NCSS 2023

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An investigation on the extent to which the reader can critically read the composite poem : Based on few selected composite poem
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Premathilaka, P.P.Rangani Bhagya
Composite poetry can be identified as an innovative form of verse that generates a visual- centric taste instead of phonetic–centricity. The classical verse form, which started with the lyrical form, has gradually passed through the forms of quatrain poems, couplet poems, free verse and has reached the composite poetry. This form of poetry is attractive compared to other forms and makes a visual 'signification'. How does the reader's intelligence affect the reading of composite poetry compared to other forms of poetry?, is the research problem of this study. The primary objective of this research is to identify whether the meaning conveyed by the composite language can be equally enjoyed by the general reader and the sub-objective would be to identify whether the composite poem has a target readership. To achieve this objective, qualitative method was used as the research method, which was achieved through Interviews and reference to academic writing. The poet conveys the entire poetic concept to the reader through, quatrain poems, couplet poems, free verse and the reader enjoys it with his own intelligence. But the composite poet sometimes gives the reader a single word and the reader must do a visual reading that would surpass the literal meaning. In other words, while critically appreciating the composite poem, the reader will have to ‘touch’ many places that the poet does not tell. The reader should be 'enriched' with critical thinking in order to achieve this goal. Accordingly, it was revealed through the research that it is difficult for the general reader to think of the intellectual poetic concepts presented in the composite poem. Further, through this research, it was further revealed that the composite poem is far away from the common reader but addresses the intelligent readers.
A Study of Sri Lanka Historical Information Revealed by Parakumba Siritha
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Dissanayake, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Senarath Bandara
The Parakumba Siritha is a Prashasthi Kavya Written in the Kotte Period. The Prashasti Kavyas were simply composed to praise the virtues of King Parakumba, the 6th King of Kotte kingdom. The purpose of this research is to examine what the Sri Lankan historical purse is like by referring to primary sources of Mahavamsa⸴ Deepawamsa Wamsathapprakshini and the research articles and books written by current authors. Examining the historical background of the country, from the reign of King Vijaya to Devanam Piyathissa and from King Valagamba and Dhatusena in the Anuradhapura era and to Maha Parakumba of the Polonnaru era until the emergence of Kotte Era, and identifying such the information that is not confirmed by the genealogies but is only revealed by the Parakumba Siritha is the purpose of this study. These have been discussed in an interesting manner in the Parakumba Siritha. The present study examines how the Parakumba Sirita, Kotte, is significant as a historical work, overcoming the idealistic nature built on King Parakramabahu VI.
Language Barrier Faced by Natives in Colonial Courts: A Study Based on 'The Village in the Jungle'
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Priyankara, Y. D.
The judiciary plays a pivotal role in upholding law and justice within any nation. During the British colonial period, the judicial system introduced to Sri Lanka operated exclusively in English. To foster trust and confidence in the judgments delivered, it is imperative to conduct judicial proceedings in a language understood by the citizens. 'The Village in the Jungle', is a novel that provides a glimpse into how the judicial process unfolded during colonial times. While a novel is a work of fiction, the author's journal records suggest that he drew inspiration from the actual circumstances of contemporary society. This research endeavors to identify and analyse the challenges confronted by native communities due to language barriers within the court system. While the importance of employing a language comprehensible to citizens in the judicial process is acknowledged, this study delves deeper into the question of why colonial authorities were hesitant to adopt native languages for judicial purposes. Drawing data from a content analysis of 'The Village in the Jungle', Leonard Wolf's journal entries, and archived documents, this study sheds light on the difficulties faced by native communities in the judicial processes due to language barriers during colonial times. The findings of this study reveal that native communities encountered significant difficulties during the colonial era due to language policies in the judicial process. Several underlying causes of this, such as the absence of an adaptable native language stratum for colonial judicial proceedings, English serving as the working language in all government institutions, and a failure to recognise the judicial process as a matter impacting the lives of ordinary citizens, rather than just a component of general language policy, are recognised by this study. Additionally, this study reveals that political movements advocating for the rights of ordinary citizens and community empowerment contributed to the emergence of a discourse regarding this issue within the contemporary society.
A Study on the Use of Cinematography in the Portrayal of Femininity and Sexuality in Prasanna Jayakodi's Movie' 28'
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Herath, H.M.S.S.
