ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Cholas made their gradual invasion and crowded out Anuradhapura, the capital moved to Pollonnaruva. They even accommodated the invaders by expunging the row of oxen from the design of the semi-circular step landing thereby sacrificing its philosophical meaning. The ancient Sinhalese knew what Integration is. They *invented* it! The cultural centers were clustered together: the temple, kovil and church on the same compound. (What about the mosque?). Even the St. PaulƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s cathedral in Kandy is on temple land (lease of two gallons of coconut oil per year?). That brings people together when their minds are most amenable to friendship. In 1970s Australia made integration the policy abandoning assimilation. Right now, US is experiencing a turbulent time of a struggle between assimilation and integration. We Lankans are ashamed to learn from our past because it is in Sinhala.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ During ElaraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s rein, Nandimitra could not bear any more of desecration of the temples by the people of the popular Chola king. He surreptitiously caught the miscreants, tore them from the middle and hid the bodies. (The monks who wrote the mahaavanzaya, of course, romanticized the terrible act by saying the bodies disappeared as if by magic. At least the monks of the day wrote useful things unlike most present ones who shoot for movie star status.) When the gladiator realized that his is no solution, he went to the south looking for Kshatriya princes to persuade them to get back the country. You know the rest of the story.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Chola menace was working in the underground for centuries and was resurfaced by the terrible non-policy of language. The colonial master had an idea called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”official languageƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. That was the order given the native subjects in the country to use the language of the colonial master when they communicated with its agents, the Government Servants.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On Independence, a Brown Sahib well trained in British political cunning, and perhaps fooled by the British, said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I will make Sinhala the Official Language!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ An independent nation of natives from multiple language groups couldn’t have an Official Language. How was that going to make the country a nation of co-equal citizens? The Official Language rule had only to be repealed and thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s all. It was the regulations of the employees of the government that needed to be addressed. Now that the Government Servant became the Public Servant, he ought to be able to understand the new master or be readily equipped with the tools to understand him. Err, master or slave? The Government Servants only became masters themselves when the British left. They trample the natives, their paymasters, with impunity. Vijayapala alluded to the root of this problem in his last paragraph: Worship of English and sticking to notes from Ivor Jennings era. (My advice to Vijayapala on his project is to collect a bit of money and by a theodolite, a tripod for it and a pole and do the survey himself).

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What the new official language policy did was to award early retirement and pension in foreign exchange to those who said that they could not understand Sinhala. (It seems like then we had hyper-democracy). This group left the country, settled down mostly in England and Canada, and quickly discovered that they have become second-class citizens from being masters at home. You could super grade the Entrance exams and get in the University to win the passport to go to the West, but you became an object of disdain. This gave rise to the need to reclaim the ruling power and popped up the idea of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Power SharingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The ordinary people never had power as much as they had before independence. The post Independence rulers took it all away. So, Power Sharing means, “We also want to rule!”. “Give us what Colombo gets” is the slogan. That movement morphed into one to partitioning the island into non-existent provinces. The remote controlled ethnic cleansing by mass killing was started to accelerate the slow application of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”traditional lawƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ruse used to ethnically purify neighborhoods in order to *create* their province.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The English speaking communist quacks screamed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-devolution!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ tutored by their British teachers of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”dialecticsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. The politicians latched on to the idea seeing immediate gain for their kind. Each of the so-called provinces do not have any provinciality demographic different from other such ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”provincesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Devolution applied in Lanka means going back to a unitary state, because devolution is reverting to a congenial point back in history, but who is there to complain? vƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¦taƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¾ niyaraƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¾ goyam kaa nam kaata kiyamƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚°a mee amaaruva?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We see one thing necessary to make the country unitary is to bring the cultural centers of language / religious groups into one place. That follows from the prerequisite of comingled settlements. The second is to relocate the administrative capital to Anuradhapura to make it better accessible to the most aggrieved minority, the Tamils. (I can feel the ground shaking with the fat cowards shivering in fear). One of the constant complaints of the poor Tamils has been that they had to travel all the way from Jaffna to Colombo. Taking the parliament and diplomatic missions to Anuradhapura would also shed the pesky Kolumbian thugs, I hope, from the government. May be this would give the powers be confidence and trust in the people to restore representative democracy where we used to send in a representative from our neighborhood to the parliament. ArenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t we tired of these thug lists?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There was a time when the ordinary people had ways to redress their grievances. There were Government Servants that were required to listen, because the Colonial master wanted a thriving society to make a good customer — beggars would be a liability only.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the teens of 1900s, when people had better freedom than now, the Sirisangabo Naatakaya had a song that inspired national feelings, which people like my father used as the National song. It is the song often misunderstood as a Buddhist song and later mangled by people like Vijayapala, I guess, and this writer when drunk. It is the description of three princes approaching the magnificent Anuradhapura. It is a masterpiece of mixed Sinhala. This is an example for the baka (baka as in gemban baka-baka gaanavaa) pandithayas to learn how to treat our two venerable languages with respect. Here are its carefully researched lyrics (still may have minor errors like wrong word due to Amaradeva’s habit of forgetting the right word):

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¦ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚» ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚» ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ (ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡)

==========================

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ [ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚³ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚]//

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡//

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢//

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

[ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚» ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚± ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡]//

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬- ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡//

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡//

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

[ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¦ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚«ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”]//

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡//

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¦ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚° ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡//

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

— ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚§ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º 1918

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Listen right now: http://lovatasinhala.com/anurapura.php

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And for those who *must* have English to give anything respect, my humble translation. Perhaps a genius like Gomin Dayasiri might make it into a decent poem.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The approach to the Anuradha city

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ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Those who know Buddha’s advice,

well-prepare, guard the discipline with devotion.

Pious so numerous destroy their habits of body, speech and mind —

The abodes of the venerable shine forth in splendid glow.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

As if the heaven is displayed upon this earth,

Comes into sight the city, the dominion of the sublime sage.

The many venerable levitate aboveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  —

Their shadows cancel the hot rays of the sun.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Water lilies, lotus and such many bloom

upon ponds everywhere water pellucid.

Water birds swimming in flocks and number

Behold! The city Anuradha — the full view!