Features

Parliament, its institutions, library,photo gallery, décor and much else

Published

6 months ago

2025/11/23

Thilina Walpola

Parliament chamber

MPs used to call Speaker’s wig the “Walas Toppiya”, hard to make out the difference between peons nd backbenchers when sashes were removed

Parliament also has two “Oversight Committees” which play an important role in the management of public finances. The older one is COPA- the Committee on Public Accounts [previously known as the Public Accounts Committee]. Later another committee called the Committee on Public Enterprises [COPE] was set up to oversee state owned enterprises. In both cases the committee relies on the reports of the Auditor General regarding the activities, particularly financial management, of Government Ministries and Departments and in the latter case of state owned enterprises or Corporations.

In the early Parliaments the tradition was for a member of the Opposition to head the PAC. By common consent Bernard Soysa of the LSSP was appointed to this position. He was very fair and being a personal friend of JRJ, he could immediately bring any explosive situation to the leader’s attention. I had many good memories of my encounters with Bernard in the old Parliament when I was a Permanent Secretary.

The number of Ministries were small then and so were the number of MPs in the PAC. We were treated to cakes and tea in the anteroom and were called in after an internal discussion among the PAC members and the Auditor-General and his representatives. They were very courteous and our explanations were listened to and after some questioning, which included banter, we were excused with a warning not to come before the PAC in the future.

This was not an idle piece of advice because a Permanent Secretary as Chief Financial Officer of a Ministry has every opportunity to explain the circumstances which led to the administrative decision queried by the Auditor General. After the preliminary audit of departmental accounts, as mandated by Parliament, its findings are submitted to the relevant Ministry Secretary for his observations and, if necessary, remedial actions. If the Secretary’s response is satisfactory the AG is empowered to strike it off his report to Parliament.

If the matter at hand is serious the AG may directly contact the Secretary concerned to request him to investigate and report back to him. If his staff reports on a trivial matter the AG has the authority to keep it out of his report. But if none of these opportunities are used by the Secretary, or if there is suspicion of maladministration or fraud, it is reported as a paragraph in the AG’s report and the PAC has to adjudicate in that matter.

It can instruct the Secretary to take remedial legal action and include its recommendations in the PAC Chairmans report to Parliament which if necessary can be debated on. One major complaint about COPA and COPE is that being an instrument of the legislature, it has no executive power and has to depend on external authorities to exercise their powers to implement its recommendations. It can recommend but it has no effective executive power. Thus while there is a great hulabaloo about its findings in the media, the PAC is in reality helpless as a watchdog. This watchdog has no teeth.

Trotsky with Max Shachtman

When I was a member of the UNP caucus after Gamini Dissanayake’s death, I was helpless as my party did not even appoint me as a member of either COPA or COPE. My experience as a reporting officer both as a Permanent Secretary and international civil servant was not even considered when UNP members were recommended to man those organizations. Actually there was not much competition among MPs to join these committees. Even so by some “hidden hand” I and others who were in Gammi’s camp and the DUNF were excluded from such duties.

Though I was kept busy with my electorate work and contact with organizations like Rotary, Sarvodaya, ICES and “think tanks” an uncomfortable feeling, which periodically strikes politicians, began to nag me and I got to thinking about other options open to me if I was to continue in the political arena.

Let me now walk you through the Parliament that I entered in 1994 and the hopes we had with Gamini as our leader. As a veteran in the House by then having entered Parliament as a young man in 1970 – he was a master of tactics which he showed by first winning over those who had supported Ranil in the leadership contest. When he was asked to nominate a MP for a tour of Sweden he immediately chose Ranjit Madduma Bandara who had recently married.

“Let me give Ranjit a honeymoon gift” he told me after we discussed the possible choices for the tour. He was quick to extend the hand of friendship to Ranil particularly because he wanted a united UNP for his impending run for the Presidency. There was opposition from some friendly quarters to his candidature as CBK, who was the PM, would have an advantage in the election that year. It was going to be a difficult fight. But Gamini was determined to contest come hell or high water as he wanted to unify the party through his campaign. His view was that even if he lost he would become the undisputed leader of the UNP who would wrest power from CBK in the next Presidential contest in the year 2000.

Looking back

If the UNP had won the General election of 1994 and Gamini Dissanayake had become the Prime Minister he would have made me a senior cabinet minister. In fact on the last day of his life at a public rally in Kundasale for the Presidential contest he pointed me out to the audience and said that when he won the Presidency he had the power to appoint the Prime Minister and I would certainly be a candidate for the post.

This could have been the usual glad handing and “bucking up” of colleagues which is normal in political meetings. But it was an indication that he had faith in me especially after I had succeeded in getting him back to the UNP from the political wilderness by negotiating with President Wijetunga. At the end of the meeting while getting into the helicopter he told several people assembled there that I would head his campaign in Kandy district so that he could concentrate on other areas to gather votes.

