Features

The Absence of a Desired Image – a tour de force

Published

2 years ago

2024/05/12

by Seneka Abeyratne

Dr SinhaRaja Tammita-Delgoda’s new art history book, “George Keyt – The Absence of a Desired Image,” provides fascinating insights into the life and work of Sri Lanka’s greatest artist. The book, published by the Taprobane Collection, is 464 pages long from cover to cover with the Appendices (expertly compiled by Uditha Devapriya) comprising about 90 pages. A hefty piece of non-fiction, it is skillfully crafted with meticulous attention paid to detail. Tammita Delgoda has produced a work of art – a tour de force that grips the reader and captures the imagination like an epic novel. Thanks to the author’s breezy writing style and great zest for story-telling, it moves at a brisk pace and takes us on an unforgettable journey. The book’s design is exquisite, especially in respect of the delicate interplay between stylish narrative and ravishing visual imagery.

The book could be viewed as a marvelous tapestry of the painter’s journey through life created by a master craftsman. We discover that not only was Keyt a great, self-taught artist but a brilliant poet, scholar, and linguist as well. How a single individual could excel in so many different fields is something to behold. Here was someone who danced ecstatically to the music of his soul.

Keyt died at the age of 92 and his life spanned all ten decades of the previous century. Though he was playful in his youth, he became a studious and serious-minded individual after leaving school. As The Absence of a Desired Image demonstrates, in terms of range and versatility, Keyt’s artistic and literary output was phenomenal. The book has 18 engrossing chapters plus a lucid Introduction that contains a compact literature review. It is worthwhile noting that several eminent authors have written books on George Keyt including the Indian art historian, critic and curator, Yasodhara Dalmia, whose book is entitled, Life and Times of George Keyt (2017).

Tammita-Delgoda does an excellent job in revealing the multifaceted nature of Keyt’s personality as well as his work. Though Keyt the painter is the central theme of his book, there are several sub-themes, such as Keyt the poet, Keyt the scholar, Keyt the writer, Keyt the translator, and Keyt the illustrator, which also receive close attention. Arguably, The Absence of a Desired Image goes further than any other book on Keyt in terms of weaving the man and his work into a composite whole.

An attractive feature of this weighty tome is that Keyt’s life is interwoven with Sri Lanka’s history, culture, and social fabric. We learn a great deal not only about Keyt’s family background and personal life, but also about how two great religions – Buddhism and Hinduism – influenced his work and his mindset. Keyt was a Burgher and so was his closest friend, Lionel Wendt – Sri Lanka’s greatest photographer. Accordingly, the book’s observations on and impressions of the Burgher community in the first half of the 20^th century are highly pertinent to the overarching theme – Keyt the painter.

Because India and Keyt’s life were inextricably linked, the book provides a comprehensive account of how Indian culture influenced Keyt and vice versa. The adroit manner in which it captures the shades and nuances of this synergistic interaction is laudable. But if Keyt ultimately turned to cubism and gave it a distinct Sri Lankan flavor, it was largely due to the influence of Picasso, an artist that he deeply revered.

The focus of Chapter I is the impact that Sri Lanka’s transition from British colonial rule to self-rule had on Keyt’s life. “Confronted with the turmoil of Independent Sri Lanka, Keyt deliberately withdrew into a private world of idyllic romance, divine fantasy and literary symbolism.”

Chapter II contains a fine description of Keyt’s formative years at Trinity College, where students were encouraged to develop their creative, intellectual and artistic skills. Though Keyt never passed any exams, he did win the College Art Prize at age fourteen. And he began to read and write poetry.

In Chapter III we learn how Keyt began studying Buddhism and Pali after leaving school. The Keyt family lived near the Malwatte Vihara, overlooking Kandy Lake, and the scholar monk and poet, Ven. Pinnawela Dheerananda, became Keyt’s mentor.

Chapter IV tells us that when Keyt began to paint, his initial focus was the rhythms and routines of life in Buddhist temples. Meanwhile, he produced many essays and illustrations for various magazines. “His first major literary work was entitled Poetry from the Sinhalese (1938).”

Chapter V indicates that his career as an artist began to take off in his late twenties. “Keyt’s early paintings depicted the landscape and people of Kandy. Naturalistic and representative, they are very carefully structured and solidly organized …” If he was not painting, he was writing poetry. He published several poems in the 1930s, including Image in Absence.

The painter married Ruth Jansz in 1930 by whom he had two daughters. Though Ruth was a devoted wife and mother, Keyt was unfaithful to her, and their marriage broke down before the decade ended. He was in love with Lucia, his daughter’s nanny. Abandoning his family, he went to live with Lucia in her village, Pilawela. Lucia (also known as Pilawela Menike) took good care of him and bore him two sons. The couple relocated several times and eventually made Sirimalwatte (a village in Kandy) their home in 1950.

