DOULTON WARE MONUMENT OF GEORGE WALL'S AT THE LIPTON'S CIRCLE IN A BOOK PUBLISHED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE ON "MONUMENTS AND MEMOIAL TOWERS IN SRI LANKA"

Adventure beyond armchair Daily News Town and Country Section page 34 Wednesday December 14th 2016 Book Review by Hemantha Situge on Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka (Sri Lankawe Kriyadama Charika) written by Shaminda Ranshan Fernando an author publication

Ultimate Adventure enthusiasts' guide the Nation we can addition page 29 book review by Hemantha Situge on December 11th 2016 Book Titled : Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka (Sri Lankawe Kriyadama Charika) written by Shaminda Ranshan Fernando and Author Publication

Hemantha Situge features on ITN Wenasa Programme telecasted on 15.10.2014 on Galle Fort

Hemantha Situge Features in ITN Wenasa 199 Programme Telecasted on 15.10.2014 from Galle Fort

BOOK REVIEW TITLE : Lisbon to Colombo A Study of Portuguese Sounding Words in Sinhala Language AUTHOR : SUJEEVA NUGAWILA PUBLISHER : AUTHOR PUBLICATION 2016 JANUARY Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

HEMANTHA SITUGE FEATURES IN WENASA OF THE ITN ON GALLE FORT 15.10.2014

AWAIT ! Lisbon to Colombo- Portuguese Sounding Words in Sinhalese Language by Sujeeva Nugawila published by the author Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

BOOK REVIEW TITLE : Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka (Sri Lankavē Kriyadama Charikā) AUTHOR : SHAMINDA RANSHAN FERNANDO PUBLISHER : AN AUTHOR PUBLICATION Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE : Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka

(Sri Lankavē Kriyadama Charikā)

AUTHOR : SHAMINDA RANSHAN FERNANDO

PUBLISHER : AN AUTHOR PUBLICATION

Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

e-mail : hsituge@gmail.com

blog : Hemantha Situge@blogspot.com

The magnum opus entitled : Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka (Sri Lankāve Kriyadama Charikā) written in Sinhalese, published by the author Shaminda Ranshan Fernando was released recently.

The book is replete with hundred and twelve pages in glossy paper of pure bliss. These 'dare devil' adventures comprises trekking of sixty waterfalls and twenty peaks experienced by the author an intrepid nature enthusiast and two of his adventurist colleagues Akila Dayaratne and Malith Ebenayzer. The book is dedicated to the sensitive environmentalist who loves and protects flora, rivers and waterfalls, peaks, and valleys, tunnels and caves.

Once you read this book you will not leave it aside. You are bound to re-read it! The book is a nature adventurist enthusiasts miscellany. I am always reminded of the fascinated colonial writers often quoted epithet : "Ceylon the Adam's Garden," when I got engrossed in reading this thought provoking book.

Reading "Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka -Sri Lankavē Kriyadamā Charika" is neither another reclined armchair adventure episode that any traveller could experience and a wayfarer could observe nor a fascinating story like Jungle Tide by John Still ; 'Seeing Ceylon' - 'Discovering Ceylon' by Dr. R. L. Brohier that lingers with a sense of nostalgia - they are all unremitting expeditions persevered by these three youth. The writer Shaminda Ranshan Fernando's sensitive eye has envisioned what 'angels fear to tread' and has explored the unseen, unheard and has carved a niché in the annals of nature adventure explorations.

In my quest for reading his adventure's what I could glean is that first twenty six experiences the author Shaminda and two of his adventurist friends have 'dared' except number twenty one the Para Motoring tour experience in the area of club Bentota Hotel located in the islet jutted out to the sea all are upcountry caves, peak and waterfall adventure trekking. Once I perused his preface and the twenty ninth chapter only I could realize that these adventures of the 'dare devil' adventurist 'were not gained in a sudden flight', but was in a span of seven years.

Shaminda Ranshan's travelogue is not a fiction like Jules Verne's '20000 leagues under the sea'. This compendium contains secret tips, snippets for an adventurist that would crave to encounter, and quench once thirst for adventure sans any risks in once life. I commend author Shaminda Ranshan Fernando altruism for imparting his knowledge for the guidance of the future adventurist explorations.'

This handy opus would serve as a vade maecum for the nature lover who would seek recourse to spend once leisure in the salubrious climes to the true sense of the word : "Pearl of the Indian Ocean." Shaminda Ranshan Fernando book entitled : "Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka (Sri Lankavē Kriyadama Charikā)" is an adventurists enthusiasts guide for the Sri Lanka's exploration of the nature's true spectacle".

Along the Trial of the dead Page 36 Daily News 30.11.2016 Book Review by Hemantha Situge

Along the trail of the dead

Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 01:00

TITLE: STUDENT’S GUIDE TO FORENSIC SKELETAL ANYYSIS

AUTHOR: PROF. MUDITHA VIDANAPATHIRANA

PUBLISHER: SARASAVI PUBLISHERS 2015

Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana’s maiden English book entitled : Student’s Guide to Forensic Skeletal Analysis published by the Sarasavi Publisher’s was released recently. This book is peer-reviewed by Dr. P. R. Ruwanpura Consultant Judicial Medical Officer of the Karapitiya teaching hospital Galle.

In his preface Dr. Vidanapathirana states thus :

“Teaching of medico-legal aspects of skeletal remains for the undergraduate and postgraduate medical students for the last many years influenced me to write this book. The training on Forensic Anthropology received during my undergraduate and postgraduate training programs on continuous professional development and the special training received on Forensic Anthropology at the St. Gorge’s Hospital, London were helpful to produce this book. I believe that this book will be useful not only to undergraduate medical students but also to lawyers, criminologists, police officers, inquirers in to sudden deaths etc.”

Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana is a Senior Lecturer attached to the Dept of Forensic Medicine, in the faculty of medical sciences of the University of Sri Jayawardanapura. Dr. Vidanapathirana’s years of experiences in teaching and his forensic expertise has made him eminently qualified to compile this student guide.

Student’s guide to Forensic Analysis runs into 99 pages with eight chapters. First chapter has dealt with ‘Bio-mechanics of Injury Production’ per se it appears a novel concept for the guide of a student. The second chapter dealt with ‘Description of specimens of skull injuries’ where he provides eight such descriptions of specimens. The third chapter is titled : ‘Blunt Force Trauma to Head spans to 14 pages with four sub-titles. The fourth chapter has dealt on ‘Sharp Force Injuries’. The fifth chapter is titled : ‘Injuries due to Firearms.’ The sixth chapter is overall the shortest in the book reads : ‘Late Deaths Following Head Injuries’. The seventh chapter has dealt on : ‘Long Bone Fractures’. The eighth on : ‘Cervical Injuries’, the ninth chapter the longest : ‘Identification of skull, pelvis and long bones’ with eight sub-headings.

Once I perused at the first and second out titles of this chapter ‘Are they bones ? and ‘Are they Human Bones?’ What whetted my curiosity was A.C. Alles’s ‘Famous Criminal cases of Sri Lanka’ volume 5 Alfred De Zoysa and the Kalattawa Murderers trial where Queen’s Counsel G. G. Ponnambalam unsuccessfully argued the bones found were not of human. If the bones are of Archaeological value it would rank in the discoveries like famed Balangoda Manavaya, Pahiyangala Manawaya and Batadombalena Manawaya. The fifth heading : ‘Identification by examination of the skull’ it aroused my interest as our national hero Monarawila Keppetipola Nilame’s cranium with the advent of freedom that was sent to our country – which was reposed at the Royal Prenological Society was buried in a glass box in front of the Tooth Relic of Buddha – Dalada Maligawa – with the marked place erected with a monument. Dr. John Davy in his ‘Account of the Interior of Ceylon’ published in 1821 contains two photographs of this cranium. Alas! Sri Lanka is devoid of the forensic pathologists analysis of this cranium – a national treasure. When this reviewer roves his mind through the pages on teeth a vow it was undoubtedly forensic dentistry that revealed the death of the mass murderer Adolph Hitler where his traces were not kept to see the light of the day !

The 76th page of the book contains a photograph where Dr. Vidanapathirana refrains commenting about the identification superimposition. The photograph depicted is of Adeline Vitharana’s (facing page 110) which is also found in Famous Criminal Cases volume 7 of A.C. Alles’s. This case was a cause célèbre in the annals of crime in Sri Lanka. Neil Wijayasinghe translated this volume in to Sinhalese as “Wilpattu Sihiwatanaya”. Then Wasantha Obeysekera made an award winning movie based on the story as “Dadayama”. Thereafter Justice Alles sued Wasantha Obeysekera the Director of the said film for violating the copyright of his book and lost the suit. Where at the SC Justice C. V. Wigneshwaran delivered the landmark judgement famed novelist Newton Goonesinghe wrote ‘Dadakeliya’ published by Dayawansha Jayakody where Adeline Vitharana’s daughter sued the novelist and lost the District Court battle.

Pages 76 and 77 has dealt on the ‘References’ A careful perusal by any reader would find that most of the references are from 1970’s to 2009 that all text dealt are of recent ones. That is : Mostly Murder, Forensic Medicine by Sir Sydney Smith, 40 years of Murder, Doctor’s Guide to Court and Forensic Medicine by Prof. Keith Simpson were by-gone pioneering works.

But the only lapse this reviewer would see is that ‘glossary of medical terms’ which would have serve the wide array of readership : That is legal practitioner’s, criminologists, forensic students, police officers and inquirer’s of sudden deaths alike.

Students of Sri Lanka are short of guide book to guide themselves in the subject of Medico Legal aspects. Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana has trail the blaze in compiling an invaluable student guide in this aspect. The only guide book that was available to the students of law were ‘Researcher’s guide book for the Laws of Ceylon’ by Barry Metzger 1971 which is considered as a long – outdated book today. Dr. Mudith Vidanapathirana deserves all praise for his conscientious scholarly efforts in compiling this opus in a ‘nutshell’ form.

Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana’s ‘Student guide to Forensic Skeletal Analysis’ fills a void of a student’s guide’s that hitherto existed. Undoubtedly this guide book would serve as a vade mecum for all these wide array of the readership.

- Hemantha Situge

Solidarity for Prasanna Vithanage by Hemantha Situge in Silence in Courts (Usaviya Nihandai)

උසාවිය නිහඬයි චිත්‍රපට තහනම ඉවතට

Posted on ඔක්තෝබර් 21, 2016 by Sky News 40 Views

චිත්‍රපට අධ්‍යක්ෂ ප්‍රසන්න විතානගේ විසින් අධ්‍යක්ෂණය කළ  උසාවිය නිහඬයි චිත්‍රපටිය තිරගත කිරීම වළක්වාලමින් පනවා තිබු වාරණ නියෝගය විසුරුවා හැරීමට කොළඹ දිසා අධිකරණය නියෝග කළා.

හිටපු මහේස්ත්‍රාත්වරයෙකු වන ලෙනින් රත්නායක විසින් ඉදිරිපත් කළ පැමිණිල්ලක් සලකා බැලු දිසා අධිකරණ මෙම වාරණ නියෝගය මිට පෙර නිකුත් කර තිබුනා.

මෙම තීන්දුව හේතුවෙන් උසාවිය නිහඬයි චිත්‍රපටිය  මහජන ප්‍රදර්ශනය සදහා මුදාහැරීමට ඉඩ ප්‍රස්තාව සැලසෙන බව එහි අධ්‍යක්ෂ ප්‍රසන්න විතානගේ කියා සිටියා.

” මේ නඩු තීන්දුව පිළිබඳව අපි සතුටු වෙනවා. මේ හරහා ප්‍රකාශයේ නිදහස ශක්තිමත් වනවා පමණක් නොව ජනතාවට තොරතුරු දැනගැනීමේ අයිතියද තහවුරු වෙනවා.” ඔහු කියා සිටියා.

පැමිණිල්ල ඉදිරිපත් කරමින් හිටපු මහේස්ත්‍රාත් ලෙනින් රත්නායක කියා සිටියේ මෙම චිත්‍රපටිය  තිරගත වුවොත්  තමාටත් මෙරට අධිකරණ පද්ධතියටත් විශාල කැළලක් සිදුවන බවයි.

මේ හේතුවෙන් අදාළ චිත්‍රපටිය තිරගත කිරීම වළක්වාලීමේ තහනම් නියෝගයක් පනවන ලෙසයි ඔහු අධිකරණයෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටියේ.

එම වාරණ නියෝගයට එරෙහිව අධිකරණයේ කරුණු දැක්වූ චිත්‍රපට අධ්‍යක්ෂ ප්‍රසන්න විතානගේ ඇතුළු වග උත්තරකාර පාර්ශවය අදාළ වාරණය ලබාගැනීම සදහා පැමිණිලිකරු ඉදිරිපත් කළ ලේඛනවල තාක්ෂණික  දෝෂ රැසක් පවතින  බව තර්ක කළා.

මේ හේතුවෙන් අදාළ වාරණ නියෝගය තව දුරටත් පවත්වාගෙන යාමට හැකියාවක් නොමැති බවයි  එම නීතිවේදීන් අධිකරණයට පෙන්වා දුන්නේ.

ඉදිරිපත් වූ කරුණු සලකා බැලු අධිකරණය වාරණ නියෝගය විසුරුවා හැරීමට තීන්දු කළ අතර නඩුවට අදාළ විරෝධතා ජනවාරි මස 19 වනදා ඉදිරිපත් කරන මෙන් නියෝග කළා.

Elementary Murder Puzzles Book Review by Hemantha Situge in weekend Nation page 22 November 6, 2016

Dr. Muditha Vidanapathirana’s maiden English book entitled Student’s Guide to Forensic Skeletal Analysis published by Sarasavi Publishers was released recently. This book is pre-reviewed by Dr. P. R. Ruwanpura, Consultant Judicial Medical Officer of the Karapitiya teaching hospital Galle.

In his preface Dr. Vidanapathirana states thus:
“Teaching of medico-legal aspects of skeletal remains for the undergraduate and postgraduate medical students for the last many years influenced me to write this book. The training on Forensic Anthropology received during my undergraduate and postgraduate training programmes on continuous professional development and the special training received on Forensic Anthropology at St. George’s Hospital, London were helpful to produce this book. I believe that this book will be useful not only to undergraduate medical students but also to lawyers, criminologists, police officers and inquirers in to sudden deaths.”

Dr. Muditha Vidanapathirana is a Senior Lecturer attached to the Dept. of Forensic Medicine, in the faculty of medical sciences of the University of Sri Jayawardanapura. Dr. Vidanapathirana’s years of experiences in teaching and his forensic expertise has made him eminently qualified to compile this student guide.

Student’s guide to Forensic Analysis runs into 99 pages with eight chapters. First chapter deals with ‘Bio-mechanics of Injury Production’ a novel concept for the guide of a student. The second chapter deals with ‘Description of Specimens of Skull Injuries’ where he provides eight such descriptions of specimens. The third chapter is titled: ‘Blunt Force Trauma to Head’ that spans 14 pages with four sub-titles. The fourth chapter deals ‘Sharp Force Injuries’. The fifth chapter is titled: ‘Injuries due to Firearms.’ The sixth chapter is overall the shortest in the book and reads: ‘Late Deaths Following Head Injuries’. The seventh chapter has deals with: ‘Long Bone Fractures’. The eighth on: ‘Cervical Injuries’ and the ninth chapter the longest: ‘Identification of Skull, Pelvis and Long Bones’ with eight sub-headings.

Once I perused at the first and second out titles of this chapter: ‘Are they bones and ‘Are they Human Bones?’ What whetted my curiosity were A.C. Alles’ Famous Criminal cases of Sri Lanka’ Volume 5 Alfred De Zoysa and the Kalattawa Murder trial where Queen’s Counsel G. G. Ponnambalam unsuccessfully argued the bones found were not of human. If the bones are of archaeological value it would rank in the discoveries like famed Balangoda Manavaya, Pahiyangala Manawaya and Batadombalena Manawaya. The fifth heading: ‘Identification by Examination of the Skull’ aroused my interest as our national hero Monarawila Keppetipola Nilame’s cranium with the advent of freedom that was sent to our country – which was reposed at the Royal Prenological Society was buried in a glass box in front of the Tooth Relic of Buddha – Dalada Maligawa – with the marked place erected with a monument.  Dr. John Davy in his  Account of the Interior of Ceylon published in 1821 contains two photographs of this cranium. Alas! Sri Lanka is devoid of the forensic pathologists’ analysis of this cranium – a national treasure. When this reviewer roves his mind through the pages on teeth a vow it was undoubtedly forensic dentistry that revealed the death of the mass murderer Adolph Hitler where his traces were not kept to see the light of the day!

The 76th page of the book contains a photograph where Dr. Vidanapathirana refrains commenting about the identification superimposition. The photograph depicted is of Adeline Vitharana (facing page 110) which is also found in Famous Criminal Cases Volume 7 of A.C. Alles.  This case was a cause célèbre in the annals of crime in Sri Lanka. Neil Wijayasinghe translated this volume in to Sinhalese as Wilpattu Sihiwatanaya. Then Wasantha Obeysekera made an award winning movie based on the story as Dadayama. Thereafter Justice Alles sued Wasantha Obeysekera the Director of the said film for violating the copyright of his book and lost the suit.  At the SC Justice C. V. Wigneshwaran delivered the landmark judgement famed novelist Newton Goonesinghe wrote Dadakeliya published by Dayawansha Jayakody where Adeline Vitharana’s daughter sued the novelist and lost the District Court battle.

Pages 76 and 77 deals with the ‘References’ A careful perusal by any reader would find that most of the references are from the 1970s to 2009 that all text dealt are of recent ones. That is: Mostly Murder, Forensic Medicine by Sir Sydney Smith, 40 years of Murder, Doctor’s Guide to Court and Forensic Medicine by Prof. Keith Simpson were by-gone pioneering works.

But the only lapse this reviewer would see is that ‘glossary of medical terms’ which would serve the wide array of readership: That is legal practitioners, criminologists, forensic students, police officers and inquirers of sudden deaths alike.

Students of Sri Lanka are short of a guide book to guide themselves in the subject of Medico Legal aspects. Dr. Muditha Vidanapathirana has trailed the blaze in compiling an invaluable student guide in this aspect. The only guide book that was available to the students of law were ‘Researcher’s guide book for the Laws of Ceylon’ by Barry Metzger 1971 which is considered as a long – outdated book today. Dr. Mudith Vidanapathirana deserves all praise for his conscientious scholarly efforts in compiling this opus in a ‘nutshell’ form.

Dr. Muditha Vidanapathirana’s ‘Student guide to Forensic Skeletal Analysis’ fills a void of a student’s guide that hitherto existed. Undoubtedly this guide book would serve as a vade mecum for all these wide array of the readership.

Title: Student’s Guide to
Forensic Skeletal Analysis
Author:  Dr. Muditha Vidanapathirana
Publisher:  Sarasavi Publishers 2015

AIYO NOT A TAMIL WORD IN THE TAMIL WORDS IN THE SINHALESE DICTIONARY BY SADAGOMI COPERAHEWA AND SARODINI DEVI ARUNACHALAM IN SINHALESE PUBLISHED BY GODAGE IN [2002]2011

According to news reports of 12 th October 2016 the Oxford  Dictionary has included Sinhalese and Tamil word Aiyo which has the same meaning.But alas! it is a matter for the etymologist to decide whether this word is Sihalese or Tamil

Throwback to the Dutch period Reveiwed by Hemantha Situge Title : Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumpf The Dutch Governor of Ceylon (1716 - 1723) Translated and edited with an introduction and indices: K. D. Paranavitana Publisher: The Department of National Archives, Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural Heritage Programme Daily News 7th September 2016

Throwback to the Dutch period

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Title : Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumpf The Dutch Governor of Ceylon (1716 - 1723)

Translated and edited with an introduction and indices: K. D. Paranavitana

Publisher: The Department of National Archives, Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural Heritage Programme

The splendid book entitled “Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumf The Dutch Governor of Ceylon (1716-1723)” translated from the medieval Dutch language edited with an introduction and indices by Prof. K. D. Paranavitana published by the Department of National Archives Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural Heritage Programme was launched at the auditorium of the National Archives on 05th July amidst of an august gathering with Ambassador for Netherlands in Sri Lanka. Her Excellency Joanne Doornewaard as the Guest of Honour and under the patronage of Hon. Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyasawam gracing this momentous occasion.”

The translator Prof. K. D. Paranavitana should receive an encomium as there are several National Archives of Sri Lanka publications accredited to him. They are viz. Firstly, the translation of the Memoir of the Governor Daniel Overbeek to Julius Stein van Gollenesse 1743 published in 2009, Secondly, the translation of the Memoir Commandeur Librecht Hooreman to Jacob de Jong 1748 published in the same year, and also edited the Dutch and English Dictionary written by Simon Kat in 2014.

Prof. K. D. Paranavitana also deserves a special word of appreciation as this translation of the Dutch Governor’s diary emerges as the second publication after 100 years. The earlier such publication was done by Sophia Anthonisz Colombo in 1914 entitled : “Gerrit de Heere’s Diary of occurrences during the four of Governor of Ceylon from Colombo to Jaffna July 9th to September 3rd in 1697”.

The special novel feature that is found in this tome is that it contains the original Dutch language version published from pages 147 to 351 and 20 facsimile colour plates on the Dutch forts he visited and the projects initiated. The translator has taken all pains to meticulously prepare the indices on personal names, place names, seacrafts and add a useful bibliography to this invaluable book.

The diary provides an in situ comprehensive graphic description on the Governor’s tenure of Office.

At page 39 of this book this reviewer could trace the name of Don Phillip Dahanaike the earliest ascendant of Galle a well-known family Dhananayake’s, grandfather Wijeyananda Dahanayake former Prime Minister of Ceylon. Dr. Wijeyananda Dahanayake requested this reviewer to go with two of his letters. The first letter was addressed to the then Surveyor General the other to the Director of National Archives to trace more particulars on his grandfather which was then proved futile.

Thus it has been revealed thanks to Prof. Paranavitane that Don Philip Dhananijke Appo was a schoolmaster of the School of Akuressa where his father Dhanaike Maddoemarale (Maddumarala) was school master for 32 years his brother has served for 8 years after the departure of his brother Don Phillip has served for 12 years.

The span of school services is 52 years by the family of Dhanayake’s at Akuressa is indeed a landmark by a Sinhalese family. Curiously the photograph of the oriental scholar Diyonisus Sepala Pandita Dahanayake, father of famed ‘W’, was traced by the family only from the library of Wijeyananda Viharaya of Weliwatte Dangedera, Galle as its main dayaka of the Dayakasabhawa.

This travelogue eminently edited by Prof. K. D. Paranavitane would fill a void that hitherto existed on the era of Governor Isaac Augustin Rumpf (1716-172). The Director of the National Archives Dr. Saroja Wettasinghe has shouldered the onerous task to release of this publications in the national interest. Dr. Wettasinghe enthusiasm have infused new lease of life by the release of several National Archives publications. No doubt Prof. Paranavitane’s contribution would be a sine qua non to facilitate the researches in the National Archives in the future. - Hemantha Situge

IN SITU COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION ON THE GOVERNOR'S TENURE - BOOK REVIEW - BY HEMANTHA SITUGE ON THE NATION SEPTEMBER 11,2016 ON THE TRAVEL DIARY OF ISAAC AUGUSTIN RUMPH THE GOVERNOR OF CEYLON TRANSLATED BY K D PARANAVITANA

THROWBACK TO THE DUTCH PERIOD BOOK REVIEW ON THE TRAVEL DIARY ISAAC AUGUSTIN RUMPF THE DUTCH GOVERNOR OF CEYLON TRANSLATED BY PROF K D PARANAVITANA PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE DAILY NEWS 7 th SEPTEMBER 2016 at PAGE 28 TOWN AND COUNTRY SECTION

Hemantha Situge in VOET INN 1988-1989

BOOK REVIEW Title : Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumpf The Dutch Governor of Ceylon (1716 - 1723) Translated and edited with an introduction and indices by K. D. Paranavitana Publisher : The Department of National Archives, Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural Heritage Programme. Reviewed by Hemantha Situge blog : Hemantha Situge@blogspot.com e-mail : hsituge@gmail.com

BOOK REVIEW

Title : Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumpf

          The Dutch Governor of Ceylon

          (1716 - 1723)

Translated and edited with an introduction and indices by K. D. Paranavitana

Publisher : The Department of National Archives, Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural Heritage Programme.

Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

blog : Hemantha Situge@blogspot.com

e-mail : hsituge@gmail.com

The splendid book entitled : “Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumf The Dutch Governor of Ceylon (1716-1723)” translated from the medieval Dutch language edited with an introduction and indices by Prof. K. D. Paranavitana published by the Department of National Archives Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural Heritage Programme was launched at the auditorium of the National Archives on 05^th July amidst of an august gathering with Ambassador for Netherlands in Sri Lanka. Her Excellency Joanne Doornewaard as the Guest of Honour and under the patronage of Hon. Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyasawam gracing this momentous occasion.”

The translator Prof. K. D. Paranavitana should receive an encomium as there are several National Archives of Sri Lanka publications accredited to him. They are viz. Firstly, the translation of the Memoir of the Governor Daniel Overbeek to Julius Stein van Gollenesse 1743 published in 2009, Secondly, the translation of the Memoir Commandeur Librecht Hooreman to Jacob de Jong 1748 published in the same year, and also edited the Dutch and English Dictionary written by Simon Kat in 2014.

Prof. K. D. Paranavitana also deserves a special word of appreciation as this translation of the Dutch Governor’s diary emerges as the second publication after 100 years. The earlier such publication was done by Sophia Anthonisz Colombo in 1914 entitled : “Gerrit de Heere’s Diary of occurrences during the four of Governor of Ceylon from Colombo to Jaffna July 9^th to September 3^rd in 1697”.

The special novel feature that is found in this tome is that it contains the original Dutch language version published from pages 147 to 351 and 20 facsimile colour plates on the Dutch forts he visited and the projects initiated. The translator has taken all pains to meticulously prepare the indices on personal names, place names, seacrafts and add a useful bibliography to this invaluable book.

The diary provides an in situ comprehensive graphic description on the Governor’s tenure of Office.

At page 39 of this book this reviewer could trace the name of Don Phillip Dahanaike the earliest ascendant of Galle a well-known family Dhananayake’s, grandfather Wijeyananda Dahanayake former Prime Minister of Ceylon. Dr. Wijeyananda Dahanayake requested this reviewer to go with two of his letters. The first letter was addressed to the then Surveyor General the other to the Director of National Archives to trace more particulars on his grandfather which was then proved futile.

Thus it has been revealed thanks to Prof. Paranavitane that Don Philip Dhananijke Appo was a schoolmaster of the School of Akuressa where his father Dhanaike Maddoemarale (Maddumarala) was school master for 32 years his brother has served for 8 years after the departure of his brother Don Phillip has served for 12 years. The span of school services is 52 years by the family of Dhanayake’s at Akuressa is indeed a landmark by a Sinhalese family. Curiously the photograph of the oriental scholar Diyonisus Sepala Pandita Dahanayake, father of famed ‘W’, was traced by the family only from the library of Wijeyananda Viharaya of Weliwatte Dangedera, Galle as its main dayaka of the Dayakasabhawa.

This travelogue eminently edited by Prof. K. D. Paranavitane would fill a void that hither to existed on the era of Governor Isaac Augustin Rumpf (1716-172). The Director of the National Archives Dr. Saroja Wettasinghe has shouldered the onerous task to release of this publications in the national interest. Dr. Wettasinghe enthusiasm have infused new lease of life by the release of several National Archives publications. No doubt Prof. Paranavitane’s contribution would be a sine qua non to facilitate the researches in the National Archives in the future.