Siwhela: History, Heritage and Universal Power

By Harasi
It is believed that based on history, that was taught for a long time in schools in Sri Lanka, as a curriculum subject, which evolved in around 1930s, that origin of Sinhala Nation began since arrival of VIJAYA from South India.

It is also said that Vijaya enticed and won the heart and confidence of the Yakka clan princess named KUWENI-(meaning bad, long hair (=MAHAPALI), daughter of GIRIBA, the Commander ruling the region at the time, married her and became the ruler of country by a dirty and bloody coupe, that killed the Commander.

VIJAYA lived together with KUWENI who bore him two biological children (Jeewahaththa and Disala): a son and a daughter; and, later he chased away KUWENI and the two young children from his kingdom, in order to marry a royal princess that was emigrated from South India. This is the history taught to the nation until teaching of history was officially terminated in Sri Lankan schools in the late Twentieth century.

Did the Sinhala nation descend from Vijaya, in reality? Who is Vijaya after all? Vijaya was the eldest son out of many children born by incestuous matrimony of SINHABAHU and SINHA SEEVALI, the only two biological children of SUPPA DEVI and a Lion. Suppa Devi was a royal princess of South India; sexy, head-strong, disobeyed her parents, ran-away with travelling traders, and was later abducted by the Lion which kept her confined in a rock-cave. (It is highly questionable if mating of a beast, lion and a human woman could give birth to human off- springs; let alone any life-form?)

When grown up Sinhabahu broke opened rock cave door and escaped from the father Lion’s grip, with his mother and sister, went into civilization and his grandfather’s palace. The grief-stricken Lion unable bear the loss of his beloved mate and off-springs started devastating the neighbourhood and killing people, at which event under the orders of the King to kill the lion, Sinhabahu undertook a mission and assassinated the father Lion. Son of Sinhabahu, Vijaya; carrying the same evil and homicidal genes of his father and grand-father, unleashed a wave of horror all over the kingdom by looting, harassing, terrorizing and killing people, which led to his capture together with his seven hundred-odd disciples, by king’s forces finally, and had half of their scalps shaven from forehead to back; a punishment given to outcasts; and deported them all in a sea-going vessel. The ship after being drifting around for some days in the high-seas was washed back again to the deported shore. It was pushed back again into the sea, and was carried away by waves and wind, to Thambapanni, for good or bad, a North-Western coast of Sri Lanka.

This is the history according to what was taught to us at school, which also claimed that Parinirvana of Buddha (Passing-away) and landing of Vijaya in Sri Lanka occurred on the same day; a Vesak Full Moon Poya Day some Two Thousand five Hundred and Sixty odd years ago.  What Sinhala national with a pride, self-respect and dignity would wish to believe and accept a person like Vijaya; labeled as a thief, bandit and murderer; son of incestuous SINHABAHU and SINHA SEEVALI, grandson of Suppa Devi, having such a tarnished lineage, as one’s ancestor? Oh No! Not me. Would any of you, my majority Sinhala national countrymen friends?

There are other schools of thought about heritage of Sinhala nation, namely the one that believes that a National king PANDUKABHAYA, son of GAMINI/ UNMADA CHITHRA love story fame, was the founder of Sinhala nation.

Secondly, not much researched, but more acceptable and logical view that the four old national clans YAKKA (People who melted iron/ lived in hill country -were ASURAS meaning they were not created by a God), NAGA (Entrepreneurs, who lived close to the sea), RAKSHA (People who saved life (body): farmers) and DEWA (People that taught various disciplines of knowledge, but, each group excelled only in one), all of whom were different groups of HELA; when taken together became SIWHELA (SINHALA).

