Cumaratunga Munidasa
Encyclopedia
Kumaratunga Munidasa (1887–1944) was a pioneer Sri Lanka
n (Sinhala) linguist, grammarian, commentator, writer, poet, and journalist. He founded the Hela Havula
movement which sought to remove Sanskrit
influences in the Sinhala language promote its correct usage. He was one of the most eminent scholars Sri Lanka has known for several centuries. He achieved fame through his profound knowledge of the Sinhala language and literary work. He used many languages as Sinhala, English, Tamil
, Pali
, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Malayalam.
in the Matara District
. He was the 12 th of 13 children. His mother was Palavinnage Dona Gimara Muthukumarana (or Dona Baba Nona Muthukumarana) and father Abious (or Abiyes) Cumaranatunga was a physician practicing indigenous medicine who kept invaluable Pali and Sanskrit manuscripts on Ayurveda
, Astrology
and Buddhism
.
and Sanskrit
in order to become a Buddhist monk. But due his family's discontent, he entered the Government Teachers' College in Colombo. He graduated after two years of training in 1907.
Munidasa was a member of Sinhala Maha Sabha of the Swabhasha movement which started as a protest against the English educated elites.
Started Subasa & Helio magazines to teach and promote the correct use of Sinhala.
His concepts on Sri Lankan history, language and literature have been controversial. He emphasized and encouraged the use of the letter "ඇ". And he argued that Vijaya was merely an invader and believed in Ravana.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n (Sinhala) linguist, grammarian, commentator, writer, poet, and journalist. He founded the Hela Havula
Hela Havula
The Hela Havula is a Sinhalese literary organization founded by Munidasa Cumaratunga in 1941. The movement advocates the replacement of Sanskritic words with Hela versions. It was incorporated in 1985. Besides Munidasa Cumaratunga, other prominent members included Sunil Shantha , Amarasiri...
movement which sought to remove Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
influences in the Sinhala language promote its correct usage. He was one of the most eminent scholars Sri Lanka has known for several centuries. He achieved fame through his profound knowledge of the Sinhala language and literary work. He used many languages as Sinhala, English, Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Malayalam.
Early life
Munidasa was born on 25 July 1887 in Idigasaara, DickwellaDickwella
Dickwella, also known as Dikwella, is a small town in the Matara district in Southern province of Sri Lanka. It is located east of the city of Matara.Dickwella is the location of Sri Lanka's largest seated Buddha statue, which is tall....
in the Matara District
Matara District
Matara is a district in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 1,246 km². It is represented in the Sri Lankan Parliament following the Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2010 by former Sri Lankan national Cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya who stood for the United People's Freedom Alliance....
. He was the 12 th of 13 children. His mother was Palavinnage Dona Gimara Muthukumarana (or Dona Baba Nona Muthukumarana) and father Abious (or Abiyes) Cumaranatunga was a physician practicing indigenous medicine who kept invaluable Pali and Sanskrit manuscripts on Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
, Astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
and Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
.
Education
He first studied at the Dikwella Buddhist School. Later his father died and he attended St. Thomas' College, Matara. Then he attended the Dikwella Watarukanna Pirivena to learn PaliPáli
- External links :* *...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
in order to become a Buddhist monk. But due his family's discontent, he entered the Government Teachers' College in Colombo. He graduated after two years of training in 1907.
Teaching career
His first appointment was as Government teacher in Bilingual School of Bomiriya. Later he was promoted Principal of Kadugannawa Bilingual School. After 11 years he was promoted to Inspector of Schools, which he held for 4 years.Literary/Scholarly career
He wrote his first book in his school days; "Nikaya Sangraha Vivaranaya", an analysis for a Scripture on Buddhist Monastic Orders.Munidasa was a member of Sinhala Maha Sabha of the Swabhasha movement which started as a protest against the English educated elites.
Hela Havula
Munidasa spoke of Language, Nation, Country as a Triple Gem. For this purpose he founded the Hela Havula. It consisted of people who shared his idioms. They often engaged in debates and literature. It was the starting point for many scholars and artists. It exists to this very day.Journalism
Revived Lakminipahana.Started Subasa & Helio magazines to teach and promote the correct use of Sinhala.
Challenging the tradition
He had unique and creative opinions and said that vociferous fools would say that we should free our country, without first freeing our mind and thoughts.His concepts on Sri Lankan history, language and literature have been controversial. He emphasized and encouraged the use of the letter "ඇ". And he argued that Vijaya was merely an invader and believed in Ravana.
Quotes
"If a certain language is underdeveloped the land in which that language operates is also underdeveloped".:-Subasa
"ලක්දිවට ඉතා බිහිසුණු කාලයකි. පිට රටින් සාල නැවතිණි නම් අපට කෑම නැත.පිට රටින් එන රෙදි නැවතිණි නම් අපට විළි වැස්ම නැත.පිට රටින් එන යාන නැතිනම් අපට ගමන නැත.කොටින් මැ පිට රට පිහිට නැත්නම් අපට කළහැකි කිසිවක් නැත."("Dangerous are the times to Lanka. If the rice from abroad stops, we would have nothing to eat. If the materials from abroad stops, we would have nothing to wear. If not for the vehicles from abroad, we would have no travelling. Essentially, without accommodation from abroad, we cannot do a thing.")-Editorial of Lakmini Pahana
Publications
32 textbooks on Sinhala grammar- Heenseraya
- Hathpana
- Kriya Wiwaranaya
- Magul Keema
- Nelawilla
- Piya samara
- Virith Vekiya
- Vyakarana Vivaranaya
- kiyawana nuwana