Rescuing orphaned refs ("DBSJ171210" from rev 927238367) |
Obi2canibe (talk | contribs) Reverting unexplained content removal Tag: use of deprecated (unreliable) source |
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{{Infobox anthem |
{{Infobox anthem |
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|title = Sri Lanka Matha |
|title = Sri Lanka Matha |
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|transcription = Śrī Laṁkā Mātā<br/> |
|transcription = Śrī Laṁkā Mātā<br/>Srī Laṅkā Tāyē |
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|english_title = Mother Sri Lanka |
|english_title = Mother Sri Lanka |
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|alt_title = ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා |
|alt_title = ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා |
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|en_alt_title = |
|en_alt_title = |
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|alt_title_2 = ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே |
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|en_alt_title_2 = |
|en_alt_title_2 = |
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|image = |
|image = |
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|sound_title = "Sri Lanka Matha" (instrumental) |
|sound_title = "Sri Lanka Matha" (instrumental) |
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}} |
}} |
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"'''''Sri Lanka Matha'''''" ({{lang-si|ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා|translit=Śrī Laṁkā Mātā}}; is the [[national anthem]] of [[Sri Lanka]]. |
"'''''Sri Lanka Matha'''''" ({{lang-si|ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා|translit=Śrī Laṁkā Mātā}}; {{lang-ta|ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே|translit=Srī Laṅkā Tāyē}}) is the [[national anthem]] of [[Sri Lanka]]. |
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== History == |
== History == |
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There are differing accounts as to the origin of the "Sri Lanka Matha". The most widely held view is that Sri Lankan composer [[Ananda Samarakoon]] wrote the music and lyrics to the song inspired/influenced by Bengali poet [[Rabindranath Tagore]].<ref name="CIA">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Sri Lanka|encyclopedia=[[The World Factbook]] |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html }}</ref><ref name="TOI030411">{{cite news|title=Man of the series: Nobel laureate Tagore|url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_TOINEW&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=CAP/2011/04/03&ID=Ar01601|work=[[The Times of India]]|agency=[[Times News Network]]|date=3 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="TH040216">{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka I-Day to have anthem in Tamil|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lanka-iday-to-have-anthem-in-tamil/article8189939.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=4 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="HT120510">{{cite news|title=Tagore’s influence on Lankan culture|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world/tagore-s-influence-on-lankan-culture/story-ABmSseNTEg4EFv5AAoDpbN.html|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=12 May 2010}}</ref> A minority suggest that Tagore wrote the anthem in full.<ref name="Wickramasinghe">{{cite book|last1=Wickramasinghe|first1=Nira|authorlink1=Nira Wickramasinghe|title=Dressing the Colonised Body: Politics, Clothing, and Identity in Sri Lanka|date=2003|publisher=[[Orient Longman]]|isbn=81-250-2479-4|page=26|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Wde58hbSxUEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=Tagore&f=false}}</ref><ref name="DM300315">{{cite news|last1=Wickramasinghe|first1=Kamanthi|last2=Perera|first2=Yoshitha|title=Sri Lankan National Anthem: can it be used to narrow the gap?|url=http://mirrorcitizen.dailymirror.lk/2015/03/30/sri-lankan-national-anthem-can-it-be-used-to-narrow-the-gap/|work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|issue=30 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="DS070511">{{cite news|last1=Haque|first1=Junaidul|title=Rabindranath: He belonged to the world|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=184548|work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|date=7 May 2011}}</ref><ref name="TH170511">{{cite news|last1=Habib|first1=Haroon|authorlink1=Haroon Habib|title=Celebrating Rabindranath Tagore's legacy|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/celebrating-rabindranath-tagores-legacy/article2026880.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=17 May 2011}}</ref> Some have suggested that Tagore wrote the music whilst Samarakoon wrote the lyrics.<ref name="SU170212">{{cite journal|last1=Nandy|first1=Ashis|authorlink1=Ashis Nandy|title=Nationalism, Genuine and Spurious: A Very Late Obituary of Two Early Postnationalist Strains in India|journal=Occasion, [[Stanford University]]|date=17 February 2012|volume=3|url=http://arcade.stanford.edu/occasion/nationalism-genuine-and-spurious-very-late-obituary-two-early-postnationalist-strains-india}}</ref><ref name="Alexander">{{cite book|last1=Alexander|first1=J. P.|title=Decisive Battles, Strategic Leaders|date=2014|publisher=[[Partridge Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-4828-1805-5|page=188|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kojXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA188&dq=%22Tagore%22+%22anthem%22+%22lanka%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirkYCQgs_RAhWDCMAKHbkyBfg4ChDoAQgZMAA#v=onepage&q=%22Tagore%22%20%22anthem%22%20%22lanka%22&f=false}}</ref> Tagore being directly involved in the creation of the song has been denied by some historians like Indian Lipi Ghosh and Sri Lankan Sandagomi Coperahewa.<ref name="TelegraphCalcutta">{{cite news|last1=Kasturi|first1=Charu Sudan|title=Fact check stress on PM Tagore claim No evidence to suggest that bard penned or composed song, says professor|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170913/jsp/nation/story_172924.jsp|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]|date=12 September 2017}}</ref> Samarakoon had been a pupil of Tagore at [[Visva-Bharati University]], [[Santiniketan]].<ref name="HT090515">{{cite news|title=Five things you need to know about Rabindranath Tagore|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/books/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-rabindranath-tagore/story-EvYsWUz6in9DTarTlHO7RJ.html|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=9 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="IE120615">{{cite news|last1=Ahmed|first1=Khaled|title=Nationalism over verse|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nationalism-over-verse/|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=12 June 2015}}</ref> After returning to [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]] Samarakoon taught music at [[Mahinda College]], [[Galle]].<ref name="ST161108">{{cite news|title=The quest for the right song|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081116/FunDay/fundaytimes_2.html|work=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=16 November 2008}}</ref><ref name="SO300111">{{cite news|last1=Saparamadu|first1=Sumana|title=The origin of our National Anthem|url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2011/01/30/jun06.asp|work=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)]]|date=30 January 2011}}</ref> The song, which was then known as "Namo Namo Mata", was first sung by students at Mahinda College.<ref name="ST281012">{{cite news|last1=Miranda|first1=Sujitha|title=The ‘National Anthem’ was first sung at Mahinda Galle|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/121028/education/the-national-anthem-was-first-sung-at-mahinda-galle-17889.html|work=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=28 October 2012}}</ref><ref name="SO140506">{{cite news|last1=Saparamadu|first1=Sumana|title=Ananda Samarakoon - The composer of our national anthem|url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/05/14/jun02.asp|work=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)]]|date=14 May 2006}}</ref> After it was sung by the choir from [[Musaeus College]], [[Colombo]] at a public event it became hugely popular in [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]] and was widely played on radio.<ref name="DN020213">{{cite news|last1=Bamunuarachchi|first1=Jinadasa|title=Vasu, DO NOT KILL Ananda Samarakoon again|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2013/02/02/fea01.asp|work=[[Daily News (Sri Lanka)]]|date=2 February 2013}}</ref> |
