SL National Anthem sung In Tamil,that Tamils could understand could Inspire loyalty towards Sri Lanka as the song does
Posted on February 4th, 2016
Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM Spokesperson, United Sri Lanka Association, Wellington , NZ
I was quite moved when I listened and watched the Sri Lanka national anthem being sung in Tamil during the 68th independence day celebrations in Colombo, earlier today. I have heard recordings of this earlier and of another version of the national anthem where Tamil was incorporated into the mainly Sinhalese anthem. In all of these versions , the music remained the same as in the traditional Namo Namo Matha . Both of these renderings were really endearing like the Sinhala national anthem.
Since I first heard these several years ago, and being told that ex minister Douglas Devanayagam , often used these versions for functions in the north during the previous regime, I felt strongly that one of these versions should be included as a part of official Sri Lankan functions as way of demonstrating to the Tamil community and the world that our strong stand against Tamil Tiger Terrorism did not make us anti Tamil and was not detracting us from our resolve to achieve racial harmony. I also believe that Tamil speakers forming a significant minority have a right to have the national anthem in their language, that they can understand and so be inspired by . In addition, if they sing a song that they understand , it would help to create a sense of love & loyalty to the country as the song inspires one to do.
Besides , in New Zealand where I now live , it’s national anthem is sung in Maori & English every time and I believe achieves just that. In fact, I have asked at least the past two Sri Lankan High Commissioners to NZ whether we could not use it at our functions here and the response was that the national anthem is a part of the constitution and no changes could be made without changing the constitution. Now we see that , this is not the case.Perhaps, with the Tamil High Commissioner we have now, things may change.
I do hope that the practice ,now started of having the national anthem sung in both languages becomes common place from now on including at the daily close of the radio and TV broadcasts ,where the anthem is sung in Sinhalese only now. I believe this would win Sri Lanka a lot of good will nationally and internationally and help to detract from the unfair & ill founded brickbats Sri Lanka has had to face in past few years. More importantly it would help to foster national unity and a love and loyalty to Sri Lankan, in every one who understands it.
Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM
Spokesperson,
United Sri Lanka Association,
Wellington , NZ
February 4th, 2016 at 3:58 pm
BAD MOVE.
This song was there sometime back. I was briefly in a Tamil school in Colombo and we sang that in 1990s. Some kids used to TWIST the verse SRI LANKA THAYE into THAMILELAM THAYE (mother Tamil Elam). Goes perfectly. The rest is valid for TE as well as SL.
ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே is replaced by தமிழ் ஈழம் தாயே
The SL national anthem in Tamil (Sri Lanka Thaye ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே) is very similar to the TAMIL NADU anthem (Thamil Thay vaalthu தமிழ் தாய் வாழ்த்து). Anyone can see where the govt. and PART of the country is going with this!!
NZ is a different case. Everyone agrees MAORIS are NATIVES and the ENGLISH are invaders. It is NOT the case in SL.
Now SLs will be divided into THOSE WHO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IN SINGHALA and THOSE WHO SING IT IN TAMIL.
Yet another division.
The country is DIVIDED.
……………………….SINGHALA COUNTRY—————–TAMIL COUNTRY
Name……………………..Sri Lanka………………………………..Ilankai or Elam
Language…………………Singhala…………………………………Thamil
National anthem………..Sri Lanka matha……………………….Sri Lanka thaye
Capital…………………….Kotte…………………………………….Jaffna
War heroes……………….Army…………………………………….LTTE
War criminals…………….LTTE……………………………………..army
Reconcilaition…………….coexistance…………………………….Tamil only
Heroes day………………..May 19…………………………………November 25
IF Tamils want to be part of SL, they had a MILLION reasons to do so. Singing national anthem in Tamil will not change ANYTHING. Soon all Tamil kids will be singing தமிழ் ஈழம் தாயே.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:07 pm
Dear editor,
Could you kindly publish my above comment in an article. People should know what REALLY goes behind the scenes. A cyanide ball can be coated in chocolate and sugar but I still call it cyanide.
Thank you.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2016/02/04/sl-national-anthem-sung-in-tamilthat-tamils-could-understand-could-inspire-loyalty-towards-sri-lanka-as-the-song-does/comment-page-1/#comment-80580
February 4th, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Please don’t compare New Zealand national song with ours.
Even Maoris are invaders, now two invaders get together and sing !
This is the problem with those Sinhalese residing in other countries who cannot think properly.
I don’t know why, but I noticed those who live in NZ are more New Zealanders than Sri Lankans.
They like Rugby than Cricket. They have fully assimilated to New Zealand than Austrlian Sri Lankans to Australia.
Nothing wrong in that but they should not take New Zealand culture to Sri Lanka.
I agree with Lorenzo, more division now and hence more trouble.
If, as the writer wish, Tamils take this positively try to assimilate more to the motherland, then that is good. But it will never happen. They will distant themselves more.
