Musings

Sri Lankan heritage -in a global context

by Padma Edirisinghe

The Ananda College of Colombo has many Firsts. Its ‘First First’ was to plant itself right in the heart of Pettah as the first Buddhist English medium school for boys when the missionaries were all out to monopolise English education during the early British period and throttle ‘invaders’, even those bred in the soil. Yet, the new school not only survived but went on garnering more and more fame especially after it moved into more opulent surroundings where it continues its glory up to now and of course, hopefully, to Beyond…

Always in the news, its most recent activity really was nothing gala or gaga. It was in ‘toto’ academic and was a book launch. I wished to add ‘mere’ as a prefix to “book launch” but decided to skip ‘the mere’ considering the intensity of the content material.

Intense? Yes, especially at a time when she, the island is screaming with a hotch-potch of issues. And now, the author of the book launched, Das Miriyagalle, a retired chartered accountant with a degree in science and a penchant for history raises the curtain on GLORIOUS Lanka. No blushes of modesty impede its glory. The tale is told in full in “Sri Lankan heritage with a global perspective.”

Mystique

Drawing away the drapes of many a century via this text we are taken into the mystique of ancient times, just not for the mere thrill of it but with an avowed purpose, mainly to collate the phases of bygone annals with parallel phases of world history, an intellectual play that no doubt will enthrall many a lover of history. However the author sets about the task methodically as against the haphazard routes.

Ten regional cultural sites of the world are identified beginning with East Africa. Why?

That is where human migration had commenced. So the collation comprises, a series of interactions of different regions of the world with our island the absence of which topic had etched a hiatus in our history.

Before going on it is apt to mention that the author having been a seasoned global traveller, both in his capacity of duty as well as leisured travel had had first-hand contact with what he is talking about or writing about. He has been to some of the most intense theatres of civilization such as Mexico, Peru, Tanzania and Syria.

Part 1 deals with these topics.

*Africa-linkage with Sri Lanka (SL)

*Mesopotamia - Birth place of writing

*South Asia, cradle of spirituality

*Chinese civilization entering via the silk route

*Nile valley

*Greece - bonding East & West

*Roman civilization

*the Peruvian civilzations

*Central America

* SE Asian civilzations.

Items with identifiable reactions that impinge on the island are dealt with, at the outset. Into the subsequent part is packed the special features of SL heritage which has been influenced by global reactions, with emphasis on those that have been recognized by UNESCO in their declaration of world heritage sites plus those, that this prestigious body has yet to identify.

Natural

In these explorations it is nothing but natural for the narrative to gush into the special features of the island’s history that stand out as unique feats during the last three millennia. These include,

*The irrigation systems of the bygone Lankans

*lithic inscriptions

*pre historic sites

*Ancient metal processing techniques

*temple murals

This work, published by Senior old Anandians brings in a very significant discovery in the arena of writing.

That is, it pre-dates the beginning of Brahmi writing in the citadel of Anuradhapura to 6th century BC thus lining up this momentous event with the commencing of the Buddhist era in the same century.

The authenticity of Mahavamsa and Deepavamsa are then discussed to add to which are surveyed the unique natural features of the island such as Sinharaja forest, Kumana, Knuckles and Ritigala.

These comprise the third part while the intervening units are presented in the second part.

Here one enters the World Heritage sites in the island. The book lists the world heritage sites of the island that have been so listed by UNESCO upto 2014. Three of them fall into the central highlands. Six of the ten sites are man made sites of historical and cultural value. The period, in the aftermath of the 8th century boasts sites as varied as Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy and Galle fortress. Mihnitale and Tantrimale too earn places along with Yala and Vilpattu.

Events

When school associations today are celebrating events with fashion shows and food fiestas, it is heartening to note that this school is carrying its own load of history from far off times, with its association decided to celebrate its march with the launch of a special book of this nature and that too under the auspices of the retired Commissioner of Archaeology, Dr S U Deraniyagala. So all is not lost for it is a big bow to that very important segment of human knowledge i.e. history. *****

“The author succeeds in presenting the unique interplay between Sri Lanka’s natural heritage and its cultural heritage, the latter in both its tangible and intangible manifestations in a form that is readily accessible to the general public.

Dr. S.U. Deraniyagala ********

“We are fortunate in being able to launch for the first time a publication which analyses the heritage of Sri Lanka to the rest of the world” U. Nikapitiya, President, SOA (Sr Old Anandians).

Why is such a mission important?

The answer is from the introduction.

“The island of Sri Lanka has continuously attracted the attention of the people of many regions of the ancient world ……in spite of the country being a small island in the Indian ocean with perilous obstacles to communications with the rest of the world there had been a regular movement of people and ideas across the oceans resulting in a gradual evolution of the Sri Lankan heritage…. The relationships and comparisons have been vividly observed by travellers, academics and historians who have written their observations at great length.”

The writer then goes on to quote a lengthy passage penned by Sir Emerson Tenant, at one time, Colonial Secretary here. The account almost sounds hymnal and hosanna-style beginning with;

“There is no nation in the ancient or modern times times possessed of a language and literature , the writers of which have not at some time made it (Sri Lanka) their theme”.

Those who have put out their choornikas to SL include, Classic Greeks, the Romans, Writers of China, Burma, India and Kashmir, geographers of Arabia and Persia, medieval voyagers of Italy and France, annalists of Portugal and Spain, merchant adventurers of Holland, topographers and travellers of Great Britain.

But the background history too is not forgotten i.e.

That of the birth of humans that is staged in East Africa and that tale too is told and reads like a thriller by itself, an academic thriller, spiced with accounts of archaeological sites in Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia; specifically the sites of Olduvai Gorge, Lake Turkana, Ono valley and Hadar where lived the early ancestors of modern man giving the dark continent the ennobled status of the cradle of human civilization.