RANJITH SOYSA 

ANCIENT BUDDHIST HERITAGE IN THE NORTH SRI LANKA is a book published in Sinhala which the author is planning to translate into English. The book consists of  40 cm by 30 cm 168 pages and is illustrated with about 750 colour photographs of ancient archaeological sites, Buddhist temples, Buddha statues, statues of Buddha’s pupils, inscriptions, sections of ancient buildings ,pillars, ponds etc  Some of the photographs include statues and artifacts of North Sri Lanka from the collections displayed in museums of Jaffna, Vavuniya Anuradhapura and Colombo

Messages of goodwill to this publication from Mahanayaka Theroes of Siam, Rammanna and Amarapura sects speak of the close links maintained by the people of Sri Lanka with Buddhism from the ancient days to the present times. They touched on the vicissitudes faced by the Buddhist institutions in the North especially from the invaders from South India and how the local rulers and the Buddhist clergy organized resistance to the invaders and re-established the Sinhala kingdoms. However, with the settlement of Tamil majority in the North the Buddhist places of veneration were neglected and at present many of the sites cannot even be located. Dr Jaysumana book according to the prelates is very important to understand the vital role played by the Buddhist temples in the lives of Buddhists who were living in the North and especially considering the large number of archaeological sites discovered in this book by Dr Jayasumana.

In the messages issued by well-known archaeologists, Ven Dr Ellawala Medhnanada thero, Dr Senarath Bandara Dissanayaka, Director General Archaeology 2004-2020,Prof T.G Kulatunga, former head of department of History and Archaeology, University of Jayewardenepura, and Prof Sumedha Weerawardhana  Senior lecturer Faculty of education and philosophy  University of Peradeniya, have stressed the importance of this publication giving details of many archaeological sites as the department of archelogy has still to compile a complete list of archaeological sites  in Sri Lanka and that some sites will be forgotten by the citizens of Sri Lanka forever This publication gives a clear message to the public that no effort should be spared to protect our heritage

Further, the messages from the archaeologists explain the importance of proper reporting about the sites ,publication of reports and conveying information about the directions to the sites to the public, Further at a time when there is a lack of interest in pursuing study in  archaeology, a compiling a book of this nature through a detailed study of sources, inscriptions examining local and foreign educational writings by Dr Jayasunana has been commended

Another, issue of importance discussed, is the lack of funding of the department and a proper and a comprehensive policy of preserving the archaeological heritage In views of the expanding agricultural and other social activities s obviously there is tendency to acquire lands where the archaeological sites.  Further, in the North and the East as the Buddhists are a minority mainly the Buddhist places of archaeological interests are not receiving the required protection.

In a comprehensive preface to the book, Channa Jayasumana traces his interests on the subject way back to 2003 when he embarked on a trip to Jaffna and was lured by the number of smaller stupas in the Kadurugoda archaeological complex, He says that the term ‘Jaffna’ was coined by the English administrators but the area was known as Naga Deepa previously. When he was the president of the Communication Group in 2003-2005 at University of Peradeniya, they organized several seminars on the subject On the Buddhist heritage in Jaffna in the book ‘Short history of Tamil people’ (2009) he included details of Buddhist places in Jaffna. As a member of the Parliament, he submitted a paper when the vote of the Buddha Sasana and Cultural Ministry was taken up under the heading Buddhist Heritage in Northern Sri Lanka as per the evidence adduced by the European writers.”

Channa recollects a statement by C.W.Nichlos in his book, ‘Historical Topography of ancient and medieval Ceylon’ that the Tamils marked their presence in the archipelago only after 1303, Therefore, until 14^th century the Sinhalese lived in the area and to serve the needs of the Buddhist population as in Anuradhapura there were many temples and other connected religious buildings. With the encouragement given by the Dutch and the English to settlers from South India to work in the Tobacco plantations in the North and regarding other cash crops the archipelago was converted by the Dutch and the English to be occupied by the migrant Tamils.t  

Channa also provides essential information about other writers who wrote about the Buddhist heritage in the North. He mentions the unique role played by Paul E Peris in collecting sources of information and pictures and presenting the history. He refers to the Mr Peris’s article written to Royal Asiatic Society titled ‘Ngadeepa and Buddhist remains in Jaffna’ in 1920s as an outstanding historical contribution.