STUPID MOVE.
February 4th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Chula says that he was moved when he heard the National Anthem was sung in Tamil. But how more moving would be if the National Anthem was sung by Tamils in Sinhala. That would be the delightful osmosis of two Communities becoming one in that movement of singing the National anthem together. That beauty of becoming one in everything we do together would be the most sacred and most moving of all acts that we should aim to achieve, and not sealing a difference between the two Communities doing everything separately as Tamils and Sinhalese.
February 4th, 2016 at 5:23 pm
I may go a step further and say that it would not be a bad idea to culminate our oneness even by encouraging intermarriages between the Tamils and Sinhala should also be encouraged. It would not be possible with the Muslims as Muslims are not secular. They would want the partners accept their religions. But there is an example that goes to show that intermarriages do not change the mental hatred of the Tamils towards Sinhala. The example is that of the two sons of Wigneswaran who have married Sinhala women- but Wigneswaran is the most rabid Tamil Racist ready even to rip the Sinhala wombs.
February 4th, 2016 at 7:48 pm
This is not a good idea. President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave a very good reply when asked about the idea of singing in Tamil. I agree with him. Please listen on the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGDql4GGEhs
February 5th, 2016 at 12:11 am
I have no personal objection at all to the National Anthem being sung in Tamil. Indeed it may evoke patriotic sentiments among those Tamils who appreciate what the people of Sri Lanka, Tamil- and Sinhala-speaking alike are blessed with in this little island nation.
HOWEVER, the MS/RW Govt. has gone on endlessly preaching about the Rule of Law and the Constitution’s role as the governing law of this country, while bending the laws all along to suit political expediency – from the start of a “Unity Govt” that has no place in the Constitution, to the singing of the National Anthem at State occasions which is very specifically described in Article 7 and Schedule 3.
If the laws can be bent to accommodate political necessity, how can this Govt also insist that the Rules of Law prevail? Their hypocrisy lies revealed. The moral high ground is lost. Nothing said can be believed. Period.
February 5th, 2016 at 4:56 am
While singing of the National Anthem in Tamil MAY evoke patriotic feelings from Tamil folk, it is certainly an act against the Constitution of Lanka. This Yahap govt has to stop breaking the Law of the Land to accommodate unreasonable wishes of a minority group in Lanka.
We also await an equally magnanimous gesture from the Tamil Leaders who have hitherto shown only hostility toward their host country, Sri Lanka, even from the 1930s.
How about Tamil Leaders do the following in return for the magnanity shown by Yahap in allowing the singing of the National Anthem at the Independence Day celebrations, even breaking the Law of the Land to do so :
*. An apology from them on behalf of the Tamil Community of Lanka for the LTTE over 30 yrs of killing, murdering innocent Sinhala Buddhist villagers.
*. Official removal of the Vadukoddai Resolution of 1976 which was the start of militancy for Tamil youth and the formation of the LTTE where the LTTE cadre were actually trained in Tamil Nadu by INDIA.
*. Official removal of laying claim on the N&E of Lanka as Tamil Homeland for formation of Eelam.
*. Genuine Gratitude toward Lanka’s Sinhala/Buddhist community and the Others for all that has been done for the Tamil community at high costs to the entire country.
*. Stop treating Tamil Nadu as their Motherland.
*. Stop running to foreign countries and especially Tamil Nadu & India to get unfair deals for themselves only.
*. Stop ruining the Goodwill Lanka has toward the entire world.
*. Stop making GoSL break the Law of the Land.
*. Seek to integrate into Mainstream Lanka.
*. Seek to go back to Tamil Nadu for those who do not want to integrate.
*. ACKNOWLEDGE that the Root Cause of the Tamil Problem is the CASTE SYSTEM of Tamil Nadu which has produced now over 15,000 Tamil DALITS who suffer Atrocities on a daily basis. That this has gone on for over 3,000 yrs. That the claim for Eelam is to download all these Tamil Dalits into Sri Lanka. That the proposed Ranil Chunnel, (funds from the ADB), to Tamil Nadu has this take over Lanka as the end view.
*. ACKNOWLEDGE that the Sinhala Nation and Others in Lanka had nothing to do with the creation of the Tamil Nadu Root Cause problem of Caste.
And more …..
When these acts of acknowledging the truth are done by Tamil Leaders of Lanka, then we will say that the singing of the National Anthem in Tamil at the 68th YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN, was a worthy thing to do.
If not , it was a waste of time and effort, breaking the Law of the Land to accommodate the ego wishes of Tamil Leaders.
February 5th, 2016 at 9:23 am
Some other relevant points :
1. If foreign powers want to lease the Eastern Prov Trinco Port, then they ought to do so with the GoSL. No need of elborate and diabolical plans to split the country, rent asunder MR & Family and the heroic armed forces of Lanka.
2. Local people should beware of Lanka’s “friendly neighborhood rapists”, both here and abroad.