Features

The Impeachment and DUNF – how I saw the drama unfolding

Published

8 months ago

2025/08/31

“I want to be a soldier in the battle of ideas”— Fidel Castro

In 1989, with the Presidency already in its pocket, the UNP was well placed to emerge as the winner in the Parliamentary election. The opposition was divided and bereft of its chief vote getter Vijaya Kumaratunga who had been murdered by the JVP in 1987. The big question therefore was who was to be the Prime Minister in the forthcoming Premadasa Cabinet? In the presidential election Premadasa had skilfully exploited the rivalry of Gamini and Lalith by indicating that the harder campaigner between them would be considered for the post of PM.

Partly for this reason, and also because they were dedicated UNPers, the two aspirants threw themselves into the presidential campaign and garnered a large number of votes in their bailiwicks for Premadasa. They were then asked to win their electoral districts in the Parliamentary election with large majorities so as to be considered for higher office. Both undertook this task with gusto, but Lalith appeared to be leading because his base was in the Colombo district which was numerically superior to Gamini’s Nuwara Eliya district. It was at this time that Gamini decided to contest Kandy district in the future to ensure a wider support base to propel his vaulting ambition.
While President Premadasa shrewdly kept the younger contenders in the fight we received disconcerting news from time to time that he was also looking for other options. Before nominations were concluded he brought in DB Wijetunga, who had been relegated to the wilderness as the Governor of North Western Province by JRJ, to contest from the Kandy district. Premadasa supported Wijetunga’s campaign with enough funds and instructed him to make sure that he came first in the UNP list from Kandy come what may.

Both Lalith and Gamini received secret information about these designs but there was little they could do except to exert themselves even more to gather votes to impress the new President. I remember attending Lalith’s mamoth last rally in Ratmalana where his supporters were openly exhorting voters to back Lalith, the next Prime Minister. No doubt these announcements were filtered back to Premadasa who was carefully planning his next political “coup”.

The UNP won handsomely but with the new PR electoral system the SLFP led by Mrs. Bandaranaike also gained a considerable number of seats and she became the Leader of the Opposition. The President then sprang a surprise, particularly to the other contenders, by appointing Wijetunga as Prime Minister thereby signaling his desire to have a “weak” PM, who would sign off on all his presidential orders. To soften the blow he sent messages to Lalith and Gamini that this was only a “transitional” appointment and that he would be reviewing this arrangement in one years time.

This did not satisfy them but there was little they could do but accept the “fait accompli” and hope for the best. This however was the beginning of a disenchantment which laid the basis for the dramatic events that followed some time later, particularly in the impeachment of the President which convulsed the political atmosphere of this period. In his first Cabinet appointments President Premadasa gave plum posts to Gamini and Lalith. It was rumoured that Sirisena Cooray and Mrs. Premadasa had urged the President to be charitable.

Gamini was made the Minister of Plantation Industries and Lalith the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives. While both accepted these appointments their staff, in their disappointment at not being been made the PMs men as they had anticipated, began to malign the new President, often in an unfair manner. They did not realize that party politics had changed from the “laissez faire” approach of JRJ to the intensive involvement in detail by the new chief. Gamini’s staff was particularly nasty in their whispering campaigns. Gamini too began to act in an offhanded manner and soon the two former adversaries were again on collision course.

Then Gamini made, in my opinion, a bad political mistake. Thinking that “distance lends enchantment to the view”, he sought to avoid conflict with the President by asking for long leave to follow studies in Cambridge University while at the same time remaining in the Cabinet. This request which was extraordinarily unorthodox and ill advised naturally infuriated Premadasa who took it as a calculated insult to him personally. He sacked Gamini from the Cabinet and added sarcastically that he was now free to pursue his studies without the burden of cabinet responsibilities.

Gamini left for Cambridge and Premadasa began inquiring into his activities as a Minister in the JRJ cabinet with a view to eliminating him from the political arena. In the course of these investigations he was assisted by Ravi Jayewardene, JRJs son, who had developed an antipathy to Gamini for reasons unknown. Ravi led Premadasa to the Buultjens case which I have described in Volume One of my autobiography, with the idea of implicating Gamini in a criminal case which included kidnapping. At one stage a message was sent to Gamini not to return as he would be arrested at the airport on arrival. It is to Gamini’s credit that he boldly decided to return and face charges.

While the antipathy of the new President to Gamini was clear, Lalith did not attempt to cross his path and may have survived but for local politics of the Colombo district and the dramatic abduction and murder of Richard de Zoysa. Sirisena Cooray was the new President’s right hand man and the rise of Lalith was resented by his supporters even during the election campaign when they competed for the top slot in the Colombo list. However in fairness it must be stated that Cooray never encouraged this rivalry and, as mentioned above, even recommended to Premadasa that either Gamini or Lalith should be made PM. This advice was duly noted by Wijetunga who gave short shrift to Cooray for his pains after the death of Premadasa.

