tamil King Muta Siva, his brother was Maha Siva. The descendants of Tamils who embraced Buddhism in 246 B.C. later claimed they were Arya Sinhalese. The coastal Tamils of the Western and Southern provinces (arrived during the colonial period) after adopting Sinhala as their mother tongue and Buddhism as their religion claim they are descendants of Duttu Gemunu. Most of these overnight converts who adopted the ‘Sinhala-Buddhist’ label to hide their low caste Tamil identity are the ones who claim ancient Sinhala-Buddhist heritage and pretend to be the so called ‘Nationalist patriots’ and champions of Sinhala-Buddhist (Anti-Tamil) chauvinism. Prof. K.M. de Silva, Dr. Paul E. Pieris, and Prof. Gananath Obeyesekere have very clearly elaborated in their publications that they are all South Indians who got converted to Buddhism and became Sinhalese. Also refer to the link below,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMbhLoJWXs0
Also this video says about the mixture, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8m5MNLkyqk
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Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
Wow, then every religion is a conspiracy theory according to you. Because the Europeans didn’t really find Christianity. And, Muta Siva wasn’t definitely Tamil. How can a Son of a Sinhalese (Pandukabhaya) suddenly become Tamil?. And, people don’t just change their mother tongue, out of spite. Most Sinhalese come from a mix between the Native Sri Lankans ( Who might have been a separate Dravidian population) and North Indian invaders. But the current Sri Lankan Tamils came after the fall of Anuradhapura, but before that, there was a significant Tamil merchant population in Sri Lanka. this is proved by the Tamil inscriptions found in SL. Mahavamsa clearly portrays Dravidians as different from the native Sri Lankans. Also, Most of the Dravidian invaders during the Anuradhapura era are described as “Dravida”, not Tamil.
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Lanka Canuck / March 9, 2021
Yasiru11
What makes you assume that Pandukabhaya was a Sinhalese? Who gave him the Sinhala label?
Pandu is the prakrit/pali form of the Tamil word Pandya/Pandyan just like Hela is the prakrit/pali form of the Tamil word ilam/Eelam. From the origin story linked to Vijaya, the ancient Pali chronicles did not make any attempt to hide the Indian connection. Even the brides for Vijaya and his men came from the Pandu country which is none other than the Pandya country of South India proving that a Pandya link had existed even before Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka around the 3rd century B.C.
From King Abahaya Pandya (Pandukabhaya) to Parakrma Bahu, most of the Buddhist Kings of Sri Lanka were from the Tamil Pandya dynasty. King Abhaya Pandya aka Pandukabahaya received help from his native city of Madhura in planning the city of Anuradhpura. Pandukka Abhaya gives his son a Tamil name Muta Siva (elder Siva). (Please let us know if you know the meaning of Muta Siva in any language other than Tamil). It is the Pandyans of Madhura who ruled Sri Lanka most of the time, even king Vijaya and his men took wives from the Pandyans of Madhura. (‘Mada-Sanskrit or Madura was the capital city of the Pandyans).
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Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
Lanka Canuck
Because his father was a local yakka. And his mother was a Arya princess. You can come with your own theories but that’s not what historians believe. Mahavamsa, is considered as a real historical record. And have you read the original Pali mahavamsa. It’s Muta Sīva And there is no tie between that name and God Shiva. As I said before the Kings took Indian wives to ensure peace with the neighboring kingdoms. Not for any other reason. And No, most part Sri Lankans ruled SL, whether it’s Tamils or Sinhalese. Except the brief periods of South Indian invasions.
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Lanka Canuck / March 9, 2021
Yasiru11
Are you saying Pandukabhaya’s father was a local yakka and his mother was a Arya princess? Could you please cite evidence, which chapter of Mahavamsa/Deepavamsa says so?
As I said before, please tell us the meaning of Muta Siva in Sinhala or Pali or any other language. In Tamil language, Muta Siva means elder Siva, a very common Tamil name.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Tamils commonly take the names of their Hindu deities. The Sri Lankan Tamils were Saivites or worshippers of Siva and therefore the name Siva is very popular during the early days. That is why the Tamil Pandya King Pandu Ka Abaya named his elder son Muta Siva (elder Siva) and Muta Siva named one of his sons Maha Siva.
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Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
Read the 9th Chapter of Mahavamsa. And how could a name prove an ethnicity. And Sinhalese rendition of the Name is මොටාසීව(Motā Sīva). And As I said before . Researchers agree that the etymology of the king’s name has nothing to do with God Shiva. Just because two things look similar, it doesn’t mean they are the same.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Yasiru11
Mahavamsa Chapter 9 does not say what you have mentioned here. It says Pandu Ka Abaya is the son of Pandu Vasudeva who came from India. The Deepavamsa calls king PanduVasudeva as PanduVasa meaning one from the Pandya country. After the death of Pandu Vasa (Pandu Vasudeva) his eldest son Abhaya became the lawful king. Pandu Vasudeva’s mother is said to have been the daughter of the Mada king (‘Mada in Sanskrit for Madura was the capital city of the Pandyans). Their son was named Pandu ka Abhaya. Interestingly, Mahavamsa Chapter 9 also says, an uncle of Pandu ka Abhaya was Giri Kanda Siva. The names Muta-Siva (elder Siva), Maha-Siva (big Siva) and Giri-KandaSiva (KandaSamy) have very clear meaning in Tamil.
Pandya (or Pandu in Pali) were the oldest and most distinguished of the early Tamil dynasties. It is well known that the kings and queens of Sri Lanka considered it a pride to ally themselves with the Pandya dynasty of South India. Vijaya paid an annual tribute to the Pandya king (refer MHV. Ch VII, v. 73).
MOTA Siva??? LOL! Give us the meaning of MotaSiva. It is not Mota, it is Muta.
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Sinhala_Man / March 11, 2021
I couldn’t care less, really, how you want to classify him. Makes little difference to us today.
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However, I like to think that some serious historians will study this for us and give us an account that is both credible and accurate.
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Yasiru11 / March 13, 2021
Then, I don’t know what Mahavamsa you read. Because it’s clearly there. Did you read a simplified version?. And, yes. It’s called Mota Siva in Vansaththapkasni.
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SJ / March 10, 2021
LC
“Are you saying Pandukabhaya’s father was a local yakka…”
Such phrases are best avoided as they are unnecessarily provocative and can be offensive.
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Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
And you seem to believe that Sinhalese are Tamils that was converted into buddhism. Please do research on this because it’s very false. Even though there were many Tamil-Buddhists, Current Tamils came to SL after the fall of Anuradapura. All the Tamils that lived in SL before that were merchants and their families. Sinhalese people has some Tamil DNA but majority come from somewhere else. Because there are too many things that doesn’t fit your narrative
1. The Sinhalese are phenotypically different from Tamils the genetic differences are two vast, That’s why researchers categorize Sinhalese as Indo-European.
2. There are unique features is Sinhalese Language that is not found either in of Indian Languages.
Examples-:1. Prenasalized consonants
2. “æ” sound
Tamils did not appear out of nowhere in Tamil Nadu. The popular theory is that they were people of Harappan Civilization. And yakkas and nagas were maybe living in before they arrived in TN. and tribes of SL were maybe ancestors of Veddhas.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Yasiru11
Yes, they were mostly converts. It all happened after the introduction of Buddhism. Which joker told you that the current Tamils came to SL after the fall of Anuradapura and all the Tamils that lived in SL before that were merchants? Please read the Mahavamsa, sixty thousand Tamils died in the Elara-Dutugemunu war, very long before the fall of Anuradapura, were they all merchants?
1. You are wrong, the Sinhalese and Tamils hardly have any genetic differences. Latest genetic studies point to a multi-faceted origin of Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils with a similar genetic pattern (no significant genetic variation among them) of mixed genetic background. For example, the DNA of a Sinhalese or a Sri Lankan Tamil will have mixed genetics from Bengal, Orissa, Andara, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
2. Just one or two unique features which may have come from aboriginals does not make the Sinhala language different from the Indian languages. It is 90% Indian.
3. Yakkas and Nagas were not unique to Sri Lanka, they were also from the South Asian sub-continent. These tribes were from all over India. Tamil Nadu was created by the British in the 19th century. Tamils were living in both South India and Sri Lanka from time immemorial.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Throughout the Sri Lankan history from before the arrival of Vijay to almost until the independence in 1948, immigrants from North and South India (Bengal, Orissa, Andara, Tamil Nadu and Kerala) came to Sri Lanka in many different forms, as Peaceful immigrants, as Invaders, as Warriors and soldiers, as wives of Kings, as Kings, as maids and marriage partners, as Architects and builders, as craftsmen, as weavers, as farmers, as workers/labourers and so on. However, after landing in Sri Lanka they no longer remained as Indians, they assimilated with the people of Sri Lanka and become either Sinhalese (in the south) or Tamils (in the north). Our theories of pure blooded Sinhalese or Tamils in Sri Lanka will get shot down in no time with the latest genetic findings. Through a comparison with the mtDNA it was found that both Tamil and Sinhala clusters were affiliated with the Indian Sub-continent whereas only Vedda people are believed to be the native population of the island of Sri Lanka. Please refer:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311415947_PRE_HISTORIC_HUMAN_REMAINS_OF_SRI_LANKA_Sinhala_Edition
The biggest joke is, the Sinhalese are the only immigrants who call others immigrants.