Agricultural Researcher and Environmentalist Thilak Kandegama, in his many TV documentaries, amply supports and illustrates the SIWHELA vision. According to him, it is very certain that YAKKAS of SIWHELA ruled the country and the supreme leader of YAKKAS, RAWUL RAWANA (RAWULA –being the last Rawana of a lineage of many RAVANAS), was the king of SRI LANKA some 5000 years ago. He was also nicknamed “THAS HIS” (Ten Headed-not literally) meaning he excelled in Ten Technologies, having boundless, extensive knowledge on technical areas including Agriculture, Water Management, Warfare (plus Amgampora-Sri Lankan Martial Arts of SUDALIYA and MARUWALLIYA fame), Sinhala Medicine, Astronomy, Astrology, Science of Glow (Jothiveda), Mathematics and harnessing of Universal Energy from rays emitted by the Sun, specially use of wave length-range of the Microwaves in reciting “O…OOHMS” of powerful Manthras to aggregate clouds in the sky over a pyramid shaped object available or erected on earth to create artificial rain.
Sun is the cardinal source of energy for everything that exists and happens in this Universe. Plant life forms capture Sun’s energy (UV radiation) using their green cell pigment Chlorophyll, Carbon from atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Water to produce Carbohydrates (sugars) by the anabolic process called “Photosynthesis” known to anyone having the basic knowledge of science, and store them at various points: fruits, seeds, nuts, underground stems and elsewhere.
This is a universal truth accepted by everybody; scientists and non-scientists alike. People who had in-depth knowledge about the impact of environmental factors, like nature and fertility of soil, change of atmospheric temperature, wind and rain-fall, routines of plant eating beasts and birds, behaviour and life cycles of harmful and non-harmful insects, learned by study and experience, knew when to prepare land for agriculture, when to till, when to saw what seeds or plant propagules, their fruiting duration, how to prevent infestations and destruction by herbivores, when to harvest and how to preserve/ conserve harvested produce for future consumption were the Yakkas.
Yakkas who ruled this country some 5000 odd years ago had this knowledge and their king Rawul Rawana was an exponent in it. Yakkas and other three clans of Siwhela; NAGA, RAKSHA and DEVA were all belonging to one dynasty -- the Dynasty of the Sun, built a kingdom: the Empire of the Sun.
Thilak Kandegama in a very attractive and pleasing presentation illustrates that, the Japanese Empire of Hirohitho was Sun oriented and employed Sun in their National Flag -- indicating the Land of the Rising Sun. The British Empire was Sun oriented and established the base of the Sun at Greenwich and created Greenwich Mean Time. Similarly, the Yakkas required a place to establish their empire where Sun could be oriented. They selected the obvious natural pyramid shaped rock-form with a pike in the central hill country, LAKGALA-LAGGALA-LAKEGALA. In fact the YAKKA Empire was established in the area a little below Lakegala, where NALANDA GEDIGE originally stood before being shifted elsewhere. The present day Kotmale Project caused the shifting, due to the fact that the whole area would be submerged when Kotmale Reservoir would be constructed and filled under accelerated Mahaweli Programme. He claims that where NALANDA GEDIGE originally stood is the Centre of the Earth and YAKKA Empire enveloped present day entire Matale District and areas like Lakgala, Naula, Ritigala, Sigiriya etc,.
Is not it a coincidence and ironic that RAWUL RAWANA built his base of the Empire in the Lakegala area for a specific reason and thousands of years later at present day, NASA had investigated using Satellite Technology to find and declare Sri Lanka possesses  the lowest Centre of Gravity, of all places on earth. Taking off an Aero plane / a flying object off the ground against gravity would be easiest at a place like that. It is believed that RAWUL RAWANA, took off in his DANDUMONARA (the flying Vimana) into the sky from numerous places in his kingdom to travel around and overseas as well. The lifting of a flying machine into air required a lot of energy, and it is believed that RAWUL RAWANA using his knowledge of harnessing Universal Energy in which he excelled, overcame gravity, and really did fly.
