{"id":246775,"date":"2026-04-07T04:40:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T23:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=246775"},"modified":"2026-04-12T05:14:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T23:44:35","slug":"do-the-sinhalese-the-tamils-have-a-common-origin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/do-the-sinhalese-the-tamils-have-a-common-origin\/","title":{"rendered":"Do The Sinhalese & The Tamils Have A Common Origin?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By C. V. Wigneswaran<\/a> –<\/strong><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"

Justice C.V. Wigneswaran<\/p><\/div>\n

Do recent DNA studies, particularly a groundbreaking 2025 whole-genome sequencing study published in\u00a0Current Biology<\/i>, indicate that the Sinhalese population in Sri Lanka, has strong genetic ties to\u00a0South Indian populations? If that be so, does it mean racially the Sinhalese and Tamils are of the same genetic affinity but they differ only by language?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Yes of course! The Sinhalese historians in order to show themselves as separate from the Tamils of Sri Lanka had suggested\u00a0an exclusive North Indian Aryan origin to the Sinhalese on the basis of the Mahawansa<\/i><\/a><\/span> and other sources. But modern genetic evidence does not support their hitherto erroneous findings. In fact there are no parallel references to Vijaya and his 700 followers being banished by his father in any of the North Indian history books. This story was a fiction concocted by Bhikku Mahanama for his specific religious purpose!<\/p>\n

We have been\u00a0suggesting\u00a0for a long time that the Mahawansa<\/i> was not a historical document but it was a fiction written for the glorification of Buddhism.\u00a0Every chapter of the\u00a0Mahavamsa<\/i>\u00a0ends with a consistent, formulaic dedication that depicts the entire historical narrative within the context of Buddhist devotion. The\u00a0concluding phrase is,\u00a0“compiled for the serene joy and emotion of the pious”\u00a0(in Pali:\u00a0Sujanappasada samvegatthaya kate Mahavamse<\/i>).<\/p>\n

This phrase, often repeated at the end of each chapter, indicates that the chronicle was written to inspire faith, emotion, and devotion in Buddhist readers.\u00a0The\u00a0Mahavamsa<\/i>\u00a0was written to document the establishment and growth of Buddhism on the island, portraying it as a “Righteous Island” (Dhammadipa).\u00a0Composed by Bhikku Mahanama, the work served to link the history of the kings of this Island directly to the protection and patronage of the Buddhist faith.\u00a0Even the historical sequence of Royalty must be confirmed by extraneous evidence without taking what is in the Mahawansa as gospel truth!<\/p>\n

At the time Mahawansa<\/i> was written there was no written Sinhala language still born. That\u00a0is why it was written in the Pali language. The people’s language at that time was Tamil. The language of Deva Nambiya Theesan and<\/p>\n

Pandukabhayan and even Dushta Kamini was Tamil. Dutu Gemunu was a Tamil speaking Buddhist and King Ellalan was a Tamil speaking Saivaite!<\/p>\n

But the language\u00a0of Buddhism at that time was Pali. Hence the Mahawansa was written in Pali.<\/p>\n

It is said that the Sinhalese language at that time existed as a speaking language though the written script was still not born. If that be so there should be reference to a Sinhala race or language or civilization in other extraneous sources. But alas! such evidence is not available. The first time Sinhala writings appear are in the Sigiriya Graffiti in the 7th Century AD. The first Sinhala Grammar book, the Sidat Sangaraya, was written only in the 13th century AD. At least books like Mahawansa<\/i> or Chulawansa <\/i>or Atha Katha<\/i> should have referred to a Sinhala race or civilization. There are no such references. Therefore it could be safely inferred that the Sinhala intelligentsia including some of their so called Historians had resorted to prevarications just to cover up the part played by the Tamil language and the Tamils in this Island. Professor Sudharshan Seneviratne once said History must not be written for emotive reasons!<\/p>\n