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Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
Umm, when did I call anyone a immigrant. Don’t think everyone who talk back to you has a racist agenda.Ofc, most who came to SL is an immigrant. Do you think people come from the dirt.
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Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
Did I say “genetic”?. And no, Most of the Sinhalese weren’t Tamils who converted. But some are. Sinhalese Language is not 90% Indian. The mutual intelligibility to any Indian language is thought to be around 2-3%. And no, I only said one two. But there is more differences than you can imagine. Do some research before writing your opinions here.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Yasiru11
Every linguist/language expert who analyzed the Sinhala language is calling it an Indo-Aryan language meaning a North Indian language (originally Prakrit made up of Sanskrit and Pali). Sinhala may have evolved in Sri Lanka but it did not originate in Sri Lanka, it originated from India (Prakrit). If you analyze the Parkrit that existed in the island, it is very close to Sanskrit and Pali. The Sinhala language experts are saying it is not only Indo-Aryan but also Dravidian (Tamil).
Dr. M.H.P. Silva, lecturer in Sinhalese, University of Ceylon, in his thesis Influence of Dravida on Sinhalese gives authoritative proof for the influence of Dravidian on the Sinhalese literature and language.
The Sinhala language Proessor J. B. Dissanayake in his book ‘Understanding the Sinhalese’ states, “Sinhala occupies a unique position among the languages of South Asia because of its close affinity with two of the major linguistic families of the Indian sub-continent, Indo-Aryan and Dravidian”.
Sinhala language scholar Mudliyar W. F. Gunawardena says, “The science of examination of the structure of a sentence is called its grammar. The grammar of the Sinhala language is Dravidian”. He further said, “The structural foundation of Sinhala is Dravidian while the super-structure is Indo-Aryan”.
The Sinhala language expert Dr. C. E. Godakmubara says, “the Sinhala Grammar Sidathsangarawa was based on the Tamil Grammar Virasolium”.
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Yasiru11 / March 13, 2021
Yes, So is Tamil. It’s clearly not native to SL. Just like Sinhalese it was introduced.
And No, as I said before there is considerable differences between the two languages. If you know at least a bit of linguistics you would know that sounds like ‘æ’ don’t just appear out of nowhere. And to make a lasting impact there must have been a lot of people who used such sounds. And do you see how drastic Sanskrit words change when they come into Sinhalese. Tamil does not changes Sanskrit words that much. Sinhalese couldn’t have spoken Tamil before Buddhism. Because the changes lexical differences are too drastic between the two languages. People just don’t abandon languages, they evolve. The Tamil influence on Sinhalese is too little to make such a connection. And ancient Sinhalese was VERY different from the now heavily Sanskritised Sinhalese. Just read “Amavatura” there is so much Words that are unique to Sinhalese in that book. And the æ sound is heavily used.
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SJ / March 10, 2021
Sinhala is considered Indo-Aryan as it is known to be related to a Prakrit. With time, it lost many Indo-Aryan features:
* Gender of a noun is not grammatical but natural (like in Dravidian languages)
* Qualifiers of nouns are gender-free.
* Sinhala numeral adjective occurs after the noun (dogs three in Sinhala; three dogs in all Indo Aryan languages: both ways in Tamil although before the noun is now more common)
* I am not sure if there is an equivalent of othana in other ndo Aryan languages. But Tamil has it (uvvidam is fading except in Jaffna Tamil)
* The passive verb form una (vaedunaa, hithunaa, therunaa) is rare among langages. You cannot say “mata theruna” in English. Tamil has it. (Striictly undathu (Tamil) is the equivalent of unaa (Sinhala)).
(However, “mama dannavaa” is seldom said as “naan ariven” in Tamil. The passive form enakku theriyum is preferred. But Malyalam commonly uses ‘njaan ariyum”.)
*
Sounds unique to Sinhala are absent in all Indo-Aryan language.
*
Sinhala and Tamil have moved closer over centuries.
Certain linguistic features retained in Jaffna Tamil are absent in South Indian Tamil(s) but are also present in Sinhala.
*
Indo-Aryan or not, Sinhala is the easiest language for a Tamil to acquire, after Malayalam. Matching word order and word construction (with some exceptions) is a great benefit.
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old codger / March 10, 2021
Yasiru,
“There are unique features is Sinhalese Language that is not found either in of Indian Languages.”
That is a fallacious argument. Malayalam for example is much closer to Sinhala than to Punjabi, which is an Indian language.
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SJ / March 11, 2021
OC
The scripts of Malayalam, Sinhala and present day Tamil derive from the Grantha script.
Y’s confusion derives from treating India as a cultural monolith.
*
Some time ago, you raised the point about similarities between Jaffna’s language and customs to those of Kerala.
There are many.
I suspect that since Portuguese period (certainy Dutch) there had been strong trade ties between the two regions.
There would have been cross human settlement too.
[Judging by the current situation, the Malayali would also have been a more amicable person to do business with than a Tamilnadu Tamil. ]
/
old codger / March 13, 2021
S.J,
Be careful not to provide more ammunition for Eagle!
/
Yasiru11 / March 13, 2021
Sinhalese script was split from the other Brahmi scripts early on. As we find the Elu Prakrit. But Then it was influenced by Grantha script as you said. That’s why some Sinhalese letters look like Tamil ( ක ග ප ) while other look very different from Tamil (ඔ ල ළ ර ෂ )
/
Yasiru11 / March 13, 2021
As Indian I meant the Indian Subcontinent.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
LC
Can you confirm that the name ‘Siva’ occurred in Tamil in the 3rd Century.
Was the Pandiya state a powerful entity at the time?
*
“Lord Shiva was not mentioned by the word ‘Shiva’ anywhere in ancient Tamil books. Only devotional books of post Sangam literature use the word ‘Shiva’. But references like ‘ the one with blue throat’, the one with Bull flag, ‘the one who burnt the three forts’ are abound in ancient Tamil books.”
[from https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/lord-shiva-composed-tamil-poems-the-wonder-that-is-tamil–part-6%5D
/
Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
SJ,
Yes, very powerful. Even King Vijaya paid an annual tribute to the Pandya/Pandu kingdom (refer MHV. Ch VII, v. 73).
The numerous occurrences of the personal name Siva in the Pali chronicles and in the early Brahmi stone inscriptions and the recent discoveries of Siva temples and Saivate villages buried in the Anuradapura area are further proof that the island was originally occupied by Siva worshipers in the ancient past. As per Ramayana, even the Yaksha king of Lanka, Ravana was believed to be a very strong devotee of Siva.
Sri Pada or Sivan Oli Pada Malai (Mountain of Siva’s Light Foot) has been a place of veneration for Saivate Tamils for two millennia or more. Ptolomey’s Tabrobana map that precedes Mahavamsa (Mahanama Thero) by three centuries had indexed the Adam’s Peak as Oli Pada (derived from the Tamil word Sivan Oli Pada) which indicates the historical antiquity of this mountain as one of ancient places of Siva worship.
The names Muta-Siva (elder Siva), Maha-Siva (big Siva) and Giri-KandaSiva (KandaSamy) have very clear meaning in Tamil. Could you please give us the Sinhala/prakrit/pali meaning of these names?
/
SJ / March 11, 2021
“Sri Pada or Sivan Oli Pada Malai (Mountain of Siva’s Light Foot) has been a place of veneration for Saivate Tamils for two millennia or more.”
That is a little over the top of the peak.
The name Sivanolipaadam came into being late in history.
*
The name Siva did not enter Tamil at the time.
Worship of Siva and Vishnu came much after the Sangam period.
*
We cannot be selective about believing Msahavamsa, especially the centuries preceding its writing.
*
Siva temples and Saivate villages buried in the Anuradapura area: you suggest that these were pre-Chola invasion?
*
Objectivity demands overcoming sentiment in reading history.
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Yasiru 11
“Mahavamsa clearly portrays Dravidians as different from the native Sri Lankans”
Is there any mention of “Sinhalese” in the Mahavamsa?
If so, please provide details.
/
SJ / March 9, 2021
OC
Did the great chronicle talk about the descendants of the Lion?
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
S.J,
Isn’t it the Mahavamsa that mentioned Sinhabahu?
/
Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
Umm, Rajapakshe is the surname. Ranasinghe was the given name.
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Yasiru,
“Umm, Rajapakshe is the surname. Ranasinghe was the given name”
It’s Rajapaksa, which is higher caste than Rajapakshe , in case you didn’t know.
Still, why no ge-names?
/
Champa / March 8, 2021
Chandrabanu Dhammaraja, my foot.
Another distortion to our history.
