Browsing by Author "Dissanayaka, G.R."

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Analyzing Styles, Spellings of Documents Demonstrating Religious Patronage of a Cluster of Buddhist Viharas.
(The Third International Conference on Linguistics in Sri Lanka, ICLSL 2017. Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Dissanayaka, G.R.
The 19th century opens by making Sri Lankans a part of the British Rule. The upward mobility of certain families in the Southern and Western maritime regions also gave impetus take over the patronage of establishing new fraternities of the Amarapura Nikaya and sponsoring the building of monasteries and temples to revive study of the Tripitakaya, Sinhala and Pali education. On one hand, a new kind of literacy and activism among lay Buddhists was the result. On the other hand, the temples however maintained its role as epicenters, for teaching, learning, publishing canonical texts and reviving ritual practices. A new elite Sinhala society emerged at the conclusion of the 19th century even in regions further than Colombo, the commercial hub and the aforesaid Southern and Western Maritime Region. The author has published research on the cluster of six „Soldara Viharayas‟ the artistic traditions and architectural features have been focused (Dissanayake 2016 and 2017). The donor inscriptions in the „Soldara Viharayas‟ at Gallengolla, Atthanagoda and Mahalolouwa are the focus of this research paper. Although they are imposing two story constructions, they have been missed in published research. Situated left to the Colombo Kandy Road on approaching Kandy from Colombo. Gallengolla and Atthanagoda are located today to the Sabaragamuwa Province and bordering them, Mahalolouwa is located in the Western Province. In the ongoing research to locate the Tampita Viharas, the trade and pilgrim routes of the Kelani Valley from Matara and Sri Pada have been mapped. Discovering former footpaths connecting Middeniya, Ambilipitiya and the Old Kandy Road (from Avissawella via Bulathkohupitiya to Aluth Nuwara) the HETC research team has been able to locate new centers of Buddhist Revival Movement based on Donor Inscriptions. At the Atthanoagoda inscription, the name of “Kurukuttal” appears as the name of the artist. The sanctum has many cartouches with descriptions of Buddha Charita painted on the wall. The style of writing, spellings and how words are divided in a sentence are most unusual. At the ICLSL Conference 2017 the research hypothesis would be, if these abnormalities result from a non native speaker writing captions of the walls.
Elephants in the Service of the Buddha and Gods
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Dissanayaka, G.R.
My research to the Devales in 2012-2013 led me to a selection of over forty sites in the Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. All these Devales are associated with the ‘Four main Devales’ (Satara Maha Devale) of the Temple of the Tooth and further connected with a larger web of the 32 Devales and some Rajamaha Viharayas of the Malvatta and Asgiriya Chapters. In order to sustain the traditional rituals, land grants have been made by kings to custodians called “Praveni” and to their helpers called “Bandaras”. The supply of elephants for the annual rituals and processions too is closely knitted with this network. As such, my choice of 32 Devales is a fairly representative sample which has revealed similar ritual practices, also regarding traditions of sharing elephants during festivals. The first research question to be addressed is, if there is a special category of elephants totally devoted to performing rituals or if ‘working elephants’ are used as ‘temple elephants’ when the demand increases during peraharas. Interviews with custodians and trusties of the Devales have revealed that the elephant in the temples has to undergo a specialized training. As such “Temple Elephants” are not interchangeable during “off season” to work. In my initial survey, I have mapped this network, located the roads where elephants traditionally were moved from temple to temple during festivals, the time frames and itineraries. I have also gathered information regarding care of elephants such as food and nutrition, medicine, roaming space, type and length of chains, bathing times, and protection during the night. Generations of elephant keepers (Ath Govva) have been in charge of the daily routines now moving into hands of elephant tamers and elephant businessmen. The pilot study conducted at the ‘Aluth Nuvara Devale’ has revealed that caring for captive elephants requires a specialised training involving many rituals such as ‘Devata Basma’ (දේවතා බැස්ම), ‘Dorata Vadamaveema’ (ද ොරට වැඩමවීම) and protection of elephants from ritual impurity called ‘Kili’. At the conference ‘Asian Elephant in Culture and Nature”, I shall present the methodology used in my research that will lead to the production of a documentary film by the Samkathana Research Centre at the University of Kelaniya.
Gypsies Traditional Recognition Has Diminished (A Research of the Electronic Media Usage of Kudagama Traditional Gypsy Village)
(University of Kelaniya, 2007) Dissanayaka, G.R.
