Cutting of the ancient Divrungala Bodhi tree
Posted on May 18th, 2016
Bandu de Silva
It is not only Sinhale Jatika Savidhanaya that should be concerened as reported in Hiru, but the entire nation. There is documentation of the protest made by the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka which even held a Seminar to discuss the issue of inauguration of this Sita Maha Devi project jointly sponsored by the former Sri Lanka Tourism Authority and India’s Madhya Pradesh’s BJP Chief Minister Chauhan who was invited to cut the first sod and who donated crores of cash to commence the project.
The irony is that Chauhan’s visit had the blessings of the Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka. Chauhan visited the island taking cover behind the invitation by Mahabodhi Society but that the real purpose of the BJP leader espousing the Hindutva doctrine, was to sponsor the construction of the Sita Devi temple was not publicised here. It came to light as a result of Deccan Herald publishing the news of Chauhan cutting the first sod and donating money which news was brought to light by me. The Mahabodhi Society of India based in Sanchi wanting to maintain good relations with the Madhya Pradesh govt should have seen through the insidious plans of BJP religious extremists to make inroads into India. It was also ironical that The Secretary of Maha Bodhi Society, Sri Lanka,jumped at the Seminar to defend its participation in the invitation to Chauhan.It is perhaps, this Society which was behind President Sirisena visiting Sannchi for participation in a Hindu ceremony.
The cutting of the ancient Bodhi tree, which is the existing symbolic representation of its use for swearing during the days of the Kandyan kingdom practised as a feature of the Kandyan legal system is adding insult to the injury. This spot of significance to the history of the Kandyan kingdom is now to be converted to a place connected to a mythical story of a woman (SITA) who according to one version of the mythical text, RAMAYANAYA, was expelled from the kingdom for sitting on the lap of another man and an alleged illicit affair with mythical Rama’s brother. The Mahabodhi Society and the Tourism Authority’s former Director General who were then accomplices in spreading Hindu worship in Sri Lanka should bear responsibility for joining in this what looks like a big conspiracy to erase true significance of place names and create new bogus history.Supporting the venture were the remnants of the Hela Havla school mad -hatters who gave curious interpretation to place names to make them associated with mythical Ravana story. For example, Wariyapola is interpreted as the aerodrome of Ravana by breaking up the name into parts (Wa- Air; Riya=Chariot :Pola =Station). I asked why Ussangoda was not similarly interpreted a the place where Ravana lifted (Ussan) Sita; or the latter went to sit on Ravana’s lap.
A number of mad-hatters have joined in this effort to erase the true history of these places. They are linked to the people in India who demolished the 14th century Mosque in Ayodhya to build a mythical Rama temple over it claiming it was the place where Rama was born!
On the other side, the Indian government has dismissed the Ramayana story as sheer myth. That is in connection with the protest over the construction of Sethu Samudra canal.
Bandu de Silva
සිංහලේ ජාතික සංවිධානයේ බදුල්ල වැලිමඩ දිව්රන්ගල
බෝධීන් වහන්සේ කපා දැම
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May 18th, 2016 at 3:25 pm
This is worse than giving Elam.
No words to describe stupidness , greed and selfishness of these criminals who have come to power promising sky and earth.
They are demolishing temples to construct Kovils everywhere in Hela Bima ?
Time for Maha Sangha to rise.
May 18th, 2016 at 6:59 pm
We are a colony of the Indian Empire like Mauritius and Guyana.
Unfortunately most of us cannot understand what Indian colonial parasites, Indians and India are doing to us.
Ramayana may be true but it is not a reason for us to cut an old tree to let them build their edifices.
Let us unite and stand up to the Indian Empire before it is too late.
May 18th, 2016 at 8:11 pm
When you look at the photos, it appears that the tree was cut because of damages to Chaityaya due to tree roots, not the reason given in this report. Nevertheless no such monuments by Indians shall be allowed anywhere in the country because Ramayana has no significance to Sinhalaya or to Sri Lankans. Stupid Indians can do whatever they want is their Bharat.
May 19th, 2016 at 12:13 am
Why not get the head of this chief priest examined. He must be really nuts!
May 20th, 2016 at 6:49 am
Namaste; Jai Hind Jai Bharat Samraj!