Cinema is the youngest of the arts. But all kinds of arts born from the beginning of man are embedded in it. How does the use of language contribute to the excellence of the arts, such as novels and short stories? In the same way, for the excellence of a work of thought, its use of cinematography plays an important role. Cinema is a powerful art that uses images as a medium of language. The basic meaning of the subject of the film is based on the use of images or the way images are constructed in a film. The purpose of this research is to conduct a study on the use of cinematography used to portray femininity and sexuality in Prasanna Jayakodi's movie '28'. The research problem was to find out the appropriateness of the imagery used by the cinematographer to vividly depict women's feelings. The character of Suddi, who plays the main role here, unfolds on the screen as a young woman, a wife and a working woman. In this way, the pictorial phenomena used by the filmmaker to reveal the issues related to femininity and sexuality as well as the inabilities of women trapped in the cultural framework, are excellent. For this study, a qualitative research method was used to collect data in which Prasanna Jayakodi's movie '28' was used as the main source and critical works related to the previous subject, internet, and magazine papers were used as secondary sources. The conclusion that can be reached at the end of the research is that the cinematographer has been able to portray well the situations where women are oppressed due to sex and the role of women in a weak position in the society through the use of successful images.
A Social and Cultural Study of the Ritual of Kiri Poya which is Unique to the Southern Province of Sri Lanka
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Silva, H.N.T.
The 'Kiri Poya' ritual' is an annual domestic religious offering ritual based on the Esala festival, which is especially popular among the Halagama caste people live only in the areas of Ahungalla, Balapitiya, Kosgoda, Ambalangoda in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, and a folk element belonging to the regional folk culture of the south. Kiri Poya also known as ‘Shudda Poya’, ‘Sudde Poya’, and ‘Del Poya’ has been started since the reign of King MahaVijayabahu. Also, the practice of eating dairy food after Kiri Poya is called 'Joramaranava'. Ever since Kapsituwema of Ruhunu Kataragama Mahadewala, people who are devoted to this, have been performing the Kiri Poya ritual at homes in the evening of Esala Poya. Accordingly, the research problem is to investigate whether the Kiri Poya ritual is maintained according to traditional customs as a domestic religious offering ritual peculiar to the Southern Province. The primary objective was to study the sociocultural way in which the people of these regions perform the Kiri Poya ritual. Subject to the qualitative research method, the research conclusions were found by exploring the research field through participatory observation, identifying data through interviews, collecting the data, and then thoroughly analysing all the data. Accordingly, although only a few minor changes can be seen in the performance of the Kiri Poya ritual in today's society, the research concluded that the Kiri Poya ritual is continuously performed on Esala Poya Day in almost every house in these areas, giving priority to the traditional custom that has been inherited from the past.
A Study on the Offering Rituals Revealed in the Ruwanweliseya Slab Inscription of Queen Kalyanavati
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Sudarshana, J.A.K.; Kiriella, K.T.R.S.
Inscriptions play a prominent role in socialising information clearly and accurately. Inscriptions can be classified into Cave, Rock, Slab, and Pillar inscriptions, as well as early Brahimi scripts and later Brahmi scripts. Among the existing inscriptions, the slab inscription of the Queen Kalyanavati at the courtyard of the Ruwanweliseya was compiled in A.D. 1203 and is a later Brahmi script. The script reveals information about ancient facts, including religious rituals and offerings of that period. The objective of the study is to investigate the religious offerings stated in the slab inscription of Queen Kalyanavati in the courtyard of the Ruwanweliseya. The research problem is to investigate the nature of offering methods revealed in the slab inscription of Queen Kalyanavati in the courtyard of the Ruwanweliseya. Although there are various inscriptions on the offering methods, the study is limited to the offering methods revealed in the inscription of Queen Kalyanavati. Subject to qualitative research method, library sources, and field studies were used to gather data. In the library sources, both primary and secondary sources were utilised. The Descriptive Analysis Method was used to analyse the collected data and then organised into notes, tables, and diagrams. Although researchers have focused on the text and interpretation of Queen Kalyanavati's inscription, it was first identified that not much attention was paid to the religious rituals mentioned in it. Furthermore, the inscription states that during the second year of the second reign of Queen Kalyanavati, the treasurer of King Parakramabahu and other kings directed his wife Sumedha and brother-in-law Lankadikara Kotadanavu Devalnawan to perform the religious rituals to the Ruwanweliseya. It was observed through the inscription how women during the reign of Queen Kalyanavati organised offering ceremonies and that the rulers of that period paid much attention to religious rituals within a cultural framework during their time of rule.
