Dr. Sudath Gunasekara 15.7.2011
This is a big question I would like to pose specially to those who are at times cynical about some widely accepted socio-cultural and religious values of this Island nation even though they accept the common axiom that history repeats itself. This question is associated with an extraordinary experience I noticed in a recent visit (26.6.2011) to the Seruwila sacred area.
We all have heard the often quoted axiom “ƒ”¹…”history repeats itself’. But isn’t it strange that the same incident Sri Lanka had occurred on the same soil twice in history. The incidents I am referring to here are the Dutugemunu-Elara and the Mahinda-Pabhakaran wars against the enemy. Surprisingly they were fought by two sons of mother Lanka on behalf of Sri Lanka, born in the same region called Magama in down south at two different epochs of history of this Island nation. Isn’t this curious for any country in the world? What is even more surprising to me is that the place mentioned in this article had been the “ƒ”¹…”epicenter’ of both these two historic wars, one in the 2nd century BC and the other in the 21st century AD, nearly 1242 years apart. Furthermore both these wars have accomplished the same goal of liberating the country from the enemy and bringing it under one parasol.  Of cause the only difference is the one in the 2nd century BC was fought against a South Indian invader where as the one in 2006 was fought against a Sri Lankan terrorist outfit. The only common factor is that both occasions the enemy had been Tamils of South Indian origin. The general pattern of both these high dramas is very much similar and the beginning of the final assault had taken place in this same sacred region.
To begin with the more recent event, the beginning of the final assault on the LTTE terrorists was started with the Marvil Aru battle of 2006. (Mavil Aru is only 6 km south east of Seruvila). Thereafter the forces having crossed the main Mahaweli began the three pronged attack on the terrorists from Mannar in the west, Jaffna peninsula in the north and the land stretch north of Trincommallee in the south and continued until the enemy was completely vanquished in May 2009 and thereby bringing the whole country under one parasol by liberating the country from 30 years of terrifying terrorist rule. This mission was spearheaded by President Mahinda Rajapaksa a son of Magama in the Ruhunu Rata. The forces under his command first cleared the whole of the Eastern Province starting with Toppigala and moved northwards tactfully and set the rhythm of the final onslaught on the enemy at Mavil aru.
In the second century BC the same process had taken place. King Kavantissa moved northwards from Magama along the eastern lowlands of Ruhunu Rata with his army and first consolidated his power in the Seruwila region,  a buffer zone ruled by a local Prince called Siva and then built the Seru Stupa where he enshrined the lalata dhatu (Frontal bone) of Gautama the Buddha. This was the northernmost part of the Ruhunu Rata to the east of Mahweli. King Dutugemunu, his illustrious son, making use of the strategic background father had already established, moved northward on the same trail consolidating his power all over the Ruhunu Rata and made final preparations for the war against Elara on the same soil before crossing Mahaweli to Raja Rata. Thereafter his army crossed Mahaweli and entered Rajarata and commenced the final onslaught on the Tamil usurpers from South India and liberated the motherland from the enemy. Dutugemunu thus ended the 44 year Elara rule and brought the Island under one parasol in the 2nd century BC.
Both these wars mark two of the greatest achievements in Lankan history, though fought under different conditions. The latter of course was much more complicated and ramified in its scale due to many reasons. Firstly it had to be fought against a section of our own people who had taken up arms against the elected government demanding a separate state unlike in the Elara-Dutugemunu war. Then there was also far more advanced technology in modern warfare. It also had large scale international involvements, particularly from the western block and moreover strong opposition from factions of our own people. The war was also three dimensional. Nevertheless what struck me most is the strange relationship between the process, strategy and the final goal of these two events that had occurred in two different periods historically set far apart?
The second factor I discerned is the religious sanctity of this area around Serwavila located at the northern extremity of the Ruhunu Rata. As most of you know Seruwavila is one of the most important sacred places in Sri Lanka. It ranks very high among the most sacred Solosmasthana (the sixteen most sacred places in Sri Lanka) of religious worship in this country. Few miles to the east is the Lanka Patuna or Muhudumaha Viharaya where the sacred Tooth relic of the Buddha was first temporally deposited after it was brought to this country by Hemamala and Prince Danta in 313 AD. Therefore both Seruwavila and Lanka Patuna had been sanctified by two of the most sacred saririka Dhatu of the Buddha.  One must also take note of the Somawathi Dagaba situated in close proximity to these two sacred places. The sanctity of these sacred places may have definitely generated an invisible force that had made this region a special spot on earth that contributes to the protection of the Buddha sasana and the Sinhala nation that had been bestowed with the privilege of protecting the Buddha’s dispensation for 5000 years. I have no doubt that this factor was the divine force that had given strength to those who spearheaded these two wars against the enemy.                                                                                                                  

A third factor, I would like to high light in this historical process is the importance of the Ruhunu Rata in liberating the motherland from successive invasions throughout history. Even in the post Dutugemunu period Vijayabahu and Parakramabahau had fought their wars successfully against the south Indian invaders from Ruhunu Rata. Historically all invasions to this country had come from the north, northwest or the west and it was the Ruhunu Rata which had always risen up to the occasion and liberated the country from invaders just as the Malaya Rata or the hill country that had provided protection and a venue of regrouping as the best hide out for those who had to flee from the low lands during periods of crisis there. Even during the Kandyan period the first liberation struggle was started in the Uwa Wellassa in 1818.