There are differing accounts as to the origin of the "Sri Lanka Matha". The most widely held view is that Sri Lankan composer [[Ananda Samarakoon]] wrote the music and lyrics to the song inspired/influenced by Bengali poet [[Rabindranath Tagore]].<ref name="CIA">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Sri Lanka|encyclopedia=[[The World Factbook]] |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html }}</ref><ref name="TOI030411">{{cite news|title=Man of the series: Nobel laureate Tagore|url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_TOINEW&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=CAP/2011/04/03&ID=Ar01601|work=[[The Times of India]]|agency=[[Times News Network]]|date=3 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="TH040216">{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka I-Day to have anthem in Tamil|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lanka-iday-to-have-anthem-in-tamil/article8189939.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=4 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="HT120510">{{cite news|title=Tagore’s influence on Lankan culture|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world/tagore-s-influence-on-lankan-culture/story-ABmSseNTEg4EFv5AAoDpbN.html|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=12 May 2010}}</ref> A minority suggest that Tagore wrote the anthem in full.<ref name="Wickramasinghe">{{cite book|last1=Wickramasinghe|first1=Nira|authorlink1=Nira Wickramasinghe|title=Dressing the Colonised Body: Politics, Clothing, and Identity in Sri Lanka|date=2003|publisher=[[Orient Longman]]|isbn=81-250-2479-4|page=26|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Wde58hbSxUEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=Tagore&f=false}}</ref><ref name="DM300315">{{cite news|last1=Wickramasinghe|first1=Kamanthi|last2=Perera|first2=Yoshitha|title=Sri Lankan National Anthem: can it be used to narrow the gap?|url=http://mirrorcitizen.dailymirror.lk/2015/03/30/sri-lankan-national-anthem-can-it-be-used-to-narrow-the-gap/|work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|issue=30 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="DS070511">{{cite news|last1=Haque|first1=Junaidul|title=Rabindranath: He belonged to the world|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=184548|work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|date=7 May 2011}}</ref><ref name="TH170511">{{cite news|last1=Habib|first1=Haroon|authorlink1=Haroon Habib|title=Celebrating Rabindranath Tagore's legacy|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/celebrating-rabindranath-tagores-legacy/article2026880.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=17 May 2011}}</ref> Some have suggested that Tagore wrote the music whilst Samarakoon wrote the lyrics.<ref name="SU170212">{{cite journal|last1=Nandy|first1=Ashis|authorlink1=Ashis Nandy|title=Nationalism, Genuine and Spurious: A Very Late Obituary of Two Early Postnationalist Strains in India|journal=Occasion, [[Stanford University]]|date=17 February 2012|volume=3|url=http://arcade.stanford.edu/occasion/nationalism-genuine-and-spurious-very-late-obituary-two-early-postnationalist-strains-india}}</ref><ref name="Alexander">{{cite book|last1=Alexander|first1=J. P.|title=Decisive Battles, Strategic Leaders|date=2014|publisher=[[Partridge Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-4828-1805-5|page=188|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kojXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA188&dq=%22Tagore%22+%22anthem%22+%22lanka%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirkYCQgs_RAhWDCMAKHbkyBfg4ChDoAQgZMAA#v=onepage&q=%22Tagore%22%20%22anthem%22%20%22lanka%22&f=false}}</ref> Tagore being directly involved in the creation of the song has been denied by some historians like Indian Lipi Ghosh and Sri Lankan Sandagomi Coperahewa.<ref name="TelegraphCalcutta">{{cite news|last1=Kasturi|first1=Charu Sudan|title=Fact check stress on PM Tagore claim No evidence to suggest that bard penned or composed song, says professor|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170913/jsp/nation/story_172924.jsp|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]|date=12 September 2017}}</ref> Samarakoon had been a pupil of Tagore at [[Visva-Bharati University]], [[Santiniketan]].<ref name="HT090515">{{cite news|title=Five things you need to know about Rabindranath Tagore|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/books/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-rabindranath-tagore/story-EvYsWUz6in9DTarTlHO7RJ.html|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=9 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="IE120615">{{cite news|last1=Ahmed|first1=Khaled|title=Nationalism over verse|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nationalism-over-verse/|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=12 June 2015}}</ref> After returning to [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]] Samarakoon taught music at [[Mahinda College]], [[Galle]].<ref name="ST161108">{{cite news|title=The quest for the right song|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081116/FunDay/fundaytimes_2.html|work=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=16 November 2008}}</ref><ref name="SO300111">{{cite news|last1=Saparamadu|first1=Sumana|title=The origin of our National Anthem|url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2011/01/30/jun06.asp|work=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)]]|date=30 January 2011}}</ref> The song, which was then known as "Namo Namo Mata", was first sung by students at Mahinda College.<ref name="ST281012">{{cite news|last1=Miranda|first1=Sujitha|title=The ‘National Anthem’ was first sung at Mahinda Galle|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/121028/education/the-national-anthem-was-first-sung-at-mahinda-galle-17889.html|work=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=28 October 2012}}</ref><ref name="SO140506">{{cite news|last1=Saparamadu|first1=Sumana|title=Ananda Samarakoon - The composer of our national anthem|url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/05/14/jun02.asp|work=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)]]|date=14 May 2006}}</ref> After it was sung by the choir from [[Musaeus College]], [[Colombo]] at a public event it became hugely popular in [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]] and was widely played on radio.<ref name="DN020213">{{cite news|last1=Bamunuarachchi|first1=Jinadasa|title=Vasu, DO NOT KILL Ananda Samarakoon again|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2013/02/02/fea01.asp|work=[[Daily News (Sri Lanka)]]|date=2 February 2013}}</ref> |