Even as recently as in the 1940s the influence of Tamils in the Anuradhapura District was visible and considerable. Mr.Nadarajah was Anuradhapura Town Council Chairman for over 17years continuously. I was as a child then living in the Old Town on the road going to Isurumuniya. On that road stood the Elara Sohana. The Sitthampalam Talkies Cinema Hall was also on that road. There were some South Indian Potter families (Kuyavar) living on that Road making Pots and Chatties. The successful business concerns were Cheapside and Miranda and sons run by Tamil speaking Christians.<\/p>\n

All that changed when the New Town was constructed. The Kathiresan Temple is still there but many other Tamil and Hindu\u00a0traces have been made to vanish. The New Town ignored the Old Town. Seasonal Pogroms either killed or maimed and drove away the Tamils living in the Old Town.<\/p>\n

Our North Eastern Tamil lineage could be traced to South India from beyond 1000 years ago. But how many Sinhalese are aware of Tamil Brahmins from Madurai in South India coming over around 400 years ago and marrying local girls and settling here identifying themselves as Sinhalese? During the Coronation of Don Juan Dharmapala there were no local Brahmin priests qualified to do the rituals pertaining to Coronation of the King. They had to be brought from Madurai in South India. It took over six months travelling to come from Madurai to Southern Sri Lanka. After Coronation the young Brahmin Priests were invited to marry local girls and settle down around Ambalangoda \u2013 Balapitiya area where they were given lands to cultivate Cinnamon. They now have a special caste name and they identify themselves as full blooded Sinhalese! Actually their forefathers came from South India much later than the forefathers of many Jaffna Tamils! There were many from among this caste who were mistaken for being Tamils and attacked by Sinhalese goondas <\/i>during many a pogrom unleashed against Tamils, despite their shouting \u201cMama Sinhala\u201d. (I am a Sinhalese!).\u00a0 <\/span>Once Dr.Colvin R. de Silva, who was a Historian himself, told us in the Law Library, of his family\u2019s Tamil origins.<\/p>\n

According to my understanding of Early Sri Lankan history, throughout the Island the Tamil speaking people were resident speaking Tamil as the common language. Even after Buddhism was introduced into the Island Tamil continued to be the lingua franca<\/i> of the Island. It was only around 6th<\/sup><\/span> and 7th<\/sup><\/span> Centuries AD that the Sinhala language began to be spoken and written. It was a language born out of the fusion of Pali and Tamil and other dialects spoken in ancient Sri Lanka, So the people were the same. Their languages differed after the Sinhala language came to be spoken and written around and after 6th<\/sup><\/span> and 7th<\/sup><\/span> Centuries AD. The Sri Lankan Nation is by and large racially South Indian!<\/p>\n

But there is a possibility that if the Kumari Kandam story gets admitted historically, then many of us would be the descendants of those who lived in the seventh segment of the Kumari Kandam (Segment Ealu). It is this word Ealu which gave rise to the Sinhala Hela and the Tamil word Eelam! But Kumari Kandam was a continuation of the land of the South Indian region which was engulfed by the Sea. Then too we should be racially South Indian!<\/p>\n

There is no doubt that racially the Sinhalese and the Tamils in this Island are of a common origin and we differ only due to our two languages. In fact when I was studying at the Royal College Colombo in the early 1950s (before 1956) we had inter alia<\/i> Low Country Sinhalese, Up Country Sinhalese, Jaffna Tamils, Batticaloa Tamils, Other Sri Lankan Tamils, Up Country Tamils, Moors, Malays and other Muslims, Burghers and Chinese – all students studying with us. We were a family bonded together by the English Language and our Alma Mater! The Sinhala Only Act brought about in 1956 for political reasons disturbed our togetherness very acutely.<\/p>\n

It is time we Sri Lankans realize our commonality racially and work towards a United (Eksath) Constitution replacing our Unitary (Ekiya) Constitution. A United Constitution would give the right of self government to the Tamil speaking people of the North and East in terms of Article 1 of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It would also recognize the rights of sizeable sections of our people other than the two above who would need self government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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