KAMALIKA PIERIS The Kurundi issue has created an interest in the archaeology of Sri Lanka. Siran Deraniyagala said that   Sri Lanka’s archaeological heritage is divisible into Prehistoric (Stone Age) Protohistoric (Iron Age) and historical periods. This covers an estimated 1 million years or more. The Iron Age appeared at about 1000 BC and the historic […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Buddhists in Sri Lanka should be made aware of the stature of Buddhism in the Asian region when discussing the Kurundi issue. Buddhism enjoys a unique place in Asian history as the single shared experience among half the world’s population. No other movement has equaled the degree to which Buddhism has affected nearly […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Eelamists maintain that Koneswaram kovil in Trincomalee is a very ancient kovil. The British accepted that statement without question. Pridham in his book ‘Historical, political and statistical account of Ceylon’ (1849) wrote about Koneswaram temple in Trincomalee, saying it was regarded with great reverence by its devotees.   The temple is said to have […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The Tamil settlers   brought in by the British administration in the early 20th century, to colonize the north and east, entrenched the Hindu religion in those two areas. Then they started to say that Hinduism had been in the north and east from ancient times. They said that according to legend there were […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Talk shows on Kurundi invariably led to the question, Was there a kovil at Kurundi?” This ensures that in any discussion on Kurundi, the word Kovil also gets a mention. This is significant. Hinduism is now starting to run parallel to Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Hinduism, originated in India in   the Vedic period […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Senior nurse Somawathi recalled that as the morning progressed the crowd was swelling to uncontrollable levels at Ampara   Base hospital, a large crowd had gathered in the public areas of the hospital .people were visibly upset Bhikkhus from Sri Vidyananda Pirivena, Mahawapi Vihare and from all around Ampara began arriving at the hospital […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The intention of the LTTE in their Arantalawa attack was to destroy the Sri Vidyananda Pirivena. But the opposite happened. The late Indasara was  promptly  replaced by his pupil, Ven. Kirindiwela Somaratana. Ven. Somaratana  had recently left Sri Vidyananda Pirivena to pursue his higher studies at the Kelaniya University.  He returned immediately to […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS After the Arantalawa massacre, the government offered one-time compensation to the victims’ families: Rs. 25,000 for the slain adults and Rs. 15,000 for the slain children. Even by 1987 standards, this was a paltry sum, observed analysts. Some families, such as Ven. Indasara‘s family, rejected the offer. But, most of the families of […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Gunaratna and Jayakody have given a full description of the massacre of samaneras at Arantalawa.   Gunaratna and Jayakody have interviewed persons who were   physically present at the massacre and obtained first person information.  .They speak of the joyful preparations and happy start to the charikawa, and then describe the massacre, as it was […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS There was a deep hatred of Buddhism within the Tamil Separatist Movement. Buddhists seem unaware of this, though it is clearly visible.  It is right under their noses.  This animosity is not new. I saw it as a schoolgirl in the 1950s in Kandy, both in my school and in the area where […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Sarita Gunaratna and Dinesh Jayakody (2022) have provided a comprehensive, well-researched and heart-rending account of the brutal murder of samaneras at Arantalawa by the LTTE on June 3rd, 1987. The   essay is titled The Saffron Children: Massacre of samanera: Aranthalawa, 35 years on”. The link is https://sundaytimes.lk/online/opinion/The-Saffron-Children/158-1137728 The account was compiled using the […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS  It is the bhikkhus who single handedly looked after neglected   Buddhist viharas whenever Buddhism was suppressed and lacked state support. They deserve special mention. Bhikkhus looked after neglected viharas during the British administration. Ven.Dambagalle Ratanapala took up residence at Malayadi kanda vihara in 1912.  The stupa at Bellagama Raja Maha vihara was renovated […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Sarath Weerasekera   once angrily    invited   the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL)   to visit the North and observe how the Buddhist ruins are destroyed and Chaithyas razed to the ground. The archaeological officers are threatened with death. Court cases are filed, and in the case of Kurundi, they obtained the help of Mullaitivu […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The Buddhist lobby set out to re-establish Buddhism in the Northeast when the Eelam war ended in 2009. They were helped in this task by the army. The Buddhist lobby started off by setting up Buddha statues. Buddha-images were planted triumphantly in Tamil areas of re-conquest” lamented Tamil Separatist Movement.  