George Keyt

As explained in Chapter VI, “George Keyt was the first contemporary painter to derive inspiration from the wellspring of Sri Lanka’s ancient tradition.” By carefully studying the Sigiriya frescoes, he mastered the art of drawing the vaka deka, double curve. In the 1930s he began to abandon naturalism and representation in favor of the curving line. From then on, sweeping curves and counter curves became a prominent feature of his work. “Two women, painted during the 1930s, shows how integral the curving line was to Keyt’s work …”

The culture of Polonnaruwa during the Middle Ages was an amalgam of Buddhism and Hinduism and Keyt was profoundly influenced by the bronze images of Hindu deities produced by the cholas. “The heads of many of Keyt’s figures, both male and female, were inspired by the Polonnaruwa bronzes. Abstracted and sharply drawn, with their long faces, pointed noses and heavy lidded eyes, many of them resemble Shiva and Parvati.” Examples of Keyt’s paintings that demonstrate these stylized features are Nayika and The Flutist.

Keyt had in-depth knowledge of Kandyan Buddhist art. “Ian Goonetileke notes that the wall paintings of Kandy were a major factor in the artistic language which Keyt evolved for himself.” For example, Gotaimbara closely resembles a Kandyan mural in style, form and color scheme.

Chapter VII , written with verve and sensitivity, is about Keyt and his best friend – the pianist, photographer, critic and cinematographer, Lionel Wendt. If Wendt opened Keyt’s eyes to the world of modernism, Keyt introduced Wendt to the world of Kandyan dance.

Chapter VIII provides a cogent analysis of Keyt’s Kandyan village paintings such as Ploughing, Harvest, Man with Bull, Woman with Parasol, Fruit Seller in respect of style, form, color, and thematic content. It also elaborates upon Keyt’s fascination with Kandyan dance. “Over the years, Keyt became deeply versed in the arts and drumming. His essay, Kandyan Dancing (1953), provides a comprehensive introduction to the world of Sinhala dance.”

As elucidated in Chapter IX, it was through the books, journals and magazines that Lionel Wendt shared with Keyt that the latter discovered modernism. Of these, the most important was Cahiers d’Art, which showcased the work of leading European modern artists. “Keyt’s discovery of cubism caused him to discard the art of representation. By the 1930s his style had changed. Like Picasso, he combined distortion with bold outline. Using crisp, heavy lines, he made the continuing line a defining feature, merging and fusing figures together.” The influence of other European modern artists such as Léger, Braque, Derain and Matisse can also be observed in his work. For example, Matisse’s Odalisque (1920-21) inspired Keyt to paint Reclining Woman almost fifty years later.

Chapter X provides useful information on the formation of the Ceylon Society of Arts as well as the 1943 Group consisting of prominent artists excluded by the Ceylon Society, including Ivan Peries, George Keyt, Justin Daraniyagala, and Harry Peiris. The idea for the establishment of this Group came from Ivan Peries and was executed by Lionel Wendt. “The 43 Group became Asia’s first modern art movement. For Lionel Wendt it was a great moment of fulfillment which embodied the climax of his artistic career …”

From Chapter XI we learn the 43 Group became famous due to its authentic blend of traditional forms with modern Western influence. “In the years which followed Independence, the 43 Group held a series of regular exhibitions which gradually established modern art in Sri Lanka. By the early fifties, the 43 Group was winning international acclaim and showing its work in Europe.” Keyt’s good friend, Ian Goonetileke (a well-known scholar and bibliographer,), observed that though the core members of the 43 Group were highly gifted, they were not genuinely rooted in their culture, which is why the Group disintegrated in the late sixties. But as this book points out, the only exception was George Keyt.

“Crossing the boundaries of alienation, Keyt was able to find a new truth and forge a relationship with his environment. This endowed his work with the enduring relevance which exists to this day.”

Chapter XII provides a fascinating account of how Keyt became more and more “Indian” in respect of his mindset as well as his art. After his first visit to India in 1939, he kept going back. In 2021 Tammita-Delgoda interviewed Keyt’s elder daughter, Diana Keyt, who said: “Once he went to India, he changed and converted to Hinduism. He became a follower of Krishna. Hinduism came to exercise a bigger influence on him. In the end it won over Buddhism.” The painter lived in India from 1946 to 1949.

Ratikeli is a fine example of a Keyt painting inspired by Hindu mythology. The two great Sanskrit epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabarata, also had a profound impact on his work. This chapter demonstrates with the assistance of drawings and paintings the significant extent to which the painter was also inspired by Indian art, sculpture, music, and dancing.

