A Requiem to an anti-Tamil Polemicist
by Sachi Sri Kantha, March 26, 2025
Mahindapala
H.L.D. Mahindapala was summoned to meet his Maker on January 30, 2024. He was 93, when he died. After his passing in Colombo, I had read quite a few of his obituary elegies in the digital media. All of these had either hidden or enameled Mahindapala’s distinct lack of decency and behavior. As such, this requiem will be from a devil’s advocate. When I visited Melbourne in 2003, I heard from my Tamil friends (NOT from a few who considered him as his pal), that Mahindapala had indulged in harassing behavior to Prof. Christie J Eliezer and his wife Ranee, who were the hosts of Mahindapala and his Tamil wife, when they set foot in Melbourne in 1970s. Then, two decades later, to annoy Prof. Eliezer for his overt support to LTTE, Mahindapala had indulged in anonymous prank telephone calls. One fine day, Prof Eliezer opted to put a stop to this sort of nastiness. When Mahindapala called, Prof had answered, ‘Will you hold on a minute please? Let me switch on my recorder. Then, you can continue talking!’ With this ruse, Mahindapala’s calls stopped immediately.
Though more than a year had passed, I have to write this requiem, to protect the honor of many Eelam Tamils, who had quit this world before Mahindapala. The list is long: S.J.V. Chelvanayakam, G.G. Ponnambalam,Snr., M. Tiruchelvam, M. Sivasithamparam, A. Amirthalingam and V. Prabhakaran. His repugnant scribblings in the format of his journalist commentaries, essays and letters disturbed not only Tamils, but also decent Sinhalese scholars and even President J.R. Jayewardene.
In 2004, I had commented about Mahindapala’s interaction with J.R. Jayewardene as follows: [see, https://sangam.org/warped-aryans-against-peace/]
I repeat one paragraph of this commentary, here.
“Though he has a talent for writing in English, Mahindapala suffers from logorrhea [too many words] – not unusual among journalists who have to earn their paycheck based on the number of words they pad into their commentaries and editorials. Not only logorrhea, Mahindapala is also handicapped by his loathsome vanity to an extent that J.R. Jayewardene, the past President of Sri Lanka, refused to grant a work visa to this journalist while he was in power. The reason: during his earlier tenure as an editor, Mahindapala rubbed Jayewardene the wrong way before the latter gained power in 1977. Think of it! If Mahindapala is such an anathema to J.R. Jayewardene (of all the Sinhalese racists in Sri Lanka!), then does one need proof, how vile Mahindapala’s mind is in his orgy of anti-Tamil writings? Other Sinhalese intellectuals like Prof. Carlo Fonseka and Regie Siriwardene have also stood up in the past to expose the muck of Mahindapala.”
Manik Sandrasagra
Furthermore, I also had mentioned in 2004, “In the 1990s, I crossed swords on the theme of ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, with journalist Mahindapala in the pages of the Lanka Guardian magazine, edited by Mervyn de Silva.” But, had omitted my criticism in the pages of Lanka Guardian in that topical commentary for reasons of inappropriateness. These details published in the Lanka Guardian during 1995 and 1996, deserves notice now. They cover press coverage about V. Prabhakaran, Sinhalese castes, and caste practices in Japan. First two items were mine. Then, Mahindapala’s criticism to me, in item 3. This was followed in item 4 – a rebuttal to Mahindapala, by film maker Manik Sandrasagra (1945–2008) a celebrity Sri Lankan Tamilian.
Item 1: ‘Prabhakaran compared’ by Sachi Sri Kantha [Lanka Guardian, Nov 15, 1995, p.17.
Item 2: ‘Caste, Buddhism and Japan’ by Sachi Sri Kantha [Lanka Guardian, Feb.1, 1996, p. 19.
Item 3: ‘Meaning of the Tamil ‘Liberation Struggle’ by H.L.D. Mahindapala [Lanka Guardian, Mar 15, 1996, pp. 3-5.]
Item 4: ‘Enlightening Mahindapala’ by Manik Sandrasagra [Lanka Guardian, June 1, 1996, pp. 11-12.]