An Investigative Study of the Magical Realism Literary Traits in Saddharmalankara (With Selected Tales)
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Jayarathna, Dilhani Wasana
The main purpose of a classical Dharma discourse is to direct people to the path of Dhamma and to give them an understanding of Dharma. Dharmakirti Sangharaja Thero's Saddharmalankara can be recognized as a Dharma commentary work recognized in this way. To accomplish the purpose of writing these books, the authors have used various literary techniques. Magical realism can be identified as a literary technique employed in this way. In this research, is was done by identifying the apparet Magical realism literary features of Saddharmalankara and examining how the magical realism literary features have helped to achieve the purpose of that work. The research problem here is how the magical realism literary features of Saddharmalankara affect the achievement of the purpose of writing those books. The main purpose of the research is to read classical Sinhala literature through modern literary criticism and thereby study how those critical literary features have been used to achieve the objectives of the work. The research methodology is to analyze the data obtained through the use of libraries and the Internet through the qualitative research method based on Magical realism literary. Here, it was revealed that in order to direct the readers and disciples to the path of Dharma, during the preaching of the Dharma, instances, events and characters in the Tat Grant were used to portray Magical realism characteristics. It can also be said that since those characteristics are presented with an all-time value, the reader and disciple are more inclined towards classical literature. It was also revealed that classical texts such as Saddharmalankara can be explored for new meanings by studying them through the current of modern critical thinking, not just as a Dharma explanation. Accordingly, this research can conclude that classic
Analytical Study of the Oppressed Social Circumstances Depicted by Plays of Jayalath Manoratne (Through plays: Mahagiridamba, Kaneru Mal, Buruwa Mahattaya, Sellam Nirindu)
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Arachchi, Eranga Kaushalya Godakanda
Mr Jayalath Manoratne, a playwright who had commenced his productions in the 80th decade, made his contribution to upholding the drama industry. There are 12 plays which were solely composed by him, and out of those, Mahagiridamba (1980), Kaneru Mal (2000), Buruwa Mahattaya (2011) and Sellam Nirindu (2013) are a few plays which showed greater success traits. The objective of this research is to investigate the oppressed social circumstances depicted by the aforementioned plays. The research is significant as it distinguishes the approaches used by Manoratne to characterise the circumstances where different levels of society are oppressed. The main problem of this research focuses on identifying the playwright's definition of oppressed ideology and the extent to which the oppressed society is represented in aforesaid plays. Primary and secondary sources were used as the research methodology. The play scripts of Mahagiridamba, Kaneru Mal, Buruwa Mahattaya and Sellam Nirindu written by Jayalath Manoratne were used as primary sources while using few written sources related to the oppressed society and reviews related to Jayalath Manoratna's plays as secondary sources. Socio-economic difficulties faced by a young playwright is the subject matter of the play "Mahagiridamba" and the play "Kaneru Mal" signifies how the peasants of the country are oppressed mentally and physically. The tragic fate of labourers as well as their representative parties, are symbolised in "Buruwa Mahattaya" and the play "Sellam Nirindu" is based on the era of king Sri Veera Parakrama Narendrasinghe. This portrays how the foreign princess Sumithra, a queen of the king, is being oppressed because of her unfamiliar cultural background. The characters of the aforementioned plays had been oppressed for many reasons, such as social, cultural, economic and political. They tend to choose either death or struggle to get rid of the stress. This represents how physical and mental oppression rises despite the class gap. The attempt made by Jayalath Manoratne to illustrate the value of an unoppressed, fair society has been clearly identified by this research.
Existentialism Theory and Criticism of Novels: A critical Study
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Weerasinghe, W.M.N.D.
Analyzing human Existence, Jean Paul Sartre has presented the existentialism theory as a humanist study. In this contest the study is expected to analyze the impact of existentialism on modern novel focusing on the basic approaches of existentialism theory. The problem of the study is how the influence of the existentialism to interpret human thoughts in novel in humanistic way. The study launched through the analysis of Martin Wickramasinghe’s Viragaya, Ediriweera Sarachchandra’s Malagiya Etto, and Nawagattegama’s Sansaranyaye Dadayakkaraya. The objective of the study is to emphasize the need of existentialism method for a humanistic interpretation in novel criticism. Under the qualitative research method, the data collected through the literature study. Existentialism and psychoanalysis were the theoretical foundations of data analysis. This study based on Jean Paul Sartre’s existentialism, translated by Bernard Frechtmen. This study revealed that although activities of people emotions are formed by influence of external factors, in analyzing them, paying attention to the unique characteristics and essence of common humanity does justice of the characters. Man naturally tends to be open and close to toward situations like sex, curiosity, sociability. The need for humanistic criticism was emphasized by the characters of Aravinda and Devondara. Novels accustom the reader to a way of thinking that broadness of his critical outlook and mentality. These characters revealed that understanding of individual identities and dynamic that the novel touch on. Behavior that does not confirm to cultural norms is considered. This study signified that despite the expectation of an open life style, lack of focus on free thinking has led to regressive observation of human characters.