First of all, Chandrabanu Dhammaraja is not a name. According to “Saddharmaratnakaraya,” it is a title used for Sub-kings in Nakron (Nagara or City) of Sri Thammaraj in Siam, Thailand. As such, there have been 3 Chandrabanus.
Paranavithana in his book failed to provide any evidence to prove that the name of the “Javanese” sea pirate, who came to ancient Lanka with an army to capture Port Mahathiththa to control sea trade, was Chandrabanu. This name alluding to ancient Lanka is in any case conflictual as the inscription found in the City of Sri Thammaraj about Chandrabanu said to be in incorrect Sanskirt letters.
Anyways, according to Culawamsa translated by Geiger, this Javanese (sea pirate) had come to ancient Lanka with a large army under the pretext that they were Buddhists. However, when they started harassing native Sinhalese, King Parakramabahu II had sent his nephew Prince Weerabahu and Sinhalese warriors to defeat and chase them. When the same Javanese sea pirate came back for the second time at a later date, he and his army were said to have been completely destroyed in the battle.
.
For your information, 99% Sinhalese are NOT mixed blood.
You, Malabars, of course, are mixed blood. Cheers!
/
Sarath / March 8, 2021
Champa. You are forgetting the “allupu gedera Lansi buggers”. There is a baila about such Lansi buggers and the next-door Sinhala nonas.
/
SJ / March 9, 2021
Sarath are you sure that the words was “buggers” as you claim in “allupu gedera Lansi buggers”?
‘Buggers’ will have other interests.
/
old codger / March 8, 2021
Champa,
“For your information, 99% Sinhalese are NOT mixed blood.”
What about all those Sinhalayo with Tamil ge-names? Like “Thakurartha Devadithya Guardiyawasam Lindamulage Nalin Kumara de Silva “
for example? I don’t expect that you know who that is. Still, what a jumble of Malayalam/ Tamil, Portuguese, Dutch, and Sinhala.
Don’t let me start on Weerasangilige Wimal.
/
Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
ge means “from the house of”.
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Yasiru,
“ge means “from the house of”
That’s about all that’s Sinhala in the name. Perhaps you don’t know that’s Prof. Nalin De Silva?
/
Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
I know who that is. And you seem to have no idea on how Sinhala names work. They are given. And Nalin de Silvas name is not a typical name. You can’t generalize a whole country.
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
Yasiru 11,
“And Nalin de Silvas name is not a typical name. You can’t generalize a whole country”
No , I not generalising. How about Guardiahewage Sarath Chandralal Fonseka? What about all those Kodipillis, Nanayakkaras, Vijayamumis, to name a few? Perhaps you don’t know that names like Jayasuriya, Kulatunga, and Gunawardana are still common in South India.? All I am trying to point out is that no one (including me) can claim pure ancestry.
If you want real evidence, go read the Portuguese/Dutch Tombo archives , which are available online. They give the mostly South Indian ge-names of landowners on the South-West coast. What do you think happened to these people?
/
Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
I did not claim Sri Lankan are some pure race. We are as mixed as Indians are. Go in to streets of SL and you can find a plethora of different looking people. Unlike a country like Japan. We are mixed. Everyone is. What made you assume that I believe a pure race?. But you are still generalizing . Both of those people were born during British Ceylon. If you look at names before and after that they are pretty different. But still, as you said there are some similarities.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
Y11
Surnames like Silva, Soysa (Soyza), Fernando (really a given name in Spanish & Portuguese), Perera etc. entered in the Portuguese era. (There are several Tamil Catholic Fernandos and Peirises I know.)
Not many Dutch names among Sinhalese I guess. But Tamils have a few like Von Galen.
English/American names came later. Tamils collected many surnames, but the Sinhalese (even Buddhists) had them mostly as forenames.
/
old codger / March 11, 2021
S.J,
“Not many Dutch names among Sinhalese I guess”. Yes.
Carolis, Andiris, Anthonis, Juwanis, Girigoris ,Karthelis etc have disappeared.
/
SJ / March 11, 2021
OC
Thanks. These names slipped my mind.
However Carolis derives from the first name Carlos. The Dutch would be Karl.
There could be ambiguity in some others too.
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
Yasiru,
“Both of those people were born during British Ceylon.”
People during British rule had names like Solomon West Ridgeway Bandaranaike.
The reason why names are changing today is another story altogether.
Why don’t you read the Tombos, as I suggested?
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / March 9, 2021
Champa do not display your ignorance. Mixing of blood will cause haemolysis and death. It should be genetically mixed. Two recent studies conducted by Sinhala experts from Colombo medical faculty and Kelaniya Science faculty have come to the conclusion that Sinhalese are a mixed race with core South Indian genes and input from Bengali and Veddha. While Tamils who have similar mixture are accepting the results of the scientific studies, Sinhala blockheads like you are rejecting, insisting on their pure ancestry. If not mixed what is it, now that origin from Aryan, Bengali and Veddha myths have been rubbished.
/
Champa / March 9, 2021
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
Who are Aryans? What evidence do you have to prove that such an ethnicity existed in India? The Sinhalese people have no connection with so-called Aryans or Bengalis. And, Veddas are also local people belonging to a different “variga” of Yakkha.
As I said, 99% of Sinhalese have pure Sinhalese blood while 1% may have mixed blood.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 11, 2021
Champa,
.
As always I admire your honesty and independence.
.
However, I hope you realise that what you say is somewhat different from what other racists are saying.
.
Does that mean that I consider you also a racist? Yes. But one from whom I learn much.
/
SJ / March 9, 2021
GS
May we have the references for the publications so that we can check on the credibility of the research.
/
SJ / March 9, 2021
“For your information, 99% Sinhalese are NOT mixed blood.”
Champa, do the Salagama, Karawe and Durawe plus a whole lot of communities of craftsmen put together make less than 1% of the Sinhala population?
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Probably Champa has a Portuguese or Kerala name to hide?
/
Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
old codger
Why do you think the Sinhalese are denying their own written history and trying to create new his/her stories? Because they feel greatly embarrassed and deeply humiliated (their self-esteem/ego falls below zero) when they learn that the Sinhalese are the descendants of Vijaya (their forefather who creator of Sinhala race), the banished profligate son of an incestuous marriage between (Sihabahu) and sister (Sihasivali) whose mother was so exceedingly lustful that only a real lion could satisfy her sexually. Moreover, Sihabahu killed his leonine father, the king of the brutes. Thus, according to the Mahavamsa, brutishness, bestiality, incest, patricide and profligacy, were the stuff of Sinhala genesis.
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
LC,
Better education has made “brutishness, bestiality, incest, patricide and profligacy” politically incorrect, even to the Sinhalayo, so there are many who try to distance themselves from the MV narrative. There are nut-cases who even claim that the Buddha was born here.
/
Champa / March 9, 2021
SJ
Castes like Salagama, Karawa and Durawa originated only in the 16th Century. They were originally Sinhalese Buddhists who were converted to Catholicism.
During the Portuguese era, coastal South Indians such as, Kariyars, Kukkuvars, Mukkuvars, Timilars, etc., also migrated from the Malabar coast, who were also converted to Catholicism.
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Champa,
The Karawes themselves claim they migrated as warriors for Sinhala Kings. Are you saying that these castes are less than 1% of the population?
/
Champa / March 10, 2021
old codger
If they say so, that means they are mistaken.
It is Karaiyar mercenaries who were hired by Sinhalese kings, not Karawas.
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
Champa,
Let’s ignore the fact that you claim to know more about the Karawes than they do. Where are these “Karaiyars” now? Please give us typical Karaiyar names please?
/
Lanka Canuck / March 9, 2021
It is hilarious that these Sinhala racists either do not know or pretend not to know that they are either converts or hybrids, a highly mixed race. The Sinhalese slept with everything that landed on the Sri Lankan shore and created this highly mixed race called Sinhala. Now they are acting like pure Sinhalese, blood relatives of Dutugemunu.
The ethnic Tamils have found themselves in Sri Lanka in a political culture that promoted Buddhism from the beginning of written history. As a consequence, Tamils have assimilated into the Buddhist tribes at varying rates. During the last 2500 years, more Tamils and South Indians mixed with those who call themselves Sinhalese today than anybody else. If a comprehensive genetic study is conducted on the Sinhalese population, it will reveal this fact.
The Sinhalese, both up country 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 how many of their people (relatives, close associates and others), would have come from there and mixed with the up-country Sinhalese. It is said; 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.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
LC
Not just nationalities and races, even castes have their histories which comprise fantastic flights of imagination.
Why pick on one group?
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
LC
“The Sinhalese slept with everything that landed on the Sri Lankan shore and created this highly mixed race called Sinhala.”
You can say much the same of Tamils.
*
It is a mixed race called Americans that is ruling the world for a good part of a century.
It is an utterly hybridized language that is No. 1 world language for over two centuries.
*
What has any kind of claimed ‘purity’ given Tamil?
/
Sinhala_Man / March 11, 2021
I respect you well enough, but, like so many others, I don’t agree.
.
What about Maldivians?
/
leelagemalli / March 8, 2021
Dear Prof.
