Two volumes on the Dalada Maligawa

The first copies of the two volumes of the books on the Dalada Maligawa - The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic,- written by Late Professor Anuradha Seneviratna were presented to President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week by Vijitha Yapa Publication Chairman Vijitha Yapa.

The President said that he was very happy that Vijitha Yapa Publications has undertaken to print the illustrated editions of Professor Anuradha Seneviratna’s works, not only of the Dalada Maligava but also of the The Kandy Esala Perahara, Dambulla and Gateway to Kandy, with beautiful colour photographs. He said this will be of tremendous use to not only to Sri Lankans but also to foreigners to understand and appreciate our history and culture and that he would present copies to visiting state dignitaries and also take copies of the books with him overseas on his official visits.

Professor Anuradha Seneviratna’s two sons, Udayana and Sindhu were also present at the occasion as well as Directors, Lalana Yapa and Peshan Yapa and the Editor of the Publication Siri Almeida.

Copies were also offered to the Sacred Tooth Relic, and presented to the Mahanayake of Asgiriya Chapter and the Anunayaka of the Malwatte Chapter, and to the Diyawadana Nilame, just prior to the commencement of the Perahera.

The Sacred Tooth Relic has played a major role in the political, social and religious life in the past, and it will continue to play the same vital role in the days ahead. Therefore these books are an important contribution to the knowledge of scholars of architecture, history, religion and the culture of Sri Lanka. Prof Anuradha Seneviratna , a meticulous researcher, read through the galley proofs just prior to his death last year.

Volume one deals with the History and Architecture of the Temples which housed the Sacred Tooth Relic in various parts of the Island, beginning with Anuradhapura where it was initially housed after Princess Hemamala and Prince Danta brought it from the Kalinga country in India in the 4th century AD during the reign of Kirti Sri Meghavanna. Since then the Sacred Tooth Relic was moved to several places, depending on the security situation in times of war, till the Sacred Tooth Relic was brought finally to Senkadagalapura (now Kandy) in the 16th century during the reign of Vimaladharmasuriya I and housed in the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.

All these places where the Sacred Tooth Relic was housed, have been described in detail with photographs and illustrations to complement the text.

Volume two deals with Rituals, Customs and Ceremonies associated with the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Temple from historical times, which still continue to be performed to this day. These rites, the legacy of over two thousand years of Buddhist worship, provide an unbroken lineage between the past and the present, and their continuation ensures a heritage for the future. Daily rites, weekly rites, monthly rites and yearly rites are dealt with in detail. Associated with the yearly rites is the Esala Perahara, and this is described in full, with colour photographs to support the text.

Professor Anuradha Seneviratna who graduated from Peradeniya University in 1965 obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1968 from the University of Halle in Germany.

He joined the academic staff of the Colombo University in the same year as a Lecturer in Sinhala. He joined the Peradeniya University in 1973 as Senior Lecturer in Sinhala and served in that capacity until 1984. During this period he also served as the Director of the Institute of Aesthetic Studies in Colombo.

He won the Fulbright Research Fellowship in 1977 and served as a Research Associate in the University of Indiana, and later in the University of California. He was promoted as Associate Professor in the Department of Sinhala in 1984, and served in that position till 1991.

In 1988, he won the Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship and was elected to a Visiting fellowship at the Institute of Social Anthropology in the Oxford University.

In 1991, he was promoted a full Professor and in 1996 as a Senior Professor in which capacity he served till his retirement from this University in February 2004.

He was appointed Senior Fellow of the University of London in 1998 and was the Visiting Professor of Sinhala, Pali and Buddhism for two years. He was awarded the Emeritus Professor status by the University Council on his retirement.

According to a recent bibliography prepared by the Peradeniya University he has written nearly seventy books in Sinhala and English, research articles and newspaper articles.

He was conferred the highest National Award Kalakirti by the Government of Sri Lanka in 1991 and the honorary title Dharma Sastra Visarada Kirti Sri in the same year by the Malwatte Maha Vihara in Kandy in recognition of his services to Arts, Literature, Education and Culture. He also won the State Literary Award thrice for his published books in English. He was also the President of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka.

The Central Provincial Council, at a public reception held in Kandy in the year 2007, honoured him for his services rendered to the country over the last fifty years. Similarly the Kandy Municipal Council unanimously named a municipal road at Katugastota after him calling it “Professor Anuradha Seneviratna Mawatha” in recognition of his services.