By 2012 the […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Buddhist lobby made it a point to celebrate Wesak in the Northern Province. Wesak celebrations were organized in Jaffna in 2005. Religious activities were at Naga Vihara and Kadurugoda temple. Large crowds had thronged to Jaffna for Wesak to view the celebration. There were lanterns and dansala at the Alfred Duraiyappah stadium. Jaffna […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The Tamil Separatist Movement angrily noted that a process of BUDDHISIZATION and SINHALISATION started in the north and east from the year 2009. Buddhist temples were being constructed in places where no Buddhists reside and outside Sinhala Buddhist people” were being settled in Tamil villages, the Tamil Separatist Movement complained.   The Tamil Separatist […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS There is a tug of war going on in the north of Sri Lanka between the Buddhist and non-Buddhists over   Buddhist temples in the north. Neither side is prepared to give in. The Buddhist temples at Navatkuli( Jaffna) and Vadunagala ( Vavuniya) have faced strong opposition. In 2009 57 Buddhist families were brought […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The main strategy used to suppress Buddhism in the north and east, was to place Hindu kovils within Buddhist ruins. Kovils were set up on Buddhist structures. Hindu kovils have been built over many of the Buddhist shrines, said Medhananda.There was a historical precedent for this. Ama Wanniarachchi reported in 2022 that recent […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS In 1983, Cyril Mathew prepared a 167 page document, titled An appeal to UNESCO to safeguard and preserve the cultural property in Sri Lanka endangered by racial prejudice, unlawful occupation or willful destruction.” The book also contains information on 24 selected sites, with supporting documents, showing the destruction of these Buddhist monuments.  Among […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS When destroying Buddhist ruins,rock inscriptions were specifically targeted. They were sought out and deliberately destroyed. They were usulaly  broken into peices,  failing which,  words were tarred or obliterated.Mundikulammale in  Ampara had rows of caves with inscriptions. these had been shot and destroyed. The damage done is extensive. Buddhist ruins at Niyankullukama were shot […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The Tamil Separatist Movement has shown strong opposition to the presence of Buddhist temples in the north and east. Tamil Separatist Movement   vehemently objects to the construction of Buddhist temples and demands their removal. Tamil Separatist Movement   objects to construction of new Buddhist temples, Buddha statues and shrines. It objects to   the presence […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Strategic Buddhist sites in the northeastern region have been turned into ‘Contested Sites’ by the Tamil Separatist Movement. The most recent Contested Site was Kurundi, but there were two  before that. In January 2019 a group of about 200 persons led by northern politicians stormed the precincts of Gurukanda Raja Maha Viharaya in […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS According to the Mahavamsa, the Buddha visited Sri Lanka thrice.  His second visit was to Nagadipa to settle a quarrel between Chulodara and Mahodara over the possession of a gem-studded throne. .Nagadipa is therefore one of the solosmastana, the 16 places of worship to which Buddhists go on pilgrimage. Mahavamsa records many Buddhist […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Jaffna  already has a vihara which could be used for a solosmastana pilgrimage, Naga Vihara. I am unable to find out the year in which  this vihara  was established. My guess is that it would have been built in the 1950s or possibly late 1940s when Buddhist worship was  sent  across the sea […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Ven. Ellawala Medhananda paid special attention to the Buddhist archaeological remains in the North and east. He explored as much as he could in these two provinces, using his own resources. He found that the north and east had many Buddhist ruins and many explorations were needed, before they could be fully examined […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Medhananda was able to explore the Eastern Province with greater freedom than the north.  Medhananda has explored 80 Buddhist sites In the Eastern province. They included Agbo Raja Maha Vihara,  Ariyakara Raja Maha Vihara, Bollegama Raja Maha Vihara,    Balahandu vihara, Bambaragastalawa vihara, Boralukanda temple, Nilaveli. Bowattegala vihara,   Buddhangala hermitage,     Dighavapi,  Diviyagala vihara ,   […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS Ven Ellawala Medhananda has  explored the present day  Buddhist ruins of the Eastern Province.  He found  evidence in today’s Eastern   Province , to show  that the Eastern Province had a vibrant Buddhist civilization in the ancient and medieval period.  He has also shown that it had special features, such as hillside monastic complexes […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The North and east  of Sri Lanka was   Sinhala and Buddhist   throughout the ancient, medieval and modern period, right up to the start of British rule in 1815.There is plenty of evidence to prove this, if proof is necessary. To start  with, the north was an integral part of the Raja Rata of […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS The Eastern Province played a special role in the political life of ancient Sri Lanka. The eastern  Province    functioned as a refuge  while the Sinhala state was in formation. Whenever they were in trouble, not only princes but also monks ran to Ruhuna, said Medhananda. In the period between  Devanampiyatissa and Dutugemunu,( 250 […]

KAMALIKA PIERIS With the rise of the Tamil Separatist Movement, Buddhists feared for the Buddhist ruins in the north and east. They wanted them listed and shown on maps. Several persons then started to list the Buddhist sites in the north.  M. H. Sirisoma, Asst. Archaeological Commissioner prepared a map of Buddhist sites in 1963. […]