Item 1: Prabhakaran Compared – by Sachi Sri Kantha
“As a Prabhakaran-watcher, I thank H.L.D. Mahindapala for bringing to my attention, the New York Times feature (May 28, 1995) of John Burns on Prabhakaran (LG, Oct 15). In it, Prabhakaran’s blood-thirstiness in dealing with opponents has been stated as comparable to that of ‘some of the cruelest figures in recent Asian history, including Pol Pot’. Even if one takes this opinin on its face value, one wonders who are the other cruelest figures in recent Asian history, whom John Burns had in mind. If one takes a body count of innocent victims (not military opponents), Mao Ze Dong, Indira Gandhi, Suharto and Ranasinghe Premadasa should enter this cruel leaders Hall of Fame without any difficulty. Isn’t Prabhakaran, then in good company?
Unlike Mahindapala, I do not consider the New York Times as the oracle of the twentieth century. I provide a few examples where this venerable newspaper had to eat crow. These are culled from the book, ‘The Experts Speak The Definitive Compendium of Authoritative Misinformation’ by Chris Cerf and Victor Navasky (1984).
A New York Times editorial ridiculed in 1921 the attempts on rocket propelling by space science pioneer Robert Goddard as one who ‘seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.’ In Nov. 5, 1932, the same ‘unimpeachable source’ of Mahindapala, predicted the re-election of the then President Herbert Hoover over Franklin Delano Roosevelt. On July 14, 1972, the same New York Times commented that Senator Thomas Eagleton as a ‘casting director’s ideal for a running mate’. Few weeks later it was revealed that he had undergone psychiatric shock therapy and was dropped by the Democratic Presidential candidate George McGovern. If the New York Times could not predict developments correctly about the events within the USA, how reliable is its assessment on events in Sri Lanka?
As to verbal abuse from opponents, Prabhakaran is not the first rebel leader to be sneered at by his contemporaries. Almost 200 years ago, the father of American, George Washingon was roasted by Philadelphia Aurora as follows ‘If ever a nation was debauched by a man, the American nation has been debauched by Washington. If ever a nation was deceived by a man, the American national has been deceived by Washington. Let it serve to be a warning that no man may be an idol.’ Does Mahindapala know that quite a large segment of American citizens who were loyal to the British Crown were chased by Washington’s patriotic gang to Canada and West Indies? One who cites New York Times for support should also bother to learn the revolutionary history of America.
I applaud you for providing a proper balance by publishing Mahindapala’s critique, and the Galle ethnic violence committee report in the same issue. Mahindapala’s legitimate question, ‘Who are the oppressors of Tamils?’ has been eloquently answered in the report you have published on the Galle ethnic violence. Those who suffered at Galle had no links to Prabhakaran’s dictum. They suffered because they had the misfortune tohave an ethnic identity as Tamils.”
Item 2: Caste, Buddhism and Japan – by Sachi Sri Kantha
“Permit me to comment briefly on H.L.D. Mahindapala’s diatribe on the Tamils, which appeared in Nov. 1, 1995 issue of LG.
I’m in agreement with Mahindapala that there existed a caste called turumbas among the Tamils, who were placed at the lowest rank of the caste hierarchy. But I’m surprised that he has not provided proper perspective by stating that this type of discrimination was not exclusive to Tamils. The caste group known as rodiyas among the Sinhalese shared the same hierarchical order similar to turumbas of Tamils. The Area Handbook for Ceylon (1971) published by the U.S. State Department states,
‘In modern Kandyan society more than half the population are Goyigama. Next in order of size are the Vahumpura, Navandanna, Hena and Berava castes. Many of the remaining castes are represented by small groups; for example, the Rodiya, the lowest caste, probably number no more than several thousand.’
About the depressing social status of the rodiyas in the traditional Sinhalese society, the same reference book mentions further:
‘Among the most isolated groups are the Rodiya, who traditionally are not permitted to live in villages with the higher castes. They are generally found in fairly isolated enclaves and have traditionally been institutionalized beggars. Their living conditions are generally inferior to those of the general population. Probably fewer than half are literate, and many suffer from unemployment.’
