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| Wednesday, 19 December 2001 |
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by Lorna Dewaraja Thailand and Sri Lanka, both being devout Buddhist societies have had a long and close relationship for several centuries. A crucial point in this mutually beneficial contact was the area known as Nakhon si Thammarat or Nagara Sri Dharmaraja strategically located in Peninsula Thailand between the Bay of Bengal and the Gulf of Siam.
In the 4th - 5th centuries A.D. when developments in navigation technology facilitated trans-oceanic voyages over long distances, ships sailing directly eastwords from Sri Lanka would touch at Nakhon si Thammarat. It is clear that in the 5th century trans oceanic voyages were well established in the Eastern part of the Bay of Bengal for even the well known Chinese monk Fa Hsien returned home in a merchant vessel across the Bay of Bengal. Sri Lanka and Nakhon si Thammarat well situated along the communication channel became focal points in this commercial and cultural exchange. Memories of the Sri Lanka connection still linger not only in legends and literary works but in more tangible remains such as inscriptions in a variety of languages, Buddha images, relics, Bodhi trees (Lanka Bo), pavilions (Lanka mandap) and the Lankavansa all of which the local people proudly acclaim are the results of the Sri Lanka association.
International reputation There are many factors which gave Sri Lanka international recognition in the Buddhist world. Ever since Buddhism was progressively eliminated from the land of its origin, Sri Lanka became a congenial home and one of its credentials was that it nurtured within it the unbroken succession of monks which was inaugurated by the arhat Mahinda himself. Hence monks from South India and South East Asia took pride in the fact that they belonged to the Lankavansa. Besides, Sri Lanka was considered the repository of objects held most sacred by Buddhist the world over, such as the Tooth Relic, the Alms Bowl and the Bodhi Tree. Reign of Parakramabahu I Direct contact between Thailand and Sri Lanka was intensified in the mid 13th century when the Thais settled in Suhhothai under whose great rulers the Thai Kingdom took shape and the Thai personality blossomed. In Sri Lanka the unification and revitalisation of the Sangha in the reign of Parakramabahu I (1153-1186) had a great impact on South East Asia. The massive and far reaching campaign of reform undertaken by Parakramabahu bore fruit in a rare burst of Sri Lankan missionary activity which followed in the next few centuries when monks from the island virtually spear headed a religious renaissance in South East Asia. Delegations of Mon, Tai and Khmer monks visited Sri Lanka to study the authentic revised scriptures. On their return they preached Sri Lankan Buddhism in Nakhon si Thammarat and from there it spread to Cambodia and Laos and Westward to other centres in Thailand. Sihinga Buddha Pratima An interesting episode related in the Sri Lankan chronicle Culavamsa and the Thai chronicle Jinakalamalini regarding this rich and complex relationship is confirmed by epigraphical evidence as well. According to the Thai chronic a king named Siridhamma of Dharmaraja nagara (Nakhon si Thammarat) attempted to obtain a Sri Lanka Buddha image reputed to have miraculous powers, known as Sihinga Buddha Pratima. Siridhamma was none other than Chandrabhanu of the Culavamsa, who invaded Sri Lanka in the reign of Parakramabahu II (1236-1270) demanding the Tooth and Bowl Relics of the Buddha. The Culavamsa claims that the invading army was routed, but some of the invaders seemed to have settled down as immigrants. The Thai chronicle, however, mentions that two kings from Sukhothai and Nakhon si Thammarat obtained the miraculous image through peaceful negotiations. Although the sources differ in details there is no doubt that the whole area was a part of the Buddhist world with Sri Lanka as the source of spiritual inspiration. The culmination of these events that were taking place for over two centuries was the establishment of the Sihala Sangha in Thailand in 1425. A detailed description of this Ordination which took place in the reign of Parakramabahu VI of Kotte (1412-1467) is given in the Jinakalamali. Thirty nine monks from Nabhisipura, Kamboja and Ramanna, having heard of the flourishing state of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and the authenticity of the scriptures visited the island and received the Ordination afresh from the Sri Lankan monks. The newly ordained monks who toured the island, studying the theory and practice of religion returned to their native lands taking two Sri Lankan monks with them and popularised the Sihala Sangha in Thailand. This was the last occasion that Sri Lanka was able to spiritually enrich her co-religionists abroad for the reign of Parakramabahu VI was the final flicker of a dying flame. When we next hear of Thai - Sri Lanka relations the tide had reversed and Sri Lanka had to look up to Thailand for spiritual succour. Academic seminar Against the background of continuous and extensive cultural relations between Thailand and Sri Lanka it was very appropriate that the Sri Lanka Embassy in Bangkok in collaboration with the Thai government and private bodies organised the Seminar on "Cultural Exchanges