ආදිවාසී ජනතාවගේ ආහාර පරිභෝජන රටාවේ වෙනස්වීම කෙරෙහි පුද්ගලබද්ධ සංවර්ධන ව්‍යාපෘතිවලින් සිදුවන බලපෑම: දඹාන ආදිවාසී ගම්මානය ආශ්‍රයෙන්
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) නාමරත්න, එන්. ඩී.
එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ සංවිධානයට අනුබද්ධිත ආදිවාසීන් පිළිබඳ කමිටුවේ නිර්වචනය පරිදි ආදිවාසීන් යනු, යම්කිසි රටක හෝ ප්‍රදේශයක මුල් පදිංචිකරුවන්ගෙන් පැවත එන ජන කොටස්වලින් සමන්විත ප්‍රජාවකි. මහාවංශයට අනුව ශ්‍රී ලාංකේය ආදිවාසීන්ගේ සම්භවය සිදුවන්නේ කුවේණියගේ දරු දෙදෙනාගෙනි. ඒ අනුව දීර්ඝ ඉතිහාසයක් සහිත මේ ආදිවාසීන් සතුව ඔවුනටම ආවේණික සංස්කෘතියක් නිර්මාණය වී තිබේ. මහියංගනය ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම් කොට්ඨාසයේ දීර්ඝ කාලයක් තිස්සේ වාසය කරන දඹාන ආදිවාසීන්ට ද වනාන්තරය කේන්ද්‍ර කරගත් ස්වයංපෝෂිත වූ ද ඔවුනටම අනන්‍ය වූ ද සංස්කෘතියක් පැවති බව ඔවුන්ගේ සම්භවය හා පරිණාමය සම්බන්ධයෙන් සිදුකර ඇති විද්වත් පර්යේෂණ මගින් අනාවරණය වේ. යටත්විජිතයක්ව තිබී නිදහස ලැබූ පසු බලයට පත් විවිධ දේශපාලන බලධාරීන් විසින් එතෙක් පැවති යැපුම් ආර්ථිකය වෙනුවට සමස්ත ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට ම වාණිජ අර්ථ ක්‍රමයක් හඳුන්වා දෙනු ලැබිණි. ඊට සමගාමීව සමාජ සංවර්ධන ව්‍යාපෘති මෙන් ම පුද්ගල සංවර්ධන ව්‍යාපෘති ද හඳුන්වා දෙනු ලැබිණි. මේ පර්යේෂණයේ ගැටලුව වන්නේ විවිධ සමාජ, ආර්ථික හා දේශපාලන ක්‍රියාකාරකම් අතුරින් පුද්ගල සංවර්ධන ව්‍යාපෘතිවල බලපෑම හේතු කොටගෙන දඹාන ආදිවාසීන්ගේ ආහාර සංස්කෘතිය කෙරෙහි කවර බලපෑමක් සිදු වී ඇත්දැයි විමර්ශනය කිරීම ය. ඒ අනුව මෙහි දී අවධානය යොමු කෙරෙන්නේ තත් සංවර්ධන ව්‍යාපෘති අතුරින් පුද්ගලබද්ධ සංවර්ධන ව්‍යාපෘති පිළිබඳවත් ඒවා දඹාන ආදිවාසීන් අතර ක්‍රියාත්මක වීමෙන් ඔවුන්ගේ සංස්කෘතියේ ප්‍රමුඛාංගයක් වන ආහාර පරිභෝජන රටාවේ වෙනස්වීම් හටගැනීමට එමඟින් සිදු වූ බලපෑම් පිළිබඳවත් ය. ගුණාත්මක පර්යේෂණ ක්‍රමවේදයට අනුව සිදුකෙරෙන මේ පර්යේෂණය සඳහා දත්ත රැස්කිරීමේ දී දඹාන ආදීවාසීන් පිළිබඳව ලියැවුණු පර්යේෂණ කෘති ද සම්මුඛ සාකච්ඡා ද ප්‍රත්‍යක්ෂ නිරීක්ෂණ ද භාවිත කෙරිණ. දඹාන ආදිවාසීන්ගේ සංස්කෘතියට අයත් ආහාර රටාවේ විපර්යස්ථ වීම කෙරෙහි බලපෑම් ඇතිකෙරෙන චර්යාවන් ඔවුන් අතර ජනිත කෙරුණු, 1948 - 2022 දක්වා ක්‍රියාත්මක වූ ආහාර මුද්දර ක්‍රමය (1978), සහල් සලාක ක්‍රමය (1979), ජනසවිය ව්‍යාපාරය (1989), සමෘද්ධි ව්‍යාපාරය (1989) සහ දිවිනැඟුම ව්‍යාපාරය (2013) යන ව්‍යාපෘතීන් සහ ඒවායේ බලපෑම ද අවධානයට යොමු කෙරිණි. පූර්වෝක්ත දත්ත විශ්ලේෂණය කිරීමේ දී අලවර්ග, දඩමස්, මීපැණි, ධාන්‍ය වර්ග, එලවළු හා පලතුරු පමණක් සාම්ප්‍රදායිකව ආහාර සඳහා යොදාගත් ආදිවාසීන් මේ වන විට තිරිඟු පිටි සහිත ආහාර කෙරෙහි ද සොසේජස් වැනි සුපිරි වෙළඳසල් ආශ්‍රිත ආහාර හා පැණීබීම භාවිතය කෙරෙහි ද ශීඝ්‍ර නැඹුරුවක් දක්වන බව නිගමනය කරගත හැකි විය.
An Investigation on the Nature of Taxation in Inscriptions Belong to 10th Century A.D (Based on Selected Inscriptions)
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Gangodawila, G.D. Rangika Chathurangani
There is hardly any primary source that a person who investigates Sri Lankan history can appreciate more than the inscriptions. Inscriptions, which trace their origins back to the third century B.C., reveal facts about every field of politics, economy, society, culture, and religion. Inscriptions of the 10th century A.D. reveal the medieval Sinhalese period in terms of epochs. Taxation became the primary source of income in the economy at this stage. A tax is a compulsory payment to the government without direct benefits. Accordingly, tax can be described as a payment made by private property owners as support