Thank you for your great analysis.
:
Yes, we are all mixed. That even PINGUTHTHARA community knows well. Srilanken Pinguththaraya community is held as the protection wall of srilanken nation. However, most among Sangayas are just abcdcians in truths about the country.
:
Not just the colonial history information, but DNA researchers have found that srilanken tamils and their genetics are much close to that of sinhalese than to the tamils living in TN, India.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_studies_on_Sinhalese
:
For some reasons, srilanken press directly handled by Rajapakshes# loot dont seem to outreach the masses through factual information about the srilankens. Electronic and printed media institutions are made slaves to Rajakshes for some various reasons.
.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 8, 2021
Thank you, Professor Hoole,
.
May I provide the link to that 33-minute Youtube programme since you appear to have overlooked it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vgv844p3eE
.
I saw it three days ago, but hadn’t realised that Tuan Zameer Careem is the same as the Afghan who authored this article last year.
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/written-out-of-history-the-forgotten-afghans-of-sri-lanka/
.
I’ve made the last comment there. From the Youtube, I had imagined him to be in the History Department, but it looks as though he’s in the Medical Faculty. Yes, indeed, he’s highly articulate.
.
However, what comes through most strongly is that he’s a decent human being who enjoys life and wishes the lives of others also to be happy.
.
Let that be all I say for now.
/
Simon / March 9, 2021
Sinhala_Man: Please read my comment below. You have heard our Sinhala saying: “Wanse Kabal Ganawa”. (Stire the Gene Post). Let that be history. Please don’t contribute to these histories. I know why this has come up. Recently, there is a “Social Media” circulation going on as regards “Mahinda Rajapakse’s ancestry. It has published “Rajapakse’s origins to “Catholics of Malaccans” and goes on to even give a picture and described the features as “gob looking Mongoliod Features”. The same pictures are in this article. This has been taken from an article in “Sri Lanka Guardian” dated “Sept. 16, 2013”. I totally condemn this type of vilifications and no Human Being must be subjected to this type of “INDIGNITY” and “RIDICULE”. What is in your mind?
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Simon,
“I totally condemn this type of vilifications “
Why? Are Malaccans not human? Is it illegal to be a Catholic? You yourself are using a Christian name. What is really insulting is to be told that one of your female ancestors was raped by a lion.
“What is in your mind?”
You should stand in front of a mirror and ask that.
/
Simon / March 9, 2021
old codger: You did not get what I intended to convey. Simply, it is: Don’t drag these types of ancestral pedigree into matters that concern human beings. It is my personal view that any type of “Identity” given based on “Genes” (pedigree), “Color”, “Creed”, “Caste”, “Ethnicity”, “Religion” etc. is “Degrading”. I consider every “Human Being” is a “Dignified” entity. The only “Differentiation”, I consider is dependant upon his/her actions as found in the Teachings of Gauthama Buddha. Perhaps, you would have heard this: “Kammana Vasalo Hothi, Kammana Hothi Brahmano” ( Dignity and Degradation are decided by ACTIONS of Individual) Thank you for addressing me.
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Simon,
My point is that there is no indignity or insult in being accused of being Malaccan or Christian descent. Unless the person being addressed derives some advantage from falsely assuming a different identity.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
OC
There is mischief when someone goes out of the way to pin an alien identity on someone.
Such personalised nastiness is not something to be encouraged.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 9, 2021
PART TWO
.
Simon, I have taken into account what you have said. Have googled and found many links.
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/sri-lanka-the-brothers-grip/
.
I have pasted here part of the Third Comment on that article:
.
Anpu / August 30, 2013
.
The comments are a bit long; so let me stop here, so as to give the rest of it in the next part.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 9, 2021
Dear old codger,
.
Simon is not a racist; he hardly ever crosses me. If at all he is sympathetic to most things that I say. Given the number of pseudonyms in use and having little idea as to who makes comments, I don’t want to be unfair.
.
By now, I know oc well, and you remain a person whom I’m likely to always consider a benefactor of mankind.
.
Simon, I will not allow myself to be a cat’s paw to get anybody’s chestnuts out of the fire. I will not unfairly vilify the Rajapaksas. I know who they are, and MR at least knows who I am, which may surprise you, but if you want me to substantiate, I will.
.
However, I fear that this has gone too far, and I must change my strategy. I will answer all the currently outstanding questions from you here. You have complained that there is a lot of material maligning the Rajapaksas about their supposed Malaccan roots. Yes, there is, and I agree that it is far fetched. But it’s not the past I’m concerned about. They can govern us if they are the fittest to do so!
/
Sinhala_Man / March 9, 2021
PART THREE
.
Please forgive the jumbling!
.
“Rajapaksa’s are born Catholics of Malaccan origin (this explains the strong ‘gob looking’ Mongoloid phenotype features in all of them). His father’s name was Don Alwin Rajapaksa. His son (the President now) is Percy Mahinda. They ‘converted’ their Religious belief’s to gain Political mileage.
.
This was no different to SWRD and JRJ, who were all from strict Christian backgrounds and converted to exhibit Sinhala Buddhist Extremism to gain Public Popularity. (Goes to show the basic insincerity and the manipulative methods used to gain power!)
.
The Rajapaksa family is now one of Sri Lanka’s most powerful families in the land. Led by President Mahinda Percy Rajapaksa, all his ‘kith and kin’ now occupy senior positions in the Sri Lankan state. The family controls around 70% of the national budget.
.
The Rajapaksa family, originally from Seeduwa/ Negombo later migrated with their Malaccan Catholic ancestors to the villages of Sippukulam and Giruwapattuwa in the southern district of Hampanthottam (now known as Hambantota). Their Malaccan relatives were banished by Islamic Rulers of Malacca for helping the Portuguese conquest of Malacca.”
Lasantha Pethiyagoda / August 30, 2013
https://panchtatwa.com/articles/890e0b-rajapaksa-family-tree
.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 9, 2021
PART FOUR
.
So there. I have spent many hours checking, because you wanted me to do so. Having done all that, let me now tell you that these Rajapaksas are not strangers to my own ancestors. Who do you think represented those areas in Southern Sri Lanka before Mahinda Rajapaksa’s uncle, Don Matthew? Please look at what Wikipedia says here.
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._S._de_S._Wikramanayake
.
That man, Vincent Stuart W. was my maternal grandmother’s elder brother. My grandmother was Charlotte Agnes Wikramanayake.
.
https://www.geni.com/people/Charlotte-Wikramanayake/6000000006841233542
.
I know that the genealogy has not been completed to include me, but I hope that you realise that I have taken you seriously. I also hope that you keep in mind when I revealed all this, and why. I certainly don’t want to create my own “Heritage History”. Now, may we get on to something a little more edifying?
.
Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 48 3111 444V) aka “Sinhala_Man”
/
Simon / March 10, 2021
Sinhala_Man: Thank you. I explained my opinion to the “old codger” in a few words from the Teachings of Gauthama Buddha – “Kammana Wasalo Hothi, Kammana Hoti Brahmano”. You understand it better than me. Thanks again.
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
SM,
I fear you give me too much credit. It’s making me blush.
/
soma / March 8, 2021
“Tamils must be considered a distinct ethnic entity”
– Rajavarothiam Sampanthan (his words, not mine)
–
Soma
/
soma / March 8, 2021
Those “thumb down”s are to disapprove Hoole or Sampanthan?
I am confused.
–
Soma
/
Native Vedda / March 8, 2021
soman
–
“I am confused”
–
I agree.
I also whole-heartedly accept you are utterly confused.
See it is very easy to agree with you on certain matters, and facts.
/
SJ / March 9, 2021
Owners of the thumbs too are mostly confused.
/
Lasantha Pethiyagoda / March 8, 2021
Political exigencies rule Sri Lanka. Facts are not important, when fairytales can make humbugs prosper. This is what drives the parasites who have ruled the country for decades on end, tricking the people, stirring their emotions to a hollow patriotism that’s limited to rhetoric and giving them a warm feeling while ripping them off at every turn. So, the mongrels strut about as if they were born by divine design while eating humble pie in private..
/
Tuan M. Zameer Careem / March 8, 2021
Dear Prof. Rajneevan Hoole, thanks for watching the interview and for the insightful writeup. which I appreciate wholeheartedly. As you have rightly pointed out, I am of mixed heritage, and I have no qualms about it. I am through and through Sri Lankan, and for the past 28 years of my life, I have had no problem identifying myself as “a Sri Lankan of mixed heritage”. I wish to bring to your kind attention that, due to time constraints, we cannot air the entire interview and mention references to each and every sentence and provide lengthy explanations. The Dutch used the term “Oostrelingen” meaning Easterners to identify those who hailed from the Dutch east Indies (present-day Indonesia), and they also employed the term “desailankan” to identify the Royals and political exiles who were banished to Ceylon. I did mention these terms in the interview, and concerning the “Austronesian people”, I was speaking on the historic ties between Indonesian thalassocracies and ancient Sri lanka, the advent and settlement of sea gypsies (Orang Bajao and Orang Laut) in Sri Lanka, and on how the Malay seafarers plied the Indian ocean and travelled as far as Madagascar. The history of Malays as pointed out in the interview can be traced to remote antiquity, and I had to chose the most important points, hence the story of Chandrabhanu Sri Dharmaraja.