between Thailand and Sri Lanka." This event which took place late in October 2001 was held in Nakhon si Thammarat, which as we have seen received the first impact of Sri Lankan Buddhism and became the conduit through which the influences spread to the rest of South East Asia. The objectives of the seminar was firstly to commemorate the 101st birth anniversary of the Queen Mother and also to revive Thai-Sri Lanka cultural contact giving it the strength and momentum that prevailed in historic times. Several key persons and organisations in Thailand contributed to make this event a success. A lead role was played by Sri Lanka's ambassador in Thailand, H.E. S. Palihakkara and His Lordship the Mayor of Nakhon si Thammarat. Substantial support was extended by the newly established University of Walailak, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thailand Cultural Centre. The highlight of the event was the well attended academic seminar where scholars from Thailand and Sri Lanka presented papers and exchanged ideas on three relevant areas namely, Buddhism, art and culture and history and archaeology. Many of the papers stressed the wholesome relationship that prevailed between the two Theravada countries and the significance of Nakhon si Thammarat in the cultural exchange. Cultural exchange Adding colour and excitement to the event was the dance performance by the State Dance Troupe of Sri Lanka sponsored by the Embassy. Eleven dancers headed by Ravibandhu Vidyapathi flew to Thailand and gave seven presentations in the grounds of Wat Phra Mahathat in Nakhon si Thammarat before a large and appreciative audience. The presentations included the graceful Gajaga Vannama by 4 female dancers, simulating the gait of the elephant, the Harvest dance, the Ves Natuma and the spectacular somersaults by a lone dancer who enthraled the audience and received a thunderous applause. After this event the dance troupe gave similar presentations at the Kasetsart University, the Siam Society, the Bangkok Musical Centre and the Narai Rachanivade Palace at Lop Buri and were received with great enthusiasm. The project will be continued by a Thai dance troupe performing the Manorah dance in Kandy in the near future.
Nature as a series of unique moments No two moments in nature are ever the same. No moment ever repeats
itself. Example: the sky at sunset. Ranjith Dharmatilake expounds this theory with brush and paint, in his Fourth Solo Exhibition - A Moment of Nature. "In nature there are no dejavu", says Dharmatilake. "As a kid I was mesmerized by this simple truth. By the creativity of so many billion variations. So many possibilities. So many opportunities for beauty to present itself. When I grew up as an artist, I always wanted to catch these moments in their abundance. Thus, all the paintings have been drawn on the spur of the moment - drawn with the speed and vigour that moment and that moment alone holds." Dharmatilake hopes to open our eyes to what he calls "the endless subtlety and creativity that surrounds us every second of the day" through his water colours. After viewing his paintings he hopes we will not take a single moment in our lives for granted. Because every moment is unique. Find out how unique a moment could be, by being at the Lionel Wendt on December 22nd & 23rd, 2001, when A Miracle of Nature will be exhibited. He created the "Shakthi Samja" logo at the Sri Lanka ADIC institute and the logo for the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and the National Aqua Culture Development Authority of Sri Lanka. On an international level, he represented Sri Lanka in the biannual South Asian Art Competition. He also won the "Duryoga Nivarana" poster art competition, which was held among South Asian countries. He held his first solo art exhibition in Badulla in 1987, the second titled "The Magic of Colour" was held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery in August 1999. The third entitled "The Magic of Water Colour" was held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery in November 2000.
Feather Touch 4
Manjusri is the eldest daughter of renowned artist, the late Dr. L.T.P Manjusri. She excels in water colour, Fabric, Line Drawings and temple murals. Kumarasinghe is an ardent lover of nature. His main themes are paintings of monuments of different religious culture. Some of his paintings have been influenced by scenic beauty from Goa, Nepal and Maldives. All of them are rich in colour. Kumarasinghe believes a piece of art should express a spiritual design. A painting which could be understood is very much better than an abstract. But he leaves the art lover to decide which is best. The exhibition will feature paintings in oil colour, water colour, acrylic and line murals. A piece of art is created with rich colours, nature touch, human beauty, wildlife or imaginations would expose a spiritual design. But one who could admire and understand the painting clearly is very much better than, exhibiting in abstract form, would be the art lovers choice I sup- pose, says Saman. |
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An
exhibition of paintings by Manjitsa Manjusri and Saman Kumarasinghe
Feather Touch 4, will be held at the National Art Gallery, Ananda
Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7 from December 19 to 23 2001 from 9 am to 7
pm each day.