One of the most nostalgic sections in this book is Chapter XIII, where the Indian factor continues to receive attention. Keyt’s circle of friends during his three-year stay in India (1946-49) included Mulk Raj Anand, Minette de Silva, and her sister Marcia (Anil). From 1946 to 1948, Anil was the assistant editor and Minette, the architectural editor of Marg. During this time Lionel Wendt, Geoge Keyt, and the 43 Group as a whole figured prominently in this prestigious magazine.

The trio (Anand and the de Silva sisters) were the chief organizers of Keyt’s first ever solo international exhibition at the Convocation Hall in Bombay in 1947. The exhibition, which featured 64 paintings as well as a comprehensive catalogue, was lauded by both Indian and foreign critics. “What resonated most was the way in which Keyt had absorbed and depicted the Indian heritage.” According to his biographer, Martin Russel (as per his book, George Keyt) as well as the art historian William Archer (as per his book, India and Modern Art), Keyt’s contribution to the evolution of modern art in India was seminal. (Both authors, by the way, were British.)

In 1947 Keyt published an illustrated version of Gita Govinda, an epic poem recounting the loves of Radha and Krishna which he had rendered from the Sanskrit. “Directly linked to Keyt’s portrayal of love, it became the subject for some of his most powerful erotic paintings.” A notable example, in this regard, is Rasa Lila, the Dance of Divine Love. Keyt, incidentally, had a passionate affair with one Barbara Smith – “an attractive and sophisticated woman of Anglo-Indian descent.” A well-known editor with the Oxford University Press, she was based in Bombay.

As per Chapter XIV, the exhibition at the Convocation Hall opened many other doors for this preeminent Sri Lankan artist. His solo exhibition in New Delhi in 1952, which featured 72 paintings, was a great success. “In the years since Bombay, Keyt’s work had become embedded in the Indian consciousness. In new Delhi he was hailed as a product of the Indian tradition.” Mulk Raj Anand’s The Story of India (1948) and well as A.S. Raman’s Tales from Indian Mythology (1961) were illustrated by Keyt. We note that though the two authors were Indian, the illustrator was Sri Lankan.

In Chapter XV we return to Sirimalwatte and to Keyt’s work based on rural life and Sinhalese traditions, culture and folklore. “In much the same way as he had done with his great murals at the Gotami Vihare, Keyt brought the classical inheritance of the country in visual form.” The use of acrylics from the seventies onwards made his colors much brighter and augmented the decorative beauty of his paintings.

During the second half of the 20^th century his paintings found buyers in every part of the world and his work was featured in numerous foreign journals, magazines, and newspapers. “He had become famous, a national and international celebrity.” He held several solo exhibitions in Sri Lanka and India and three in London as well. In 1977 he was honored with a special Felicitation Volume to mark his 75^th birthday and in 1988, the George Keyt Foundation was established to promote and publicize his work.

We note from Chapters XVI and XVII that female nudity, lesbianism, and unbridled sexuality are the central, interlocking themes in a significant number of Keyt’s paintings. “At the core of his treatment is the line and curve. Key’s mastery of the curving line enables him to create sweeping, all engrossing curves which capture the lush sexuality of a woman’s body. With the curve as his foundation, Keyt combines line with rhythm, evolving a rhythmic line of his very own.” In this regard, Lovers – an acrylic painting depicting a lesbian couple – is one of his most stylish works.

Chapter XVIII, the most poignant section in the book, is where we learn that Keyt eventually left his second wife for a young Indian woman, Kusum Narayan, whom he married in 1973 by converting to Islam. The couple actually stayed in Sirimalwatte for a while before moving to the Western Province. The cities they lived in included Nugegoda and Galle. In 1992, they returned to Sirimalwatte and Pinawela Menike graciously accepted them. Keyt’s health began to deteriorate and his life came to an end in July 1993. This great modern artist, who was fondly known as the Asian Picasso, was so highly regarded in his homeland that he was given a state funeral in Colombo.

The Appendices are breathtaking, especially the Plates section where paintings, drawings and other works by Keyt are featured for the first time in any formal publication. It is truly the icing on the cake.

“George Keyt: Absence of a Desired Image” is available for sale at leading bookstores across the country. For details on direct purchases of the book, you can contact the publishers, Taprobane Collection, at shamilp54@gmail.com.

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Features

Building a sustainable future for Sri Lanka’s construction industry

Published

10 hours ago

2026/05/8

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka’s construction industry has long been a central pillar of sustainable development. From roads and bridges to homes, schools, and hospitals, construction shapes the country’s physical landscape and supports economic progress. As the nation continues to rebuild and modernise, the demand for construction materials and infrastructure keeps rising. However, this growth also brings a significant environmental cost. Cement, steel, bricks, aggregates, and timber all require energy, resources, and transportation, contributing to carbon emissions and environmental damage. If Sri Lanka continues with traditional construction practices, the long-term impact on the environment will be severe.

