Oldest copy of Mahawamsa at Pera Uni. library
View(s):University of Peradeniya Chief Librarian Dr Rasiah Maheswaran said the library has the oldest copy of the Mahawamsa. There are three more copies at Matale, Anuradhapura and Malwatte Maha Vihare, but the oldest is at the main library of the University of Peradeniya.
A UNESCO team headed by Director-General Irina Bokova visited the main library for its centenary celebrations. They examined the library’s ola leaf manuscripts in the company of Dr Maheswaran and then-Vice Chancellor Professor Upul Dissanayake.
One hundred years ago, Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam laid the foundation for the library by donating more than 1,600 books in memory of his son Padmabah Arunachalam who died in a London car accident. It was then known as the Ceylon University College library. The library was shifted to Peradeniya in 1952, and was moved to the present premises in 1960, and ever since came to be known as the University of Peradeniya library.
The library now boasts of 2,500 ola leaf books not found in any other university library in Sri Lanka. It was significant that the oldest copy of the Mahawamsa was also found at this library by the committee searching for the oldest copy. A request was made by the Vice Chancellor to UNESCO to declare the oldest ola leaf Mahawamsa copy as a world heritage.
-LB
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