Impeachment

The tale of the Premadasa impeachment has not yet been fully told. There are so many angles and versions to this episode that it has a “Rashomon” like quality with each participant presenting his own version of the event that is often at odds with the recollections of others. I will attempt to describe the evolving scenario mostly from the vantage point of Lalith and Gamini who were bamboozled by the Speaker Mohamed and had their political futures irrevocably compromised. I will narrate those events as they unfolded before my eyes.

One day in August 1991, I received an urgent telephone call from Gamini saying that he and Wickreme Weerasooria were on their way to my home in Siripa Road to discuss an important matter. Gamini had the habit of dropping in on his friends at short notice to discuss political and personal matters. On this day we went to my office room and Gamini asked me whether In my opinion he could trust Lalith on a serious political matter. I was not taken aback since the evening before I had been with some friends at the Eighty Club and there had been whispers of a crisis in the Cabinet though nobody really knew what it was all about.

I replied that Lalith was an ambitious and able politician and that it would be difficult to fight him. On the other hand if he was to be a partner in a political venture he would be an indefatigable and effective comrade in arms. This seemed to satisfy Gamini and Wickreme and they confided in me about the impeachment process that had been launched. From then on till their betrayal by the Speaker, I was in the know of the details of the impeachment attempt which was unique in the annals of our modern history.

Background

The background to the impeachment attempt was Premadasa’s Impatience to mould the UNP into a party in his own image. This was reasonable in that he had loyally long served the party In various capacities and had saved the UNP from disaster by his heroic efforts in winning the presidency. This was followed by the UNP victory under his leadership in the succeeding parliamentary election. He then characteristically lost no time In attempting to make the UNP more democratic and efficient.

A long tenure since 1977 during which JRJ had permitted his MPs to earn money by way of liquor licences, permits to open petrol sheds, allocation of import quotas, allocating of lands under the Land Reform Commission and all manner of other “deals” had alienated them from their voters. The new President wanted “fresh blood”, preferably of those personally loyal to him, to come into the grass roots organizations of the party.

For example under JRJ party branches could be set up only by the relevant party organizer who usually was the MP. Premadasa allowed the formation of party branches without the imprimatur of the MP cum organizer. This led to much heartburn as party branches sprang up, often times in opposition to the MP. A test case was that of the Speaker’s son Hussein Mohamed who made no attempt to nurse his electorate but depended on his father to pull his political chestnuts out of the fire.

Premadasa, for whatever reason, pounced on him and wanted him removed from the organisership of the Borella electorate. In fact Lalith Athulathmudali, as district leader, was nominated to hold an inquiry into Hussein’s inefficiency and lethargy. Hussein was a bit of a joke among the party leaders due to his uncritical worship of his father. His nickname was “Daddy told” because he would begin every sentence with “Daddy told” much to the amusement of his colleagues. The bond between father and son was very strong.

Another instance of Premadasa’s growing impatience was the manner in which he treated GM Premachandra who was the MP representing Mawatagama electorate. Premachandra was known to be a camp follower of the President being identified as “Punchi Premadasa” or acolyte of the big man. This identification was enhanced when he was selected as the deputy to the Minister of Highways – a portfolio held by the President himself. However he had countermanded an order made by his minister and a furious Premadasa had him removed.

This led to an enmity between the two and Premachandra switched his allegiance to Gamini and became a leader of the impeachment effort. Samaraweera Weerawanni, an able young orator from Uva, had been warned by Premadasa about allegations of bribery. Thus there were both political and personal interests involved in the impeachment effort.
Speaker Mohamed had another grouse with Premadasa. As a party senior he had expected to join the Cabinet. However Premadasa made him the Speaker. This was to prevent Mohamed from interfering in tenders and engaging in other forms of corruption that he was known for under the JRJ dispensation when he was Minister of Transport. There also may have been electoral rivalry as both came from the Colombo district and had to compete under proportional representation. The Speaker, who was a party senior and former UNP Mayor of Colombo, referred to the new President without much respect.

The upshot of this hostility was that Mohamed spent time in studying the constitutional provisions regarding the impeachment of an incumbent President. This was article 38 of the Constitution which had not been studied with any enthusiasm by MPs during the JRJ Presidency. The Constitution gave considerable discretion to the Speaker. If more than half the number of MPs supported a motion for the impeachment of the President for prescribed reasons he could launch proceedings on the lines set out culminating in the dismissal of the incumbent after an inquiry and the passage of a motion with a two third majority.

Once he accepted the impeachment notice with the support of half the number of MPs the President was precluded from dissolving Parliament by article 70[i]c. Mohamed’s first masterstroke was to draw Mrs. Bandaranaike into his grand design. She was smarting uinder her defeat to Premadasa who had used harsh words on her, and her son Anura, in Parliament which she found difficult to accept.
Perhaps an even more important development was that the new President had set a cracking pace after he was elected and was cutting into her electoral base.

