Lanka to recover stolen artefacts

by Don Asoka Wijewardena (The Island)

(February 22, 2009) Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that Sri Lanka would officially appeal to a number of museums in several countries as well as private collectors to return cultural and religious artefacts and statues spirited away from the country.

He said that the decision had been made after recommendations by a special Cabinet approved committee of scholars who handed over their report last week. Stocks of Lankan artifacts were seized by the Portuguese, British and Dutch during the days of colonialism.

The committee in its study has found that a number of historical and precious Sri Lankan artifacts are on display in museums in some countries and Sri Lankans who are interested in research, studies and viewing them are unable to do so as they belong to those countries legally, he said.

The committee comprised scholars Dr. Nanda Wickremasinghe, Prof. P. L. Premathilaka, Prof. Anura Manatunge, Dr. Roland Silva, Dr. Senerath Dissanayaka, Dr. Saroja Wethasinghe and Prof Sarath Amunugama and the Secretaries of the Ministries of Cultural Affairs, Foreign Affairs and Urban Development.

Minister Gunawardena said that even the Asgiriya and Malwatta Mahanayakas had asked him whether the government would be able to bring back the artifacts kept in foreign museums.

Minister Gunawardena said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had expressed his desire to recover the archeological treasures that belonged to Sri Lanka and diplomatic ties would be used to recover the country’s archaeological wealth.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) would help Sri Lanka bring back the artifacts, the Minister said.

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Sri Lanka to look into ways to get back the historical monuments taken away from the country

(February 20, 2009) Archaeology professor Roland Silva, the chairman of a committee appointed to propose ways to get back the archaeological monuments that have been taken away from Sri Lanka, handed over the report of the committee to the Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Land Development Dinesh Gunawardhana on February 19.

The Minister said that the report would be submitted to the cabinet and the President would be consulted for further proceedings.

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Buddha was in Gujarat, says Lankan scholar

(January 16, 2009) While M S University's department of archaeology and ancient history may have grabbed global attention with its possession of Lord Buddha's relics, but few might know that in his lifetime Lord Buddha had visited Gujarat.This startling piece of information was given by professor Anura Manatunga from Sri Lanka, who presented his paper "Buddhism in Gujarat: Some supplementary evidences from Sri Lanka".

"There are two references in Sri Lankan sources about Lord Buddha's visit to the state during his lifetime. As per first reference in Mahavamsa, which is a revered chronicle of Sri Lanka, Buddha visited Sunnapparantaka Janapad (part of Gujarat) along with 500 monks on the invitation of great monk Sunnapparantaka in his ninth year after he became Buddha. It is further stated that he preached Buddha dharma at Chandanshala of Muhalu Ashram, also in Gujarat," said Manatunga, who is the director of Centre for Asian Studies in University of Kelaniya.

He added, "The text adds that from Sunnapparantaka, he left for Narmada River on an invitation of a Nag King of Narmada and set up sacred footprints of Buddha at the mouth of Narmada River. The second source says that public society of traders of Sunnapparantaka Janapad is one of the 24 societies which had been preached by Lord Buddha during his lifetime. One can infer that these places refer to Gujarat as apparantaka' which means west-end of the country. In Indian context, it only points towards the state," added Manatunga.

Quoting more evidences from Mahavamsa, Manatunga explains that their country was colonised by a prince Vijaya along with 700 followers hailing from Lata country that was a part of Gujarat. "It is mentioned that prince Vijaya came to Sri Lanka on the same day when Buddha died. His successor king S L Panduvasadeva too came from Lata. It can be inferred that Sri Lanka has a strong Gujarat connection and influence," said professor Manatunga.

The Sri Lankan researcher also said that Buddhism too finds a strong presence in state with ancient Sri Lankan inscriptions revealing that a chief named Mala had gone from Bharuch to Sri Lanka where he constructed and donated a cave to Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka. "There is another inscription from Junagadh that refers to a construction of two-cell cave by two Sri Lankan brothers Buddha Mitra and Buddha Rakshita. They were described as sons of horse traders who lived in Bharuch having migrated from Sri Lanka," he said.

"Sources also enumerate instances of presence of many viharas and monasteries in Saurashtra Janapad, which was described as a wealthiest of all Janapad's of the country," said Manatunga.

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Sri Lanka's world heritage cities threatened to be removed from UNESCO list

(January 14, 2010) Communication Promotions Officer of Sri Lanka Ministry of Tourism Lesley Uduwavidana says that in a discussion between Executive Director of the UNESCO and the Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Marketing Promotion Bureau, he understood that Sri Lanka's World Heritage cities are at risk of being removed from the UNESCO list.

The reasons for the danger of being removed are the high environmental pollution and illegal constructions etc., he cited.

The World Heritage Cities that are facing the risk of being removed from the UNESCO list are Galle, Kandy and Sigiriya.

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Struggle for gender equality of Buddhist monks of Sri Lanka

(January 14, 2009) A leading Buddhist priest of Sri Lanka, Ven. Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero lodged a complaint against the state Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs regarding non-safeguarding quality of the female Buddhist monks.

The Thero complained to the Human Rights Commission that the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs had rejected registering the monasteries of the female monks.

There are 147 monasteries of the female Buddhist monks in which 500 senior and 2000 novice monks reside, says Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero.

The Buddhist term 'Sangha' includes both male and female monks, the Thero points out.

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Robbers vandalize dagaba hunting for treasure

by Ariya Waidyasekera, Ambalantota. -

Treasure hunters have vandalized the dagaba and robbed treasures from an ancient temple at Welangahawela in Angunakolapelessa.

The temple is an ancient sylvan shrine known as Welangahawela Purana Raja Maha Viharaya.

According to chronicles it has been built by King Mahanaga.

A 9-foot-deep hole has been dug in the Vihara Chaitya and the valuables removed leaving four caskets turned out of clay, the Angunakolapelessa police told.

The Viharadhipathi Welangahamula Purana Raja Maha Viharaya had not been at the temple when the incident took place, OIC Angunakolapelessa police W. K. K. Sunil Santha said.

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Significant new sandakadapahana recovered from Anuradhapura

(November 13, 2009) A new sandakadapahana or moonstone has been recovered from the ancient Anuradhapura city. Sandakadapahana is a unique stepping stone with artistic carvings on it and it was widely used at the entrances of the shrines in Anuradhapura era that spans up to 10the century AD.

However, the recovery had been made spontaneously as a base pit was dug to build a shrine near the ancient Sri Maha Bodhiya, the sacred bo tree believed to hail from the tree that provided shade to Lord Buddha..

The sandakadapahana was observed significant in its artistic and archaeological value.

However, the Department of Archaeology has decided to bury this invaluable monument as it was until a systematic archaeological excavation is carried out.

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