/
Sinhala_Man / March 9, 2021
Dear Tuan,
.
Before anything else, could you please let us know how you are to be addressed personally – if some of us may take that liberty? If you’re only 28 still, and committedly Sri Lankan, there’s much that you can do for this country which is now yours and mine.
.
This is essentially your article, generously expanded on by Jeevan Hoole. I hadn’t realised that he, as Jaffna Man was the first to respond to your Afghan article, referred to by me above. After writing it, I went out “last morning” collect something from my Sinhalese tailor at Kahagolla, Diyatalawa, which really is a totally Muslim (Moor) village. Discussed COVID burials with the usually decent tailor.
.
Impossible. You know the usual arguments adduced. Apart from them, he’s furious that so many bodies had been stored so long in mortuaries (so am I, but for quite different reasons) and he says that the water-table in Sri Lanka is unique.
.
There is much to be done. I’m sorry to have got back to this horrible subject, but the hatred of Muslims has to be recognised before it is countered, may be in another article.
/
soma / March 8, 2021
Of all primates it has been found that Chimpanzees have the closest DNA to Homosapiens (about 99%)
No study has yet been conducted to find out whether it is Tamils (people who call themselves Tamils) or Sinhalese (people who call themselves Sinhalese) who are still closer to the Chimpanzees.
Who wins that honour is anybody’s guess.
–
Soma
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / March 9, 2021
Soma, it is not that easy. Sinhalese say Tamils are closer as they are physically like Chimps, while Tamils say Sinhalese are closer as they are mentally like Chimps.
/
SJ / March 9, 2021
How will you fit in? Both ways?
*
Stop this childish nonsense will you.
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / March 9, 2021
Idiotic Sivasegaram, you do not have the level of intelligence to understand witty statements.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
The BG&B necktie seems back to normal!
*
GS, you witty?
Sorry, you are too much of a twit for that.
(Will you consider this as a witty remark?)
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 10, 2021
He is just spiteful and nasty but thinks he is witty
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
Thank you SSS.
It was GS that claimed to be witty, not I.
He tells spiteful lies and calls people nasty names.
Thank you again for that rare precise observation.
/
Native Vedda / March 9, 2021
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
–
According some Sinhala/Buddhists nationalists the first ape spoke Sinhala and practiced Sinhala/Buddhism.
–
On the other hand according some Tamil/Saivaite nationalists the first ape spoke Tamil and practiced Tamil/Saivam.
–
Please listen to Interview with Hindu Makkal Katchi Dharma Electiions 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFNm8kl42Do
/
GATAM / March 8, 2021
All humans are the same. Some ethnic groups (e.g. Sinhalese) are rulers while some ethnic groups (e.g. Tamils) are the ruled.
/
Pandi Kutti / March 8, 2021
Jadam throughout history Chingkallams have always been ruled by Thamizh . Most of your so called Chingkalla kings and aristocracy are of South Indian origin. You are only ruling , torturing the Thamizh and ruining the island now , thanks to the British and not on your own merit. Oh by the way all your current bunch of so called Chingkalla rulers are again largely recent South Indian imports, who have now taken a Chingkalla Poutha or Catholic/Protestant identity and beating and dancing to the anti Thamizh Bera. Even your so called fake Arab origin Thullkans are largely descended from South Indian low caste Thamizh Hindu converts. The so called Arab, Camel, or Hynia origin or heritage in them is not worth talking about, just a few hundred families, have itsy bitsy Arab, Camel or whatever. Full blooded Arabs are not that tall or not that light skinned or or have light eyes. They are of average height, and have light brown, coffee, tanned or brown skin. They have black straight or wavy hair, thanks to sub Saharan African heritage and they all have black or brown eyes. All this light skin, light eyes and being tall is because of intermarriage with other people, which lots of Arabs are now doing or thanks to the Crusaders and other invaders.
/
Eagle Eye / March 9, 2021
Pandi Kutti,
“…throughout history Chingkallams have always been ruled by Thamizh”
—-
Really, which history book say so.
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Eagle,
“Really, which history book say so”
Read the Mahavamsa, if you know how to read. If they weren’t Tamils, they were South Indians.
/
Lanka Canuck / March 8, 2021
GATAM,
What you said must be after 1948. Before the arrival of the European colonials, it was exactly the opposite of what you said. The erudite scholar from Puttalam, Mudaliyar Simon Cassie Chitty (1807- 1860) has written numerous articles at the Royal Asiatic Society of Ceylon. In one article, he wrote of the origins of the Sinhalese and, quoting from Lord Valentia’s Travels and from an article of Joinville which was published by the Royal Asiatic Society of Ceylon, he penned, “The Singhalese, though forming a distinct nation, and differing in their religion, language and manners from Tamuls, had no kings of their own race, but of the latter, and according to Lord Valentia and Joinville ‘a Singhalese cannot be a king of Ceylon; that is every person born of a Singhalese father or mother is excluded from the throne’.”
/
Lanka Canuck / March 8, 2021
The Upcountry Sinhala Buddhist Maha Sangha (Asgiri and Malwathu) had to overlook every Sinhalaya in the country and imported a Dravida blooded South Indian prince from the Nayakar (or Vaduga) dynasty that was ruling Tamil Nadu with Madurai as the capital from 1529 until 1736 to sit on the Kandyan throne because the Sinhalayas were heavily mixed with everything/everyone that landed in the Sri Lankan shores and lost their ritual purity, unfit for the throne. That is why the last four kings of the Kandyan Kingdom were from the Nayakar (Vaduga) dynasty brought to Sri Lanka from Madurai (Tamil Nadu).
/
Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
@Lanka Canuck
That’s not the case. The last king had no sons. That’s why they make a Nayakkar a king. And, most Nanayakkara were Buddhists. Except the first one.
/
Lanka Canuck / March 9, 2021
Yasiru11
Please don’t confuse Buddhist with Sinhala. I’m not talking about Buddhist. The last 4 kings of kandy were from Madurai (Tamil Nadu). Why not a Sinhalaya from Kotte or any other place if they could not find a Sinhalaya in Kandy? Why go all the way to Madurai (Tamil Nadu)?
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 9, 2021
Even the so called Kotte kingdom was founded by the Alagakonar from Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. The word Kotte ( fort or fortress ) is from the Tamil work Kottai meaning fort or fortress. These people, even the so called western educated ones, do not know their own history and origin but are brainwashed from their childhood by their parents, teachers , priests and other peers to believe in all this Mahavamsa myths, Aryan/Arab origin rubbish. Don’t they have a mirror to look at themselves. This proves how much the brainwashed mind believes. No wonder they are so extremist and racist
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Yasiru,
“The last king had no sons. That’s why they make a Nayakkar a king.”
The king’s wife was a Nayakkar princess. Why do you think that was?
/
Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
No. It wasn’t. It was build by Nishshanka Alakeshwara. A minister from the Gampola Era. And it was built to fight the invaders of the Jaffana Kingdom.
/
Jeeves / March 10, 2021
Can you please break down and explain the name ‘Alakeshwara?
anyone who knows Tamil can.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
The Alakeshwara family belonged to a Chera (Kerala) dynasty that grew very close to the royalty of the 14th century Gampola kingdom.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 11, 2021
the Alageswara clan originated from Tamil Nadu not Kerala and for your information Kerala was Tamil until very recently. The so called modern Malayalam language only became the language of the majority in Kerala, around the 1840s , thanks to the British Who forcibly imposed it on them, at the behest of their Namboothiri and Nair allies. Prior to this the majority in Kerala spoke their dialect of Tamil, written in the Tamil script and this local Tamil dialect was only called Malyalama, Malabar Tamil, or Malayalam. The British cunningly used this name when they imposed the highly Sankritised language of the Namboothiris , that was spoken by less than 15% of the population then, when they imposed it on the rest of Kerala, to please their supporters and allies
/
Jeeves / March 11, 2021
Sorry. I meant the meaning of the name.
Ishwara(n) means the boss, the lord. by extension specifically the lord Siva(n) . any names ending in Ishwara(n) means the lord of the preceding aspect. ‘Alahu’ ( அழகு) is a pure Tamil word meaning beauty. Alahu+Iswara (அழகு+ஈஸ்வரா) = Alakeswara(n)meaning the lord of beauty or Handsome.
other examples of this type Yoga+iswara= Yogeswara( a name of Siva and a common name among Tamils though ‘Yoga’ is of Sanskrit origin.
another Tamil suffix for names is ‘Kone’ கோன். meaning King. Siva as the ruler of the southern Indian subcontinent , which geographically includes Srilankan, is called Thennavarkone. Thennavar=Southerner.
Amararkone= Indra= Lord of the gods(Amara).
Perumal meaning perum+all= பெரும்+ஆள் meaning Great being ( not Giant being).