The encouraging news is that Sri Lanka has many opportunities to adopt more sustainable construction practices while still maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety. Sustainable construction does not mean weaker buildings or lower standards. It means using sustainable materials, reducing waste, improving design, and choosing methods that protect the environment. Many countries have already moved in this direction, and Sri Lanka has the potential to follow the same path with solutions that are practical, affordable, and suitable for local conditions.

A promising option

One promising option is the use of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB), which are different from the concrete blocks commonly used in Sri Lanka for the past 25 years. CEBs are made from soil mixed with a small amount of stabiliser and pressed using machines. Unlike traditional fired clay bricks, CEBs do not require high-temperature kilns, which consume large amounts of firewood or fossil fuels. This makes CEBs a low-carbon alternative with a much smaller environmental footprint. In Sri Lanka, CEBs are already used in eco-resorts, community housing projects, and environmentally focused developments. They offer good strength, durability, and thermal comfort, making them suitable for many types of buildings. By expanding the use of CEBs, Sri Lanka can reduce energy consumption, lower emissions, and promote locally sourced materials.

Recycled aggregates also offer significant potential for sustainable construction. These materials are produced by crushing concrete, demolition waste, and construction debris. In Sri Lanka, recycled aggregates are already used in road construction, particularly for base and sub-base layers. They are suitable for non-structural building work such as pathways, garden paving, drainage layers, landscaping, and backfilling. Using recycled aggregates reduces the need for newly quarried rock and aggregates, decreases landfill waste, and lowers transportation emissions. With proper quality control and standards, recycled aggregates can become a reliable and widely accepted material in the construction industry.

Timber and sustainability

Timber is another important area where sustainability can be improved. In the past, timber for construction was often taken from natural forests, leading to deforestation and loss of biodiversity. Today, this approach is no longer sustainable. Instead, the focus must shift to legally sourced timber from managed plantations. Sri Lanka’s plantation-grown teak, jak, and kubuk can provide high-quality, legally sourced timber for construction while protecting natural forests and supporting rural economies. Using plantation timber ensures that harvesting is controlled, trees are replanted, and the supply chain remains legal and ethical.

Beyond materials, sustainable construction also involves better design and planning. Buildings that are designed to maximise natural ventilation, daylight, and energy efficiency can significantly reduce long-term operating costs. Simple design improvements such as proper orientation, shading devices, roof insulation, and efficient window placement can reduce the need for artificial cooling and lighting. These measures not only lower energy consumption but also improve indoor comfort for occupants. Sri Lanka’s tropical climate offers many opportunities to incorporate passive design strategies that reduce environmental impact without increasing construction costs.

Waste reduction is another key component of sustainable construction. Construction sites often generate large amounts of waste, including concrete, timber offcuts, packaging, and soil. By adopting better site management practices, recycling materials, and planning construction sequences more efficiently, contractors can reduce waste and save money. Proper waste segregation and recycling can also reduce the burden on landfills and minimise environmental pollution.

Promoting sustainable construction

Public projects such as schools, hospitals, and government buildings can play a leading role in promoting sustainable construction. When government projects adopt greener materials and designs, the private sector follows. This creates a positive cycle where environmentally responsible choices become the industry standard. Public sector leadership can also encourage local manufacturers to produce sustainable materials, improve quality standards, and invest in new technologies.

Sri Lanka also carries a proud and remarkable history in construction, with achievements that continue to inspire the world. The engineering brilliance behind Sigiriya, the advanced urban planning of Polonnaruwa, the precision of the Aukana Buddha statue, and the sophisticated water management systems of ancient tanks and reservoirs all demonstrate the deep knowledge our ancestors possessed. These historic accomplishments show that innovation is not new to Sri Lanka; it is part of our identity. As the world moves toward 2050 with increasing sustainability challenges, Sri Lanka can draw strength from this heritage while embracing modern technologies and sustainable practices. With the combined efforts of skilled professionals, industry experts, academic researchers, and strong government support, the country can introduce new systems that improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen resilience. By working together with determination and sharing knowledge across generations, Sri Lanka’s construction industry can build a future that honours its past while leading the way in sustainable development.

