Sri Lanka Matha
Encyclopedia
Sri Lanka Matha is the national anthem
of Sri Lanka
. The words and music, written by Ananda Samarakoon in 1940, were officially adopted as the national anthem in 1951.
. The anthem was translated into the Tamil language
by M. Nallathamby.
The first line of the anthem originally read: Namo Namo Matha, Apa Sri Lanka. There was some controversy over these words in the 1950s, and in 1961 they were changed to their present form, Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka, without Samarakoon's consent. Samarakoon committed suicide in 1962 apparently due to the change in words.
The Second Republican Constitution
of 1978 gave Sri Lanka Matha constitutional recognition.
(English
, French
& Inuktitut
), Belgium (French, Dutch
& German
), Switzerland
(German, French, Italian
& Romansh), South Africa
(Xhosa
, Zulu
, Sesotho, Afrikaans
& English), Suriname
(Dutch and Sranan Tongo
), and New Zealand
(English & Māori
).
Although the Sinhala version of the anthem is used at official/state events, the Tamil translation is also sung at some events. The Tamil translation is used at official events held in the Tamil speaking regions in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The Tamil translation is sung at Tamil medium schools throughout the country. The Tamil translation was used even during the period when Sinhala was the only official language of the country (1956-87).
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" (sic). 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
. 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). Government minister Wimal Weerawansa
also wrongly cited India
as an analogy and claiming that the Indian national anthem
was in Hindi
, the most widely spoken language in India, whereas in fact the anthem was written in Bengali
, another minority language. Furthermore, Weerawansa was quoted by the BBC
to have called the Tamil version a "joke".
The Cabinet's decision to scrap the Tamil translation caused much furor in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan government subsequently denied allegations that the Tamil translation of the anthem was to be abolished. The Presidential Secretariat went on record stating that that there was no basis to the media report and follow up reports which intimated the same.
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of Sri Lanka
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...
. The words and music, written by Ananda Samarakoon in 1940, were officially adopted as the national anthem in 1951.
History
The song was officially adopted as the national anthem of Ceylon on November 22, 1951, by a committee headed by Sir Edwin WijeyeratneEdwin Wijeyeratne
Sir Edwin Aloysius Perera Wijeyeratne, KBE was a Sri Lankan politician, diplomat, and one of the founding members of United National Party. He was a Senator and Cabinet Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development in the government of DS Senanayake...
. The anthem was translated into the Tamil language
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...
by M. Nallathamby.
The first line of the anthem originally read: Namo Namo Matha, Apa Sri Lanka. There was some controversy over these words in the 1950s, and in 1961 they were changed to their present form, Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka, without Samarakoon's consent. Samarakoon committed suicide in 1962 apparently due to the change in words.
The Second Republican Constitution
Constitution of Sri Lanka
The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been the constitution of the island nation of Sri Lanka since its original promulgation by the National State Assembly on 7 September 1978. It is Sri Lanka's second republican constitution, and its third constitution since the...
of 1978 gave Sri Lanka Matha constitutional recognition.
Multilingual
The Sri Lankan national anthem is one of a number that are sung in more than one language: CanadaO Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
(English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
& Inuktitut
Inuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
), Belgium (French, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
& German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
), Switzerland
Swiss Psalm
The Swiss Psalm is the national anthem of Switzerland. It was composed in 1841, by Alberich Zwyssig . Since then, it has been frequently sung at patriotic events. The Federal Council declined however on numerous occasions to accept the psalm as the official anthem. This was because the council...
(German, French, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
& Romansh), South Africa
National anthem of South Africa
Since 1997, the South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining new English lyrics with extracts of the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" and the former anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" . The fact that it shifts and ends in a different key, a feature it shares with the Italian national...
(Xhosa
Xhosa language
Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
, Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
, Sesotho, Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
& English), Suriname
God zij met ons Suriname
God zij met ons Suriname or Opo kondreman is the national anthem of Suriname. It has 2 verses: the first in Dutch and the second in Sranan Tongo.-External links:**...
(Dutch and Sranan Tongo
Sranan Tongo
Sranan is a creole language spoken as a lingua franca by approximately 300,000 people in Suriname...
), and New Zealand
God Defend New Zealand
"God Defend New Zealand" is one of two national anthems of New Zealand, the other being "God Save the Queen". Legally they have equal status, but "God Defend New Zealand" is more commonly used, and is popularly referred to as "the national anthem"...
(English & Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
).
Although the Sinhala version of the anthem is used at official/state events, the Tamil translation is also sung at some events. The Tamil translation is used at official events held in the Tamil speaking regions in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The Tamil translation is sung at Tamil medium schools throughout the country. The Tamil translation was used even during the period when Sinhala was the only official language of the country (1956-87).
Tamil version controversy
On 12 December 2010 The Sunday Times reported that the Cabinet of Sri LankaCabinet of Sri Lanka
The Cabinet of Sri Lanka is the council of cabinet ministers , responsible to parliament. Cabinet ministers are appointed by the President under the advice of the Prime Minister and serve at his pleasure. Officially the prime minister is the head of the cabinet, but the cabinet is chaired by the...
headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
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" (sic). 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
W. D. J. Senewiratne
W. D. J. Senewiratne is a Sri Lankan politician, a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and a government minister.-References:...
. 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
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura is the national anthem of Singapore. Composed by Zubir Said in 1958 as a theme song for official functions of the City Council of Singapore, the song was selected in 1959 as the island's anthem when it attained self-government. Upon full independence in 1965, Majulah Singapura...
are in Malay, a minority language (75% of Singaporeans are Chinese). Government minister Wimal Weerawansa
Wimal Weerawansa
Wimal Weerawansa is the leader of the political party Jathika Nidahas Peramuna . He was entered into politics through the JVP during the 1980s and rocketed to the position of Propaganda secretary...
also wrongly cited India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as an analogy and claiming that the Indian national anthem
Jana Gana Mana
Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India. Written in highly Sanskritized Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of a Brahmo hymn composed and scored by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It was first sung at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on 27 December 1911...
was in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, the most widely spoken language in India, whereas in fact the anthem was written in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, another minority language. Furthermore, Weerawansa was quoted by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to have called the Tamil version a "joke".
The Cabinet's decision to scrap the Tamil translation caused much furor in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan government subsequently denied allegations that the Tamil translation of the anthem was to be abolished. The Presidential Secretariat went on record stating that that there was no basis to the media report and follow up reports which intimated the same.
Sri Lanka Matha (Mother Sri Lanka)
| Lyrics | Sinhala Lyrics of the Anthem | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
| IPA Transcription of the Sinhala text | English translation | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
| Tamil lyrics of the Anthem | |
|---|---|
|
External links
- Siha Shakthi - The "Himnuszok" website features a vocal version of the Anthem performed by the vocal group Siha Shakthi.
- MIDI File from Abacci Atlas
- An instrumental version of "Sri Lanka Matha" featured in the "Sri Lanka" entry at the website "National Symbols". (MP3 format)