Similar Sinhala names are Thennakoon, Amarakoon, any Peruma then Pulle (pillai பிள்ளை).
there are more examples like this that shows the extent to which what we like to call pure races are not such.
/
Yasiru11 / March 13, 2021
It means lord of the light. අලක(Ala)- light and ඊශ්වර (Ishwara)- lord. And, lot of people thinks that reading Wikipedia makes them a expert on the subject. It’s filled LTTE sympathizers who try to twist history into their advantage. Most of those claims aren’t even cited properly. And Wikipedia isn’t a reliable source of knowledge. So, do some real research before arguing here.
/
Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
Because the Nayakkar tradition is that, If the king has no sons the throne goes to brother of the Main Wife of the king. And Nayakkars didn’t suddenly come to SL. Because the previous two kings married Naykkar women, they were already present in Kandy court. Can you at least read a History book before arguing?.
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
Yasiru,
“Because the previous two kings married Naykkar women, they were already present in Kandy court. “
So the kings were already mostly Nayakkar. You don’t need a history book to figure that out, right?
/
Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Yasiru11
Why Nayakkar tradition? Why not Sinhala tradition? How did Asgiri and Malwathu allow Madurai Naykkar tradition instead of Kandyan Sinhala tradition?
Previous Sinhala kings married Naykkar women. Why not Sinhala women?
Why go all the way to Madurai (Tamil Nadu) to marry Naykkar women?
/
Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
As I said they were grown up in a Buddhist background. So, the Sanga had no problem with giving the throne to a Buddhist.
/
old codger / March 10, 2021
Yasiru,
What are we arguing about? Didn’t you say we are all mixed?
/
Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
Because they wanted to establish connections with neighboring kingdoms. As I said before, read something before asking every question you have from me.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Yasiru11
No end of your comedy…
You mean in today’s context, pick a Buddhist guy from any neighboring country, bring him here and appoint him as the President to establish connections with neighboring countries and the Maha Sanga will keep quite because the guy is a Buddhist. What a joke!
/
Yasiru11 / March 13, 2021
No, do you have something wrong with your head. Nayakkars were really close with the royal family. And people didn’t like the Nayakkars that much. That’s why they had to convert to Buddhism. And that’s the very same reason that people captured the Sri Vikrama Rajasinghe after he fled and almost killed him, ripped of his main wife (Rangamma)’s ear off. Before the British stopped the crowd.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
But Vadugas are Telugu.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
The Nayakkars are either Telugu are Kannada. (The Vijayanagara kingdom spread across both territories.)
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
The Telugu Nayakar (or Vaduga) dynasty was ruling Tamil Nadu with Madurai as the capital from 1529 until 1736. They were brought from Madurai to Kandy to sit on the throne.
/
Eagle Eye / March 9, 2021
GATAM,
But few Malabar Vellala Tamil politicians and Muslim politicians who are the descendants of people who came from Hindusthan and sought asylum in Sinhale (now Sri Lanka) thought they can rule and they can dictate to the host nation what to do.
Sinhale the Land of Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo will be ruled by Sinhalayo who are the majority, Sinhale will be a Unitary State with one law and Sinhale will remain as a Sinhala Buddhist country.
‘Para’ people who are not willing to accept that and live with native Sinhalayo as peaceful citizens are free to leave. Sinhalayo did not invite them to Sinhale.
—
“Some ethnic groups (e.g. Sinhalese) are rulers while some ethnic groups (e.g. Tamils) are the ruled.”
/
Eagle Eye / March 8, 2021
Sinhale has been the hub of trade between East and West for thousands of years. All kinds of people came to Sinhale as traders; Chinese, Indonesians, Dravidians, Bengalis, Portuguese, Dutch, British, Arabs. Some came as invaders but the main objective was trade. It is mostly men who came. So mixing is inevitable. That is the reason why Sinhalayo (people who speak Sinhala language) who evolved in this country called Sinhale over a period of thousands of years have become a great race.
/
Lanka Canuck / March 8, 2021
The Genesis of Sinhala itself is fully mixed. As believed and chronicled by the Mahavamsa, Vijaya and his 700 followers who were forced to leave their own country (Bhārata/Hindustan) came to the island looking for shelter. They were credited for creating/forming the Sinhala race in the island and establishing a separate Tambapanni kingdom at Anuradapura. Prior to the advent of the Sinhala race, there were other human beings (non-Sinhalese) inhabiting the island Eelam when Vijaya set foot in the country, known as Naga (Tamils) and Yakka (Veddas). The Sinhala race that Vijaya and his 700 men formed produced their progeny only after importing females from one of the South Indian Tamil kingdoms (not Sinhala women). There is no record that Vijaya and his men brought females from where they came or took women from the ila people of Eelam (except Kuweni from the Yakkas for a short period). Besides the then inhabitants (before Vijaya) not being Sinhala, neither were they, nor Vijaya and his men, Buddhist as Buddhism had not arrived in Sri Lanka then. Today, it is absolutely hilarious that the progeny of Vijay and his men (Sinhalese) wants to call this island Sinhala-Buddhist just because they became a majority by enlarging their population after mixing with everything that landed on the shores of the island.
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Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
@Lanka Canuck
But Buddhism WAS introduced to SL. there is no use in talking about what would have happened if it didn’t happen. and Vijaya didn’t import South Indian women. They were gifts from the Pandya king to establish peace.
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Lanka Canuck / March 9, 2021
Yasiru11
What is this gibberish? May be you did not understand my comment. Imported gifts you mean, what does it matter?
/
Lanka Canuck / March 9, 2021
Blabbering nonsense and repeating the same nonsense over and over is not going to make it a fact/truth. Which history book talks of ‘Sinhale’? There is no evidence what so ever to prove ‘Sinhale’.
Neither the Northern Kingdom of Anuradapura nor the Eastern Kingdom of Polanaruwa (what the Cholas established) or the Southern kingdom of Rohana were ever known as ‘Sinhale’ or ‘Sinhala kingdom’. The history books Mahawamsa, Deepawamsa, Chulawamsa were all written in Pali (Sinhala language did not exist) that a Sinhalese can neither read nor understand. Mahavamsa says Mahinda Thero preached Buddhism to the people of the island in Dipa basa (NOT ‘Sinhala basa’). None of these history books say anything about a Sinhala country (Sinhale) or a Sinhala kingdom or a Sinhala king or a Sinhala civilization or a Sinhala nation.
The early foreign traders (before the 12th century) from Arabia, Persia, Rome, China and so on called Sri Lanka by many different names but NOT ‘Sinhale’ and NONE of them mentioned about the existence of a Sinhala Kingdom/King or a Sinhala nation.
Separate Tamil and Sinhala kingdoms came into existence only after the 12th century AD (after the Cholas left), before that there were neither Sinhala kingdoms nor Tamil kingdoms in Sri Lanka but of course Buddhism (including the worship of Hindu Gods) was the main religion for both Sinhalese and Tamils.
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Yasiru11 / March 13, 2021
There is actually, Tamils books called Sri Lanka Cingalakam. And Bhagawath purana called Sri Lanka “Sinhale” . And There is a lot of Indian stone inscriptions calling SL Sinhale or Sinhala
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Jeeves / March 10, 2021
what happened to the Romans and the Greeks as they did visit the ‘ less important’ ports and cities in Tamil nadu? like Poompukar, Musiri?
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sl_citizen / March 8, 2021
A good take away from the article is the right to religious freedom. The freedom to choose their own religion if they so wish to change the religion they grew up with. I know many sinhalese who have converted to Islam and Christianity and are living their lives happily. Why do fundementalist vigilante monk squads have to make such a big deal about this ?
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Ajith / March 8, 2021
It is true you can make Sri Lanka the great but who and what are the barriers for that and how to overcome that barriers?
Is it Politicians?
Is it Democracy?
Is it Religious leadership?
Is it Religion?
If you ask the general questions to each individual you will find the correct answer, but if you ask specific questions you will get a different answer from the same individual.
If you ask bribe is good or bad? The answer will always “bad”
If you ask a person Your son paid a bribe to a politician for a vote is it right? Then you may not get an answer or he may deny bribing or he may say there is no other way he can get a job.
It is the difficulty. We are in a situation like this individual.
/
Eagle Eye / March 9, 2021
Ajith,
“It is true you can make Sri Lanka the great but who and what are the barriers for that and how to overcome that barriers?”
—
Barriers:
1. Sinhala dumb politicians and Government servants who have become puppets of Puppet Masters who live in foreign countries,
2. Racist separatist Malabar Vellala Tamil politicians who want to keep the Tamil and Sinhala communities apart for their political survival and work as agents of those who want to balkanize this country, and
3. Wahhabi Muslim extremists and politicians who support and promote them for their political survival.
—-
Solution:
Get rid of them.
/
Ashan / March 8, 2021
There are no “pure” Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils, or Christians, in Sri Lanka.