Foundation of sustainable development

Sri Lanka’s construction industry has always been a foundation of sustainable development. Today, it also has the chance to take a leading role in sustainability. By choosing sustainable materials, reducing waste, improving design, and supporting responsible sourcing, the country can build a future that is both modern and environmentally responsible. Sustainability is essential for Sri Lanka’s long-term goals of reducing carbon emissions and limiting the impacts of global warming. As Sri Lanka moves forward, the construction industry must embrace sustainability not only as an environmental responsibility but also as an opportunity to create stronger, smarter, and more resilient buildings for future generations. Sri Lanka has the talent, the heritage, and the technical capacity to shape a more sustainable future, and with the right national direction, the construction industry can become a model for the region. If professionals, policymakers, and communities work together with a shared vision, the country can transform its construction sector into one that protects the environment while supporting long-term progress.

About the Author: P.G.R.A.C. Gamlath Menike,

BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying (University of Reading, UK), MSc Quantity Surveying (University College of Estate Management, UK), MCIArb, Doctoral Student, Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, is a Senior Quantity Surveyor: Last Project (2022 -2025) Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2 Construction Project, Gammon Engineering Construction (Main Contractor).

By P.G. R. A. C. Gamlath Menike

Features

Palm leaf manuscripts of Sri Lanka – 1

Published

10 hours ago

2026/05/8

Thilina Walpola

Palm leaf manuscripts

Palm leaf manuscripts have been in existence in Sri Lanka since ancient times. The two oldest palm-leaf manuscripts found in Sri Lanka today are the Cullavagga Pâli manuscript of the H. C. P. Bell collection, which is held at the Library of the National Museum, Colombo, and the Mahavagga Pâli manuscript in the University of Kelaniya collection. Photocopies of both are available at the Library of the University of Peradeniya. Both are dated to 13 century. Cullavagga manuscript has wooden covers richly decorated in lac with a design of flowers and foliage.

Karmmavibhâga

However, the oldest known Sinhala palm leaf manuscript in the world is the Karmmavibhâga which was found in a Tibet monastery in 1936 by the Indian scholar Rahul Sankrityayan. Rahul Sankrityayan, (1893–1963) former Kedarnath Pandey, was an Indian polymath, who searched out rare Buddhist manuscripts on his travels abroad. Sankrityayan visited Sri Lanka as well. Vidyalankara Pirivena is mentioned.

Sankrityayan visited Tibet several times to collect manuscripts from the Buddhist monasteries there. In May 1936 on his second visit to Tibet, Sankrityayan visited the Sa-skya monastery. The Chag-pe-lha-khang Library in this monastery was specially opened for Sankrityayan.

He stated in his autobiography that when the clouds of dust which greeted this rare opening of its doors had subsided, they beheld rows of open racks where volume on volume of manuscripts were kept. “After rummaging around, I came across palm-leaf manuscripts. They were not wrapped in cloth, but were tied between two wooden planks with holes through them.” Sankrityayan found several important manuscripts he had been looking for, in that collection.

Sankrityayan catalogued fifty-seven manuscripts bound in thirty-eight volumes. The thirty-seventh volume was written in the Sinhala script. Sankrityayan records that this volume contained ninety-seven palm- leaves each of which measured 18 1/4 by 1 1/4 in. (46 x 3 cm.) and that there were seven lines of writing on each folio.

According to Sankrityayan, these Sinhala texts originally belonged to a Sri Lankan monk called Anantaśrî who had come to Tibet in the time of ŚSrî Kîrttidhvaja (Kirti Sri Rajasinha). Analysts noted that Sankrityayan does not give the source of this information and the manuscript makes no mention of Anantaśrî.

Sankrityayan had taken with him to Tibet, one Abeyasinghe, (Abhayasimha) to help him with copying manuscripts. They made hand-copies of the important manuscripts. Abhayasimha had copied about 250 to 350 strophes each day. But he fell ill due to the extreme cold and was sent home in June. Abeyasinghe had written letters home during his stay in Tibet.

Photographs of the manuscripts found during Sankrityayan’s expeditions in Tibet are preserved at the National Archives in Colombo. There is also a copy in Vidyalankara pirivena library The Historical Manuscripts Commission In its 1960/1961 report, drew attention to this manuscript, known as Sa-skya Codex, describing it as “a unique document.” (Annual Report of the Government Archivist 1960/61, 1963)

Sinhala scholar P.E.E. Fernando examined photographs of the Sa-skya Codex at the request of the Historical Manuscripts Commission and assigned it to the 13th century. The Historical Manuscripts Commission, dated it to either twelfth or the thirteenth century.

The Historical Manuscripts Commission observed that this manuscript was of great value for the study of the development of the Sinhala script. Ven. Meda Uyangoda Vimalakîrtti and Nähinne Sominda in their edition of the Karmmavibhâga published in 1961 agreed that the Sa-skya Codex represented an early stage in the evolution of the Sinhala language.

