Sinhala New Year - a historical background

Calyanatissa Gunawardhana

When the eminent playwright Simon Nawagattegama staged ‘Subha saha Yasa’, some years ago, little did one realize that it was based on a unique chapter in our history. The material for the play was derived from the description of the reign of King Yasalalakatissa and the usurper Subharaja as it appears in our national chronicle - Mahavamsa.

Mahavamsa

Subharaja was overthrown by Vasabha whose origin, (according to the Mahavamsa) is obscure. This deliberate obscuring of biographies of Mahayana Kings is resorted to by the author/s of Mahavamsa - but a clue remains to be interpreted; that he (Vasabha) hailed from the North and was in the country with his uncle, a ‘commander’ from the North (Bactria).

With Vasabha’s ascension to power a cultural revolution swept over the whole island. It was during his reign, in 79 AD that a new calendar denoting the Saka Varsha was established in Sri Lanka.

He abruptly censured the dominance of the Great Monastery (Maha Vihara of the Theravadins) and restored and patronised without reservation the Mahayana school of Buddhism.

It is precisely during the same year (79 AD) that the Mahayana king Kanishka (of the Kushan dynasty)declared his suzerainty over the whole of Asia. The Asian territories in his empire were, in each case, ruled or overseen by a ‘Yuva Raja’ or a Commander. Incidentally Kanishka was the patron saint of the Mahayanists, and successfully convened the 4th Buddhist Council.

Gold coin of Kanishka I

Obv: Kanishka standing, clad in heavy Kushan coat and long boots, flames emanating from shoulders, holding standard in his left hand, and making a sacrifice over an altar. Kushan-language legend in Greek script: SHAONANOSHAO KANHSHKI KOSHANO ‘King of Kings, Kanishka the Kushan’.

Rev: Standing Buddha in Hellenistic style, forming the gesture of reassurance (abhayamudra) with his right hand, and holding a pleat of his robe in his left hand. Legend in Greek script: BODDO ‘Buddha’. Kanishka monogram (tamgha) to the right.

Kanishka was a king of the Kushan Empire (Ref. Columbia University Electronic Encyclopaedia)

Oral tradition

Before we delve into a commentary on this specific period of history, some features of the chronicle Mahavamsa are relevant and are worth recalling. Committed to writing in the fifth century, it retraces history before its time and relies for the most part on oral tradition. In the process, inaccuracies have crept in and there appears to be numerous omissions. These, in some instances may be restored by superimposing parallel historical records of other regions.

Of the Mahavamsa, the great savant, Wilhelm Geiger, who compiled the firstever translation drew attention to these omissions, and two such instances are quoted here: “...There is some difficulty concerning king Kittinissanka or Nissankamalla (1187-1196). No Sinhalese ruler has left so many inscriptions as he, but in the Mahavamsa the account of his reign is finished in 9 verses (80, 18-26)...”

“...A very remarkable episode in the history of Ceylon the knowledge of which we owe to Chinese sources is entirely passed over in the chronicle.(2) King Vijayabahu VI, a scion of the family of Alagakkonara, was taken prisoner to China in A.D.1409, and there was an interregnum of about six years in Ceylon. That we have a gap here in the chronicle clearly appears from the words introducing the history of the next king Parakkamabahu VI: (91, 15)..”

With these comments, let us have a glimpse of the historical background concerning the New Year or Saka Era. Yasalalakatissa, ascended throne in 52 AD. In the seventh year of his reign this highly eccentric monarch, staged his own tragi-comedy, ending a 7 year eight month rule. (52-60 AD)

Royal ornaments

This unique tragedy is best described in the Mahavamsa thus:

“...The son of Datta the guard at the palace-gate, named Subha, who was himself a guard, bore a close likeness to the king; .

The King Yasalalaka, in jest, frequently exchanged roles with the guard Subha, decked him with the royal ornaments and placed him upon the throne.

The King Yasa binding the guard’s turban about his own head, and taking himself his place, staff in band, at the gate, made merry over the ministers as they paid homage to (Subha, the guard) sitting on the throne. This highly amusing interplay of roles, he resorted to, from time to time.

One day the guard (who was at the time on the throne) cried out to the king, who was laughing: ‘Why does this guard laugh in my presence?’ And Subha the guard ordered to slay the king, and he (the guard) himself reigned for six years under the name Subharaja. (60 - 66 AD)

One sprung of the Lambakanna clan (Greek origin?) named Vasabha, whose home was in the Northern province, served under his uncle, a commander of troops.

At the time there prevailed a prophecy’ that ‘one named Vasabha shall be king’ the king and Subharaja commanded that all in the island who bore the name of Vasabha should be slain.