to the government. The main purpose of this research is to uncover information about the types of taxes that can be identified by the inscriptions written in the tenth century AD. The nature of the tax system included in the inscriptions of the tenth century and how the tax system contributed to the government is the research problem of the present study. Data were gathered using primary and secondary literature sources under the qualitative research method. In inquiring about the constitutional regulations and provisions imposed by the inscriptions of the tenth century, taxes were sometimes levied materially or financially to meet the needs of the government. It is evident from these inscriptions that taxes were imposed to cater to specific needs, with the emergence of the state within human civilisation. Findings reveal that numerous tax methods documented in these inscriptions, including Melātsi, Dasavida, Gampatti, Peranāttiyam, Ratdag, Pātta, Ayabadu, Telpadda, Sut Badu, Warada Dada Ata, Raddada, Ulwādu, Gedad, Sihindada, Kīna, Kodad, Mimsowas, Kulī, and Mahawar.Furthermore, this study illustrates how the kings worked hard to create an organized society through the tax systems implemented in the tenth century AD.
A Study of the Intangible Heritage of the Kinnara People of Sri Lanka
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Sandaruwan, M.M. Sihina; Hilmiya, M. H. H.
Applied, performing and documentary arts can also be considered traditional indigenous knowledge as intangible heritage in general. The Kinnar people living in Sri Lanka can be identified as a group of people who are nourished by that intangible heritage. The Kinnara people of Sri Lanka are often identified as a group that is alienated from the outside society. The purpose of this research was to study the intangible heritage of such a group, the Kinnar people, identify its diversity and document it. What are the varieties of the intangible of the Kinnara people? What is the people's life connected with that? The problem of this research was to study This research was conducted by studying the secondary source under the qualitative data collection research method as the proposed research method of this research. Under the secondary source, books, newspapers, magazines and internet magazines as well as libraries, etc. are used. In this way, it was possible to uncover the facts about the diversity of the intangible heritage of the Kinnar people. The Kinnar people in particular have a rich intangible heritage deeply rooted in their unique lifestyle, culture and traditions. Oral traditions and legends belonging to that culture, inherited colloquial language, drumming and singing, traditional hunting methods, coming of age ceremonies, faiths and beliefs, bamboo and palm leaf crafts, community ties, and cooking methods, Tahanchi can be studied here. it was. This study illustrates the complexity and richness of the intangible heritage of the Kinnara people. These intangible heritages are different from other societies. Preserving the intangible heritage of the Kinnar people is very important to maintain the sustainability of their traditional way of life. Nowadays, there is a situation where this heritage is disappearing from the Kinnara people.
