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| Friday, 01 November 2002 |
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Title - History of Sri Lanka from earliest times upto the Sixteenth
Century
He has published many other books in English and Sinhala, which includes historical works, short stories and novels. Siriweera received his Ph.D degree from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies for his dissertation on, "Economic Conditions in Ceylon from 1070-1344". He is a senior professor of History of the University of Peradeniya and till recently Vice Chancellor of the Rajarata University. He should be congratulated that despite his onerous administrative functions as Vice Chancellor, he was able to produce a work which involves laborious research. This work appears at an opportune moment, when the need for it has been strongly felt. Since the publication of Volume I, Parts I and II of the University of Ceylon, History of Ceylon in 1959 and 1960, new research findings have thrown much light on the history of ancient and medieval Sri Lanka. This valuable material some of which has been produced by Siriweera himself and other scholars of his generation like Senaka Bandaranaike and R.A.L.H. Gunewardena has appeared in various academic journals. Several attempts have been made to incorporate these findings and produce a revised edition of the University of Ceylon, History of Ceylon. However, these attempts have not yet materialised. Unless and until such a collaborative effort results in a comprehensive history of the same standard as the University History, there is a need for at least a short but updated history which includes almost half a century of work done by dedicated scholars. Siriweera has fulfilled this need. In addition to the ancient Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and Tamil texts, accounts of foreigners and epigraphical records, he has utilised much of what has been written during the past 50 years in the way of historical research. Siriweera's choice of the pre-colonial period is also significant. In any history of Sri Lanka, the focus of attention has been the colonial period, the Portuguese, Dutch and British, while the long heritage of 2000 years is condensed into a mere introduction or a prelude to the momentous events that followed after 1500. By concentrating his attention on the pre-colonial history, the author has been able to highlight many important issues and lesser known aspects of ancient and medieval Sri Lanka. Out of the 23 chapters of the book, only the first seven deals with political history. Although political history is considered the backbone of history the author has proceeded on the principle that history encompasses the totality of human experience. Sixteen out of the 23 chapters deals with themes which though significant in man's progress, are generally ignored by the historian whose focus of attention is more often than not on the centres of political power, wars and rebellions, resulting in an uninteresting chronological list of events and important personalities. This thought-provoking study portrays not only the activities of rulers and their stooges, but also the lives of the common folk; how they tilled the soil, domesticated animals, travelled, traded, the nature of their habitats and many other lesser known details. It is therefore of immense value to the economic and social historian, as well as to the general reader. The fact that all this information is condensed into 36 pages and is written in simple, straight-forward but elegant English makes it all the more useful. Considering the numerous and diverse sources the author has consulted, the chapters on internal and external trade are of inestimable value. Judging from his past works on trade, transport and communications have been a subject of great interest to the author. He discusses in detail all aspects of trading activities such as cities, ports, market towns, use of money, measures of capacity and length, commodities, ports and trading communities. Illustrated with maps on trade routes and port cities and embellished with beautiful colour pictures of ancient Sri Lankan gold coins and stone bridges, the author has stimulated an interest on this theme. The author has included 2 chapters on demography and urbanisation which are areas rarely to be seen in traditional history books. With his familiarity with Sinhala, Pali and Tamil sources and with an intensive study of recent research work by numerous scholars the author has arrived at many conclusions regarding the demographic changes and development of cities in the period under survey. The author's observations on the ethnic composition of society is very relevant in the present context. Basing his evidence on irrevocable linguistic, archaeological and literary evidence Siriweera concludes, "Although exact numerical figures cannot be determined, the Sinhalese established themselves in the Island from about the first millennium BC. There is absolutely no ground for the view that the northern and eastern regions of the Island were settled by Tamils from early stages of history. On the contrary Jambukolapattana - Modern Sambiliturai was an important port of the Sinhala kingdom and the Jaffna Peninsula was in the territory of the Sinhala kings upto the 13th century A.D. except for very brief periods. Besides Jambukolapattana, Mahatittha opposite present Mannar in the north west of the Dry Zone and Gokanna, modern Trincomalee in the east coast were among the principal ports of the kingdom."