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Prior to Ceylon's independence (1948) the Lanka Gandharva Sabha had organised a competition to find a national anthem.<ref name="DM060216">{{cite news|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=D. B. S. Jeyaraj|title=Tamils Hail Mother Lanka as "Sri Lanka Thaayae" in Their Mother Tongue|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/105071/-Tamils-Hail-Mother-Lanka-as-Sri-Lanka-Thaayae-in-Their-Mother-Tongue|work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|date=6 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="DN190111">{{cite news|last1=Ariyaratne|first1=Sunil|title=Genesis of national anthem|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/01/19/art04.asp|work=[[Daily News (Sri Lanka)]]|date=19 January 2011}}</ref> Among the entries were "Namo Namo Matha" by Samarakoon and "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" by [[P. B. Illangasinghe]] and [[Lionel Edirisinghe]].<ref name="DM060216" /><ref name="DN190111" /> The latter won the competition but this was controversial as Illangasinghe and Edirisinghe were members of the judging panel.<ref name="DM060216" /><ref name="DN190111" /> "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" was broadcast by [[Radio Ceylon]] on the morning of 4 February 1948, [[Independence Day (Sri Lanka)|independence day]], but it was not sung at the official Freedom Day celebrations.<ref name="DM060216" /><ref name="DN190111" /> Ceylon continued to use the [[God Save the Queen|UK's national anthem]] as its official national anthem after independence.<ref name="Silva368">{{cite book|last1=de Silva|first1=K. M.|authorlink1=K. M. de Silva|last2=Wriggins|first2=Howard|authorlink2=William Howard Wriggins|title=J. R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka: a Political Biography - Volume One: The First Fifty Years|date=1988|publisher=[[University of Hawaii Press]]|isbn=0-8248-1183-6|page=368|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6orPBJCSPhIC}}</ref> At the first independence day ceremony held on 4 February 1949 at the [[Independence Memorial Hall]] in Torrington Square both "Namo Namo Matha" and "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" were sung. </ref> |
Prior to Ceylon's independence (1948) the Lanka Gandharva Sabha had organised a competition to find a national anthem.<ref name="DM060216">{{cite news|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=D. B. S. Jeyaraj|title=Tamils Hail Mother Lanka as "Sri Lanka Thaayae" in Their Mother Tongue|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/105071/-Tamils-Hail-Mother-Lanka-as-Sri-Lanka-Thaayae-in-Their-Mother-Tongue|work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|date=6 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="DN190111">{{cite news|last1=Ariyaratne|first1=Sunil|title=Genesis of national anthem|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/01/19/art04.asp|work=[[Daily News (Sri Lanka)]]|date=19 January 2011}}</ref> Among the entries were "Namo Namo Matha" by Samarakoon and "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" by [[P. B. Illangasinghe]] and [[Lionel Edirisinghe]].<ref name="DM060216" /><ref name="DN190111" /> The latter won the competition but this was controversial as Illangasinghe and Edirisinghe were members of the judging panel.<ref name="DM060216" /><ref name="DN190111" /> "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" was broadcast by [[Radio Ceylon]] on the morning of 4 February 1948, [[Independence Day (Sri Lanka)|independence day]], but it was not sung at the official Freedom Day celebrations.<ref name="DM060216" /><ref name="DN190111" /> Ceylon continued to use the [[God Save the Queen|UK's national anthem]] as its official national anthem after independence.<ref name="Silva368">{{cite book|last1=de Silva|first1=K. M.|authorlink1=K. M. de Silva|last2=Wriggins|first2=Howard|authorlink2=William Howard Wriggins|title=J. R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka: a Political Biography - Volume One: The First Fifty Years|date=1988|publisher=[[University of Hawaii Press]]|isbn=0-8248-1183-6|page=368|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6orPBJCSPhIC}}</ref> At the first independence day ceremony held on 4 February 1949 at the [[Independence Memorial Hall]] in Torrington Square both "Namo Namo Matha" and "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" were sung, in Sinhala and Tamil, as "national songs".<ref name="DM060216" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Weeraratne|first1=Anjula Maheeka|title=National anthem was sung in Tamil in 1949 too: Vajira|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/105153/National-anthem-was-sung-in-Tamil-in-too-Vajira|work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|date=9 February 2016}}</ref> |
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More specifically, in 1950 [[Minister of Finance (Ceylon)|Minister of Finance]] [[J. R. Jayewardene]] requested that the [[D. S. Senanayake cabinet|government]] recognise Samarakoon's "Namo Namo Matha" as the official national anthem.<ref name="DN020213"/> The government appointed a committee headed by [[Edwin Wijeyeratne]], [[Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development (Ceylon)|Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development]], to pick a new national anthem.<ref name="Silva368"/> The committee heard several songs but, after much deliberation, picked "Namo Namo Matha".<ref name="DS070511"/><ref name="DN020213"/><ref name="Silva368"/> The committee made a minor change to Samarakoon's song, with his approval, changing the tenth line from "''Nawajeewana Damine''" to "''Nawa Jeewana Demine Nithina Apa Pubudu Karan Matha''".<ref name="DN020213"/> The committee's decision was endorsed by the government on 22 November 1951.<ref name="ST161108"/></ref> "Namo Namo Matha" was first sung as Ceylon's official national anthem at the independence day ceremony in 1952.<ref name="DN020213"/><ref name= DBSJ311210>{{cite web|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=D. B. S. Jeyaraj|title=National Anthem: From "Namo Namo" to "Sri Lanka Matha"|url=http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1892|publisher=dbsjeyaraj.com|date=31 December 2010}}</ref> |
More specifically, in 1950 [[Minister of Finance (Ceylon)|Minister of Finance]] [[J. R. Jayewardene]] requested that the [[D. S. Senanayake cabinet|government]] recognise Samarakoon's "Namo Namo Matha" as the official national anthem.<ref name="DN020213"/> The government appointed a committee headed by [[Edwin Wijeyeratne]], [[Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development (Ceylon)|Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development]], to pick a new national anthem.<ref name="Silva368"/> The committee heard several songs but, after much deliberation, picked "Namo Namo Matha".<ref name="DS070511"/><ref name="DN020213"/><ref name="Silva368"/> The committee made a minor change to Samarakoon's song, with his approval, changing the tenth line from "''Nawajeewana Damine''" to "''Nawa Jeewana Demine Nithina Apa Pubudu Karan Matha''".<ref name="DN020213"/> The committee's decision was endorsed by the government on 22 November 1951.<ref name="ST161108"/><ref name="Silva368"/> The anthem was translated into the [[Tamil language]] by [[M. Nallathamby]].<ref name="DN020213"/><ref name="DBSJ171210">{{cite web|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=D. B. S. Jeyaraj|title=The language controversy over Sri Lankan National Anthem|url=http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1871|publisher=dbsjeyaraj.com|date=17 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="SO220315">{{cite news|last1=Kodagoda|first1=Anuradha|title=Namo, Namo...: A matter of language|url=http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2015/03/22/fea15.asp|work=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)]]|date=22 March 2015}}</ref> "Namo Namo Matha" was first sung as Ceylon's official national anthem at the independence day ceremony in 1952.<ref name="DN020213"/><ref name= DBSJ311210>{{cite web|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=D. B. S. Jeyaraj|title=National Anthem: From "Namo Namo" to "Sri Lanka Matha"|url=http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1892|publisher=dbsjeyaraj.com|date=31 December 2010}}</ref> |
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In the late 1950s controversy arose over its first line, "''Namo Namo Matha, Apa Sri Lanka''".<ref name="SO140506"/><ref name="DN020213"/> It was deemed to be "unlucky" and blamed for the country's misfortunes including the deaths of two prime ministers.<ref name="SO140506"/> In February 1961 the [[First Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet|government]] changed the line to their present form, "''Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka''", despite Samarakoon's strong opposition.<ref name="DN020213"/><ref name="DBSJ171210" |