There is evidence found in Indian documentation (Ramayana) that RAWUL RAWANA actually flew to India, and abducted Seetha: the Queen of Indian Prince RAMA, carried her away back to Sri Lanka by air. In Sidath Sangarawa to exemplify a Grammatical issue, the Author had written “Ram Raja Marii Rawla”, which means that the King Rama killed Rawana.  In the prolog of Sidath Sangarawa it is said to be stated that what the book contains is experience gathered from practice through generations. Thilak Kandegama attributes the evidence of his prophesy to folk-lore, which are conveyed from mouth to mouth through generations. Name RAWUL RAWANA or RAWULA is encountered in old OLA-leaf Sinhala medicine books, National Sandesha Kawya, (Poems of Messages). It is reasonable to accept that RAWUL RAWANA or RAWULA inhabited Sri Lanka; was a powerful king, possessed a wealth of overall knowledge and was a YAKKA chief.
All living languages are nourished by words and phrases from other languages during their development and evolution. Without exception Sinhala today has acquired many words from many other languages. Therefore, it is no astonishment that, many words and phrases of Yakka Language are embedded in it. In the Sinhala Vernacular -mostly in verbal, terms: Intheru (=essentially/ mandatory), Habas/Habak (=shorten), Kambas (=assassinate), Kanduranchi/Kandura (=waterfalls), Adhi Yakka (= Yaksha Chiefs, Adhyaksha= Directors), Iti Gediya (=Head), Seppada Vijja (Meaning science of application of Solar Wave power), are heard in its use. A YAKKA Rhishi living at the time professed ten predictions about the country and its people. Viz, 1. Padi Habak (Meaning peoples’life-span would shorten). 2. Kadhuranchi Maruda (Meaning Water falls would dry-up). 3. Varigabada Akanasi Makawesi (Meaning the Kinfolk (Varige) would be destroyed by betrayal). By today people of this country have witnessed each of the above forecasts happening at some time or other.
YAKKA chiefs (Adhi Yakkas) were bound by ten non-committable felonies that were written to their law. They were all sexual offenses. Such an offense was call a Paddura, and each Paddura was punished by a corresponding Akadawari (=punishment). A phrase heard used in Sinhala verbal vernacular is “Daha Paddurawe Yanawa” which means one going on committing most outrageous sexual felonies known. A language needs a Nation of people using it for communication. Existence of Yakka language itself is ample proof that Yakkas in reality lived in Sri Lanka.
Thilak Kandegama does not dismiss the view that RAWUL RAWANA lived in Sigiriya. It is yet to be established by evidence; folk-lore or otherwise. Talking about Sigiriya frescoes, he says that Yakka young women did not cover their bosom and their women were never exposed. The white or yellow painted women having long necks, long arms and long fingers who carry Blue Manel flowers were NAGA women. Blue Manel is the National flower of NAGAS. Similarly the dark or black painted women having rounded faces carrying Red Lotus flowers were RAKSHA women. Red Lotus was the National flower of RAKSHAS. YAKKAS had White Lotus as their National Flower. No women carrying White Lotus flowers were painted amongst SIGIRIYA frescoes.
Are we going to further act like deaf and mute to the concealed truth about the Nation and its untold dignified History? Professor Raj Somadewa once commented at a Convention that Homo sapiens sapiens originating in the African Continent migrated Eastwards and then Southwards set foot on Sri Lanka soil some 0.15 Million years ago, at a time when the water level of the sea receded across Palk Straight. Compare to age of Earth and appearance of first Homo sapiens sapiens on it, this is very recent. Are we going to be satiated with the find of Balangoda Man, or are we going to dig about the mist covered SIWHELA, YAKKAS and of course our lost ancestor RAWUL RAWANA. There happened to be a very sophisticated and an advanced culture in RAWUL RAWANA’s time. We all need to be hungry to unearth the truth of our heritage, and rise together as a united Nation to face the evils that are already here and that would INTHERUWEN come soon.
(Thilak Kandegama TV programmes was the heavy source for most materials discussed in much of this Article unless otherwise referred to.)