Mahavamsa

The Mahavamsa is considered a unique historical document. There is nothing like it in South Asia, and probably all Asia, with the exception of China. Mahavamsa provides a historical account of events, with emphasis on chronology and dating. This, it appears, was rare at the time.

However, Mahavamsa is not a political history, though that is the popular perception of it. It is a religious history. It was written to record the introduction and entrenchment of Buddhism in the country. Other Buddhist countries, such as Cambodia, Burma and Thailand value the Mahavamsa for this reason. They held copies of the Mahavamsa and used events from it in their temple frescoes.

But Mahavamsa is also an important reference source for reconstructing the political history of Sri Lanka. Political and social facts are included in the Mahavamsa narrative when describing religious events, and this makes the Mahavamsa important for historians. This tradition of history writing, beginning with the earlier Sihala Attakatha and Dipawamsa, it is suggested, started in Sri Lanka in 2^nd or 3^rd BC.

Today, the Mahavamsa has become a major source of historical information, not only for dating kings, temples and reservoirs, but also for reconstructing ancient Sinhala society. The fact that Kuveni was seated beside a pond, spinning thread has been used to indicate that there was water management and textiles long before Vijaya arrived. Dutugemunu (161-137 BC) paid a salary to the workers building the Maha Thupa. This shows that money was used at the time.

Copies of the Mahavamsa have been treasured and looked after in Sri Lanka for centuries. They have been copied over and over again. The manuscripts were held in temple libraries because the subject of the Mahavamsa was the entrenchment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

The Mahavamsa manuscripts did not pop up suddenly during British rule as people seem to think. The British did not ‘discover’ the Mahavamsa. It was there. When the British administration started to take interest in the history of the island, the sangha would have directed them to the Mahavamsa, in the same way that they directed HCP Bell to the ruins in Anuradhapura and the Sigiriya frescoes. HCP Bell did not discover those either.

The British administrators saw the value of the Mahavamsa and copies were sent to libraries abroad. The Bodleian library, Oxford has a well preserved Mahavamsa manuscript, taken from Mulkirigala, which Turner used for his translation. Cambridge has two Mahavamsa manuscripts. The two copies at India Office library, and the copy in East India Library are probably in the British Library today. The Royal Library, Copenhagen, has a copy, consisting of 129 sheets, 12 lines to a leaf, written in good handwriting.

In Sri Lanka there are several copies of the Mahavamsa in the Colombo Museum Library. One copy, known as the ‘Cambodian Mahavamsa ‘is in Cambodian script. University of Peradeniya has at least three copies.

It is interesting to note that the Mahavamsa was known to the Sinhala elite and some had copies in their private libraries. The Historical Manuscripts Commission of the 1930s said in its first report that five copies of the Mahavamsa and a 19^th century copy of the Dipawamsa were found in private collections.

The temple libraries had many copies of the Mahavamsa. Some were of very high quality. Wilhelm Geiger had looked at the copies held at Mahamanthinda Pirivena, Matara and Mulkirigala vihara. Asgiriya, Nagolla Vihara and Watagedera Sudarmarama Potgul vihara, Matara, are three of the many libraries that held copies of the Mahavamsa.

Sirancee Gunawardene examined the copy at Mahamanthinda Pirivena, Matara, very closely. She says that it is a very old manuscript. According to its colophon, the manuscript was first copied 400 years ago. It is in a very good state of preservation. It has 232 folios. Each 50 cm long 6.25 wide. Nine lines on each side, in Pali metric verse.

The writer of the manuscripts said that his version was an improvement on the copy. He wrote, “I will recite the Mahavamsa which was compiled by ancient sages. [their version] was too long and had many repetitions. This version is free from such faults, easy to understand and remember. It is handed down from tradition, for arousing serene joy and emotion’ .

The Mahamanthinda manuscript records the continuous history of 23 dynasties from 543 BC to 1758 AD. It refers to the principle of hereditary monarchy as 39 eldest sons of reigning monarch succeeded their fathers to the throne. It highlights the fact that fifteen reigned only for one year, 34 for less than four years, 22 kings were murdered by their successors, 6 were killed during battles, 4 committed suicide, 11 were dethroned.

Mahawansa as a World Heritage document

An ola manuscript of the Mahavamsa, held in the Main Library of the University of Peradeniya has been recognised by UNESCO as a part of World Heritage. UNESCO announced In 2023 that it has included the Mahavamsa as one of the 64 items of documentary heritage inscribed in the UNESCO’s Memory of the World International Register for 2023. The manuscript is dated to the early 19 century.

The certificate declaring the Mahawansa as a world heritage document was handed to the Chancellor of Peradeniya University by UNESCO Director General, who visited the University in 2024 specially to do so. She also unveiled a plaque marking the declaration.

