BY AURANGZEB ALI KHAN
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a tear-shaped island that covers an area of 65,610 sq. km. Sri Lanka has a port in Colombo. This port has played a dominant role in East-West Commerce since the 17th Century.
The port of Colombo is the most modern and efficient one in South Asia. Sri Lanka’s Trincomalee Coast is world-famous and one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka and also the Capital City.
Sri Lanka has a population of more than Twenty-one Million. Major components of the population are Sinhalese and Tamils. Most Sinhalese are Buddhists and Tamils are Hindus.
Sri Lanka is a multi-religious country. Religion plays a prominent role in the life and culture of Sri Lankans. Sri Lanka is the third most religious country in the world.
Buddhists comprise 75 percent of the population. The majority of Sinhalese are Buddhists. Buddhism was introduced to this island in 247 B.C by Arahat Mahindra, the son of the great Indian Emperor Asoka, during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa, who had a very strong influence on the lives of all the ancient Sinhalese Kings.
Mahinda going forth with four companions to the most excellent and beautiful Island of Sri Lanka firmly established their faith and released many people from their fetters. Perhaps this is the reason why Buddhism has a strong influence on the life and character of the people.
The follower of the Buddha believes that Eye Donation is a pious act because Buddhists have already heard or read that Lord Buddha in his previous lives had donated his eyes.
When a person dies in Sri Lanka, he leaves two eyes for the corneal blinds for the restoration of their vision.
The Eye Donation Campaign was first launched by Dr. Hudson Silva in Sri Lanka. He received his first set of corneas in 1959. In 1961 he founded the “Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society”, with his wife. In May 1964 they sent their overseas donation to Singapore by Air Lanka.
Now the “Sri Lanka International Eye Bank” has set up more than 500 centers throughout Sri Lanka. Volunteers, doctors, and technicians collect the eyes whenever a Sri Lankan dies and preserve them for their onward transmission to other countries. They send more than 70,000 eyes for the corneal blind, in 62 countries. Pakistan has received over seventeen thousand eyes from Sri Lanka.
While next to the Sinhalese who are the majority community, the Ceylon Tamils settled predominantly in the Northern and Eastern provinces comprise the largest minority. The majority of them are Hindus by religion.
The Tamils and their religion, Hinduism, wielded great influence the building up the cultural heritage of the Island. Hinduism is the second most prevalent religion in Sri Lanka and predates Buddhism. Today, Hinduism is dominant in Northern, Eastern, and Central Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka also came under the direct rule of a foreign power the, Chola King, Rajendra I (1014 A.D.) brought the Island
Under his rule by the enemy camp, the influence of their religion, customs, and traditions helped to enrich Sinhala culture.
The Ceylon Moors are the next largest community in Sri Lanka. The majority of them are Muslims. Muslims were first heard of in Sri Lanka in the early 8th century. According to the famous traveler Ibn-e-Batuta who visited the island, they are probably the descendants of the Arab traders who came to trade in spices and Gems. Most followers of Islam in Sri Lanka today are believed to be descendants of these Arab traders and the local women they married. Even today some of the most successful traders in Sri Lanka belong to this community.
Some Muslims of Tamil and Malaya origin also came to Sri Lanka and settled here. Most Muslims are Sunni who follows the Shafii School of thought.
Now the Muslim population is more than 2,100,000 and they are the second-biggest minority of the country. Muslims in Sri Lanka with their distribution throughout the country and with a high concentration in the Eastern province Colombo and Kandy, play a major role in Sri Lankan society and the national economy.
A good majority of Muslims speak both Sinhala and Tamil languages very fluently. Regarding their role in the national economy, 75% of the Muslim population is engaged in agriculture. They are also keenly involved in all trade activities, particularly, Gem trade and Lapidary.
Every big city and town has at least one Mosque. There are about 2300 Mosques are in Sri Lanka. There is an 1100 Years oldest Mosque “ABRAR MOSQUE” in Beruwala. The most famous Mosque of Island ‘’DAVATAGHA MOSQUE” is more than 100 years old in Colombo.
Muslims in Sri Lanka are dealt with the Muslim law by Qazi Courts (Muslims Judges). Zakat and Baitul-mall system is also soon to be introduced.
Muslims are freely enjoying full liberty in exercising their faith and beliefs in Sri Lanka. Muslims in Sri Lanka are handled by the Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs Department.
The translation of the Holy Quran has been done in Sinhala. Over 1000 religious education schools for Muslims Children have been set up throughout the country. More than 700 government schools and 10 Arabic Colleges are also imparting education exclusively to the Muslim students and also Muslim ladies ’ Arabic colleges.
Over 1000 religious education schools for Muslims Children have been set up in Sri lanka
Christianity reached the country through western colonists in the early 16th century. Around 7.4% of the Sri Lankan population are Christians. Of which 82% are Roman Catholics who trace their religious heritage directly to the Portuguese. The remaining Christians are evenly split between the Anglican Church of Ceylon and other Protestant denominations.
There is also a small population of Zoroastrian immigrants from India (Parsis) who settled in Ceylon during the period of British rule, but this community has steadily dwindled in recent years.
