Mihintale Aloka pooja in retrospect

by Jinadasa Bamunuarachchi

Lake House, the House by the Lake, is the Home of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL).This unique institution is commonly known as paththaramahagedara among the journalistic fraternity in our country.

It is and has been the premier media institution in the South Asian region that provided leadership to the nation and worked tirelessly for the revival of the Buddha Sasana and the Sinhala language at a time when the nation was under the iron heel of the British imperialists.

The forcible spiritual conquest that began with the advent of Portuguese was a systematic and organised campaign to convert Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus into Christianity.

All Buddhist temples in the Maritime provinces were set ablaze by the European invaders and Christian churches were built in their place.

Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus were forced to accept Christianity or face death.

The British imperialists executed the conversion campaign vigorously using alternative method of Western education. The education they imparted created pro-Western elite subservient to the colonial masters.

Inferiority

To be educated in a Christian school under missionaries was an overriding factor in securing a position in the government services.

It was only the English-educated men and women were considered truly educated and Sinhala and Tamil scholars however much they are erudite in the vernacular, were considered uneducated and good for nothing lot.

Our country had been under colonial powers for 450 years, and the colonial mind-set that was created through ages has become an inescapable fact of life. Colonial mentality is the feelings of inferiority within the society and veneration of post-European values and emulation of such values and lifestyles wittingly or unwittingly.

The embracing of the foreign culture and the associated behavioural patterns are considered more important than their race and religion.

This happens when people became aware of foreign culture through the contact period of colonisation.

The colonial mentality is essentially the acceptance, by the colonised, of the culture and the teachings of the coloniser as intrinsically more worthy or superior. Once colonised, getting out of the legacy is far more difficult than anything else.

It is this social stigma of veneration of colonial values that the ANCL has been trying to erase during last hundred years or so. Pervasive impact of the colonial mentality is that people under pressure from societal forces adopts false values and disowns their treasured values and old aged legacy not knowing that this is self-deception.

Pristine glory

It is in this social and cultural milieu, the ANCL embarked upon bringing about a social change. Many people are not aware of this. ANCL’s Sinhala publications with Silumina and Dinamina in forefront made lasting impact in changing the social outlook.

A little known fact is that ANCL’s mission inter alia was to restore the pristine glory and the due place of the Sinhala language and the Buddha sasana as the Sinhala nation and the Buddha sasana are interwoven inseparably.

One will not survive sans the other. It encouraged Piyadasa Sirisena’s national movement and stood with the nationalist forces.

The Kelaniya temple became the first Buddhist temple to be associated with ANCL from the time of D.R. Wijewardene. Of late, Budusarana the only Buddhist publication came into being as part of Buddhist revival.

The gigantic and unique public utility project, Mihintale illuminations (illuminating the Mihintale sacred area and its precincts for Poson) commenced in June 1962. Selecting Mihintale for the purpose was for obvious reason.

Mihintale is the birth place of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. History reveals that the annual perahera and Mihintale Aloka Pooja had been held with appropriate pomp and pageantry down the ages from the time of Sinhala kings to pay homage to Arahat Mahinda Maha Thera.

Mihintale which was in a state of neglect following foreign invasions was given a new lease of life with the commencement of the Aloka Pooja half a century ago.

Harsh conditions

The late Viharadhipati of the Mihintale Raja Maha Vihara Ven. Walawahengunawewe Ratanapala Ratanajoti Nayaka Thera and the late D.R. Wijewardene should be remembered with gratitude as the pioneering people who made this possible.

The ANCL decided to honour Mihintale with it social commitment in mind. Pilgrims have been worshipping the sacred Mihintale for a period of well over two millennia.

They climb the rocky mountain mostly during the night as climbing the mountain during the day time is difficult in the scorching sun.

Pilgrims holding burning torches in the night climbed the mountain in their thousands.

This caused immense hardships to pilgrims and a way out had to be found to ease the harsh conditions faced by the pilgrims.

In 1962 under guidance and direction of Ranjith Wijewardene and G.B.S. Gomes, steps were taken to illuminate Mihintale sacred area and its precincts for the convenience of pilgrims who flock to Mihintale for the Poson festival.

Novel experience

Electricity was the major problem. The organisers had to hire generators and take it to Mihintale from Colombo for the three-day illumination.This was the beginning of a massive public utility project that was to take shape in the years to come.

The first Mihintale illumination was held on the Poson Full Moon day of June in 1962. It was a novel experience for millions of people who never had in their lifetime experienced such a marvellous scene of meticulously lit Mihintale.Common amenities such as permanent toilet facilities were constructed on the Meda Maluwa area. Sanitation and drinking water supplies with the help of Local government authorities were enhanced. Mihintale illuminations as it was known then, became an important item on the ANCL annual program and continued as such up until late 1970s. The total cost of Mihintale illumination was borne by the ANCL.

In 1983 ANCL decided to give up the hiring of generators for illuminations as it caused serious logistical problems. Several measures were taken to overcome the problem. Firstly, tenders were called for the provision of facilities.

The Ceylon Electricity Board was awarded the job on a package basis for the provision of electricity and illumination work after several rounds of negotiations with ANCL.

Costs

The CEB undertook the job as a commercial venture from June 1983 with ANCL paying the total CEB cost for the three-day illumination. ANCL paid all costs of materials, electricity bills and CEB staff overtime. CEB costs increased year after year and the ANCL management raised serious concerns about the ever escalating cost.