On the factors that influenced the development of classical Sinhala literature in the Kotte era an exploratory study
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Madhushan, I.M.M.
Due to Mahindagamana, Brahmi script was acquired from the 3rd century BC The beginning of writing also took place. In the early days, art of writing, such as cave letters can be noted. Then came literature. It is known as classical Sinhala literature. A classic Sinhala literature in each era of Ceylon, undergoing certain changes developed. In this way, Kotte's era can be named as an era in which literature developed. The aim of this research is to identify Reasons that influenced the development of literature in the period, with some selected historical sources. In periods The problem of this research is to study the reasons for the development. primary sources and secondary sources are investigated. Books were composed during the Kotte era is mentioned in this section. Sandesha Kavya, Bhakti Kavya, Hutan Kavya, Prashti Kavya, Silo Kavya, Asna Kavya, Upadesha Kavya, Kosha Granth, Dharma Granth are among them. In the same way, the layman is educated. A large number of scholars were engaged in book-writing, and the development of literature in the Kotte era can be noticed. Sri Rahula Thero of Thotagamuwe, Vettathewe Thero, Maithri Thero of Vidagama, as learned priests. King Parakumba VI was also engaged in writing books as a lay scholar. The creation of Piriven also led to an improvement in the literature of the Kotte era. Papiliana Sunetra Devi Pirivena, Keragala Padmavathi Pirivena, Devinuwara Irugalthilaka Pirivena were some prestigious academic institutions. A development of classical literature in Kotte period can be deduced from the information mentioned in the literary sources.
An Investigative Study on the Identity Characteristics of the Nilagama Generation of Painters: Based on the Neelagiri Rajamahavihara Painting Depicting Buddhist Practices
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Dharmawardhana, W.M.C.H.
In the study of Sri Lankan art history, information on the various painting traditions as well as the generations of painters who preserved them, are found from the sources of literature and the content of folklore. Not only the contemporary culture but also the design traditions and traditions inherent to the generations of painters are engaged in paintings can be investigated in relation to this. The Nilagama generation of Painters live in the Nilagama Village of the Galewela Divisional Secretariat of the Central Province is special among the Sri Lankan generations of painting. Legend says that the Nilagama tradition has contributed in creating of Sigiri art. The paintings in the Nilagama Neelagiri temple which is of archaeological importance were painted by this generation. The paintings of the Neelagiri Raja Maha Viharaya, which reveal the special features of the traditional social information and the painting tradition, were painted by Jeevan Naide, the fourth generation of Nilagama Painters. Suvisi commentary (Suvisi Vivarana) on the various stages of the Buddha’s character on the left side of the main entrance and throughout the entire wall, and the seven weeks (Sath Sathiya) of the enlightenment of Buddha on the right wall are spectacularly depicted. The primary objective is to study the techniques used in the painting of the Nilagama Generation of Painters based on the paintings of the Neelagiri temple. The research problem is to investigate how the Nilagama painting tradition has created an identity among the generations of Sri Lankan painters in the paintings of the events related to Buddha. Subject to the qualitative research methodology, this research was conducted using a review of literature and field research. This research attempted to socialise the creative identity of the declining Nilagama Generation of Painters among the generations of Sri Lankan painters and to open more ways of study about it.
Investigative Study of the Rituals of the Head Masking Ceremony in the Upcountry Dance Tradition
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Rathnasiri, S.M.A.P.