In the late 1950s controversy arose over its first line, "''Namo Namo Matha, Apa Sri Lanka''".<ref name="SO140506"/><ref name="DN020213"/> It was deemed to be "unlucky" and blamed for the country's misfortunes including the deaths of two prime ministers.<ref name="SO140506"/> In February 1961 the [[First Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet|government]] changed the line to their present form, "''Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka''", despite Samarakoon's strong opposition.<ref name="DN020213"/><ref name="DBSJ171210"/> Samarakoon committed suicide in April 1962, leaving a [[Suicide note|note]] complaining that its lyrics had been mutilated.<ref name="DN020213"/> |
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The [[Constitution of Sri Lanka|Second Republican Constitution]] of 1978 gave "Sri Lanka Matha" constitutional recognition.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Chapter I – The People, The State and Sovereignty|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_01_Amd.html|publisher=Policy Research & Information Unit, Presidential Secretariat, Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531083515/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_01_Amd.html|archivedate=2014-05-31}}</ref> |
The [[Constitution of Sri Lanka|Second Republican Constitution]] of 1978 gave "Sri Lanka Matha" constitutional recognition.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Chapter I – The People, The State and Sovereignty|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_01_Amd.html|publisher=Policy Research & Information Unit, Presidential Secretariat, Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531083515/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_01_Amd.html|archivedate=2014-05-31}}</ref> |
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== Multilingual == |
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The Sri Lankan national anthem is available in an identical version in two languages, Sinhala and Tamil, both [[official language]]s of the country. It is just one of a number that are sung in more than one language: [[La Brabançonne|Belgium]] ([[French language|French]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], and [[German language|German]]), [[O Canada|Canada]] ([[English language|English]], French and [[Inuktitut]]), [[God Defend New Zealand|New Zealand]] (English and [[Māori language|Māori]]), [[National anthem of South Africa|South Africa]] ([[Xhosa language|Xhosa]], [[Zulu language|Zulu]], [[Sotho language|Sesotho]], [[Afrikaans]] and English), [[God zij met ons Suriname|Suriname]] (Dutch and [[Sranan Tongo]]) and [[Swiss Psalm|Switzerland]] (German, French, [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Romansh language|Romansh]]).<ref name="SO220315"/> |
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''Sri Lanka Thaaye'', the Tamil version of the Sri Lankan national anthem, is an exact translation of ''Sri Lanka Matha'', the Sinhala version, and has the same music.<ref name="BBC040216">{{cite news|last1=Ameen|first1=Azzam|title=Sri Lankan anthem sung in Tamil for first time since 1949|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-35495567|work=[[BBC News]]|date=4 February 2016}}</ref> Although it has existed since independence in 1948 it was generally only sung in the north and east of the country where the Tamil language predominates.<ref name="BBC040216"/> |
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The majority of Sri Lankans (around 75%) speak the Sinhala language. More specifically, "Tamil is the native language for the Tamil people, who constitute about 15% of Sri Lankans, and for Muslims who are nearly 10%", according to the [[BBC]].<ref name="BBC040216"/> Until early 2016, the Sinhala version was the only one to be used during official government events and it was the only version used during international sports and other events.<ref name="SO220315"/> Although the Sinhala version of the anthem was used at official/state events, the Tamil version was ''also'' sung at ''some'' events in spite of the unofficial ban which ended in early 2016. |
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The Sinhala version of Sri Lanka Matha was used in all parts of the country with the exception of the North and the East which have a large Tamil population.<ref name="DBSJ171210"/><ref name="ST121210">{{cite news|title=National Anthem only in Sinhala; Tamil version out|url=http://sundaytimes.lk/101212/News/nws_01.html|newspaper=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=12 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="NIE040216">{{cite news |author=PTI <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sri Lanka lifts unofficial ban on Tamil national anthem on Independence Day |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/sri-lanka-lifts-unofficial-ban-on-tamil-national-anthem-on-independence-day/ |newspaper=Indian Express |location=Uttar Pradesh, India |date=4 February 2016 |access-date=13 January 2017}}</ref> Some reports indicate that the Tamil version was used at official events held in the Tamil speaking regions in the North and East of Sri Lanka.<ref name="DBSJ171210"/><ref name="SO220315"/> The Tamil version was sung at Tamil medium schools throughout the country.<ref name="DBSJ171210"/><ref name="SO220315"/> The Tamil version was even used during the period when Sinhala was the only official language of the country (1956–87).<ref name="DBSJ171210"/><ref name="SO220315"/> |
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=== {{anchor|Tamil version controversy}} Tamil version controversy === |
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On 12 December 2010 ''[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)|The Sunday Times]]'' reported that the [[Cabinet of Sri Lanka]] headed by [[President of Sri Lanka|President]] [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]] had taken the decision to scrap the Tamil translation of "Sri Lanka Matha" at official and state functions, as "in no other country was the national anthem used in more than one language" - even though the national anthems of [[Belgium]], [[Switzerland]], [[Canada]] and those of several other countries have more than one language version.<ref name="ST121210"/> The Cabinet's decision had followed a paper on the national flag and national anthem produced by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister [[W. D. J. Senewiratne]].<ref name="DBSJ171210"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Philips|first=Rajan|title=The Trilingual Master Plan and Monolingual National Anthem Muddle|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=14836|newspaper=[[The Island (Sri Lanka)]]|date=1 January 2011}}</ref> The paper had drawn on the Singaporean model where the national anthem is sung in the official lyrics and not any translation of the lyrics.<ref name="DBSJ171210"/> Based on this the paper recommended that the Sri Lankan national anthem only be sung in Sinhala and the Tamil translation be abolished.<ref name="DBSJ171210"/> The paper's authors had failed to realise that the official lyrics of the [[Majulah Singapura|Singaporean national anthem]] are in [[Malay language|Malay]], a minority language (75% of Singaporeans are [[Chinese people|Chinese]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=National Anthem in Sinhala and Tamil|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=13610|newspaper=[[The Island (Sri Lanka)]]|date=16 December 2010}}</ref> |