Then in 1980s a former minister of Industries in the cabinet of J R. Jayawardane, Cyril Matthew made an appeal to the UNESCO requesting assistance to safeguard and preserve the cultural property in Sri Lanka endangered by racial prejudice, unlawful occupation or wilful destruction’. Channa mentions this document as one of the most relevant to the current topic of neglect and in some instances of destructions of  heritage sites in the North

Channa then draws attention of the readers to the contribution of the archaeologist Ven Ellawala Medhananda Thero’s work on the research carried out by his in the North Sinhala Buddhist heritage in Pachina passa and Uttara passa. The book was acknowledged at the Government literary festival in 2003, In this book Ven Thero mentioned that  many sites he has discovered and recorded in 1970 s were not in existence in 2002.and confirms continuous destruction of Sri Lanka’s invaluable archaeological evidence either by unlawful elements in search of hidden treasures or some operating wilfully to erase the historical inheritance.

After the war against the LTTE in 2007 the department of Archaeology published books on the state of sites called ‘Jaffna district, ’Mannar District’ ‘Arche logical inheritance in Mulativ district’ and by Jagath Sumathipala of Bauddhaloka Foundation on ‘The Aryan Civilization in the North, and Buddhist Sculpture of Sri Lanka written by Ulrich von Sheruder are some of the important sources of information on the subject.

Channa confirms that not only he was able to gather information from the sources cited above but also, he travelled widely to many locations in the North to collect relevant data for the book.

Now, I will outline some of the significant  information as explained in the book

The book explains archaeological sites under different districts in the North,

1 Jaffna district- 11 sites in 12 pages

2, Kilinochchi district-4sites in 3 pages

3. Mannar district- 19 sites in 12 pages

4, Mulativ district—73 sites in 62 pages

5.Vavuniya district- 63 sites in 45 pages

Then Channa mentions places which are almost destroyed such as Sinnawalyankattu, Mttamkulama, Rasamadu, Sapumaltenne, Athawtunuwewa,Kiriibbanwewawa Nawakulama ,Oddusudan, Yogapuram and other 8 villages.

Channa also provides information on Museums such as Jaffna,Vavuniya and also Anuradhapura and Colombo where some of the artefacts and statues etc recovered from the North, are being exhibited,

Then he proceeds to, trace 201 sites based on the maps of the Northern province under following descriptions.

1.Buddhist archaeological sites

2.Sites which have lost the Buddhist identity,

Finally, the book includes nearly 750 coloured photographs of statues, artefacts, caskets stupas, pillars, footprints, rock inscriptions, clay pots and pans, moonstones, remains of buildings etc found at 173 sites and items discovered from sites in the north now at museums of Jaffna, Vavuniya Anuradhapura and Colombo. The location of Areche logical sites on the verge of collapse due to neglect is mentioned under a separate section with the details of administration secretariat of the relevant area and grama sevaka unit.

It is our fervent wish, that outstanding publication of Dr Chaana Jayasumana will draw the attention of the Department of Archelogy in Sri Lanka to encourage them draw up a plan to protect and preserve the vanishing archaeological sites in the Northern province of Sri Lanka and also will send a message to the UNESCO to intervene urgently to collaborate with the Sri Lanka counterparts to explore and preserve the sites which are holding a treasured cultural and civilisational story of the human beings who lived in ancient Sri Lanka.

The nation salutes Dr Chaana Jatasumana for his laudable dedication to have undertaken to produce a comprehensive study on the archaeological sites in the North of Sri Lanka.

RANJITH SOYSA