Nevertheless beginning a Parliamentary career in the Opposition, as it happened to me, had many attractions. I can honestly make such a statement when looking back on my 26 years of Parliamentary life, of which 16 were spent as a Minister and 10 as a member of the Opposition. My first five years in Parliament were spent in the Opposition as a UNP MP. It was a memorable and invaluable introduction to Parliamentary practice. On reading biographies of famous British parliamentarians, I found that such years in the wilderness seemed to be an experience which was enjoyed by many eminent politicians.

Besides I was in the happy position of being somewhat familiar with Parliamentary practice due to my career as a senior public official. As a Director of Information and later a Permanent Secretary in charge of media, I would spend much time in the officials box following debates of the political giants of the time. I had been entertained in the Parliament restaurant by Ministers, as well as Prime Ministers, when we turned up to brief them on official matters which were taken up in Parliament. My friends from school and university Bertram Tittawella and Nihal Seneviratne were Clerks to the House and I enjoyed having meals at their table with them after official business was concluded.

More serious were the sessions with the Public Accounts Committee then presided over by the courteous but hawk eyed Bernard Soysa, who probed the financial affairs of Ministries as highlighted in the Auditor General’s report. Many years later when I was the Chairman of the PAC myself I remembered the courteous but firm approach of Bernard and tried to emulate him.

Parliament building

The new Parliament building designed by Geoffrey Bawa was an architectural wonder. I remembered the helicopter rides taken with him over the proposed Kotte site when I was deputed by my Minister Ananda Tissa de Alwis in the early days to represent him in the project committee that supervised the construction of the new Parliament. We flew over empty tracts of land which were like lush islands surrounded by water. Thanks to Geoffrey Bawa’s genius it was redesigned and a magnificent building influenced by traditional architecture was built under the JRJ administration.

As a rookie MP I would spend time walking along its corridors which led to rooms specially designed for the President, Prime Minister, Ministers, the Leader of the Opposition and party leaders. The Speaker rightly had a floor to himself and his administrative staff. There were rest rooms and billiard tables and a cordoned off area on the second floor with many armchairs positioned side by side where MPs could smoke, exchange gossip and conspire while looking across the man made lake which surrounds the building. Later when WJM Lokubandara became Speaker he added an ayurvedic spa where MPs could get a quick massage before entering the chamber.

Photo Gallery

Another interesting feature was the picture gallerywhere photos of previous representatives were assembled under plaques denoting their name and the particular State Council or Parliament they represented. From time to time visitors, particularly relatives of the “great men”, could be seen keenly identifying their relatives or representatives. New MPs were invited by the Speaker to visit a parliamentary photographer who would take a specially posed picture for the photo gallery.

After 1956 sartorial fashions of MPs changed dramatically to include a majority of “national” dressed representatives [probably of the SLFP] while the UNP and the LSSP members appeared in western dress. All MPs obeyed the Speaker’s order that they should appear in formal dress. But how to define “formal” dress was the question. It was Sarath Muttetuwegama – the popular MP from the Communist party, who solved this problem. He invented a shirt with a closed collar and long sleeves which looked dignified enough to pass muster. This dress was much less cumbersome than western dress and the “national” worn by SWRD Bandaranaike [with other colourful variations] It became so popular that it was identified as a “politician’s garb” and was known sarcastically as “kapati coat”.

Of late there has been another sartorial twist and even representatives from the boondocks wear western dress. They have earned enough money and can afford to go to the best tailors in town. Another source of amusement was the long wig worn by the Speaker on ceremonial occasions. Many Speakers who were provincial lawyers were happy to imitate their professional superiors like Supreme Court judges and “Silks”. The Speaker’s wig was known among rural MPs as the “Walas Toppiya”.

Another sartorial change in Parliament took place after the CBK victory and her appointment as Prime Minister. The more “socialistic” government MPs were lobbied by the Parliamentary peons to abolish the “Bapane”or red sash denoting minor office in colonial times, which they were expected to wear in the chamber. For some reason the peons thought that this was infra dig and a relic of the colonial past. Their request to JRJ for sartorial relief fell on deaf years but “young radicals” supporting CBK prevailed on the Speaker KB Ratnayake, a great Kachcheri man who loved the “Bapane”, to give in.

As a result now it is often difficult to distinguish backbenchers from peons. Both categories happily face TV cameras together for Parliamentary broadcasts. However there is an irony here. While the “Bapane” disappeared from Parliament it is still clearly in evidence among the officials of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. They still wait on the Diyawadana Nilame and march behind him in the procession. Minor officials at the sacred Bo tree in speaker KB Ratnayake’s beloved Anuradhapura, still wear the “Bapane” on ceremonial occasions.

Korale flags

Most MPs are not really interested in the architectural gems created by Bawa and his colleagues. For instance the walls of the debating chamber are decorated with the regional flags of ancient kings which were embossed on silver sheets by skilled artisans. These flags were made after meticulous research and tended to add to the beauty of the chamber though they are hardly noticed by the voluble representatives of those “Korales”. The mace which symbolizes the integrity of the legislature was designed with a traditional lotus motif on top. The “quorum bell” that calls MPs to the chamber takes the sound of the “Salalihiniya-” a bird associated in Sinhala poetry with ancient Jayawardenapura where the Parliament is now located.

