Browsing by Author "Nishanthi, M."

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An Analysis into the Understanding of University Students in the Knowledgebase on the Palm Leaf Manuscripts
(3rd International Conference on Library and Information Management, Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Neththasinghe, N.; Nishanthi, M.; Premarathna, M.
With the advancement of technology in the world, discoveries have emerged. This has resulted in many changes in the local and foreign education sectors. When it came to local education, it was clear that the indigenous qualities we inherited from the ancestors of the past should be preserved in an era of decaying age. In this case, particular attention was paid to the nationally highly valued Palm Leaf Manuscripts which anyone is not paying attention nowadays. The Palm Leaf Manuscripts contain a wealth of local knowledge related to various subject areas. The research investigates whether Sri Lankan university students were aware of Palm Leaf Manuscripts. It examined the students' understanding of why Palm Leaf Manuscripts are a locally valued heritage that should be preserved. The contribution of students from the Department of History and Archeology of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura was obtained for this purpose. Students were provided with a questionnaire to collect the data needed for the research. Data analysis showed that they had a general understanding of Palm Leaf Manuscripts.
Significance of the Research of Documenting (Documentation) Artifacts.
(Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya,Sri Lanka., 2017) Nishanthi, M.
It is difficult to think of a museum without artifacts. A museum can be seen rare, remarkable, and amazingly unmistakable items. The institution should have a permanent collection of artifact materials to fulfill the aims and requirements of a museum. Artifacts are bearing special value because they provide valuable researchable information about the past and present. The artifacts belonging to a museum can be regarded as the "heart" of the organization and can be identified as a means of providing information. Documenting of such value artifacts is introducing as documentation. Simple meaning of the documentation is writing or glossing of information. Documentation is the most important thing among the main functions of a museum. Documentation of artifacts is not new to Sri Lankans. In the third century B.C., Sangamittāthero carried the right south branch of the Bodhi-Tree on a ship. The Mahawansa mentioned some parts of that ship which called kupayatiya, palupatha and kenipatha were deposited by King DevānāmpiyaTissa in the ‘UpasikaViharaya’ in Anurdhapura. This is considerable as the documentation. We can take as examples for some sort of documentation which planting and maintenance of Sri Maha Bodhi tree and depositing and safe guarding of Sacred Tooth Relic. Each museum should decide on the methodology of documenting it. It is necessary a method of documenting simple and inaccurate information about each item in the museums at fast and low cost. In this regard, museums maintain simple documents as well as various types of records. The foundation of a museum is in it deposited artifact objects. Museum has several ways to acquire the artifacts. That is, collected from the field of artifacts, purchase, receives prizes, borrowing, to be transference on the testament, legal acquisition etc. However, it is important to follow a methodology adopted internationally by each museum in order to documentation the objects in the museum. Documentation methods followed in acquiring artifact objects in Sri Lanka differ from one museum to other museums. The methodologies of other museums are different than followed by the National Museums. If every museum uses an internationally accepted documenting system, data can be readily available in academic and research proceedings. From the time before the acquisition of an object of artifact, it follows the documenting sequences of documentation by the time it arrives at the museum's exhibition or the deposit of the artifacts in the storehouse. As before and after the acquisition of an artifact, the documented methodology and the documents used for the research are very important to the scholars who engage in research on artifacts.
Study of Indigenous Knowledge which is Concerning the Shanthikarma Mentioned in Palm Leaf Manuscripts in Sri Lanka
(3rd International Conference on Library and Information Management, Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Nishanthi, M.
When looking at how a society or a group of people is aware of the knowledge of life, it becomes evident that the word 'indigenous' derives its most important meaning from the term indigenous knowledge. One of the most important elements of a sentence is the adjective, so the word 'indigenous' probably has a value equal to or even more than the main term. Knowledge is spoken not because of knowledge but because it is called indigenous knowledge. Across the world, special attention is focused not on knowledge but indigenous knowledge. It must be acknowledged, therefore, that the word and the idea of the indigenous are of great importance. Indigenous knowledge, rather than traditional knowledge, is a cultural heritage of every human society. Thus, indigenous knowledge is a system of knowledge that is specific to a particular geographical area. That is, the knowledge possessed by the people living within a certain geographical area or region is the traditional knowledge or indigenous knowledge. The intangible knowledge of the Sri Lankan community is undergoing some changes in the current social transformation paradigm. The ancient rhetoric of ancient society, which is relevant to the intuitive knowledge of the past, is nowadays used sparingly. The ‘Shanthikarma’ one of the ancient traditional rituals of ancient society, which is relevant to the intuitive knowledge of the past, are nowadays used slightly. It is therefore of great importance to study the Shanthikarma of the Sri Lankan community as they are lost in the present society
Terra Cotta Elephant Figures used in Sri Lanka for Rituals and Beliefs
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Nishanthi, M.
The motive in humans to employ various creations for his needs run through the inception of the human civilization. Such creations have been used for day to day chores as well in various rituals, rites and sacraments. There is proof that even during the pre-historic periods humans have followed various religious rituals and rites to achieve their desired needs. The civilization of man in groups is known as the peak of the civilization. It is proved with archeological as well as inscribed factors that all civilizations of the world in the past have performed various religious rituals and rites to accomplish numerous objectives. In the rituals and sacramental beliefs of the humans in various civilizational eras, it has been established through numerous sources that among the creations terra cotta figures have been used as the foremost item. Archeological and inscribed factors prove that in Sri Lanka, as has been in the world, various religious rituals and sacraments have been performed, aimed at prosperity. Terra cotta figures that might have been used for those rituals are found from dry zones in Sri Lanka. Among those many are elephant figures. A mixture of sand and clay has been used to form these figures. These terra cotta figures with a historical and archeological significance shows a unique geographical characteristic in relation to the places where they were found, way of the spreading out, geographical areas, pattern of laying and the soil condition. Spreading out of these terra cotta figures in Northern, North Central, Eastern and North Western areas is significant. As most are found close to rural tanks, irrigation canals, river valleys and paddy fields these elephant figures must have been used for sacrificial rites on water supply for agriculture, prosperity of agriculture and protection of harvest from wild animals.
Terracotta Elephant Figures Used in Sri Lanka for Rituals and Beliefs
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Nishanthi, M.
Transport systems in the ancient society revealed through the Sri Lankan paintings
(The International Conference on Land Transportation, Locomotive Heritage and Road Culture - 2017, 2017) Nishanthi, M.
It is possible to understand how old society was, by studying paintings. The main purpose of this phenomenon is to study the transport methods used to travel in ancient society. Prehistoric paintings and paintings found in old Vihara Aramas are used for this purpose. Paintings can be used for the study of such places such as Kathaluwa, Thelwatte, Paramakanda, Hindagala, Dambawa, Dowa, Kottimulla, Walalgoda, Sooriyagoda, Hanguranketha, Dambulla and Kelaniya. From the prehistoric times man has used various means for his transportation. Often, ordinary people have traveled on foot and they had to face various hardships. Evidence of paintings shows depicts how prehistoric man had begun to travel on animals. In the later years, elite society had begun to travel on horses and elephants. In addition, people like kings, ministers, and elites had used “palanquins" to travel. Evidence also suggest that horse carriages and cattle were also used for transportation. Prehistoric paintings mark the beginning of transportation in Srilanka, and the paintings in the ancient Vihara Aramas depict the society at that time. The artist when portraying some of the scenes of Jathaka stories and Lord Buddha also revealed the transport systems used in the society at that time. Thus, from the beginning, ordinary people had used uncomfortable travel methods and elites had used a very comfortable transport system.