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Government minister [[Wimal Weerawansa]] had labelled the Tamil version a "joke" on [[Derana TV]], and had cited India as an analogy.<ref>{{cite news|title=No scrapping Tamil version of national anthem: Sri Lanka|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/no-scrapping-tamil-version-of-national-anthem-sri-lanka_674311.html|newspaper=[[Zee News]]|date=13 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka denies move to ban national anthem in Tamil|url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=11002|newspaper=adaderana.lk|date=14 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=S.Lanka denies move to ban national anthem in Tamil|url=http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/slanka-denies-move-ban-national-anthem-tamil|newspaper=[[Radio Netherlands Worldwide]]|date=13 December 2010}}</ref> Some journalists, such as [[D. B. S. Jeyaraj]],<ref name="DBSJ171210"/> claimed that it was wrong of Weerawansa to cite India as an analogy because according to them the [[Jana Gana Mana|Indian national anthem]] was not in [[Hindi]], which is the most widely spoken language of India, but in [[Bengali language|Bengali]], a minority language.<ref>{{cite news|title=National Anthem and National Identity|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=13695|newspaper=[[The Island (Sri Lanka)]]|date=17 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Lanka scraps Tamil version of national anthem|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/lanka-scraps-tamil-version-of-national-anthem_674053.html|newspaper=[[Zee News]]|date=12 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka's national anthem now only in Sinhala; Tamil version out|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/120149/sri-lankas-national-anthem-now.html|newspaper=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=12 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka scraps Tamil version of its national anthem|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/sri-lanka-scraps-tamil-version-of-its-national-anthem-72278|newspaper=[[NDTV]]|date=13 December 2010}}</ref> Although sources based on an official [[Government of India]] website state that the Indian National anthem was adopted in its Hindi version by the [[Constituent Assembly of India]],<ref>Chandra, Anjana. India condensed : 5000 years of history & culture. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2007. page 120</ref><ref>http://india.gov.in/myindia/myindia.php</ref> the proceedings of the Constituent Assembly of India on 24 January 1950 does not mention that the National Anthem was "adopted", nor does it mention that it was done so in its Hindi version.<ref>{{cite web|title=Constituent Assembly of India – Volume XII|url=http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/debates/vol12p1.htm|publisher=[[Indian Parliament]]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721173243/http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/debates/vol12p1.htm|archivedate=2011-07-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Roy|first1=Shubhajit|title=NCERT needs to get its lesson right on anthem|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/ncert-needs-to-get-its-lesson-right-on-anthem/6644/0|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=17 June 2006}}</ref> In actual practice the unaltered Bengali version is the version sung as the National Anthem, with its words in original Bengali Tatsama, a highly Sanskritized form of Bengali that has Sanskrit words common to both Hindi and Bengali.<ref>http://rezwanul.blogspot.com/2007/08/national-anthem-of-india-is-in-bengali.html</ref> |
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The Cabinet's December 2010 decision to scrap the Tamil translation of the anthem<ref>{{cite news |author=PTI<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sri Lanka scraps Tamil version of its national anthem |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Sri-Lanka-scraps-Tamil-version-of-its-national-anthem/articleshow/7087983.cms |newspaper=Times of India |location=Mumbai |date=12 December 2010 |access-date=13 January 2017}}</ref> (which was not subsequently enacted) caused much furore in Sri Lanka. Later, the government denied allegations that the Tamil translation was to be abolished.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka minister denies Tamil national anthem ban|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11980434|newspaper=[[BBC News]]|date=13 December 2010}}</ref> The [[Presidential Secretariat]] has stated that there was no basis to the media report and follow up reports which intimated the same.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Reddy|first1=B. Muralidhar|title=Colombo denies reports on Tamil National Anthem|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article950506.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=13 December 2010}}</ref> Nevertheless, an unofficial ban<ref name="NIE040216"/> on the Tamil version came into being as fearful public officials in Tamil speaking areas stopped using the Tamil version or blocked attempts to use it.<ref name="SO220315"/><ref name="DM210315">{{cite news|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=D. B. S. Jeyaraj|title=Singing the National Anthem in Tamil Hailing "Mother Lanka" as "Sri Lanka Thaaye"|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/66895/singing-the-national-anthem-in-tamil-hailing-mother-lanka-as-sri-lanka-thaaye|work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|date=21 March 2015}}</ref> The [[Sri Lankan Army]] forcefully stopped any use of the Tamil version and taught school children to sing only the Sinhala version.<ref name="DM210315" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka Tamil national anthem row reignites|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12086208|work=[[BBC News]]|date=28 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jaffna students forced to sing National Anthem in Sinhala|url=http://print.dailymirror.lk/news/front-page-news/31221.html|work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|date=28 December 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231071115/http://print.dailymirror.lk/news/front-page-news/31221.html|archivedate=31 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title='Disaster management' observed with Sinhala anthem in Jaffna|url=https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=33280|work=[[TamilNet]]|date=27 December 2010}}</ref> |
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In March 2015 newly elected President [[Maithripala Sirisena]] announced that he would be issuing a circular which would state that there was no ban on singing the national anthem in Tamil.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Balachandran|first1=P. K.|title=Sirisena Allows Singing of Lankan National Anthem in Tamil|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/Sirisena-Allows-Singing-of-Lankan-National-Anthem-in-Tamil/2015/03/18/article2719413.ece|work=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=18 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Rumpus over national anthem|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=121733|work=[[The Island (Sri Lanka)]]|date=21 March 2015}}</ref> Sirisena's announcement was attacked by [[Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism|Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists]].<ref>{{cite news|title=President Sirisena could be impeached – National Anthem in Tamil|url=http://ceylontoday.lk/51-87749-news-detail-president-sirisena-could-be-impeached-national-anthem-in-tamil.html|work=[[Ceylon Today]]|date=20 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Karunarathne|first1=Waruni|title=National Anthem In Tamil: Mixed Reactions|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2015/03/22/national-anthem-in-tamil-mixed-reactions/|work=[[The Sunday Leader]]|date=22 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lankan national anthem in Tamil causes backlash|url=http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=14151|work=[[Tamil Guardian]]|date=21 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Lankan party opposes singing of anthem in Tamil|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1170653/lankan-party-opposes-singing-of-anthem-in-tamil|work=[[DAWN (newspaper)|DAWN]]|date=20 March 2015}}</ref> |