The story began much earlier. The National Library of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Buddha Sasana had jointly appointed a 6-member committee headed by Prof Malani Endagamage, to find the best preserved copy of the Mahavamsa in Sri Lanka. This would have been in 2000 or so. For two years, this team had examined copies from over 100 temples nationwide.

Temples around the country yielded copies, crumbling to well-preserved, reported Sunday Times. There was one from the Ridi Vihara that almost made the cut, but four other copies were shortlisted. One from the Dalada Maligawa, Kandy and three manuscripts from the Main Library of the University of Peradeniya. Three academics from the University’s History Department, Professors K.M. Rohitha Dasanayaka, Mahinda Somathilake and U.S.Y. Sahan Mahesh examined the three Peradeniya manuscripts

Dasanayaka said, “We poured over the copies together, and it became clear that one copy stood out. While the other two had numerous inconsistencies, this one, written in a curvy hand, was neat and beautiful. After more than two centuries, the manuscript was still very attractive, with a ‘flaming cinnamon orange’ cover and elegant lettering.

The first section of the manuscript ends with Mahasen (274–301 AD), written by the monk Mahanama. The second part ends at 1815. The author is given as Ven. Thibbotuwawe Buddharakkhita but he was dead by 1815. The final part was probably done by an acolyte. He has done a very neat job, seamlessly adding his bit, concluded Dasanayake.

This manuscript was acquired by the Library of University of Peradeniya when K. D. Somadasa, was the Librarian (1964 – 1970). It is held in the Main Library and its Accession Number is 277587.

National Library & Documentation Services Board of Sri Lanka, which administers the National Library of Sri Lanka submitted a nomination to UNESCO on behalf of this manuscript. UNESCO responded positively to the application.

UNESCO said the Mahavamsa was recognized as one of the world’s longest unbroken historical accounts, presenting Sri Lanka’s history in a chronological order from the 6th century BCE. The authenticity of the facts provided in the document has been confirmed through archaeological research conducted in Sri Lanka and India.

It is an important historical source in South Asia, said UNESCO. It was the first of its kind in South Asia, initiating a mature historiographical tradition. It has contributed singularly to the identity of Emperor Asoka in Indian history. The existence of a number of manuscripts of the Mahavamsa in several countries as well as the transliteration and translation of the text to several Southeast Asian and European languages stand testimony to its immense historical, cultural, literal, linguistic and scholarly values, .” UNESCO press release said.

Further, UNESCO found that this manuscript was correctly conserved at the University Library. The university and its library maintained high standards in safeguarding the palm-leaf manuscripts, preventing deterioration, declared UNESCO. (Continued)

REFERENCES

https://archives1.dailynews.lk/2021/02/25/local/242520/ola-leaf-mahavamsa-be-declared-world-heritage

Sirancee Gunawardana Palm leaf manuscripts of Sri Lanka . 1977 p 41,44-47 , 253 290 292, ,

N. E. I. Wijerathne Methods, Techniques and Challenges in Deciphering the Sa-skaya Codex. Vidyodaya Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (2025), Vol. 10 (01) https://journals.sjp.ac.lk/index.php/vjhss/article/view/8571/6001

First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.1933 SP 9 of 1933. p . 53, 95, 96

https://journals.sjp.ac.lk/index.php/vjhss/article/view/8571/6001https://www.austriaca.at/0xc1aa5572%200x00314cc3.pdf

https://leftword.com/creator/rahul-sankrityayan/

https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianHistory/comments/1oc5tc2/in_his_autobiography_meri_jeevan_yatra_rahul/

https://www.sundaytimes.lk/230910/plus/in-search-of-the-perfect-mahavamsa-531513.html

https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/Mahawansa-declared-a-world-heritage/108-287528

https://mfa.gov.lk/en/visit-of-unesco-dg/

https://sundaytimes.lk/online/education/UNESCO-ready-to-support-digitalisation-of-Ola-leaf-books/290-1146314

https://media.unesco.org/sites/default/files/webform/mow001/53_131%252B.pdf

by KAMALIKA PIERIS

Features

A new Sherlock Holmes novel

Published

10 hours ago

2026/05/8

Thilina Walpola

Tales of Mystery and Suspense – 1

“The House of Silk” is set in a grim Victorian winter, and moves from Baker Street to a luxurious suburban villa, from dingy pubs to elegant London clubs, from a correction school for boys high on a hill to Dr Silkin’s House of Wonders, which provided noisy low life entertainment. Holmes and Watson went there in search of the House of Silk, a name they had heard when looking into the death of one of Holmes’ Baker Street irregulars (slum children who ferreted out information for him) .