The human history of this island naturally began with its stone age. Artifacts including stone tools unearthed date back several tens of thousands of years. Fifteen thousand years ago, wheat and barley were grown on the mountain plateau of this Island.
The oldest trace of modern man in Asia, BALANGODA MAN, was unearthed in caves, and the earliest evidence of STELL-MAKING in the ancient world dating to the 3rd.BC. The 3rd BC was pivotal because of the arrival of Buddhism, which became the basis on which the country’s civilization was structured. The earlier recorded civilization dates back to 380 BC, when Anuradhapura (205 km from Colombo) was established as the first Capital City, following the advent of Buddhism in the 3rd Century BC, a civilization rich in Indo-Aryan culture took root.
However, the history of Sri Lanka stretches beyond 2,500 years with an unbroken succession of Monarchs till 1815 where the Island was ceded to the British the colonial era Began in the 16th century from 1505. The Portuguese, Dutch and British ruled over the maritime area of the country for 450 years. Dutch Rule lasted from 1658 to 1796. The British seized the island in 1796. In 1815 the Kingdom of Kandy was ceded to the British and thus, they established their rule over the whole Island.
By a process of peaceful constitutional evolution, Ceylon became an independent member of the Commonwealth on 4th February 1948.
Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of Ceylon. In 1972 the country became a Republic, the free sovereign and independent Republic of Sri Lanka, repudiating its dominion status.
Diverse educational facilities are available in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a system of free education, the provision of a free midday meal in the school, and the provision of free school textbooks, which are perhaps a unique feature of Sri Lanka’s overall general education system. Where education from the primary classes, and right through university is free with all tuition costs borne by the government.
With a literacy rate of 92.5%, Sri Lanka has one of the most literate populations amongst developing nations. Its youth literacy rate stands at 99 %, computer literacy rate at 30 %, and primary school enrolment rate over 99 %, an education system that dictates 9 years of compulsory schooling for every child. Sri Lanka has approximately 9600 government Schools and more than 800 private schools. Sri Lanka has 15 public universities.
There are lots of historical sites attractions for Tourists in Sri Lanka. For instance, the ancient cities of Anuradhapura, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Temple Of the Tooth in Kandy, etc. Sri Lanka has the ADAMSPEAK; there is a five feet long print-like image on a strong rock. Muslims believe that this is the footprint of “HAZRAT ADAM”, but the Buddhist call it “SRIPADA” the Footprint of the Buddha, and Hindus call it “LORD SIVAN’S” footprint.
Sri Lanka has the world’s oldest authenticated tree (The SRI MAHA BODHI TREE) a branch of very Bo tree beneath which the Buddha himself found enlightenment. It was brought to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C by their Sangahamitta, sister of Arahat Mahinda.
Sri Lanka has the world’s oldest authenticated tree (The SRI MAHA BODHI TREE)
The impact of many cultures over the centuries, from South Indian to the Moorish and that of the Western Colonizers has resulted in the country’s culture being enriched by a Rich diversity, much of which is in evidence today.
The Island’s economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, with rice as the main food crop. Spices such as Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves, Nutmeg, and Pepper have been age-old exports, as were Gems, even Peacocks and Elephants. With western commercial influence, Rice gave way to cash crops, until the British made tea the base of the economy.
So, Agriculture is the backbone of the country. Tea, Rice, Rubber, And Coconut are important agricultural crops, with tea being the major foreign exchange earner. Sri Lanka produces tea throughout the year and the growing area is mainly concentrated in the central high lands and southern inland area of the Island, Ceylon tea acclaimed as the best Tea in the world.
Sri Lanka is the largest exporter of black tea. The tea industry was founded in 1876. The original seeds were brought from Assam in northern India and also from China. The tea industry is the mainstay of the economy of Sri Lanka. It is also the country’s largest employer, providing employment.
There was also a civil war fought in this Island country on 23rd July 1983. There was an intermittent insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north-east of the Island, due to the continuous discrimination and violent persecution against Sri Lanka Tamils by the Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan government.
After 26 years of the military campaign, the Sri Lanka military defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, bringing the civil war to an end. This war caused significant hardships for the populations, environment, and economy of the country, with an estimated one hundred thousand people killed during its course. The government officially celebrates victory day on 18 May. The day is the war hero’s commemoration day as well as the “Remembrance Day” for civilians who died in the war from both sides.
Despite geographical and religious barriers, Pakistan and Sir Lanka have always been trusted-partners of each other with historical linkages dating back to the period of Gandhara civilization, from the first to seventy-century AD.
The equation of trust and friendship developed during the crisis of Jaffna when Pakistan obliged Sri Lanka’s request for military aid. This helped the Sri Lankan Military to push back LTTE rebels and secure Jaffna. This shows that both countries not only share cultural heritage but also have a shared history of internal instability created by the actives of non-state actors.
Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy cordial, socio Economy, Cultural, and Diplomatic relations. Both the governments hold meetings, discussions at various levels in trade, allied matters, and exchange delegation for the purpose of achieving better results. (Edited by Usama Khalid)
Also Read: Chinese Policy Towards Sri Lanka Tells A Cautionary Tale