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During Sri Lanka's 68th national independence day celebrations on 4 February 2016, the Tamil version of the anthem was sung for the first time since 1949 at an official government event, the independence day celebrations.<ref>{{cite news |author=Hiru News<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sri Lanka Sings Tamil Version Of National Anthem |url=https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/sri-lanka-sings-tamil-version-of-national-anthem/ |newspaper=Colombo Telegraph |location=Colombo |date=4 February 2016 |access-date=23 January 2017}}</ref> Lifting of the unofficial ban on the Tamil version had been approved by President Maithripala Sirisena (who had said he would unite the nation after the nearly 26-year civil war that ended in 2009) and by others in the government.<ref name="NIE040216"/> This step was viewed as part of the plan for "post-civil war ethnic reconciliation".<ref>{{cite news |author=Associated Press<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sri Lanka lifts unofficial ban on Tamil national anthem |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3431213/Sri-Lanka-lifts-unofficial-ban-Tamil-national-anthem.html |newspaper=Daily Mail |location=London |date=4 February 2016 |access-date=13 January 2017}}</ref> |
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Naturally, Sri Lanka Matha was also sung in the majority Sinhalese. Some groups, and Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, were opposed to the government officially allowing the Tamil version to be sung.<ref name="BBC040216"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ramakrishnan|first1=T.|title=Sri Lanka I-Day to have anthem in Tamil|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lanka-iday-to-have-anthem-in-tamil/article8189939.ece?ref=sliderNews|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=4 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="BBC040216"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Mallawarachi|first1=Bharatha|title=Sri Lanka Lifts Unofficial Ban on Tamil National Anthem|url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/sri-lanka-lifts-unofficial-ban-tamil-national-anthem-36705876|work=[[ABC News]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=4 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ferdinando|first1=Shamindra|title=Singing national anthem in Tamil receives mixed reactions|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=139810|work=[[The Island (Sri Lanka)]]|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> |
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== Lyrics == |
== Lyrics == |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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! Sinhala !! Tamil !! [[ISO 15919|Transliteration]]<br/>(Sinhala) |
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! [[ISO 15919|Transliteration]]<br/>(Tamil) !! English |
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|- valign="top" |
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| |
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<poem> |
<poem> |
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ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා |
ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා |
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අප ශ්රී..... ලංකා නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා |
අප ශ්රී..... ලංකා නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා |
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</poem> |
</poem> |
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| |
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<poem> |
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ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே - நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா |
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நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே |
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நல்லெழில் பொலி சீரணி |
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நலங்கள் யாவும் நிறை வான்மணி லங்கா |
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ஞாலம் புகழ் வள வயல் நதி மலை மலர் |
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நறுஞ்சோலை கொள் லங்கா |
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நமதுறு புகலிடம் என ஒளிர்வாய் |
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நமதுதி ஏல் தாயே |
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நமதலை நினதடி மேல் வைத்தோமே |
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நமதுயிரே தாயே - நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா |
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நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே |
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நமதாரருள் ஆனாய் |
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நவை தவிர் உணர்வானாய் |
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நமதோர் வலியானாய் |
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நவில் சுதந்திரம் ஆனாய் |
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நமதிளமையை நாட்டே |
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நகு மடி தனையோட்டே |
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அமைவுறும் அறிவுடனே |
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அடல்செறி துணிவருளே |
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நமதோர் ஒளி வளமே |
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நறிய மலர் என நிலவும் தாயே |
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யாமெல்லாம் ஒரு கருணை அனைபயந்த |
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எழில்கொள் சேய்கள் எனவே |
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இயலுறு பிளவுகள் தமை அறவே |
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இழிவென நீக்கிடுவோம் |
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ஈழ சிரோமணி வாழ்வுறு பூமணி |
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நமோ நமோ தாயே - நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா |
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நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே |
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</poem> |
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| |
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<poem> |
<poem> |
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Śrī laṁkā mātā, apa Śrī laṁkā |
Śrī laṁkā mātā, apa Śrī laṁkā |
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Namō namō namō namō mātā |
Namō namō namō namō mātā |
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</poem> |
</poem> |
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<poem> |
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Srī laṅkā tāyē – nam Srī laṅkā |
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Namō namō namō namō tāyē |
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Nalleḻil poli cīraṇi |
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Nalaṅkaḷ yāvum niṟai vāṉmaṇi laṅkā |
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Ñālam pukaḻ vaḷa vayal nati malai malar |
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Naṟuñcōlai koḷ laṅkā |
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Namatuṟu pukaliṭam eṉa oḷirvāy |
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Namatuti ēl tāyē |
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Namatalai niṉataṭi mēl vaittōmē |
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Namatuyirē tāyē – nam Srī laṅkā |
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Namō namō namō namō tāyē |
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Namatāraruḷ āṉāy |
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Navai tavir uṇarvāṉāy |
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Namatere valiyāṉāy |
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Navil cutantiram āṉāy |
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Namatiḷamaiyai nāṭṭē |
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Naku maṭi taṉaiyōṭṭē |
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Amaivuṟum aṟivuṭaṉē |
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Aṭalceṟi tuṇivaruḷē |
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Namatōr oḷi vaḷamē |
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Naṟiya malar eṉa nilavum tāyē |
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Yāmellām oru karuṇai aṉaipayanta |
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Eḻilkoḷ cēykaḷ eṉavē |
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Iyaluṟu piḷavukaḷ tamai aṟavē |
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Iḻiveṉa nīkkiṭuvōm |
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Īḻa cirōmaṇi vāḻvuṟu pūmaṇi |
