‘National Flower’ mistake finally rectified :

Manel blooms beyond controversy

by Kishani Samaraweera

“A rose is a rose by any other name” is a popular refrain, but one has to be exact when it comes to a flower that is synonymous with a country. The flower in question is not a rose, but a ‘Manel’ flower that is close to the hearts of all Sri Lankans. This is widely referred to as the National Flower of Sri Lanka, but a series of errors had created controversy and confusion on this very important floral species.

A National Flower is an emblem or a symbol chosen by a particular country which will thereafter be referred to as an icon unique only to that country. Certain criteria have to be met when such a floral emblem is picked to represent a country’s identity, culture and history. The characteristic of it being ‘unique’ is however considered a must when a particular flower/plant is chosen as an icon.

Reviewed

An expert panel which reviewed the nominations and considerations of the public decided that ‘Manel’ as the National Flower of Sri Lanka which subsequently received Cabinet approval on February 26, 1986. However Director (Biodiversity) of the Ministry of Mahaweli Development & Environment Padma Abeykoon says the term ‘Nil Manel’ was also mentioned within brackets along with the scientific name which means that the term can also be used as the National Flower.

According to the Ministry, although the correct National Flower was published in the National Atlas in 1988, several government publications have used a purple color exotic flower as the National Flower. The scientific name of the National Flower (Blue color flower) was changed to Nymphaea nou- chali Burm. f. due to a change in botanical nomenclature. This created a discrepancy when using the name and the image of the National Flower.

Image

Abeykoon further explaining the situation said when the initial approval of the Cabinet was granted, a picture of the flower was not sent to them. However as a result, in a lot of publications an incorrect image was used as the National Flower.

“Intellectuals and other persons concerned identified it and said this is not an endemic flower but a foreign one. Then only the need to study the issue came to the attention of the relevant authorities,” she said. Later an expert committee was appointed by then Minister of Environment Anura Priyadharshana Yapa. After an extensive study, the committee decided that the details sent for Cabinet approval was accurate but the question was about the picture used in publications as the National Flower.

The committee appointed to look in to the matter had recommended “Manel” as the National Flower based on the criteria that the National Flower should be indigenous and preferably endemic, it’s utility value, historical and cultural significance, appearance, distribution, colour and form, reproducibility and also not being a national symbol of another country. Considering the above recommendations, “Manel” was declared as the National flower by the Cabinet in 1986.

Discrepancy

The Cabinet paper on the Discrepancy regarding the National Flower in Sri Lanka has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in June 2015. It says, “After proposals and suggestions made by the general public and also considering the recommendations made by a committee of scholars and officials it had been declared in the year 1986 the flower “Manel” as the national flower of Sri Lanka. Since on certain occasions where the national flower was displayed the right national flower was not displayed.

Taking into consideration the discrepancies that had taken place in the recent times a proposal made by President Maithripala Sirisena as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment to refer to Sri Lanka’s national flower as “Manel” in the Sinhala language, as “Neelothpalam” in the Tamil language and as “Blue Water Lily” in the English language and to use the right picture and the scientific name of this flower Nymphaea nou- chali Burm. f. at all times when the national flower is referred to, and to provide adequate publicity about the picture and right name of the national flower and to enlighten about this to the relevant public institutions was approved by the Cabinet.

Recommendations made by the expert panel also include the correct image of the National Flower should be used every time when indicating the National Flower and the correct scientific name, Nymphaea nou- chali Burm. f. Adequate publicity should be given to popularize the correct flower and the relevant authorities should use the correct image and name in their publications.

Professor of Botany at the Department of University of Peradeniya, Deepthi Yakandawala who was one of the very few people to point out that the official picture used to depict the National Flower is wrong, speaking to The Sunday Observer said that the picture showed a flower which was not blue in colour but purple and the flower is not Nil Manel (blue water lilly) but a flower which was brought to the country for ornamental purposes.

Wrong

“In year 1992 official booklet was published by the Central Environmental Authority which had all the details of the National Flower and also of the National Tree. But the pictures used to portray the National Flower of the country were wrong. And then in text books, documents and publications we had used this incorrect picture as our National Flower,” said Yakandawala.

According to her after the mistake was pointed out to the government, it was finally corrected in 2015 and a Cabinet paper was issued correcting the earlier mishap. Further elaborating on the matter she mentioned the fact that use of the term, Nil Manel is more suitable than using ‘Manel’. If the term Manel is used then one can’t distinguish it with other flowers of that same category.

“I am not actually that happy with the governments’ decision to take off the word “Nil” from the term, Nil Manel. Because it will be like chopping off a link to our culture, history and values of the country. The flower is very much a part of Sri Lankan history. It is used in Sigiriya frescoes as well,” she added.

Yakandawala also pointed out that when they declared what the National Flower is and appointed a committee, the criteria to select what would be the best choice, the criteria was that the flower should be of historical importance, beautiful, indigenous and also it should not be a national flower of another country. The Blue Water Lilly (Nil Manel) flower actually fulfilled the criteria required.

“Although the mistake we pointed out has been corrected with regards to the pictures and the scientific name, now I feel like another mistake has been committed while trying to rectify the earlier mistake by naming the National Flower as Manel instead of Nil Manel. Nevertheless it is quite encouraging to see the authorities have actually paid attention when the error was pointed out,” said Yakandawala.

Suitable

Describing as to why the term, Manel was used, Director of the Ministry of Environment mentioned that they in fact consulted several experts as to what is the most suitable term. She said that according to the experts Manel means maha nil mala. But if the term Nil Manel is to be used then the same word (the term nil) gets repeated. “According to the Professionals in Sinhala language, “Manel” means Sacred Blue Flower and is suitable as the Sinhala name for the National Flower. Therefore we agreed to go with the term Manel (Blue Water Lilly in English) and hereafter the National Flower of the country shall be called, Manel,” she said.

According to Abeykoon the Ministry of Environment has already planned to make people aware of this latest development through their promotions division and further details will be given to the media. She assured that within a weeks’ time the ministry will make the people aware and also mentioned the fact that they are in the process of preparing a book with all the details with the correct picture of the National Flower which will be available for the public.

Environmental Lawyer, Jagath Gunawardena was however of the view that a country should choose something unique and endemic as its National flower and that the Blue water Lilly does not have any of the above characteristics.

“True that it is a beautiful flower but it’s not beautiful compared with an endemic, rare species. My personal view is that a National Flower should be unique and it should be something which catches the eye. None of these is being represented by our National flower,” he said. He expressed that he is quite happy that the earlier shortcoming has been rectified by the Ministry.

Suggestion: Below text and the picture in a box

The National Flower of Sri Lanka

The National Flower of Sri Lanka is Nymphaea nou- chali Burm. f. (blue)

Sinhala name: Manel
Tamil name: Nilotpalam ?)
English name: Blue Water Lily