We are all descendants of those who passed this way, intermarried throughout the centuries, and we are the products of Eastern and Western travellers, who stopped here on their way to someplace. We should get the Sinhala Buddhist supremacists, who act like they are pure and superior to all others, take their DNA tests to show just how mixed up they are, how much Tamil blood they have, and come down to earth.
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Eagle Eye / March 8, 2021
Ashan,
There are hardly any pure races in this world.
There is no point in checking DNA because the identity of a Sinhala person does not depend on DNA. What matters is the language. Very often names of countries are related to the language spoken by native people in a country. For example England because of English language, Germany because of German language. Similarly Sinhale (now Sri Lanka) because this is the country where people who speak Sinhala language lived from time immemorial. There is no other place/country where Sinhala language is spoken. The people who speak Sinhala language evolved in this country. So they are the Native people and they own the country.
Tamil speaking Hindus and Muslims came from Hindusthan and settled down in Sinhale because Sinhalayo allowed them to settle down in their country when they sought asylum. As such, Tamils (Hindu or Islam) cannot claim any part of Sinhale as theirs.
—-
“There are no “pure” Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils, or Christians, in Sri Lanka.”
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Eagle,
“There are hardly any pure races in this world.”
Did you forget your pills?
/
Pandi Kutti / March 8, 2021
These ancient Hindu and Buddhist ruins in SE Asia shows a lot of typical South Indian Dravidian style and heritage due the Chola rule and influence in these areas. It may have been built by the locals and local artisans but the style and influence is definitely Thamizh Chola and South Indian. It is laughable when someone is stating that the ancient 200BC Thamizh Buddhist ruins in Kantharodai in Jaffna is influenced by Malays, when it is the opposite. The word The origin of the word ‘Melayu’ is subject to various theories. It may derive from the Sanskrit “Himalaya”, referring to areas high in the mountains, or “Malaiyur-pura”, meaning mountain town. Another similar theory claims its origin lies in the Tamil words “malai” and “ur” meaning “mountain” and “city, land”.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Malay_words_of_Tamil_origin
It was the Indians and Indian culture that influenced SE Asia and not the other way around
/
Eagle Eye / March 8, 2021
Pandi Kutti,
What is Indian culture?
Do you know who created India and when India came into existence?
—-
“It was the Indians and Indian culture that influenced SE Asia and not the other way around”
/
old codger / March 9, 2021
Eagle,
“What is Indian culture?
Do you know who created India and when India came into existence?”
Are you really that dumb? Oh, sorry, I forgot you’re an illiterate Western citizen.
—-
/
Lanka Canuck / March 9, 2021
Most of the Muslims in Sri Lanka do not believe that there are Christian Arabs in the Middle East. Similarly, most of the Sinhalese cannot even think/believe that there were Tamil Buddhists in the early period. If there are Buddhist remains in any part of Sri Lanka, by default it is labelled as Sinhala. They assume that the ancient Buddhists and the Buddhists Kings of Sri Lanka were only Sinhalese. Manimekalai very clearly talks about the Tamil Buddhists in the island during the early period. Even though today there are no Tamil Buddhists in Sri Lanka, the majority of the early Tamils of Sri Lanka (before the longest Chola rule) were Buddhists. The ancient Buddhist remains in the North and East of Sri Lanka are the remnants left by the Tamil Buddhists and not anybody else. They are part of the heritage of Sri Lankan Tamils. Only the Buddhist temples, statues and structures build in the recent past and present in the North and East (with government support) can be considered as Sinhala-Buddhist.
/
Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
No, actually Buddhist architecture in Sri Lanka is influenced by SE Asia. because the Sinhalese Buddhists didn’t copy Dravidian Architecture in Anuradhapura Era. Because the Dravidians didn’t have any Buddhist architecture. But as Anuradhapura fell, SE Asia was Hindu-Buddhist AND a trading hub. because of that Later SL was influenced by SEA architecture.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 9, 2021
Stop posting rubbish thinking that a lie often posted becomes the truth, The Buddhist architecture in SE Asia and here is Indian.
https://thediplomat.com/2018/10/how-india-influenced-southeast-asian-civilization/
Look at all the scripts Burmese, Thami. Lao. Kampuchean all originated from Tamil Brahmi . Due to the Chola rule and influence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil-Brahmi
/
Jaffna Man / March 8, 2021
Thank you Dr. Careem. If you ever come to Java Pattinam, you will always have a home to visit or stay-over in
Jeevan Hòole.
PS. It was Sinhala Man who drew my attention to your programme
/
Simon / March 8, 2021
Among our local folks, there is a fine way to explain this conversation on the “Origins” of humans and diversification based on “Genes”. It says: “Wanse Kabal Gaanawa”. (stir the pot of genes) This is typical of Sri Lankans, who still maintain this as the “BASE” or the “BENCHMARK” for “Ascendency” to the “Throne” and in “Descending” order to be the “Lowest” of the “Lower”, who are required to be the “Athavasi” (Slave). It is surprising, even those occupying the “Seats of Learning” are actively engaged in nurturing that “Wanse Kabal Ganawa” (stir the pot of genes) business.
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SJ / March 9, 2021
“My book Heritage Histories shows, definitively I believe, that our histories are all hocus pocus with a view to showing how great a people we are.”
*
What a claim!
/
soma / March 9, 2021
This man Hoole talks whatever that comes to his mouth. The other day he was talking about starving the people in order to punish the politicians. Most of the time he talks about self rule for those who possess Tamil genes. Regarding religion he says those whose ancestors were converted by hook or crook should justify converting by hook or crook to be consistent. According to that argument Islamic expansion into India converting large masses of Hindus should be justified. For him ‘Good News’ stops at Jesus Christ whereas for us it stops at Mohamed (PBUH) who was the LAST prophet sent down to replace the Good News with Holy Quarn. That my dear Professor is the “Latest News”. Go for it.
–
Soma
/
Sarath / March 9, 2021
I am surprised no one mentions the lion and the act of bestiality.
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / March 9, 2021
Soma, Sikhs say Guru Nanak is the last prophet.
/
Lester / March 9, 2021
“Likewise, those Sinhalese claiming to be Govi Buddhist Sinhalese, struggle with blue eyes, very white skin and concocted histories about being descended from pure Sinhalese Vijaya stock (Brahmin vaagay, they proudly say)”
This is false, I have never seen a Sinhalese compare themselves to Brahmins. I don’t think the majority of Sinhalese are even aware of this varna (caste) system that exists in India. Those “Govi” Buddhists and Karava Buddhists, and all other “Buddhists” you mention are mostly marrying “suddas” (whites) when they go overseas. It is the Indians and Hindus who are obsessed with this caste rubbish and inter-marry among themselves, although some Sinhala Buddhists check the horoscope. Now you say “concoted” history. The origins of Vijaya are well-known. He was from Sinhapura/Kalinga Kingdom in Northern India. The existence of this kingdom is not disputed by historians. It is there in Mahavamsa and various Indian epics. So, Sinhalese are never in doubt as to their history. Thousands of monuments are there to confirm. “Aryan” does not mean skin-color in Sanskrit, it means noble. These days, “Aryan” refers more to a language group, to which Sinhala belongs. There are some Dravidians, including Tamils, who have an inferiority complex. They do not want to accept that Sanskrit is older than Tamil, or that Sinhalese had their own civilization.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 9, 2021
The word Govi meaning farmer or literally reaper is of Tamil/Dravidian origin. A farmer reaps, which is Koiyuthal ( reaping in old Tamil) now this old Tamil word is more commonly used in Malayalam, Kannada, Tulu, Maldivian and other languages. In high Tamil to pluck a flower you say Malar( flower in Tamil Mala now in Sinhalese) Koiyuthal . Tamil Koi, Koikka , Koiuthal became Prakritized to Govi/Goviya( the farmer or the one who reaps) in Sinhalese A little bit of knowledge by brainwashed racist is dangerous
/
SJ / March 9, 2021
Please give a Tamil word that refers to agriculture and relates to Govi.
Agriculture as known in old Tamil society was cultivation.
Nobody plucks rice grains from paddy plants.
Word for farming and agriculture are based on the term krshi in Hindi; similar in Bengali, Kannada etc.
Telugu uses vivasaayam like Tamil.
Kamam is common in Jaffna. But the desuired ‘pure’ Tamil word is veLaaNmai.
*
You are right about “A little bit of knowledge by brainwashed racist is dangerous”
*
Wikipedia’s explanation makes sense:
“The appellation Govi is probably derived from the Prakritic Gahapati which literally means ‘householder’.”
