Ananda Coomaraswamy

one of the great seminal minds of this country

January 21, 2012, 4:01 pm


by P. Weerasekera
Rajagiriya, Sunday Island

Please provide me a little space in your esteemed publication to indicate a ‘via media’ to resolve the ‘issue’ caused by re-naming of Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha as Nelum Pokuna Mawatha which has led to much pain of mind among discerned citizens. Despite much criticism expressed in the print media, it is difficult to believe that the bureaucrats who recommended this change or the decision-makers who approved the same would agree to any change of what has been done. It may be appropriate to recall that over fifty years back when the railway station ‘Ratmalana’ was re-named as ‘Kotalawalapura’ in honour of Sir John Kotalawala, a public outcry by agitated Ratmalana residents made the railway authorities in a matter of weeks to restore the earlier name which since then continues to this day.

Green Path was named Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha some years back to honour this great son of Lanka internationally famed as a scholar-colossus. Since many Sri Lankans of the present generation may not have heard much about him or his work, a few lines are devoted here to give some idea of his scholarly attainments.

Ananda Coomaraswamy was born in Colombo on 12th August 1877 to one of the most distinguished Hindu families in the country as the son of Sir Mutu Coomaraswamy (the first non-Christian from Asia to be admitted to the English Bar) and as a cousin of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan and Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam. He had his entire education in UK and completed his formal education at the University of London obtaining a doctorate in science and pursuing a study of linguistics. On his return to Ceylon he was appointed as the Director of Mineralogical Survey in 1906 when he was a mere twenty-nine years.

As Director of Mineralogical Survey until 1909 his travels in the country which apart from leading to the identification of new minerals indigenous to Sri Lanka such as Thorianite, had kindled an interest in him to collect samples of Sri Lankan Art and studying its history. This culminated in the writing of his first monumental work "Mediaeval Sinhalese Art" in 1908.

He was much concerned about the corrupting influence of Western colonialism on the traditional arts and crafts which were products of the rich indigenous culture of the land, and initiated steps to counteract this degradation through the Social Reform Society of which he was the Founder President. His essay "An open letter to Kandyan Chiefs" was a kind of ‘wake-up’ call to the Kandyans in authority to draw their attention to arrest this trend.

He had written with profound scholarship on a wide variety of subjects which included geology and mineralogy, philology, literature, painting and music of several cultures. He even dealt with metaphysical questions which have engaged the attention of philosophers and statesmen from earliest to contemporary times. Many of his essays have been published in collections in the Western World in English, French, Spanish and several other European languages. A bibliography of his writings published in 1978 has listed over 650 research studies and papers exclusive of reviews he had done.

Christmas Humphreys (British Q.C. and later Judge) well known to Sri Lankan Buddhists as the author of the Penguin paperback titled "Buddhism" (published in 1951 which sold over a million copies) has rated Coomaraswamy’s work ‘Buddha and the gospel of Buddhism’(1916) as "the finest single volume on Buddhism yet published". (Having purchased a copy when he was 17 yrs, Humphreys has cited this work as the reason which led him to embrace Buddhism). Coomaraswamy also functioned as one of the Editors of WebsterNew International Dictionary and for thirty years served as Research Fellow at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston USA until his retirement (1947). He passed away shortly afterwards on 09th September 1947 less than three weeks after retirement.

Thirty years after his death when Coomaraswamy’s birth centenary was celebrated by scholarly symposia in 1977 and publication of books in USA, UK, India and Malaysia, a two-volume work of his writings titled "Selected Papers" edited by R. Lipsey published by the Princeton University Press when reviewed in the Times of London, he had been referred to as "one of the great seminal minds of this century". While the scholarly world was paying such high tribute all what Sri Lanka- the land of his birth had done to honour this savant was to re-name Green Path as Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha. Even that token tribute has now been sadly removed by re-naming the road for the framework of a pond which provides a stylized perimeter ring for the recently opened magnificent theatre complex. The incomprehensible action to dump the name of such a pioneering philosopher/scholar who had no equal in the country during his time and was revered internationally in the world of scholarship and brought much honour to the land of his birth, has also provided an ideal opportunity to unpatriotic elements to even attempt an ethnic twist to this unfortunate episode.

Although three-fourths of Sri Lankans follow the teachings of Buddha who has preached ‘puja cha pujaniyaanan (honour those worthy of honour ) it is a pity if the name of Ananda Coomaraswamy – the first Sri Lankan to bring international fame to our country is to be forgotten thus from national recognition. The following appeal is therefore made for the kind attention of all who possess the authority to take remedial action.

The land area encircled by the newly named Nelum Pokuna Mawatha, Marcus Fernando Mawatha and CWW Kannangara Mawatha has developed to be the cultural triangle of our capital city. The National Museum which houses the precious specimens of our proud cultural heritage, The National Museum of Natural History, Art Gallery, John de Silva Memorial Theatre, Royal Asiatic Society, Mahaweli Centre and the newly opened National Theatre for Performing Arts are all accommodated here.

Therefore may I urge that this quadrangle be named as Ananda Coomaraswamy Square as a first step to perpetuate his name for posterity. There cannot be a more suitable spot than this quadrangle in the entire country for this purpose. The erection of a suitable permanent memorial could be planned thereafter.

An ideal day to take the first step and name the Square is fast dawning on us in two weeks time on 04th February - the country’s National Day.