The art of dance makes a fair contribution to the richness of Sri Lankan culture. This dance art, divided into three parts: Upcountry, Lowland, and Sabaragamu, is widespread in Kandy, Satkoralaya, Satarakoralaya, Kurunegala, and Anuradhapura. In this Upcountry dance tradition, a Yakdessa evolves into an expert dancer through the grand masking ceremony. The study examines the practices performed by a Yakdessa, by the teacher, or by both groups. The study attempts to collect data on the rituals of the head masking ceremony in this up-country dance tradition. Library study method and field study method were used for that. Under the library study method, secondary data of literature, such as research papers and research works, were studied. In the field study method, areas such as Anuradhapura - Galenbidunuwewa area, Satarakoralaya, and Kurunegala – Alavwa have been studied. Participatory and non-participatory observation methods are used, and interviews with 50 experts in the field have been done. The thematic analysis method was used, and the conclusions were reached using a comparison framework. Therefore, before the ceremony of Yakdessa's debut, one should avoid eating meat and fish for more than three months to protect the path of purity and prepare to wear the set of ornaments of God Kohombaa on his head. Later, it was also learned that the teacher performs madu pe, tota pe, bathing the yakdessas, halfly dressing them up in mask clothes, hagal pe, putting on the mask, debuting them, removing doshas, performing a Bali, and chanting Pirith. As a result of the study, it was possible to identify that in the process of a Yakdessa becoming a mask dancer, the teacher's role, the role played by parents and Buddhism are inseparable.
Economic Situation of Contemporary Society as Reflected in Sri Lankan Stories of Saddharmalankaraya (Based on Five Selected Stories)
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Sirisena, H.P.Susil
Saddharmalankara, believed to have been written by Rev. Sri Jayabahu Dharmakirti, belongs to the Gampola period of literature, which has associated the Pali Rasavahini. The author mentions that the purpose of writing Saddharmalankara is to make people who do not know that language to read Sri Saddharma which was in Pali and to develop their faith and intelligence. The content of Saddharmalankara consists of 28 categories and 150 stories. The stories included here can be divided into two main parts: Jambudvipotpanna stories and Lankadvipotpanna stories. Jambudvipotpanna stories contain stories originated in Dambadiva, and Lankadvipotpanna stories contain stories related to different environments and regions of Sri Lanka. The objective of this research paper is to provide an analytical commentary on the economic situation of contemporary society as revealed in the Sri Lankan stories of Saddharmalankara. Many of the old classics were based on events and characters that happened in Jambudvipa. There are only a few books written about experiences and environment related to Sri Lanka. Among them, Saddharmalankara holds a special place. Its Sri Lankan stories provide great support to know the behaviour patterns, life experiences, economic situation, political situation etc. of people who lived in contemporary society. The research problem here is the lack of studies on the economic information of contemporary society, as reflected by the stories of Saddharmalankara. For this purpose, correlation analysis was chosen as the research methodology. Accordingly, the data related to the economic information of contemporary society obtained by referring to the book Saddharmalankaraya and the books and documents written by various scholars about it will be subjected to analysis. Saddharmalankara includes more than sixty stories of Lankan origin. From that, Shraddha Sumana story of Bodhiraja category, Uttaroliya story of Arannaka category, Nakula story of Saliraja category, Thambasumana story of Thambasumana category and Nandivanija story of Sanghadatta category were based for research. The expected results of this research are the analytical information presented about the economic situation of the people in contemporary society, the economic situation of the country, the nature of trade, the condition of transportation, highways, and other infrastructure.
A Study on Folklore Associated with Hunting Techniques
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Narada Thero, Dothaluoya
Folklore is the wisdom that people pass down from one generation to the next. These folklorists appear to have been established to represent diverse regions. Studying the customs related to hunting techniques was the aim of this research. The following were the research questions: Is a folk tradition that relates to hunting methods? And what versions exist for it? To ensure the success of this study, the literature analysis approach was applied as the research methodology. It was feasible to investigate the hunting customs and traditions that had developed utilizing this research technique. There is proof that humans have been hunting animals for food since the beginning of time. It appears that human beings have produced a folk tradition dependent on many occasions and goals. The folklore surrounding this can be categorized as poems, metaphors, analogies, clues, folktales, and interpretations created using hunting techniques. One can use a metaphor as an illustration. The phrase "Amakdeemasekuallagaththavage" A food item called bait is used with a fishing rod to lure fish. Folklore has long used this phrase to refer to deceiving someone. As a result, this folk custom has been used to symbolize many distinct ideas. According to the study mentioned above, there is a folk tradition surrounding hunting that has a wide variety of variations. Although it is impossible to pinpoint a certain time or location.
A Cinematographic Study on the Graphical Portrayal of the Influence of Natural Law on Human Being in the Film "Avatar: The Way of Water"
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Subashani, U.W.N.