But in the year 1989, former Director Finance (DFC) V Kanagasabapathi made a request to the CEB to provide itemised estimates of costs.

This was not to the liking of CEB officials. The DFC who was from the Treasury knew what he was talking about and refused to budge an inch and was very firm.He telephoned the CEB General Manager and took up the matter.

He demanded to know as to why the cost estimates for the job cannot be provided. He was ready to go before the cabinet on the matter. The CEB General Manager thereupon undertook to provide itemised cost estimates. ANCL’s Chief Internal Auditor perused the estimates before submitting the CEB cost for Board approval. Continued on page

It must also be mentioned that ANCL started the Sarasaviya Film Festival, the School Boy Cricketer of the year, The Ranaviru Funds to mention a few annual programs that had set an example to other institutions.

Trust

It was Ranapala Bodinagoda then ANCL Chairman, who had during his tenure of office decided to create a Trust under the name style of Mihintala Aloka Trust for the administration and carrying out the work associated with Mihintale illuminations.

A Deed of Trust was drawn up setting up a Trust for the objectives set out under the object clause. A board of trustees consisting of five was appointed. The ANCL Chairman and the Secretary of the Company for the time being were the ex-officio chairman and the secretary of the Trust under the provisions of the trust instrument.

The Chief incumbent of the Mihintale Rajamaha vihara is also a member of the Trust. Later the Public Trustee of Sri Lanka U. Mapa and the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs, S.Kariyawasam were invited to be honorary members of the Trust. They accepted the invitation willingly and happily and made their contribution in every way possible.

Until late 1980s Mihintala annual illuminations were carried out with the main concern on the provision of facilities and common amenities to pilgrims.

However, Mihintale illuminations took a definite turn, under the chairmanship of Sunil Rodrigo who was keen to go one step further than illuminating the sacred area for Poson. He had a vision in line with ANCL mission.

He convened a meeting of the Aloka Trust and mooted the idea that people of Mihintale must be given something tangible in addition to annual illuminations and from that point a number of public utility projects came into being coinciding with the annual Aloka Pooja.

Lowest bidder

In 2002, the ANCL management again raised serious concerns about the escalating CEB cost. Then Chairman Nalin Ladduwahetti refused to pay certain items of the CEB estimates and in 2002 ANCL again decided to call for quotation for the provision of electricity and allied services to conduct the three-day illumination.

The CEB quotation was found to be the highest among the quotation received for 2002 illuminations and the job was given to the lowest bidder, the Parakrama Electricals.

This program became a permanent feature of the Mihintale Poson illumination and the name illumination was changed to Aloka Pooja since.

This project followed a series of donations every year. A carpentry workshop for the Kammalakulama Vidyalaya, a well equipped library for the Mihintale Maha Vidyalaya, a dental clinic for the Kanishta Vidyalaya, a computer training centre for the Mihintale Maha Vidyalaya, a nursery school for the children of Katupotha village of Mihintale, a water cooler for the supply of cold water for pilgrims, to mention a few public utility projects, that were carried out during this period.

Atasil program

Beginning in 1990 two programs were also carried out simultaneously with the participation of schoolchildren in the Mihintale area. That was to get the schoolchildren to participate in observing Atasil on Poson Poya day.

A thousand children selected from schools and Daham Pasalas took part in the Atasil program as part of the Aloka Pooja. These children were provided with Sil clothes and a dane while an islandwide essay competition among schoolchildren was also organised annually.An oratorical contest for senior and junior schoolchildren were also organised with success. This contest was open to the children of Anuradhapura district only. We found many talented young speakers who displayed immense potential for public speaking. ANCL received the support of teachers, the staff of the GA’s office, and the Ministry of Education of the Provincial Council in all these endeavours.

Mihintala Aloka Pooja of ANCL has taken it proper shape now. Even during the turbulent periods, the ANCL kept the unbroken tradition of illuminating the sacred area for Poson. It is now institutionalised and taken as part and parcel of cultural life of the people of this country.

This is evident by the fact that many non-Buddhists too visit Mihintale during Poson. Mihintle Rajamaha Vihara has come to be known as Lake House Temple for its inseparable bond with this great institution of the House by the Lake.

Aloka Pooja is a three-day function. It concludes with the Deva Pooja on the final day of the Aloka Pooja which takes place at the Maha Chetiya premises.It is an offering to Devas to ward off the malefic effects if any, following the massive task and a job well done.

Dedication

During the last 52 years, ANCL has kept an unbroken tradition of performing the Aloka Pooja even during the height of political turbulence. Buddhism brought about a new way of life, thinking and a political culture based on Dasaraja Dharma. It fostered the art and literature.

Buddhism inspired the creation of vast dagabas like Ratnamali and the art of making sculpture in stone such as Awukana Buddha statue, the moon-stone, man-made wewas, (reservoirs) and irrigation systems that no other nation in the world can boast of. ANCL as has always been the case is the trend setter in this country. It started Aloka Pooja and now several other media groups followed the line and began illuminating important sacred places for Poson.

With this year’s Mihintala illumination, ANCL inherits 52-year service of performing the Mihintala Aloka Pooja which is now at a mature stage after passing an important crossroad in its important journey.

The writer is a former General Manager of ANCL and Secretary of the Mihintala Aloka Trust