KAMALIKA PIERIS

It is suggested that since the north and east of Sri Lanka have become Hindu and Tamil, Tamil opposition to Buddhistization should be given serious consideration. The restoration of archaeological monuments should be done in such a way that the interests of the Tamils living near them are not affected. Since they are the present residents of these Buddhist sites, their views must rank above the conservation needs of Buddhist sites.

That is not so. To start with the north and east are under populated. The population density in the north and east is low. In 2021, the population density in North was 131.1/km² and in the Eastern province it was 178.4/km² .  In contrast, in Western province it was 1,688/km².

The lowest population density in Sri Lanka   in decreasing order is Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Mullaitivu. Mullaitivu is last. Mullaitivu, where Kurundi is, has the lowest population density in the island. Mullaitivu population density is 35/ km² .Therefore there is plenty of room for the Buddhist sites in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya.  Also the Buddhist ruins are far away from the Tamil settlements in both north and east. That is why they have survived for so long.

There are no local stakeholders at Kurundi, because Kurundi vihara is in its own reservation and that reservation is inside the larger Norochcholai forest reservation. The ruins of Kurundi now stretch to 400 acres and the boundary stones were set accordingly.  The nearest Tamil village is 10 kilometers away.

Therefore In order to get into the stakeholder category at Kurundi, the Tamil Separatist Movement fraudulently destroyed 5 acres of Norochcholai forest, and said that it was historic paddy lands of the Tamil people. This area should be immediately re-forested and the persons who carried out the deforestation should be charged. Their names are known.

Island editorial in June 2023 observed that Kurundimale heritage site has given rise to a huge controversy for political reasons and only a scientific approach to the problem can help find a workable solution. Let an expert committee consisting of senior archaeologists be set up to study the Kurundimale site and determine the extent of land necessary for its restoration or conservation and how that task should be carried out to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, said Island.

The editorial continued, the hullabaloo over the Kurundimale monument is due to the politicization of what is essentially an archaeological matter. TNA politicians and others have taken exception to the project. The writ of the state, we believe, must run in all parts of the country, and national heritage sites must be traced and conserved or restored wherever they are located.

Instead, the government seems to have  accepted the existence of  kovils in ‘contested sites’. In the case of Kurundi vihara   the Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry  has  bowed to  Hinduism. According to the media, the Ministry  has recommended three specific proposals to settle the continuing dispute over the ancient Kurundi Temple.

Firstly, the Ministry has proposed the allocation of three acres of land outside the Kurundi reserve for the construction of a temple and a kovil for public use, which means that Kurundi, which is the historical site would be removed from the pilgrim route and probably allowed to deteriorate.

 Second the Ministry has proposed a fresh survey of the Kurundi area by an expert committee , which  means that there is a doubt about Kurundi. Thirdly, the Ministry has proposed a fresh issuance of gazettes pertaining to identified archaeological sites.

These decisions indicate that the notion of the north and east as Hindu gets  official recognition. The existence  of an ancient monastery in Mullaitivu  is now under doubt, despite evidence, but  the possibility   of a   Hindu kovil there, is not, thought there is no evidence to support it. The Hindu kovil, bogus or not, must not be touched but the Buddhist ruin can be kicked about.

The Tamil Separatist Movement has  gone further. It has  got at  the Buddhist actors  at Kurundi and convinced them that there is  a Hindu civilization  in the north and that  the Sangha and the government must recognize this.

Tamil Separatist Movement has clearly got at Ven. Santhabodhi .In a You Tube discussion Ven. Santhabodhi, suddenly intervened,   and said he wanted attention paid to the conservation of non- Buddhist    ruins as well. A speaker from the Dept of Archaeology replied and said that that Hindu kovils have also been conserved. If so, then please publicize that as well, said Santhabodhi, show the public  that the Department of Archaeology was not  only for Buddhist buildings.  

The Hindu culture of the north and east   is now given a new prominence. Ambassadors who visit the north pay highly publicized visits to Hindu kovils. In 2010 the German Ambassador to Sri Lanka   participated in the Thai Pongal festival at Nallur, bare bodied.[1]

A visit to a prestigious kovil is now   included in the itinerary of heads of state and royalty.  Mr. A. Natarajan, who served as India’s Consul General in Jaffna from 2015 to 2018 recalled thatwhen Prime Minister Modi visited Jaffna in 2015, he was to have worshipped at Nallur Kandaswamy temple. Modi was the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Jaffna.

 Indian officials had  planned a visit to Nallur temple, the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy temple or Keerimalai Naguleswaram temple near Kankesanthurai.  Nallur temple insisted that Prime Minister Modi, like all male worshippers at Nallur, must enter the temple bare-chested and observe the traditional timings for poojas. There would be no flexibility on those customs regardless of the status of persons, or any special treatment for individuals, politicians or VIPs.  Indian Premier Modi  cancelled Nallur and attended the Pooja at Naguleswaram temple, fully dressed.

Princess Anne visited Sri Lanka in January 2024. Her itinerary included Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna. In Kandy she visited the Dalada Maligawa. In Jaffna she visited the Jaffna Public Library but did not visit Nallur kovil. This is an interesting omission.

However back in Colombo, on the final day she visited Vajira Pillayar Kovil, where she received a blessing from the chief priest, the British newspaper Standard reported. A shimmering scarf of gold-and-red silk was draped over the princess and her husband’s shoulders, a garland of jasmine and rose flowers were placed around their necks and each received a pottu in the middle of their forehead. They stood before a shrine to Lord Ganesh and touched an offering of fruit. They later toured the temple viewing the many shrines to Hindu gods. Outside, they were offered the chance to feed sacred cows, and Anne held some vegetation as they ate, concluded Standard. (Continued)

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[1] Island 15.1.10 p 1.