Also, I wonder if caste system is not strictly adhered among the Sinhalese, similar to Tamils, why there are three major nikayas (sects) among the bhikkus Why the Siam Nikaya is limited to Goyigama caste only? Why the Amapura Nikaya, consisting approximately 20 percent of the Sangha was established by a monk of the Salagama caste in the 19th century? Isn’t it an anachronism that such a caste hierarchy should exist among the priests who follow the precepts of the Enlightened One?
Mahindapala can take relief to hear that caste system is not restricted to Sri Lankan Buddhists. Here in Japan, traditionally a Buddhist country, there exist a caste named Eta (labelled as ‘Japanese pariahs’ by Basil Hall Chamberlain) whose rank is no less different to that of turumbas of Tamils and rodiyas of Sinhalese. Chie Nakane, one of the leading anthropologists of Japan, also stated in her book, Japanese Society (1970), ‘There have been numerous studies of hierarchy in village politics by rural sociologists in Japan; indeed, the villagers’ sharp awareness of it compares with the caste-consciousness in a Hindu village’.
Let us not forget the cradle of contemporary democracy, the United States of America. Few decades ago, the social status of the Blacks (derisively called ‘niggers’ in the not-so distant past, even by the liberal US Presidents like Harry Truman) were no less different to that of turumbas of Tamils or rodiyas of Sinhalese. Autobiographies of liberal minded movie stars like Katharine Hepburn and Shirley Maclaine describe poignantly about the humiliation faced by the Blacks as untouchables in the so-called democratic America. Shirley Maclaine had written that her educated father even did not grant permission for her to invite her co-star Sidney Poitier for a meal at their home. This was a true life experience to Sidney Poitier who portrayed a similar situation in the classic movie ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’, which he co-starred with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Every Founding Father of American democracy owned black slaves. Also, almost all democratic countries, do have an intelligence agency like the CIA, MI5, MI6, Mossad and RAW. The functions of these intelligence agencies work against the basic principles of democracy. Thus, Mahindapala’s hypothesis that ‘democracy and fascism cannot co-exist’ is also not true.”
Item 3: Meaning of the Tamil ‘Liberation Struggle’ – by H.L.D. Mahindapala
[Only the first three paragraphs, in which I was referred by Mahindapala, is provided below. The rest of the paragraphs are simply nothing but his out of context ‘irrelevant verbal diarrhea’. And another correspondent Manik Sandrasagra had aptly responded in Item 4.]
“Mr. Sachi Sri Kantha (Lanka Guardian, February 1, 1996) deserves a reply not because his comments need refuting (In fact, I ignored his earlier comment where he was tilting at the solid windmills of The New York Times) but because he, like most other Tamils in the diaspora, refuse to face their brutal history which records the inhuman oppression of Tamils by Tamils from the time of Sankili (1519).
But before I go further let me hasten to add that my two articles (Lanka Guardian, October 15, 1995 and November 1, 1995) which, undoubtedly, have pricked Mr. Sri Kantha’s guilty conscience, were definitely meant to be attacks on the Tamils who treated their fellow Tamils as sub-human slaves. I was focusing on the 75 percent of the upper castes in Jaffna who never lifted a finger to liberate the oppressed Tamils for over five centuries. I even pin-pointed that the loud-mouthed champions of Tamils today despised and segregated the low caste Tamils like the turumbas who were never allowed to walk in daylight. One of the points stressed by me was that no other community in Sri Lanka – Muslims, Indian Tamils, Burghers or Sinhalese – ever treated the members of their own community in this degrading manner. Even a writer like H.W. Tambiah, who is generally inclined to argue that the Sun that shines over Sri Lanka comes out of the Tamils’ ears (see, Laws and Customs of the Sinhalese), has stated categorically that the Tamil law castes were treated as ‘abject slaves’ by the upper castes. On this evidence I wrote that this must be the darkest chapter in Sri Lankan history.