Vasabha’s uncle and his wife decided to deliver Vasabha to the king,’ and set out go to the king’s palace. Vasabha’s aunt, (the commander’s wife) changed the strategy. She aided him to take flight.

Vasabha went to the Mahavihara where he heard the certain prophecy that he would be king. He rejoiced and resolved to be King. He mobilized men suited (to his purpose) and seized village by village and gradually winning the kingdom of Rohana to himself. After two years he advanced with his army, towards the capital when the mighty Vasabha had conquered Subharaja in battle.(adopted from Geiger’s translation)

Reign of Vasabha

King Vasabha’s reign lasted 44 years 66 AD - 110 AD seems to be the last mentioned in the commentaries (as we have them now) from which it may be assumed that soon afterwards they were closed or no longer were they kept up, nothing further being added. (Ref. Introduction to the translation of the Visuddhimagga by Ven. Nyanamoli Thera)

Milinda Panha, a product of this period was written in Greek script (Hela = Greek), later translated to Sanskrit and then to Pali. (Milinda - In Greek texts, his name appears as. Menander) Following Alexander’s death on June 10, 323 BCE, his Diadochi (generals) founded their own kingdoms in Asia Minor and Central Asia.

General Seleucus set up the Seleucid Kingdom, which extended as far as India. Later, the Eastern part of the Seleucid Kingdom broke away to form the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (3rd-2nd Century BCE), followed by the Indo-Greek Kingdom (2nd-1st Century BCE), and later still by the Kushan Empire (1st-3rd Century CE).

Good governance

It was during Kanishka reign that the 4th Council took place. The Coronation of Kanishka is now established to have taken place between 78 - 79 AD

Vasabha is credited with having executed vast civil works, unmatched by another monarch. Good governance was another accomplishment which despite him being Mahayanist, is acknowledged in the Mahavamsa, so much so, that his biographical sketch is deliberately clouded so as to hide his origins and at best make him appear to be a Sri Lankan.

Vasabha’s accomplishments during his 44 year reign remains unmatched by any other ruler. The Mahavamsa comments extensively on the civil engineering works that he (Vasabha) had completed.

In the Cittalakuta (Vihara) he built ten beautiful thupas and over the whole island he restored ruined buildings. From pious trust in a thera in the Valliyera-vihara he built the vihara called Mahavalligotta and (moreover) he built the Anurarama (vihara) near Mahagama and bestowed on it a thousand and eight karisa (of land) of (the village) Heligama.

When he had built the Mucela-vihara in Tissavaddhamanaka he allotted to the Vihara a share in the water of the (canal) Alisara. To the thupa in Galambatittha he added a mantling of bricks, and he built an uposatha-house too, and to provide oil for the lamps. He constructed a pond (yielding water to) a thousand karisa (of land) 5 and gave it to the (Vihara).

In the Kumbhigallaka-vihara he built an uposatha-house. In like manner the king built an uposatha-house in the Issarasamanaka (Vihara) here and in the Thuparama a thupa-temple.

In the Mahavihara he built a row of cells facing the West, and he restored the ruined Catussala. In like manner the same king made four beautiful Buddha-images and a temple for the images in the fair courtyard of the great Bodhi-tree.

The Cayanti and the Rajappala-tank, the Vaba and the Kolambagamaka, the Mahanikkhavatii-tank and the Maharametti, the Kohala and the Kali-tank, the Cambuti, the Citthamangaijia and the Aggivaddhamanaka: these twelve tanks and twelve canals he constructed, to make (the land) fruitful.

For safety he built up the city wall even so high (as it now is) and he built fortress-towers at the four gates and a palace besides; in the garden he made a tank and put swans therein. When the king had constructed many bathing-tanks here and there in the capital he brought water to them by subterranean canals.

And in this way carrying out various works of merit king Vasabha did away with the hindrances (to long life), and delighting perpetually in well doing he reigned forty-four years in the capital. The legacy of Vasabha remains a firmament. The Mahayana doctrinal concepts and rituals continue to be upheld by the Buddhists in Sri Lanka and is deeply integrated into Sri Lankan culture.

New Year too, continues to be celebrated in Sri Lanka as wells as in several other regions of the Bactrian-Greek empire. The Greeks loved this land and referred to it as Taprobana.

No wonder the Greek cartographer, Ptolemy, drew Sri Lanka, larger than ‘life’ and stamped so much detail in it, so much so, that the cartography matches projections of our time.

Moreover, names of places, as they appear in Ptolemy’ map could be deciphered and interpreted with ease.

(The writer is Chairman, National Issues Committee, Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka and formerly, News Editor, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation)