Sri Lanka Matha
{{short description|National anthem of Sri Lanka}}
{{Infobox anthem
| title = {{lang|si|italic=no|Sri Lanka Matha}}
| transcription = {{transliteration|si|italic=no|Śrī Laṅkā Mātā}}
{{transliteration|ta|italic=no|Srī Laṅkā Tāyē}}
| english_title = Mother Sri Lanka
| alt_title = {{lang|si|italic=no|ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා}}
| en_alt_title =
| alt_title_2 = {{lang|ta|italic=no|ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே}}
| en_alt_title_2 =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| prefix = National
| country = Sri Lanka
| author = Ananda Samarakoon (Sinhala)
M. Nallathambi (Tamil)
| lyrics_date = 1940
| composer = Ananda Samarakoon
| adopted = 1951
| until =
| sound = Sri Lankan national anthem, performed by the United States Navy Band.oga
| sound_title = 2017 U.S. Navy Band instrumental version
}}
The "Sri Lanka Matha" ({{Langx|en|"Mother Sri Lanka"}}; {{langx|si|ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා|translit=Śrī Laṅkā Mātā}}; {{langx|ta|ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே|translit=Srī Laṅkā Tāyē}}) is the national anthem of Sri Lanka. "Sri Lanka Matha" was composed by Ananda Samarakoon and was originally titled "Namo Namo Matha" ("Salute! Salute! Motherland").
"Sri Lanka Matha" was first performed at an official ceremony on 4 February 1949 at the Independence Memorial Hall in Torrington Square during the national day ceremony. The anthem was given full constitutional recognition in the 1978 Second Republican Constitution.
History
{{Listen
| filename = Sri Lankan national anthem, performed by the United States Navy Band (2003).oga
| title = 2003 U.S. Navy Band instrumental version
}}
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 the Indian Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.{{cite encyclopedia |title=Sri Lanka|encyclopedia=The World Factbook |date=25 July 2023 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/sri-lanka/ }}{{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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207114631/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|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 7, 2017|work=The Times of India|agency=Times News Network|date=3 April 2011}}{{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}}{{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}} A minority suggest that Tagore wrote the anthem in full.{{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.com/books?id=Wde58hbSxUEC&q=Tagore}}{{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|access-date=6 February 2017|archive-date=11 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011123106/http://mirrorcitizen.dailymirror.lk/2015/03/30/sri-lankan-national-anthem-can-it-be-used-to-narrow-the-gap/|url-status=dead}}{{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|access-date=22 March 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092524/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=184548|url-status=dead}}{{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}} Some have suggested that Tagore wrote the music whilst Samarakoon wrote the lyrics.{{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|access-date=6 February 2017|archive-date=11 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911142153/https://arcade.stanford.edu/occasion/nationalism-genuine-and-spurious-very-late-obituary-two-early-postnationalist-strains-india|url-status=dead}}{{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.com/books?id=kojXAwAAQBAJ&q=%22Tagore%22+%22anthem%22+%22lanka%22&pg=PA188}} 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.{{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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004024418/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170913/jsp/nation/story_172924.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 4, 2017|work=The Telegraph|date=12 September 2017}} Samarakoon had been a pupil of Tagore at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan.{{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}}{{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}} After returning to Ceylon Samarakoon taught music at Mahinda College, Galle.{{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}}{{cite news|last1=Saparamadu|first1=Sumana|title=The origin of our National Anthem|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2011/01/30/jun06.asp|work=Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)|date=30 January 2011}} The song, which was then known as "Namo Namo Mata", was first sung by students at Mahinda College.{{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}}{{cite news|last1=Saparamadu|first1=Sumana|title=Ananda Samarakoon - The composer of our national anthem|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/05/14/jun02.asp|work=Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)|date=14 May 2006}} 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.{{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}}
Prior to Ceylon's independence (1948) the Lanka Gandharva Sabha had organised a competition to find a national anthem.{{cite news|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|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}}{{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}} Among the entries were "Namo Namo Matha" by Samarakoon and "Sri Lanka Matha Pala Yasa Mahima" by P. B. Illangasinghe and Lionel Edirisinghe. The latter won the competition but this was controversial as Illangasinghe and Edirisinghe were members of the judging panel. "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. Ceylon continued to use the UK's national anthem as its official national anthem after independence.{{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}} 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".{{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}}
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. The government appointed a committee headed by Edwin Wijeyeratne, Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development, to pick a new national anthem. The committee heard several songs but, after much deliberation, picked "Namo Namo Matha". The committee made a minor change to Samarakoon's song, with his approval, changing the tenth line from "Nawajeewana Damine Newatha Apa Awadi Karan Matha" to "Nawa Jeewana Demine Nithina Apa Pubudu Karan Matha". The committee's decision was endorsed by the government on 22 November 1951. The anthem was translated into the Tamil language by M. Nallathamby.{{cite web|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|title=The language controversy over Sri Lankan National Anthem|url=http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1871|publisher=dbsjeyaraj.com|date=17 December 2010|access-date=25 December 2010|archive-date=20 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220035204/http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1871|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Kodagoda|first1=Anuradha|title=Namo, Namo...: A matter of language|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2015/03/22/fea15.asp|work=Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)|date=22 March 2015}} "Namo Namo Matha" was first sung as Ceylon's official national anthem at the independence day parade in Colombo in 1952.{{cite web|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|title=National Anthem: From "Namo Namo" to "Sri Lanka Matha"|url=http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1892|publisher=dbsjeyaraj.com|date=31 December 2010|access-date=9 April 2012|archive-date=7 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807004804/http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1892|url-status=dead}}
In the late 1950s controversy arose over its first line, "Namo Namo Matha, Apa Sri Lanka". It was deemed to be "unlucky" and blamed for the country's misfortunes including the deaths of two prime ministers. In February 1961 the government changed the line to their present form, "Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka", despite Samarakoon's strong opposition. Samarakoon committed suicide in April 1962, leaving a note complaining that its lyrics had been mutilated.
The Second Republican Constitution of 1978 gave "Sri Lanka Matha" constitutional recognition.{{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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531083515/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_01_Amd.html|archive-date=2014-05-31}}
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), Finland (Finnish, Swedish), 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).
"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.{{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}} 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. The Sinhala version of the Constitution uses Sinhala lyrics while the Tamil version of the constitution uses Tamil lyrics. Per the constitution both Sinhala and Tamil are official and national languages and thus the anthem could be sung in both languages.{{cite news |title=Supreme Court upholds right to sing National Anthem in Tamil |url=https://www.lankabusinessonline.com/supreme-court-upholds-right-to-sing-national-anthem-in-tamil/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |work=Lanka Business Online |date=18 November 2016}}
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. 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. 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.{{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}}{{cite news |author=PTI |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}} 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. The Tamil version was sung at Tamil medium schools throughout the country. The Tamil version was even used during the period when Sinhala was the only official language of the country (1956–87).
= {{anchor|Tamil version controversy}} 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. 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.{{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}} 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. Based on this the paper recommended that the Sri Lankan national anthem only be sung in Sinhala and the Tamil translation be abolished. 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).{{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}}
Government minister Wimal Weerawansa had labelled the Tamil version a "joke" on Derana TV, and had cited India as an analogy.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} Some journalists, such as D. B. S. Jeyaraj, 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.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} 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,Chandra, Anjana. India condensed : 5000 years of history & culture. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2007. page 120{{Cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/myindia/myindia.php|title=National Portal of India}} 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.{{cite web|title=Constituent Assembly of India – Volume XII|url=http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/debates/vol12p1.htm|publisher=Indian Parliament|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721173243/http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/debates/vol12p1.htm|archive-date=2011-07-21}}{{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}} 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.{{Cite web|url=http://rezwanul.blogspot.com/2007/08/national-anthem-of-india-is-in-bengali.html|title=The national anthem of India is in Bangla language?|date=August 6, 2007}}
The Cabinet's December 2010 decision to scrap the Tamil translation of the anthem{{cite news |author=PTI |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}} (which was not subsequently enacted) caused much furore in Sri Lanka. Later, the government denied allegations that the Tamil translation was to be abolished.{{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}} The Presidential Secretariat has stated that there was no basis to the media report and follow up reports which intimated the same.{{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}} Nevertheless, an unofficial ban 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.{{cite news|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|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}} The Sri Lankan Army forcefully stopped any use of the Tamil version and taught school children to sing only the Sinhala version.{{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}}{{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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231071115/http://print.dailymirror.lk/news/front-page-news/31221.html|archive-date=31 December 2010}}{{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}}
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.{{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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321031943/http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/Sirisena-Allows-Singing-of-Lankan-National-Anthem-in-Tamil/2015/03/18/article2719413.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 21, 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=18 March 2015}}{{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}} Sirisena's announcement was attacked by Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists.{{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|access-date=22 March 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102757/http://ceylontoday.lk/51-87749-news-detail-president-sirisena-could-be-impeached-national-anthem-in-tamil.html|url-status=dead}}{{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}}{{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}}{{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|date=20 March 2015}}
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.{{cite news |author=Hiru News |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}} 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. This step was viewed as part of the plan for "post-civil war ethnic reconciliation".
Naturally, Sri Lanka Matha was also sung in Sinhalese. Some groups, and Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, were opposed to the government officially allowing the Tamil version to be sung.{{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}}{{cite news|last1=Mallawarachi|first1=Bharatha|title=Sri Lanka Lifts Unofficial Ban on Tamil National Anthem|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/sri-lanka-lifts-unofficial-ban-tamil-national-anthem-36705876|work=ABC News|agency=Associated Press|date=4 February 2016}}{{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}}
In 2020, the Sri Lankan government stopped using the Tamil version of the national anthem at the main Independence Day celebration.{{Cite web|date=2020-02-03|title=Sri Lanka drops Tamil national anthem from Independence Day celebrations|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/sri-lanka-drops-tamil-national-anthem-from-independence-day-celebrations/story-jdGBQKOQUAUVsBaWMmE5RN.html|access-date=2020-08-02|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}} However, regional independence day celebrations including those with government involvement in regions with significant Tamil populations continue to sing in both Tamil and Sinhala.{{Cite web|title=சிங்கள மாணவர்களால் தமிழ் மொழியிலும் தமிழ் மாணவர்களால் சிங்கள மொழியிலும் தேசிய கீதம் பாடி வவுனியாவில் சுதந்திரதினம் அனுஷ்டிப்பு|url=http://www.virakesari.lk/article/99780|access-date=2021-02-05|website=Virakesari.lk}}
In 2024, the government once again reinstated the national anthem at the 76th Independence Day.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-04 |title=WATCH : National anthem sung in both Sinhala and Tamil during Independence Day |url=https://www.newswire.lk/2024/02/04/watch-national-anthem-sung-in-both-sinhala-and-tamil-during-independence-day/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Newswire |language=en-US}}
Lyrics
= Sinhala version =
| class="wikitable"
!Sinhala original{{Cite web |date=2020-02-24 |title=ශ්රී ලංකාවේ ජාතික ගීය - e-තක්සලාව |url=https://www.e-thaksalawa.moe.gov.lk/web/si/library-section/e-library-content/item/8-2013-12-09-09-34-56.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224033726/https://www.e-thaksalawa.moe.gov.lk/web/si/library-section/e-library-content/item/8-2013-12-09-09-34-56.html |archive-date=2020-02-24 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka}} !Romanisation !IPA transcription{{efn|See Help:IPA, Sinhala language § Phonology, Sinhala script § Diacritics and Sinhala script § Letters.}} |
| style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
| නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා සුන්දර සිරිබරිනී සුරැඳි අති ශෝභමාන ලංකා ධාන්ය ධනය නෙක මල් පලතුරු පිරි ජය භුමිය රම්යා අප හට සැප සිරි සෙත සදනා ජීවනයේ මාතා පිළිගනු මැන අප භක්තී පූජා නමෝ නමෝ මාතා අප ශ්රී ලංකා නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා ඔබ වේ අප විද්යා ඔබ මය අප සත්යා ඔබ වේ අප ශක්ති අප හද තුළ භක්තී ඔබ අප ආලෝකේ අපගේ අනුප්රාණේ ඔබ අප ජීවන වේ අප මුක්තිය ඔබ වේ නව ජීවන දෙමිනේ නිතින අප පුබුදු කරන් මාතා ඥාන වීර්ය වඩවමින රැගෙන යනු මැන ජය භූමී කරා එක මවකගෙ දරු කැල බැවිනා යමු යමු වී නොපමා ප්රේම වඩා සැම භේද දුරැර දා නමෝ නමෝ මාතා අප ශ්රී ලංකා නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා}} | Namō namō namō namō mātā Sundara siribarinī Suræn̆di ati śōbhamāna laṅkā Dhānya dhanaya neka Mal palaturu piri jaya bhumiya ramyā Apa haṭa sæpa siri seta sadanā Jīvanayē mātā Piḷiganu mæna apa bhaktī pūjā Namō namō mātā, apa Śrī laṅkā Namō namō namō namō mātā Oba vē apa vidyā Oba maya apa satyā Oba vē apa śakti Apa hada tuḷa bhaktī Oba apa ālōkē Apagē anuprāṇē Oba apa jīvana vē Apa muktiya oba vē Nava jīvana demine Nitina apa pubudu karan mātā Gnāna vīrya vaḍavamina rægena Yanu mæna jaya bhūmī karā Eka mavakage daru kæla bævinā Yamu yamu vī nopamā Prēma vaḍā sæma bhēda duræra dā Namō namō mātā, Apa Śrī laṅkā Namō namō namō namō mātā}} | [na.moː na.moː na.moː na.moː maː.taː] [sun.də.rə si.ri.ba.ri.niː] [su.ræ.ⁿdi a.ti soː.bə.maː.nə laŋ.kaː] [dʱaː.njə dʱa.nə.jə ne.kə] [mal pa.lə.tu.ru pi.ri d͡ʒa.jə bʱu.mi.jə ram.jaː] [a.pə ha.ʈə sæ.pə si.ri se.tə sa.də.naː] [d͡ʒiː.ʋə.nə.jeː maː.taː] [pi.ɭi.ga.nu mæ.nə a.pə bʱak.tiː puː.d͡ʒaː] [na.moː na.moː maː.taː {{!}} a.pə sriː laŋ.kaː] [na.moː na.moː na.moː na.moː maː.taː] [o.bə ʋeː a.pə ʋid.jaː] [o.bə mə.jə a.pə sat.jaː] [o.bə ʋeː a.pə ʃak.ti] [a.pə ha.də tu.ɭə bʱak.tiː] [o.bə a.pə aː.loː.keː] [a.pə.geː a.nu.praː.neː] [o.bə a.pə d͡ʒiː.ʋə.nə ʋeː] [a.pə muk.ti.jə o.bə ʋeː] [na.ʋə d͡ʒiː.ʋə.nə de.mi.ne] [ni.ti.nə a.pə pu.bu.du kə.ran maː.taː] [gnaː.nə ʋiːr.jə ʋa.ɖə.ʋə.mi.nə ræ.ge.nə] [ja.nu mæ.nə d͡ʒa.jə bʱuː.miː ka.raː] [e.kə ma.ʋə.kə.ge da.ru kæ.lə bæ.ʋi.naː] [ja.mu ja.mu ʋiː no.pə.maː] [preː.mə ʋa.ɖaː sæ.mə bʱeː.də du.ræ.rə daː] [na.moː na.moː maː.taː {{!}} a.pə sriː laŋ.kaː [na.moː na.moː na.moː na.moː maː.taː]}} |
= Tamil version =
| class="wikitable"
!Tamil original{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=ශ්රී ලංகல்வி வெளியீட்டுத் திணைக்களம் - E Thaksalawa |url=https://www.e-thaksalawa.moe.gov.lk/moodle/pluginfile.php/254032/mod_resource/content/1/tg7_ict_wb.pdf |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka |page=3}} !Romanisation !IPA transcription{{efn|See Help:IPA/Tamil, Tamil phonology and Tamil script § Letters.}} |
| style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
| நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே நல்லெழில் பொலி சீரணி நலங்கள் யாவும் நிறை வான்மணி லங்கா ஞாலம் புகழ் வள வயல் நதி மலை மலர் நறுஞ்சோலை கொள் லங்கா நமதுறு புகலிடம் என ஒளிர்வாய் நமதுதி ஏல் தாயே நம தலை நினதடி மேல் வைத்தோமே நமதுயிரே தாயே – நம் சிறீ லங்கா நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே நமதாரருள் ஆனாய் நவை தவிர் உணர்வானாய் நமதேர் வலியானாய் நவில் சுதந்திரம் ஆனாய் நமதிளமையை நாட்டே நகு மடி தனையோட்டே அமைவுறும் அறிவுடனே அடல் செறி துணிவருளே நமதார் ஒளி வளமே நறிய மலர் என நிலவும் தாயே யாமெலாம் ஒரு கருணை அனைபயந்த எழில்கொள் சேய்கள் எனவே இயலுறு பிளவுகள் தமை அறவே இழிவென நீக்கிடுவோம் ஈழ சிரோமணி வாழ்வுறு பூமணி நமோ நமோ தாயே – நம் சிறீ லங்கா நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே}} | Namō namō namō namō tāyē Nalleḻil poli cīraṇi Nalaṅkaḷ yāvum niṟai vāṉmaṇi laṅkā Ñālam pukaḻ vaḷa vayal nati malai malar Naṟuñcōlai koḷ laṅkā Namatuṟu pukaliṭam eṉa oḷirvāy Namatuti ēl tāyē Namatalai niṉataṭi mēl vaittōmē Namatuyirē tāyē – nam Srī laṅkā Namō namō namō namō tāyē Namatāraruḷ āṉāy Navai tavir uṇarvāṉāy Namatere valiyāṉāy Navil cutantiram āṉāy Namatiḷamaiyai nāṭṭē Naku maṭi taṉaiyōṭṭē Amaivuṟum aṟivuṭaṉē Aṭalceṟi tuṇivaruḷē Namatōr oḷi vaḷamē Naṟiya malar eṉa nilavum tāyē Yāmellām oru karuṇai aṉaipayanta Eḻilkoḷ cēykaḷ eṉavē Iyaluṟu piḷavukaḷ tamai aṟavē Iḻiveṉa nīkkiṭuvōm Īḻa cirōmaṇi vāḻvuṟu pūmaṇi Namō namō tāyē – nam Srī laṅkā Namō namō namō namō tāyē}} | /nə.moː nə.moː nə.moː nə.moː taː.jeː/ /nəl.le.ɻil po.li siː.ɾə.ɳi/ /nə.ləŋ.gəɭ jaː.ʋum ni.rəɪ ʋaːn.mə.ɳi ləŋ.gaː/ /ɲaː.ləm pu.kəɻ ʋə.ɭə ʋə.jəl nə.di mə.ləɪ mə.ləɾ/ /nə.ruɲ.t͡ʃoː.ləɪ koɭ ləŋ.gaː/ /nə.mə.du.ru pu.gə.li.ɖəm e.nə o.ɭiɾ.ʋaːj/ /nə.mə.du.di eːl taː.jeː/ /nə.mə.də.ləɪ ni.nə.də.ɖi meːl ʋəɪt.toː.meː/ /nə.mə.du.ji.ɾeː taː.jeː {{!}} nəm ɕɾiː ləŋ.gaː/ /nə.moː nə.moː nə.moː nə.moː taː.jeː/ /nə.mə.daː.ɾə.ɾuɭ aː.naːj/ /nə.ʋəɪ tə.ʋiɾ u.ɳəɾ.ʋaː.naːj/ /nə.mə.de.ɾe ʋə.li.jaː.naːj/ /nə.ʋil su.dən.di.ɾəm aː.naːj/ /nə.mə.di.ɭə.məɪ.jəɪ naːɖ.ɖeː/ /nə.gu mə.ɖi tə.nəɪ.joːɖ.ɖeː/ /ə.məɪ.ʋu.rum ə.ri.ʋu.ɖə.neː/ /ə.ɖəl.t͡ʃe.ri tu.ɳi.ʋə.ɾu.ɭeː/ /nə.mə.doːɾ o.ɭi ʋə.ɭə.meː/ /nə.ri.jə mə.ləɾ e.nə ni.lə.ʋum taː.jeː/ /jaː.mel.laːm o.ɾu kə.ɾu.ɳəɪ a.nəɪ.bə.jən.də/ /e.ɻil.goɭ seːj.gəɭ e.nə.ʋeː/ /i.jə.lu.ru pi.ɭə.ʋu.gəɭ tə.məɪ ə.rə.ʋeː/ /i.ɻi.ʋe.nə niːk.ki.ɖu.ʋoːm/ /iː.ɻə si.ɾoː.mə.ɳi ʋaːɻ.ʋu.ru puː.mə.ɳi/ /nə.moː nə.moː taː.jeː {{!}} nəm ɕɾiː ləŋ.gaː/ /nə.moː nə.moː nə.moː nə.moː taː.jeː/}} |
= Poetic English translation =
| style="margin-left: 1em;"
| Oh Mother Lanka we salute, salute, salute, salute Thee! Plenteous in prosperity, Thou, Beauteous in grace and love, Laden with grain and luscious fruit, And fragrant flowers of radiant hue, Giver of life and all good things, Our land of joy and victory, Receive our grateful praise sublime, we worship, worship Thee. Oh Mother Lanka! We salute, salute, salute, salute Thee! Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth, Thou art our strength and inward faith, Our light divine and sentient being, Breath of life and liberation. Grant us, bondage free, inspiration. Inspire us for ever. In wisdom and strength renewed, Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended, In love enfolded, a mighty nation Marching onward, all of us as Children of One Mother, Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom, we worship, worship Thee Oh Mother Lanka! We salute, salute, salute, salute Thee! |
Notes
{{Notelist}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|National Anthem of Sri Lanka}}
- [http://nationalanthems.info/lk.htm National Anthems: Sri Lanka]
- [http://nationalanthems.me/sri-lanka-sri-lanka-matha/ National Anthems: Sri Lanka] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20180423225905/http://nationalanthems.me/sri-lanka-sri-lanka-matha/ archive link])
- [http://szbszig.atw.hu/sri%20lanka.htm Himnuszok: Sri Lanka]
- [http://national-symbol.com/S/Sri-Lanka/Sri-Lanka-national-symbol.htm National Country Symbols Of All Countries: Sri Lanaka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815151048/http://www.national-symbol.com/S/Sri-Lanka/Sri-Lanka-national-symbol.htm |date=2011-08-15 }}
{{National Anthems of Asia}}
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