Unable to answer this point Mr. Sri Kantha says that ‘the caste group known as rodiyas among the Sinhalese shared the same hierarchical order similar to turumbas of the Tamils.’ So what? Wheren’t all Asian societies, whether Buddhist or Hindu, hierarchical? For that matter, aren’t all societies and institutions hierarchical? The issue is not about the hierarchical social structure but how the hierarchy at the top treated the subcastes at the base of the social pyramid. On this score, the upper caste Tamils of Jaffna have set a unique record of being the most heartless and cruel oppressors of their own people. It is an oppression which will remain as an indelible stigma on their social conscience. As an excuse, Mr Sri Kantha attempts to equate the rodiyas with the turumbas. If Mr Sri Kantha knows anything about Sri Lanka he should know that the rodiyas, being nomadic outcastes, were never the slaves of any caste. Nor were they forbidden to walk in daytime. They were the Sri Lankan gypsies who roamed freely all over the country, day and night….”
Item 4: Enlightening Mahindapala – by Manik Sadrasagra
“Since trees have to be cut to make the paper to print the drivel that he writes, H.L.D. Mahindapala in his excile will be doing this country a favour if he shuts up for a while. Having filled the columns of the Sunday Observer with his periodical rants under Premadasa, he now pollutes the Lanka Guardian with his ignorances.
His recent article ‘Meaning of the Tamil Liberation Struggle’ illustrates his ignorance on several matters.
- He does not know the difference between the Rodiyas and the Aikuntakayas (gypsies). He calls the former gypsies ‘who roamed freely all over the country day and night.
- He seems to be unaware that the Siyam Nikaya is barred to non Govigamas.
- His writing displays a major deficiency. He has strong likes and dislikes. Like Premadasa, he is also a moralist. He also dislikes caste. Obviously his education does not include Dumont, Coomaraswamy, Ryan, Roberts or Pfaffenberger on the subject.
Any writer worth his salt must try to express the truth. Individual opinions are inconsequential. When the Jaffna elite of yesteryear were in power, the likes of Prabhakaran did not exist. The system did not produce murderers and gangsters. The current conflict is the product of a process that started with democracy and the gaining of our so-called independence. When hierarchical principles ruled, the Prabhakararans knew their place and accepted it as ‘karma’. Trying to make everybody equal has resulted in today’s upside down world. As the Sinhalese say, ‘Suddata rata diya, Padda uda giya’.
Even Gauttama the Buddha chose to be born a Kshatriya in his last incarnation. Why not an outcast? This may enlighten Mahindapala and show him the secrets of caste and guna dharma.
Why, may I ask, was there a census during the time of Jesus Christ? Why did Pol Pot also ask for a census?
It is time we took a good and close look at Lanka again. Many who claim to be Sinhalese are not Sinhalese ad many who claim to be Tamil are not Tamils. A language is a product of a culture and without culture it is useless. Through absorption and integration there is today a new class that is neither Sinhalese or Tamil but they are the thinkers, educators and leaders of the masses. In such a state, conflict is a natural outcome.
All culture is begged, borrowed or stolen. Nobody is unique. All must eat, drink and go to the toilet by themselves. Definitions come much later. Food comes first. It is for this reason that the Goyigama or Vellala was the first and foremost. They provided the fuel for the likes of Mahindapala to generate their energy.
I must thank Mahindapala for opening the real issue, CASTE. This has been swept under the carpet for too long. It is caste alone that will explain the modern cry for Eelam. When my own ancestors sat in power in parts of Jaffna and the Wanni, there was one Lanka. We had no Parliaments, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers and bodyguards. We had tribes living in villages. These tribes were ruled by elders. The glue that knew no boundaries was caste. The language spoken was based on location, but habis and customs were identical within castes. There is more in common between a Sinhala speaking Goyigama and a Tamil speaking Vellala, than there is between a Sinhala Goyigama and say, a Sinhala-speaking Karawe.
The new Sinhala-Tamil identity based on modern census criteria is irrelevant and is as new as cricket and will have to be preserved through extraneous means. For Mahindapala or Premadasa to have understood this they would have had to shed their ‘Galle Road culture’ and live the tradition which alone makes it relevant. This, they never can do. It has to do with birth.”
