KAMALIKA PIERIS

With the rise of the Tamil Separatist Movement, the Buddhist realized that the Buddhist sites in the north and east were in danger.  The Tamil Separatist Movement intended to ruthlessly eliminate all evidence of a Sinhala Buddhist civilization in the north and east.

Therefore, the Sinhala Buddhist lobby wanted the ancient Buddhist monuments in the north and east identified, given a map location and, where possible, gazetted as protected areas. 

M. H. Sirisoma, Asst. Archaeological Commissioner prepared a map of Buddhist sites in 1962. This was much valued and greatly used. It is   still cited as a pioneer contribution.  His map lists 21 places   in Jaffna, 4 in Mannar, 105 in Vavuniya and Mullaitivu, 81 in Trincomalee, 22 in Batticaloa, 64 in Ampara.

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.”  It is a valuable historical document which should be made available in research collections.

It is a privately published monograph, carrying the address. Barnes Place, Colombo 7.” Cyril Mathew acknowledged the support of several others in preparing this document. He speaks of the support and cooperation he received from colleagues, friends and well wishers. (See last page)

The book starts with Sirisoma’s map, greatly enlarged. The book also contains information on 24 selected sites, with supporting documents, showing the damage done to the monuments on these sites.

 Mathew provides supporting documents   to show that these Buddhist monuments had been damaged. They include   reports from the GA and surveys by the Department of Archaeology. Some are facsimiles of handwritten reports.  The handwritten report on   Nelukkulam in Vavuniya runs to 7 pages and contains many drawing and measurements.   The relevant Gazette notices are also included.

The 24 sites are:  Ettama-Pottuvil,  Gokanna,   Kanchikudichchi, Kavudugala,Kiliveddy,   Kirimetti aru,  Kottadicholai,  Kuchchaveli,  Kurundanmalai,Mohantankulam,Nedunkerni, Nelugala, Nelukkalam, Nilaveli,  Pulukunawa,  Samalankulam, Samudragiri, Sangamankanda, Santimalai, Sembimalai,  Sunethrawewa, Tadikulam,   Taravakulam, Vilankulam.

Among the monuments destroyed he lists Kurundanmalai where in 1981 there was an attempt to turn the image house into a Hindu kovil. A siripatula found there was used as a base to light camphor.

Mathew also stated that the stupa at Nellikulam in Vavuniya had been leveled and cemented and a trident placed there.  A Hindu kovil has been constructed in the vihara premises at Mohantankulam in Vavuniya. The entire area, including ruins has been fenced in and turned into a large cattle shed, said Cyril Mathew.  A Hindu kovil was to be set up at Samalankulam in Vavuniya said Mathew in his book.

Cyril Mathew’s book ends with a set of photographs showing the damage caused to several Buddhist monuments in the north and east. The photographs include a wantonly damaged Buddha image from Etambagaskada.

Cyril Mathews appeal to UNESCO was forgotten, until the Kurundi issue came up. When discussion started in 2023 on social media about Kurundi vihara, commentators started to recall Mathew’s contribution and made reference to the UNESCO document.

Cyril Mathew and E.L.B. Hurulle took an active interest in controlling the damage done to Buddhist monuments. ..Their role in the matter should not be forgotten, said commentators.  Cyril Mathew was Minister of Industry and Scientific Affairs  (1977–1986).Hurulle was Minister of Cultural affairs at that time.

Cyril Mathew set up Buddhist societies in the industrial corporations and Boards under his Ministry and brought them together as the State Corporations Buddhist Congress.

This Congress passed 5 resolutions at the first meeting.

1.  That the ruins now under forest cover b e discovered and protected through Gazette orders. Buddhists should settle there and also the Maha sangha.

2. Renovations should maintain the original style of the building.

3. There should be an increase in the staff of the Department of Archaeology. There should be more trained archaeologists. An Assistant Commissioner of archaeology should be assigned to each Kachcheri. Priority should be given to archaeological restoration in all districts.

4. The work done at present to identify and label sacred areas is commended. 

 5. Station the Maha sangha in sensitive areas.

 This Congress appears to have commenced work enthusiastically. Mathew reported that they had found some 239 Buddhist ruins and conserved 70. Five puja nagara were planned, one was Kurundi.  Each religious site was assigned to a specific corporation, which set up a samiti for the work. Kurundi was assigned to the   Ceramic Corporation.   

Cyril Mathew understood the importance of the Eastern province .He focused on three sites in the east,   Kurundi, Tiriyaya, Seruwila.  State Corporations Buddhist Congress started excavation at Kurundi in 1980.

In 1981, the Congress wrote to the Department of Archaeology and other relevant bodies, saying that they had set up an avasa for a monk there, having obtained permission to do so. They reported that the padmasana and statue in the pilimage have been broken, the pieces are lying there.

The Tamils have set up a kovil on the pilimage. They have made a concrete platform and set up a trisula on it. They have set up a second trisula elsewhere on Kurundi. Get these items out of Kurundi, requested the Congress.

Mathew found that there was no police station to protect Kurundi. He got a police station set up at Oddusuddan for the purpose. The archaeological conservation project of the State Corporations Buddhist Congress ended in 1982, with the start of LTTE      activity.

E.T. Kannangara published Jaffna and the Sinhala heritage” in 1984. In this book he provided a list of the places in the Jaffna peninsula where Buddhist remains have been found in the 1980s.

Several Buddha images were found at Puttur. Some were in Dhiyana mudra, one was eight ft tall.

Remains of a dagoba and Buddha statue were found at Mahiyapiti. Buddha images, shrine and yantra gala were found at Mallakam Buddha image, moonstone, door frame, pillars and three mounds of earth were found at Vavunikulam. A Buddha image and dagoba was found at Koddiyawattai, a hamlet in Chunnakam. Buddha image was found in the village of Navakiri at Nilavarai.

A Buddha footprint was found at Puloli, two miles from Point Pedro. Remains of dagobas have been found at Nilavarai, Tellipali, Uduvil and Uruthirupuram. There is evidence of a Buddhist vihara in Keerimalai. Vallipuram contained old bricks, foundations of buildings, damaged Buddha images, ruins of a Buddhist vihara and a place named ‘sakkawattai’.  Buddhist ruins were also found at Anakottai, Chulipuram, Uruthirupuram and at Delft.

 Kannangara has   drawn attention to Buddhist remains outside the Jaffna peninsula. A standing Buddha statue 7 ½ feet in height was found at Mannar.  The Kurundi vihara built by Aggabodhi I in Mullativu ((Muladipa) is now in ruins. He noted that report of the Commissioner of Archaeology 1982, refers to Buddhist ruins in the Vanni.

Kannangara says that there were Buddhist temples on the sites of some present day kovils. Kandasamy kovil at Nallur, built by Sapumal Kumaraya, was earlier a Buddhist shrine with an altar for Skanda. Buddha images were found quarter mile from this kovil. The Hindu kovil at Mawatupuram, a village near Kankesanturai, was earlier Mawatupura vihara. An ancient Buddhist vihara near the 9th mile post along Jaffna-Karaingar road across Manipay is now a Hindu kovil.

Kannangara stated that place names also showed that Jaffna had been Buddhist. There is ‘Pinwatte’ and ‘Buddhawattai’ close to Kantarodai. . Places named Sakkavattai (sangha watta) are found at Kankesanturai, Mawatapuram and the adjacent villages. Until the 1980s a hamlet close to Tellippalai was known as ‘Buddha Walauwwa’. Puttur is ‘Budugama’. ‘Ur’ means village in Tamil. There is ‘Gothamaluwawatta’ about a quarter mile from Ponnalai. (continued)