The movie Avatar: The Way of Water, which was screened in the year 2022, is a cinematic discourse about the relationship between man and nature. James Cameron solidly portrays the correlation between the Navi civilians and the natural environment in this film. From the beginning to the end of the film, James Cameron succeeds in graphically explaining that man cannot overcome the laws of nature. The research aims to discover how the movie Avatar: The Way of Water reveals the mutual relationship between man and nature and the influence of nature's law on man. Accordingly, the research problem indicates how Avatar: The Way of Water portrays through film grammar that nature destroys the man who opposes nature. The research methodology follows the theories of literary criticism based on environmentalism. In the present research, the film is the primary source, and the written review articles and interviews are the secondary source materials. As the limitations of the research, it only focuses on the cases where graphical language is used in the movie Avatar: The Way of Water. Man is engaged in a competition to conquer time and distance by performing technical experiments. But James Cameron has figuratively tried to show in the movie Avatar: The Way of Water that the one who strived to exceed the laws of nature will be destroyed by it. It is clear that the director has succeeded in bringing the environmental beauty closer to the audience through 3D renderings while making it clear that man cannot live in isolation from nature. Hence, it is clear that Cameron brings his characters closer to the audience in a heart touching manner through the medium of cinematic imagery.
An Inquiry into Whether Documentary Filmmaking Can Be Considered an Approach to Feature Cinema Within the Context of the Cinematic Tradition of Lester James Peries
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Abeysinghe, A.M.T.D.
Lester, who is considered a leading influence in shaping the course of local cinema, is one of the individuals who explored Sri Lankan themes in early documentary filmmaking within the country. This is evident through his contributions as an assistant director under Ralph Keane in the Government Film Unit, particularly in films like "Heritage of Lanka" (1951) and "Nelumgama" (1934). Lester's films, "Conquest in the Dry Zone" (1954) and "Be Safe or Be Sorry" (1955), ventured outdoors and embraced shooting in natural sunlight. This study aims to investigate whether Lester's documentary filmmaking approach served as a precursor to his feature films as part of the cinematic tradition of Lester James Peries. The research methodology involves a comparative analysis of how rural life and the environment were portrayed in Lester's documentaries produced for the government film unit before he embarked on making feature films. The parallels between his first feature film, "Rekhava" (1956), and the documentaries created prior to it align with Lester's assertion that his technical skills acquired under Ralph Keane's guidance, coupled with his own observations and understanding of the authentic Sri Lankan society, paved the way for locally-rooted feature filmmaking. Ultimately, this study reveals that despite Lester's upbringing in a more standard, Westernised society in the capital, he was able to create feature films that authentically represented the environment and people's lives in Sri Lanka, thanks to his technical expertise in documentary filmmaking and his in-depth knowledge gained from analysing the subjects within his documentaries.
A Comparative Study on the Use of Meanings of Sinhalese Ablative Case and Locative Case in Written Tamil Language
(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Dhammawimala Thero, Udagaladeniye
The term case (vibhakti) is defined as 'vibhatti' in Pāli and 'vibat' in Sinhalese. 'Vibhajīyantīti vibhattiyō', that is, case means 'division'. Vibhakti is a feminine participle formed by adding the participle suffix 'Ktin' (ti) to the root bhaj with 'vi' prefix. The author of the Sidat Saňgarawa said, 'namin para vä bedanu labanuyē vibat nam'; vibhakti is the suffix that helps a noun stem to divide its meaning into agent, objective, instrument, etc. Further, it has been analysed in Tamil texts that the change of grammatical function of the nouns in a sentence is called the case. Grammatical function refers to the sentence rule between the noun and the verb in a sentence. The Sinhala native speaker is constantly faced with the problem of how to use methods of using cases appropriately when learning Tamil as a second language. Accordingly, Sinhala Bhāshā Vyākaraṇaya written by Prof. W.S. Karunathilake and Aḍippaḍait Tamiḷ Ilakkaṇam (mbg;gilj; jkpo; ,yf;fzk;) by Professor M.A. Nuhman have been used as primary sources, and a comparative study of the use of meanings of Sinhala Ablative Case and Locative case in written Tamil was conducted. According to the results of this study, it can be pointed out that while there are two cases in Sinhalese that are Ablative and Locative case, the fact that a single case suffix is used to express the meanings of those two cases in Tamil, is a major factor affecting Sinhala native speakers who study Tamil as a second language. Moreover, it can be emphasised here that when Sinhala native speakers directly translate their ideas into the Tamil language, having a correct understanding of the use of Sinhala cases itself will assist in using and understanding the methods of using cases in Tamil accurately.