Finally, in this backdrop, I would like to reiterate the validity of the forecast made by Buddha in his Parinibbanamancha that his doctrine will last for 5000 years in Lankadiipa. This prophesy has proved amply correct when you see that Sri Lanka even after 2500 years of Buddha’s demise still continues to be the home of Theravada Buddhism in the world. The fact that this island had been offered thrice to the Lord when he visited it had naturally sanctified this soil more than any other and therefore made it the Land of Gautama the Buddha. Keeping with the second prophesy of the Buddha the Sinhala nation also has become the chief custodians of his teachings in its original form called Theravada.
 I am more than convinced that it is the power of this supreme Dhamma and the sanctity bestowed by the sacred relicts of the Buddha that protected, in the past and will protect in future too, this country and the Sinhala nation from all calamities. I also strongly believe that as long as these super human powers, perhaps which are beyond the perception of the ordinary human mind that operate in the universe, no one, how powerful they may be, cannot harm this country and the Sinhala nation as long as these forces are active. Personalities like Dutugemunu and Mahinda Rajapaksha are therefore only divine emissaries created by these invisible forces to protect the Buddha’s Land and its people, the Sinhala nation.
In order to guarantee the continuation of this time tested and unique tradition which is not evidenced anywhere else in the whole world, I strongly suggest that we abolish the cancerous Provinces introduced by the British to achieve their sinister colonial motive of divide and rule and re-establish the old Tun Rata, which had provided the solid foundation for the Sri Lankan State for nearly 2500 years. I reiterate, this is the best solution to the current divisive tendencies within certain parts of the country. It will also lay the foundation for political and economic prosperity.  The Tun Rata will replace the Provincial Councils imposed on us by India and it will minimize the number of political and administrative institutions at least by 2/3 rd. Enormous savings from this pruning could be gainfully used for the development of the country.  It will also minimize the state of political chaos and friction and raise the quality of politicians as well.  Resulting Sri Lanka would be a land san ethnic turmoil, communal grievances and unequal distribution of resources etc.
Also let me take a little time to make an appeal to all citizens of this country to take a lesson from the past. I think one of the most important factors (if not the most important of them all), of peace, development and prosperity of the Dutugemunu period and the centuries that followed of Sri Lankan history that continued more or less up to the Magha invasion in the 12th century in this country was the unprecedented bond of national reconciliation that prevailed at that time. The sense of national reconciliation through a process of ethnic integration accepting both the realities of Sri Lankan society where Sinhalese were accepted and respected as the dominant ethnic group and the Sinhala King was accepted as the king of Lanka and Buddhism was also accepted and respected as the state religion of this Island by all and at the same time Tamil invaders who survived the war and left behind were also accepted by the Sinhalese as an integral part of the nation along with their religion and customs. There were no ethnic divisions and no one asked for a separate state. All countrymen accepted the authority of one king as the King of Lanka or Sinhala Deepa as it was known then. Of course there were regional viceroys or Kings but they all accepted King in Anurdhapura or subsequent Kingdoms as the King of the whole country.
There was social cohesion as there was intermarriage between Sinhalese and Tamils and Buddhism and Hinduism mingled in places of religious worship. No one used Language, culture or religion as a wedge between different ethnic groups. They were all used as a bridge for ethnic and social integration. Why can’t the present day Tamils and Muslims also follow the same line of thinking without setting the communal flame ablaze for their own political survival?  Isn’t it the Tamil politicians who have divided the nation from 1921 with the formation of the All Ceylon Tamil congress breaking away from the All Ceylon National Congress? Is it not people like Chelvanaygam who set fire to communal sentiments of the uneducated Tamils for their own political gain and brought suffering, destruction, despair and even death to Tamils in Sri Lanka? Why do we have political parties based on ethnicity, language or religion? Why can’t the Tamils and Muslims, like the Sinhalese try to get identified with national political parties san these divisive and emotional elements? The current communal and ultra chauvinist politics will never bring solace for them or the country as a whole at large. The need of the hour I think is a messiah for each of these minority groups who are prepared to learn from history and reality and be pragmatic rather than living in communal dream worlds and lead their communities to happiness and prosperity. Only such change in attitude could bring deliverance to their communities and peace and prosperity to everybody. Whether they like it or not every one of them has to finally accept the hard fact that this had been the Land of the Sinhalese at least from the 6th century BC.
The whole world knows majority of Lankan Tamils live outside the North and the East although there are few mono-Tamil areas in the North and East. I don’t think any of the Tamils who live in other areas among the Sinhalese want separation or EELAM. I only hope and wish that the forthcoming local election will set the pace for this historic change by rejecting communal politics so that the coming years and centuries will once again dawn an era of peace and prosperity for this Island nation. If that happens at this election year 2001 will go down as a watershed in the history of this Island nation and the present time and the period that follows will again be a repetition of history
I would like to invite those patriotic professional historians to put this perception in a more analytical and an in depth historical perspective so that it will be a part of our rich heritage in time to come.