Sri Lankan Gypsies are not the indigenous Sri Lankan. They are a group of people which have recognition in tradition, tribes and ethnicity. They come to Sri Lanka through the western coast of the country and made their new settlement close to KALA WEW A, in villages such as KALA WFWA, GALGAMUW A and THAMR UTTEGAMA Those who got separated from their original group as came to eastern part of the country thought western coast and made their settlement at AKKAREIPA l I TTHUW A without going to the south. The village which was selected for this study is called KUDAGAMA that is closer to THABUTHTHFGAMA comprises of traditional gypsy features and also the modern electronic equipment can be seen in this village. The ethnic group like gypsies don't have any knowledge to select any fixed channel that can be led their lives for development. They get their simulation with the help of prevailing electronic media. When they are cut off from the social connection with the majority sinhala society their communication all so get diminished Gypsies traditional communication system was buried with the present communication. Although Sri Lankan gypsies are not an ancient Sri Lankan traditional community group, they are a group of people presently established in Sri Lankan society. When they get rid of their traditional way of gypsy life (nomadic) they feel great loneliness in their permanent settlements. Their origin was transformed from era to era in the social background when they live. But modern electronic equipment has influenced their lives in the modern social background. It is witnessed that the accesalarate unsystematic modernization of present KUDAGAMA is due to the solitariness of this village, day by day from their own society. Just because of this solitariness they get closer in touch with electronic Media but not their own tribe. The historical method is used to check about their gypsy social transformation learning method and historical background. The comparative method is used to identify the transformation of the past and present traditional unsystematic communication and modern social system of gypsies. In collecting data mainly the participant observation was used .the other method used in lesser extent among them. The interview method was used to a great extent. The gypsy reserved their traditional, social rites and rituals up today due to the continuation of the social gap. That they think prevailing between the majorities Sinhala Society. The gypsies think that there is social gap between majority sinhala society and them. Due to this social gap they have persevered their traditional rites and rituals up today. Though they believe thoroughly that they have recognition in the society. Their traditional recognition is being diminished due to the meaningless usage of electronic media without the knowledge.
Morphology and Utility today of the 18thcentury Temple on pillars (TämpitaVihāras) of Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Dissanayaka, G.R.
The structures built on a wooden platform resting on short granite pillars or stumps reflect a unique type of image house from the 17th to 19th centuries called TämpitaVihāras. The Samkathana Projecton documenting evidences of theTämpitaVihāras has collected data visiting some 90 sites in Kurunegala, Kandy, Kegalla, Matale, NuwaraEliya, Rathnapura, Galle, Matara, Hambanthotaand Anuradhapura Districts. This type ofsingle room very small image housewith a wooden super structure seem to emerge in the early Kandyan Era. From over 92TämpitaVihāras, already visited and documented in this project,I shall select a cross section to demonstrate structural morphology of TämpitaVihāras according to regions. The reports of the Department of Archaeology mentions 240TämpitaVihāras appearing as archeological sites which have been gazetted, butonly 50 edifices have been discussed. These structures have been renovated and published. They are mostly in the Gampaha District: The published study of SriLankaweTampitaViharaSampradayaby the Department of Archaeology (1999) edited byGaminiWijesooriya,Architecture of TampitaViharaya in Sri Lanka by D.P.Chandrasekara and D.M.K.D.Silva(2002)and Heritage Building of Sri Lanka by Nimal De Siva and D.P.Chandrasekara, (2009)mostly refer to the same edifices, at times using material of other research even without reference to them. There has been no comparative study of these over 240TämpitaVihāras, most which are in a sad state of decay and some have been demolished or the features of this unique stone and wooden plinth cemented over, that the identification today becomes strenuous. The utility of TämpitaVihāras as ―Image Houses‖, ―Preaching Halls‖, ―Chapter Halls‖, ―Temples of the Tooth Relic‖ and a planned―Royal Palace‖ in Dodantale, leads to the question of protection and conservation of these single room image houses.
Tracing lineage of mentorship of Tämpita Vihāras of Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Dissanayaka, G.R.
The structures built on a wooden platform resting on short granite pillars or stumps are a unique type of image houses from the 17th to 19th centuries called TämpitaVihāras. Recorded history has revealed the close association of these buildings with the mid 18thcentury Revival Movement by Ven. Velivita Saranankara. This type of single room very small image house emerges in the early Kandyan era. It has a wooden superstructure. The murals in the inner room or sanctum have a very rigid spatial arrangement. The side wooden walls and ceiling have almost similar picture programs. Over 174 structures have been visited by the Samkathana Research team and documented them on the web site. The team has already mapped TämpitaVihāras in six clusters located in the close geographical vicinity: Two in Kurunagala, one in Kegalle and two in Kandy Districts and one in the entire Southern province. Based on this primary research the team has observed the following: There seems to be an unequal distribution of these unique 18th century structures on the island. Sponsor ship has been provided by the King of Kandy, Adigars (Chief Ministers) and Disawes. The clusters mentioned above even today reveal affiliations with the Malvatte Chapter or the Asgiriya Chapter which is also reflected in the design of the Tämpita Vihāras architecture. Therefore the paper ties to question if there are any close association of these buildings with the mid 18thcentury revival movement by Ven. Velivita Sri Saranankara? If so, what evidence can be used to classify building activity under three generations of mentorship?