From time to time a drama is enacted when an indignant MP [On many occasions it was Vasudeva Nanayakkara] attempts to wrench the mace from the grasp of a burly Sergeant-at-Arms in full view of TV cameras. Without the mace in place the regular proceedings of the House comes to a standstill. The Speaker warns the errant MP that he will be expelled from the chamber. When there is a fracas in Parliament the Sergeant at Arms immediately runs to the Speaker’s podium to protect the mace. The ensuing scuffle, now stylist thanks to Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s antics, is sure to hit the front pages of the following day’s newspapers.

Library

The Parliament library built up from the time of the State Council is undoubtedly one of the best in the country, particularly in respect of politics, economics and parliamentary practice. However most of the books are in English attesting to a time when the elite of days gone by dominated the legislature. Now books in the library are rarely read. Most MPs now come to the library to read local language newspapers or write letters in private. But, for me the Parliament library was a treasure trove. It probably has the best collection of left, particularly Trotskyite, literature in the country.

I could imagine MPs like Leslie Goonewardene or Bernard Soysa ordering these books and journals which influenced the decisions of the LSSP. Philip Gunawardene would have been another voracious reader. In the first few months as a MP I spent my spare time in the library going through Trotskyite writings which we had only heard of in Doric de Souza’s lectures. To me it was a fascinating discovery especially the numerous publications of the Fourth International and its different theoretical factions.

When NM Perera called for an alliance with the SLFP in 1968 the theoreticians of the Fourth International (FI) strongly opposed that move. The LSSP split on that issue and Edmund Samarakkody, Bala Tampoe and Merill Fernando formed the Revolutionary LSSP which had the blessings of the FI and its Paris headquarters. During my stay in Paris I had met one of those theoreticians – Michel Pablo. By that time Pablo had been rejected by the majority of the Trotskyites as he had backed Messali Hadj in Algeria. Hadj had been unmasked as a traitor by the Algerian revolutionaries like Ben Bella, Boumedienne and Ferhat Abbas who led the insurrection against the French imperialists.

After the French left Algeria Michel Pablo had been expelled and his office in Algiers was burnt down. In Paris when I met him I found that he was paranoid, constantly reminding me that he was being “tailed” by the French Police. Of the Sri Lankan Samasamajists he could only remember Leslie Goonewardene whose “nom de guerre” in the underground period was Tilak. The Pablo faction were proponents of a United Front strategy and had much influence on the LSSP of the sixties.

I made another important discovery in my researches in the library. Someone had ordered books and journals issued by the Trotskyite groups in America in the early forties. My guess is that the reader was Philip Gunawardene whose contacts as a student in the US included radicals like his teacher in Wisconsin, Professor Scott Nearing who influenced both Philip and Jaya Prakash Narayan, who played a role as a revolutionary within the Indian Congress and later in the Praja Socialist Party.

Philip would have been encouraged by his State Council colleague NM Perera, whose wife Selina Peeris had visited the east coast of the US, worked with the Trotskyite groups there and was on the way to Mexico to personally meet Trotsky when he was brutally murdered by a Stalinist agent. Trotsky had been driven out of Prinkipo island in the sea of Marmara by the NKVD and was forced to relocate in a remote Scandinavian village.

Again he was driven out by the Stalinists and thanks to the intervention of the communist artist Diego Rivera, Trotsky was given refuge in Mexico. At this stage of history American Trotskyites were quite influential among leftist groups. They helped in setting up the John Dewey Commission to inquire into Stalin’s allegations against Trotsky. After a prolonged inquiry Trotsky was exonerated by the Commission. As is to be expected the ‘T group’ split upinto factions on theoretical and personal issues.

The Parliament library had collected journals of several US factions including the Shachtman group which led to the famous cartoon, “Shachtman is a Shachtmanite”, encapsulating the bitter factional rivalry among the US leftists. This US connection of the LSSP has not been described in detail before in the writings on Sri Lankan left politics. A good introduction to the leftists of New York at that time can be found in Warren Beatty’s prize winning movie “Reds” made in Hollywood.

The library also held publications of later Trotskyites who were grouped around the New Left Review. The NLR edited by Robin Blackburn, whom I had met in Canada while he was on a lecture tour of campuses there, was sympathetic to the JVP and supported the 1971 insurrection. Two of the best essays on the JVP of the early seventies are by Fred Halliday and Tamara Deutscher, wife of Isaac Deutscher, a hero of the Trots for his brilliant biography of Trotsky. She wrote a “letter from Colombo” for the NLR supporting Wijeweera’s 1971 insurrection that was shaking up the Sirimavo government which included old comrades in the Fourth International like NM and Colvin.

I learnt later that she was staying in Leslie Goonewardene [Tilak’s] home when the insurrection broke out. Of all of Mrs Bandaranaikes Ministers it was Leslie, together with TB Subasinghe, who was most sympathetic to the JVP and spoke out for a soft response to the insurrectionists at Cabinet meetings, unlike NM who called the JVP a CIA front.

(Excerpted from vol. 3 of the Sarath Amunugama autbiography) ✍️

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Features

Building a sustainable future for Sri Lanka’s construction industry

Published

15 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

15 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

15 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.