I do not think highly of sequels to books written by highly regarded writers, though I must admit that this dislike is based on just a few samples. But while in England I was given by my former Dean, with a forceful recommendation, a book about a Sherlock Holmes mystery, supposedly written by Dr Watson. I began on it soon after I got back home, and found it difficult to put down, so I suppose I will not look on Anthony Horowitz as an exception to my rule. I may even look out for his efforts at continuing the adventures of James Bond, though I suspect Fleming’s laconic style will be less easy to emulate.

“The House of Silk” is set in a grim Victorian winter, and moves from Baker Street to a luxurious suburban villa, from dingy pubs to elegant London clubs, from a correction school for boys high on a hill to Dr Silkin’s House of Wonders, which provided noisy low life entertainment. Holmes and Watson went there in search of the House of Silk, a name they had heard when looking into the death of one of Holmes’ Baker Street irregulars (slum children who ferreted out information for him). They had asked Holmes’ brother Mycroft for help in finding what and where this was, but he had warned them off, having been himself told by someone very senior in government that it might involve those in very high positions, and further inquiries might prove dangerous.

Needless to say, Holmes does seek further, and is lured to an opium den where he is drugged, to be found outside with a gun in his hand and the body of a girl beside him, the sister of the murdered boy Ross. A passer-by swears he had seen Holmes fire the shot, and the owner of the opium den and a customer swear that Holmes had taken too much opium and left the den in a demented condition. A police inspector who had been passing promptly arrests Holmes and Watson, and even their old acquaintance Inspector Lestrade finds it difficult to get access to him.

Watson eventually gets to see him when he is in the infirmary, after he has been told by a mysterious man that Holmes was going to be murdered before his case could be taken up. The man said he had earlier tried to get Holmes to investigate the House of Silk by sending him a white silk ribbon, such as had later been found tied round the hand of the murdered boy. But, as a criminal himself, he said, he could not reveal more, though he himself was horrified by the business of the House of Silk, which gave criminality a bad name, which is why he wanted it all stopped.

Holmes escapes from the infirmary, with a little help from the doctor whom he had once assisted earlier, right under the nose of the nasty Inspector Harriman. He then joins up with Watson, and having with the help of Lestrade overcome the men designed to kill him at Dr Silkin’s House of Wonders, he sets off, with an even large posse of policemen, to the House of Silk.

After much suspense, the habitues of the House of Silk are arrested, the Inspector having broken his neck in the course of a chase downhill, having fled when his misdeeds were exposed. The mastermind claims that he will not face a trial because of the important people involved, but instead falls down a staircase while in prison and breaks his neck. One of the noblemen involved commits suicide, but another, and the medical man who had sworn he saw Holmes kill the young lady, get off without charge.

But then we revert to the original story, which had involved an art dealer who came to Holmes because he was being followed by someone he thought was an American gangster out for revenge. This was because he had shipped some pictures to an American buyer, and these had been destroyed when a train was held up by an Irish gang and the coach with the safe in it dynamited. The buyer and the dealer had got a private agency to investigate, and this had ended with the gang being killed in a shootout, though one of the twins who led it had escaped. The buyer had subsequently been killed, and Mr Carstairs feared that the twin who survived had followed him to England.

Holmes and Watson went to Carstairs’ house, where they met his wife, whom he had met on the boat back from America, and his sister. Their mother had died some months earlier, when gas had filled her room after the flame had gone out. It transpired that there had been a break in, and some money and a necklace stolen from a safe, and it was in tracing these, through a pawnbroker, that Holmes and Watson had found the American murdered in the hotel where he had been staying.

The leader of the irregulars had come to tell Holmes that they had traced the man to the hotel, and Ross had been left on guard. He seemed terrified when Holmes and Watson and Carstairs turned up, but said he had seen nothing. When the boys had been dismissed, and the room opened up, the man was found dead, the murderer obviously having gained entrance through a window.

Holmes assumed the boy had seen someone he recognized, but he could not be traced, until he was found dead, horribly tortured. The silk band around his wrist then led Holmes to pursue the House of Silk. One of the boys at the school where Ross had been mentioned that he had a sister at a pub, and she, when confronted, asked in fear if they were from the House of Silk and then, having lunged at Watson with a knife, ran off – herself only to be found dead outside the opium den, which prompted the arrest of Holmes.

After the drama at the House of Silk, Holmes and Watson go to the Carstairs household, where he explains exactly what had taken place, identifying the murdered man as not a member of the gang but the head of the private agency which had investigated them. As my Dean told me, Horowitz then ties up all the loose ends with consummate skill, connecting with a fine thread all the malefactors, of various kinds.