For early prevention and healthy life Speaking of Heart Attacks
The purpose of this book, as authors say is to make patients specialists of their particular chronic disease with the cooperation of their physician. The book is meant to become a reliable advisor on the way to second life. One which may be consulted at any time by patients and their families. But in the content authors hint the book is not at all a substitute for the first hand professional advice. Through the thoroughly documented essays on various themes, authors to do their best to make the problem look small in the mind of the patients, based on the question raised by the patients. Their experience has convinced that the treatment is always more successful if there is cooperation between the well-informed patient and his physician. The answer to the pertinent question how to become well-informed is provided with various charts, tables and illustrations in simplified language. "Perhaps your physician is not fully aware of your interest in understanding your own disease." The patient should ask the doctor about his problems, the authors stress. "You must overcome various inhibitions such as fear of being told that the doctor is too busy or of appearing stupid if you can't understand the explanation offered." Compared with the other books written for the purpose, everything is discussed, in this book, in a touching manner comprehensible to the medical layman. The risk factors are discussed along with due prevention measures at length under 12 sub topics to show what can go wrong in your heart. Common myths with professional clarifications, impacts of physical exercise and diets and guidelines to reduce pot belly and obesity are discussed. Since high blood pressure, one of the risk factors, does not cause symptoms patients often take the prescribed drugs only until the side effects such as fatigue and dizziness appear, although these result only because blood pressure is lowered the authors observe. The conversation between the tax consultant and the doctor which failed to make each other understand the explanations of their respective field has been invented to say the professionals not to use terminologies and semitics when dealing with the layman. The authors; Carola Halhuber MD and Max Halbuber MD deserve thanks for adding such a valuable work which remains of profound and abiding interest to medical layman in this era where health and life and no longer matters of luck or accident, owing to the beneficial influence extended by the science of medicine.
The Hybrid Island: Culture Crossings and the Invention of Identity in Sri Lanka, edited by Neluka Silva, 2002, pp. 177, Social Scientists' Association, Colombo. The Hybrid Island: Culture Crossings and the Invention of Identity in Sri Lanka, edited by Neluka Silva, is a study of the ways in which the 'hybrid' nature of this island nation was undermined in favour of projecting pure and authentic ethno-national identities. This exciting and varied book will be launched at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies on the 1st of November at 5:30 pm. The book's importance is not to be undervalued as it is not a purely academic book, but draws from a range of areas and perspectives. Its editor, Neluka Silva, is the head of the English Department in Colombo and comments on the Burgher identity in Sri Lanka through the works of Michael Ondaatje, Carl Muller and Jean Arasanayagam. Well-known anthropologist Gananath Obeyesekere speaks of the Vaddha community in Mahiyanganaya. The list of exciting articles continue. The book will be reviewed by Radhika Coomaraswamy, who is the Director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies and the UN Special Rapporteur for Violence Against Women. The other commentor will be Pradeep Jeganathan, Anthropologist and Lecturer at the University of Minnesota. While this book shifts from serious to light, from anthropology and literature to baila music, what is common to all these articles is that the eight essays in the book debunk, challenge and question the invention of identity, as pure, undiluted and pristine. This book is an essential, especially in the light of the peace talks taking place today. It aims at displacing and deconstructing Sinhalese, Buddhist hegemonic culture. It firmly encourages difference and allows for equality to exist within different communities. My final point is to assert that there should always be an acknowledgment of diversity and difference both in the nation-making projects and in academic analyses. 'Othering' would take place, no matter what, whether or not one acknowledges all cultures as being 'hybrid.' - Nimanthi
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Produced by Lake House |
In this day and age when history has lost the enchantment it once
enjoyed among academics, it is refreshing to find a scholar of the calibre
of Dr. W.I. Siriweera producing a work of excellence on the history of Sri
Lanka from the earliest times to the sixteenth century. Siriweera is no
stranger to the reading public.
In this volume of Medical Adviser Series which has fashioned a fresh
path reflecting the vast experience of two cardiologists who have trekked
along for many years in research of the causes and consequences of this
disease, a comprehensive description of heart attack and its effects which
are cardinal important to medical layman is unfolded.