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Namō namō tāyē – nam Srī laṅkā |
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Namō namō namō namō tāyē |
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</poem> |
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| |
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<poem> |
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Thou Mother Lanka, |
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Oh Mother Lanka we salute, salute, salute, salute Thee! |
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Plenteous in prosperity, Thou, |
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Beauteous in grace and love, |
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Laden with grain and luscious fruit, |
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And fragrant flowers of radiant hue, |
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Giver of life and all good things, |
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Our land of joy and victory, |
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Receive our grateful praise sublime, we worship, worship Thee. |
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Oh Mother Lanka! We salute, salute, salute, salute Thee! |
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Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth, |
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Thou art our strength and inward faith, |
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Our light divine and sentient being, |
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Breath of life and liberation. |
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Grant us, bondage free, inspiration. |
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Inspire us for ever. |
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In wisdom and strength renewed, |
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Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended, |
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In love enfolded, a mighty nation |
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Marching onward, all as one, |
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Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom, we worship, worship Thee |
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Oh Mother Lanka! We salute, salute, salute, salute Thee! |
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</poem> |
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|} |
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== References == |
== References == |
Revision as of 17:23, 24 November 2019
English: Mother Sri Lanka | |
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Sri Lanka Matha | |
National anthem of ![]() | |
Also known as | ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே |
Lyrics | Ananda Samarakoon, 1940 |
Music | Ananda Samarakoon |
Adopted | 1951 |
Audio sample | |
"Sri Lanka Matha" (instrumental) |
"Sri Lanka Matha" (Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා, romanized: Śrī Laṁkā Mātā; Tamil: ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே, romanized: Srī Laṅkā Tāyē) is the national anthem of Sri Lanka.
History
There are differing accounts as to the origin of the "Sri Lanka Matha". The most widely held view is that Sri Lankan composer Ananda Samarakoon wrote the music and lyrics to the song inspired/influenced by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.[1][2][3][4] A minority suggest that Tagore wrote the anthem in full.[5][6][7][8] Some have suggested that Tagore wrote the music whilst Samarakoon wrote the lyrics.[9][10] Tagore being directly involved in the creation of the song has been denied by some historians like Indian Lipi Ghosh and Sri Lankan Sandagomi Coperahewa.[11] Samarakoon had been a pupil of Tagore at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan.[12][13] After returning to Ceylon Samarakoon taught music at Mahinda College, Galle.[14][15] The song, which was then known as "Namo Namo Mata", was first sung by students at Mahinda College.[16][17] After it was sung by the choir from Musaeus College, Colombo at a public event it became hugely popular in Ceylon and was widely played on radio.[18]
Prior to Ceylon's independence (1948) the Lanka Gandharva Sabha had organised a competition to find a national anthem.[19][20] Among the entries were "Namo Namo Matha" by Samarakoon and "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" by P. B. Illangasinghe and Lionel Edirisinghe.[19][20] The latter won the competition but this was controversial as Illangasinghe and Edirisinghe were members of the judging panel.[19][20] "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" was broadcast by Radio Ceylon on the morning of 4 February 1948, independence day, but it was not sung at the official Freedom Day celebrations.[19][20] Ceylon continued to use the UK's national anthem as its official national anthem after independence.[21] At the first independence day ceremony held on 4 February 1949 at the Independence Memorial Hall in Torrington Square both "Namo Namo Matha" and "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" were sung, in Sinhala and Tamil, as "national songs".[19][22]
More specifically, in 1950 Minister of Finance J. R. Jayewardene requested that the government recognise Samarakoon's "Namo Namo Matha" as the official national anthem.[18] The government appointed a committee headed by Edwin Wijeyeratne, Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development, to pick a new national anthem.[21] The committee heard several songs but, after much deliberation, picked "Namo Namo Matha".[7][18][21] The committee made a minor change to Samarakoon's song, with his approval, changing the tenth line from "Nawajeewana Damine" to "Nawa Jeewana Demine Nithina Apa Pubudu Karan Matha".[18] The committee's decision was endorsed by the government on 22 November 1951.[14][21] The anthem was translated into the Tamil language by M. Nallathamby.[18][23][24] "Namo Namo Matha" was first sung as Ceylon's official national anthem at the independence day ceremony in 1952.[18][25]
In the late 1950s controversy arose over its first line, "Namo Namo Matha, Apa Sri Lanka".[17][18] It was deemed to be "unlucky" and blamed for the country's misfortunes including the deaths of two prime ministers.[17] In February 1961 the government changed the line to their present form, "Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka", despite Samarakoon's strong opposition.[18][23] Samarakoon committed suicide in April 1962, leaving a note complaining that its lyrics had been mutilated.[18]
The Second Republican Constitution of 1978 gave "Sri Lanka Matha" constitutional recognition.[26]
Multilingual
The Sri Lankan national anthem is available in an identical version in two languages, Sinhala and Tamil, both official languages of the country. It is just one of a number that are sung in more than one language: Belgium (French, Dutch, and German), Canada (English, French and Inuktitut), New Zealand (English and Māori), South Africa (Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English), Suriname (Dutch and Sranan Tongo) and Switzerland (German, French, Italian and Romansh).[24]
Sri Lanka Thaaye, the Tamil version of the Sri Lankan national anthem, is an exact translation of Sri Lanka Matha, the Sinhala version, and has the same music.[27] Although it has existed since independence in 1948 it was generally only sung in the north and east of the country where the Tamil language predominates.[27]
The majority of Sri Lankans (around 75%) speak the Sinhala language. More specifically, "Tamil is the native language for the Tamil people, who constitute about 15% of Sri Lankans, and for Muslims who are nearly 10%", according to the BBC.[27] Until early 2016, the Sinhala version was the only one to be used during official government events and it was the only version used during international sports and other events.[24] Although the Sinhala version of the anthem was used at official/state events, the Tamil version was also sung at some events in spite of the unofficial ban which ended in early 2016.