Coda
In 1990s, to get my view point printed in the Lanka Guardian (only 32 pages or less) edited by Mervyn de Silva, I had to limit my sentences to less than 500 words. Thus, I aimed my criticism to the central idea, to gain Mervyn’s approval. Lest I be accused of side-stepping the issue of Thurumbar caste among Jaffna Tamils raised by Mahindapala, about which I had mentioned in my 1995 Letter to the Lanka Guardian [Item 2, above], I provide a reference to this caste, as it appears in Rev James Cartman’s book ‘Hinduism in Ceylon’ (1957). In page 138, he had included the following:
“The Thurumba are the lowest of the low castes. They are really the dhobies for the Palla, the Nalaava and the Paraiyar. [Note by Sachi: Rev. Cartman had identified the word ‘dhobi’ as ‘people who wash clothes, in page 133] They are usually found distant from the towns and rarely come into contact with the high castes. The Vannar, considered higher than the Palla, would never consent to wash clothes for the Palla, and hence this work is done by the Thurumba caste. The late Rev. Father Gnana Pragasam held that all the Thurumba caste people are now Roman Catholics. This claim may be true, but it does not in any way alter their status in the eyes of the Hindus.”
By connecting the dots, now I may trace the clue to Mahindapala’s vengeance against the Tamil politicians and Vellala caste. This may be inappropriate, without proof of empirical data! His wife Ranjini (who died on May 29, 2021) being a Roman Catholic Tamil, probably had ancestors belonging to the Thurumba caste.
Though I had included the rebuttal of Manik Sandrasagra to the views expressed by Mahindapala, I don’t agree with all the points raised by him, especially his comments about the treatment experienced by the less advantageous Tamil castes of Jaffna in the pre-20th century. Being an intelligent Sinhalese film maker whose pedigreed ancestors had ruled Jaffna kingdom in the past, Sandrasagra has his own biases as well. It could have been either this, or the prevailing stuffy air in Colombo media environs, that for a view or criticism of a Sinhalese muck raker to be heard (or published) by a Tamil, one has to express some negative remarks about Prabhakaran or his LTTE. Nevertheless, Sandrasagra had properly identified the intellectual deficit and hostility of Mahindapala.
Manik Sandrasagra was spot on, when he wrote, “Obviously his [Mahindapala’s] education does not include Dumont, Coomaraswamy, Ryan, Roberts or Pfaffenberger on the subject [of castes].” I wish to add other scholars who had written on the lowly status of rodiya caste among the Sinhalese. Three essential references are as follows:
✧Simon Casie Chetty: Some account of the Rodiyas, with a specimen of their language. Journal of Ceylon Branch of Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 1855; 2(8): 171-181.
✧Wilhelm Geiger: Reise nach Ceylon im winter 1895/96 [Trip to Ceylon in the winter of 1895/96], Aus den Situngsberichten der Philos, Philol und der Hist., Munchen, Heft 2, 1896; pp. 189-218.
✧William M. Gilbert Jr.: The Sinhalese caste system of Central and Southern Ceylon, part 2. Journal of Washington Academy of Science, April 15, 1945; 35(4): 105-125.
Among these three, Casie Chetty had provided Rodiya language vocabulary, with 128 words. Gilbert in 1945, offers some statistics on Rodiya population in the 20th century. 1901 Census counted 1,464 individuals identified as Rodiya. In 1911 Census, the number of Rodiyas were 1,573, and in 1921 Census, it was 1,619. It’s not only Mahindapala, even a respected anthropologist Nandadeva Wijesekera was mute about the existence of Rodiyas among Sinhalese, in his 1990 book ‘The Sinhalese’. Wijesekera included Rodiyas as number “29 (Rodi)” among the list of 31 castes of Sinhalese, and added a sentence ‘In the estimation of the Sinhalese, the lowest castes are kinnara and rodi’ How these castes were treated by the higher castes was not mentioned!
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