By emphasizing the need to get the IPKF out of Sri Lanka he had taken over the main demand of the SLFP and the JVP. Moreover given his opposition to Indian policies from the time of JRJ he had gained credibility among the Sinhala voters who had earlier backed the SLFP. Unlike in the case of JRJ, Premadasa became a favourite of the Sangha. He took great pains to attend to their everyday needs and wean them away from their natural ally – the SLFP.

I was personally aware of his sensitivity after I went on a mission to Malwatta and Asgiriya on behalf of Gamini Dissanayake. Uduwawela Chandananda, who was the head priest of the influential Adahana Maluwa of the Asgiriya fraternity, was my kinsman. On one of my visits he told me that the rooms of the priests in the Asgiriya monastery were in a very bad state and needed to be repaired. I mentioned this to Gamini who immediately decided to undertake that work at his expense. He delegated this job to one of his businessman friends who had probably grown rich on contracts awarded by the Mahaweli Ministry.

This friend and I visited Asgiriya and itemised the repair work which was necessary. Included in this list was the “pansala” of the influential Mahanayake, Palipane Chandananda who was a fierce critic of the Indo-Lanka accord and of JRJ himself. Imagine our surprise when we learnt that the businessman had betrayed Gamini and had taken the refurbishment project to Premadasa. In order to please Premadasa he undertook to complete the work with his own funds which were probably the byproduct of Gamini’s largesse.

Gamini’s friend thereby became a favourite of the new President and his liaison officer to the Kandyan monks who had been introduced to him by me at Gamini’s behest. Such were the background tensions among the leaders of the UNP notwithstanding its electoral successes which were envied by the SLFP. Some leaders of the SLFP like Stanley Tillekeratne, who did not forgive Mrs. B for not making him a minister in her 1970 Cabinet, were consorting with Premadasa and adding to Mrs. B’s woes.

The SLFP was split Into warring factions. The most tragic situation for Mrs. B was that she was at loggerheads with her favourite child, Anura. The anti-Sirimavo faction of the SLFP was so offensive to her that she suffered a stroke which later in time killed her. To her great credit she did not abandon the SLFP in spite of the rank ingratitude of many of its leaders who had earlier been sponsored by her.
Another threat to the SLFP was the populist measures undertaken by President Premadasa. He launched the “Janasaviya” programme which was a radical poverty alleviation measure. All families below the poverty line were entitled to a “relief package” of basic food items. In turn they were to contribute their manual labour for village infrastructure projects. This was a novel village level program which caught the imagination of the rural populace who formed the bulk of the SLFP vote base. The President succeeded in inducting a new set of young public servants like Susil Siriwardhana who helped in conceptualizing this project and implementing it through the public service. The Janasaviya program became a signature project of the new President. It has survived to this day under different names despite changes of rulers and their political ideologies.

Modus operandi

The biggest challenge was to keep the impeachment project a secret while at the same time coopting a majority of signatories as required by law. Nihal Seneviratne who was the Secretary General to the House in his book “A Clerk Reminisces” refers to this saying “Anil Moonesinghe MP walked into my room and sat down. He opened his conversation by saying “Nihal, you will be at the centre of a big controversy very soon.” I was quite puzzled by this remark and asked him, “why me of all people”? Anil smiled and said, “You will know soon” and walked out of my room”.

Keeping this secret was almost a superhuman effort as MPs are loose tongued and apt to run to their chiefs with the latest information to score brownie points. So it is likely that some were not told the truth before they signed the petition. The “modus operandi” was to entrust the collection of signatures to a few trusted “conspirators” who were then to ensure that their quota of members would be roped in. The main “collectors” were Lalith and Gamini from the UNP, Anuruddha Ratwatte and Anura for the SLFP and the Speaker for the rest.

It is said that the Speaker over dramatized the situation by kissing his set of signatories on both cheeks and offering them refreshments in the Speaker’s chamber. It need hardly be said that this was not a conduct in keeping with the traditional responsibilities of a Speaker of Parliament. All the while he was egging on Lalith and Gamini by frequently telephoning them and assuring them that everything was going according to plan. Actually it was not so though the plotters were optimistic. Mrs. B gave her full support and her confidence in Gamini and Lalith was complete though they were in different parties.

Once there was panic when Stanley Tillekeratne, who was inching ever closer to Premadasa, demanded to see the petition and even wanted to take it home for further study. Mrs. B adroitly evaded the issue though Stanley had already alerted Premadasa regarding some challenge to his authority. Each conspirator had a separate sheet of paper on which their designated MPs would sign. Later many of them alleged that they were asked to sign a blank sheet in the hope that they were asking for a salary increase.

This may have been a lame excuse after their efforts failed and they had to face a future with a revengeful President. However a friend of Gamini I shared the incoming information in “real time”which at that stage appeared to be satisfactory. Gamini was in constant touch with Lalith and Mohamed. Little did he, and by the same token we his supporters, know of what was really going on. A huge drama of intrigue and betrayal was about to begin.

(Excerpted from volume 3 of the Sarath Amunugama autobiography) ✍️

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Features

Building a sustainable future for Sri Lanka’s construction industry

Published

21 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

21 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

21 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.