The Sinhala version of Sri Lanka Matha was used in all parts of the country with the exception of the North and the East which have a large Tamil population.[23][28][29] Some reports indicate that the Tamil version was used at official events held in the Tamil speaking regions in the North and East of Sri Lanka.[23][24] The Tamil version was sung at Tamil medium schools throughout the country.[23][24] The Tamil version was even used during the period when Sinhala was the only official language of the country (1956–87).[23][24]
Tamil version controversy
On 12 December 2010 The Sunday Times reported that the Cabinet of Sri Lanka headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa had taken the decision to scrap the Tamil translation of "Sri Lanka Matha" at official and state functions, as "in no other country was the national anthem used in more than one language" - even though the national anthems of Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and those of several other countries have more than one language version.[28] The Cabinet's decision had followed a paper on the national flag and national anthem produced by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J. Senewiratne.[23][30] The paper had drawn on the Singaporean model where the national anthem is sung in the official lyrics and not any translation of the lyrics.[23] Based on this the paper recommended that the Sri Lankan national anthem only be sung in Sinhala and the Tamil translation be abolished.[23] The paper's authors had failed to realise that the official lyrics of the Singaporean national anthem are in Malay, a minority language (75% of Singaporeans are Chinese).[31]
Government minister Wimal Weerawansa had labelled the Tamil version a "joke" on Derana TV, and had cited India as an analogy.[32][33][34] Some journalists, such as D. B. S. Jeyaraj,[23] claimed that it was wrong of Weerawansa to cite India as an analogy because according to them the Indian national anthem was not in Hindi, which is the most widely spoken language of India, but in Bengali, a minority language.[35][36][37][38] Although sources based on an official Government of India website state that the Indian National anthem was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly of India,[39][40] the proceedings of the Constituent Assembly of India on 24 January 1950 does not mention that the National Anthem was "adopted", nor does it mention that it was done so in its Hindi version.[41][42] In actual practice the unaltered Bengali version is the version sung as the National Anthem, with its words in original Bengali Tatsama, a highly Sanskritized form of Bengali that has Sanskrit words common to both Hindi and Bengali.[43]
The Cabinet's December 2010 decision to scrap the Tamil translation of the anthem[44] (which was not subsequently enacted) caused much furore in Sri Lanka. Later, the government denied allegations that the Tamil translation was to be abolished.[45] The Presidential Secretariat has stated that there was no basis to the media report and follow up reports which intimated the same.[46] Nevertheless, an unofficial ban[29] on the Tamil version came into being as fearful public officials in Tamil speaking areas stopped using the Tamil version or blocked attempts to use it.[24][47] The Sri Lankan Army forcefully stopped any use of the Tamil version and taught school children to sing only the Sinhala version.[47][48][49][50]
In March 2015 newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena announced that he would be issuing a circular which would state that there was no ban on singing the national anthem in Tamil.[51][52] Sirisena's announcement was attacked by Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists.[53][54][55][56]
During Sri Lanka's 68th national independence day celebrations on 4 February 2016, the Tamil version of the anthem was sung for the first time since 1949 at an official government event, the independence day celebrations.[57] Lifting of the unofficial ban on the Tamil version had been approved by President Maithripala Sirisena (who had said he would unite the nation after the nearly 26-year civil war that ended in 2009) and by others in the government.[29] This step was viewed as part of the plan for "post-civil war ethnic reconciliation".[58]
Naturally, Sri Lanka Matha was also sung in the majority Sinhalese. Some groups, and Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, were opposed to the government officially allowing the Tamil version to be sung.[27][59][27][60][61]
Lyrics
Sinhala | Tamil | Transliteration (Sinhala) |
Transliteration (Tamil) |
English |
---|---|---|---|---|
ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා |
ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே - நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா |
Śrī laṁkā mātā, apa Śrī laṁkā |
Srī laṅkā tāyē – nam Srī laṅkā |
Thou Mother Lanka, |
References
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- ^ "Sri Lanka I-Day to have anthem in Tamil". The Hindu. 4 February 2016.
- ^ "Tagore's influence on Lankan culture". Hindustan Times. 12 May 2010.
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- ^ Kasturi, Charu Sudan (12 September 2017). "Fact check stress on PM Tagore claim No evidence to suggest that bard penned or composed song, says professor". The Telegraph.
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- ^ a b "The quest for the right song". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 16 November 2008.
- ^ Saparamadu, Sumana (30 January 2011). "The origin of our National Anthem". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).
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- ^ a b c Saparamadu, Sumana (14 May 2006). "Ananda Samarakoon - The composer of our national anthem". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bamunuarachchi, Jinadasa (2 February 2013). "Vasu, DO NOT KILL Ananda Samarakoon again". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
- ^ a b c d e Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (6 February 2016). "Tamils Hail Mother Lanka as "Sri Lanka Thaayae" in Their Mother Tongue". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
- ^ a b c d Ariyaratne, Sunil (19 January 2011). "Genesis of national anthem". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
- ^ a b c d de Silva, K. M.; Wriggins, Howard (1988). J. R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka: a Political Biography - Volume One: The First Fifty Years. University of Hawaii Press. p. 368. ISBN 0-8248-1183-6.
- ^ Weeraratne, Anjula Maheeka (9 February 2016). "National anthem was sung in Tamil in 1949 too: Vajira". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
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- ^ "The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Chapter I – The People, The State and Sovereignty". Policy Research & Information Unit, Presidential Secretariat, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2014-05-31.
- ^ a b c d e Ameen, Azzam (4 February 2016). "Sri Lankan anthem sung in Tamil for first time since 1949". BBC News.
- ^ a b "National Anthem only in Sinhala; Tamil version out". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 12 December 2010.
- ^ a b c PTI (4 February 2016). "Sri Lanka lifts unofficial ban on Tamil national anthem on Independence Day". Indian Express. Uttar Pradesh, India. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
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- ^ http://rezwanul.blogspot.com/2007/08/national-anthem-of-india-is-in-bengali.html
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- ^ "Jaffna students forced to sing National Anthem in Sinhala". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 28 December 2010. Archived from the original on 31 December 2010.
- ^ "'Disaster management' observed with Sinhala anthem in Jaffna". TamilNet. 27 December 2010.
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