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 10, 2021
I do not have to prove anything to you . It has already been proven . I knew that you as usual will back with your stupid challenges, just to make you feel important and endear you to the Sinhalese racists. Goyama (singular), Goyam (plural): Grain in general, harvest (Sinhala); Goyam-kappanawaa: To reap (Sinhala); Goyi-tæna: Cultivation (Sinhala); Goyiyaa, Goviyaa: (singular), Goyi (plural): Cultivator of the ground, husbandman (Sinhala); Goyigama: Caste of the cultivators or husbandmen (Sinhala).Koy. to pluck, cut, reap (Tamil, ); Kuyam: Sickle; Kuvil: Reaping, cutting (Tamil ); Koyiloo, Koiloo: A small paddy field, harvest, reaping; Koyyelu: Harvest (Tulu, ); Koy, Kuy: To cut, reap, pluck; Koyilu, Kuyilu: Cutting, reaping, plucking; Koyika: Man who cuts (Kannada, ); Koyu: To cut, reap, pluck (Telugu, ); Koyka: To cut, reap, pluck (Malayalam,); Koyl: Harvest, reaping (Kota, ); Koy: To cut/ pluck/ reap/ harvest (Kodagu, Parji, Gadba, Gondi, Konda, ); Goye: To reap; Goytre: To have the crop reaped (Maltese, ); Goi: Government owned area leased for cultivation and habitation; Goi-veri: Lessee of a Goi; Goi-bai: The part of produce (bai: rice) given to the government by the lessee of a Goi (Dhivehi/ Maldivian)
/
SJ / March 11, 2021
Agriculture is not about plucking grain from rice paddies.
*
Cutting (vettu, aru) and plucking (koy, pidungu) are different operations.
*
No body uses koi (pluck) to refer to harvest in Tamil.
aRu (aRuvadai) is used widely.
vettu is used in Malayalam.
Harvest is Suggiya in Kannada; Paṇṭa in telugu; viḷaveṭuppu in Malaralam; අස්වැන්න and goyam kappanna are use in Sinhala.
/
Mallaiyuran / March 11, 2021
kappanna is Kapaththu
Kalveddu, veddezhuthu, Vaalaiveddu, Vaeddai are words existing before Malayam was born. An ashal Modaya refereed google wrong and is bring Malayalam to Vettu.
The fool never heard kathir veddu, Nellu veddu?
/
Lester / March 9, 2021
Nonsense. “Govi” comes from “Govinda.” In Sanskrit, “Govinda” is someone who looks after cows.
/
SJ / March 10, 2021
L
Govi has a short o sound.
Govinda has a long o sound.
Govi never did no cattle farming.
It was the Patti who did that.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 10, 2021
Rubbish and don’t make me laugh. Desperate.
/
Native Vedda / March 10, 2021
Siva Sankaran Sharma
–
“The word Govi meaning farmer or literally reaper is of Tamil/Dravidian origin.”
–
What is or whom do you consider has Dravidian origin?
What is Dravidian origin.
–
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 10, 2021
See above. It did not come from any other Dravidian languages other than Tamil . Further all the major Dravidian languages are off shoots of either old Tamil or Middle Tamil. Tamil and Proto Dravidian is more or less the same as Tamil or at least old proper or high Tamil has retained 85% of the Proto Dravidian vocabulary. Other Dravidian languages have not . However they have retained many other aspects or traits of Proto Dravidian, that Tamil has not.
/
Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
Ok. What does that prove?. Sinhalese has thousands of Tamil derived words. Does that make Sinhalese descendants of Tamils?. No!. Even though there are South Indian DNA in Sinhalese people. They are mix of NI and SI DNA. English has thousands of German words. That doesn’t make English people solely descendants of Germans. There were many different people who merged to make the current English.
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Naman / March 9, 2021
The Readers of CT are of two kinds. One group wants us to move forwards towards a peaceful progressive and properous country where prominence is given to MERITOCRACY.
The other Group wants to give prominence ONLY to the Sinhala Buddhists thereby clinging on Power–having the ability to control Media/Judiciary/security services & Finance.
How can we bring a COMMON understanding? This is where we need a REAL Statesman to rule the country. We are in the current state with a begging bowl and infighting since Independence due to the lack of GENUINE, CLEAN, & EDUCATED politician.
Another way of grouping [1] believers in falsehoods [2] believers in truths
or biased /unbiased
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Yasiru11 / March 9, 2021
@S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
What right do you have to claim that Rajapashas are Malays? As per my knowledge you are neither an anthropologist nor a historian. And I ask you that kindly read at least an introductory book of History. because you severely lack knowledge of the history of SL. Do you think you can just look at a person and judge them based on their appearance?. Rajapasha family is a Vidane Archchi family. The post is hereditary. And both the Rambutan and the Nasi goreng came after the British. Most of the Malay influences came recently in the 18th and 19th centuries. And the Name ‘Banda” is the short form for ‘Bandara’. which is a name that is recorded at least for 700 years. Do you live in your own little bubble?. these are common sense in SL. and did you seriously say “make Sri Lanka great again. “
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 10, 2021
Banda or Bandara is derived from the Tamil word Pandaran meaning prince and many of the so called Bandaras are descended from the Tamil Pandarar caste . A non Brahmin temple worker caste. It is a high caste and has nothing to with the Jaffna Koviya Pandarams
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Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
I don’t know about you claim. Perhaps you can cite references.
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Lanka Canuck / March 10, 2021
Yasiru11
Nonsense! Banda is not a short form for Bandara. These are two different names. There is Heen Banda, Punchi Banda, Tikiri Banda, Dingiri Banda and so on. Banda is a common surname in some African countries, India, and Sri Lanka. Bandara on the other hand is referred to a group of deities (Bandara deviyo). Bandara is a common name in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. There is another school of thought that Bandara is the Tamil Pandaram. There are an awful lot of Bandara in the upcountry. It is said that the last king of the Kandyan kingdom Kannasamy Nayakar aka Sri Vikrama Rajasinha did not have any children to his official Dravidian wife (Queen) Venkatamma. However he (King) had hundreds of children to his upcountry Sinhalese anthapura wives (as a king, it was his privilege to have any woman he found attractive as his anthapura wife). The children of the king born to the anthapura wives were called Pandaram (Bandara). They all have Kannasamy Nayakar’s royal blood running in their veins.
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Yasiru11 / March 10, 2021
No it’s not. Bandara becomes Banda. Your lack of knowledge makes me think you are not Sri Lankan. Ask a person who knows the language. And Banda is not a surname. “Dingiri Banda” is the given name. For example- Mohottalage Dingiri Banda
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 9, 2021
You are correct. I always knew that the first or second Prime Minister of Malaysia was half Tamil but it was never acknowledged and thought the Tamil father was an Indian Tamil Muslim but never knew that he was your uncle or grand uncle and was from Jaffna. It was a very well known fact that many light skinned Tamil Muslims in Malaysia passed themselves off to the gullible Malay population, especially the peasants in Malaysia, as of Arab descent and gave themselves fancy Arab titles and imagined origins. The Malays like the Sri Lankan Muslims, worshipped everything remotely connected to the Arabs or Arab ancestry and these light skinned Tamil Muslims there, had a field day passing off and claiming to be of Arab ancestry ( Most probably some may have some Arab in them but most would like your uncle did not but were just light skinned Tamils). They got a lot respect, good jobs and many marries into Malay high society.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 9, 2021
Now for Wattleappan or Wattleappam. I have no doubt it arrived here with the Malay immigrants or Javanese to be more accurate. However the word Vatti( round or round utensil) from Vattam and Appam( meaning bread/cake, are pure Tamil words. These words would have creeped in the Malay language from Tamil. Interestingly there is a rice based dessert made in Kerala, especially by Christian Malayalees called Vattiyapam /Vattapam . The ingredients are different but the name and meaning is the same( round bread/cake )
https://www.cheenachatti.com/recipe/vattayappam/
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / March 9, 2021
Wattil Appam is a Malay dish called Seri Kaya (Seri means beautiful and Kaya means rich). Word Appam is in Malay denoting the food same as Tamil appam. There is no Wattil in Malay. Tamil words with same meaning in Malay are Kappal, Petti, Kedai, Thali etc.
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SJ / March 9, 2021
Mahathir Mohamad’s father, Mohamad Iskandar, was a Penang Malay of partly Indian ancestry. Mahathir’s paternal grandfather had come from Kerala India and married a Malay woman.
No secret really, it is in Wikipedia
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / March 10, 2021
He is not referring to Mahathir Mohamad but to an earlier Malaysian Prime Minister who was from a royal family
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Sinhala_Man / March 11, 2021
I’m not sure about that, because there weren’t all that many Prime Ministers of Malaysia.
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I had heard of Mahathir’s Indian ancestors before.
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TRUESRILANKAN / March 11, 2021
Dr Zameer Careem, never stated that MALAY surname Weerabangsa has anything to do with other communities. His interview has been overlooked by Prof Hoole, who has clearly politicized the interview done with good intention. Dr Careem, mentioned that Wattalappam is known as “SiriKaya” in Malay, and that the Tamil name is “Wattalappam”, and concerning the place names and temples in Jaffna, he did mention the name of Prof PARANAVITANA, as source. I know Dr Careem, who is a well read, peace loving guy, who always identifies himself as “Sri LANKAN” and he spends most of time at elders homes, caring for others, and has a deep insight on history, thanks to his grand-dad, who was also a prolific historian. Prof Hoole you are not a historian, so please do not try to tarnish the reputation of a young lad, who is incredibly talented, articulate, and loving.
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