(Puttalam) Unarmed Policeman beaten to death by Muslim mob

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August 22, 2011

(Colombo) A 23-year old policeman was hacked and beaten to death by a Muslim mob in north-western Sri Lanka where clashes between residents and security forces have been reported over the past week, officials said on Monday.

The policeman on traffic duty was hit with swords, iron rods and poles late on Sunday in Puttalam, 180km north of Colombo.

"Two unarmed policemen encountered a Muslim mob," a senior police official said. "One of them had run away, and the other was attacked without any provocation."

Around 25 suspects were arrested over the killing of Police Sergeant Nawarathna Bandara who was attached to the Puttalam Police traffic unit, Puttalam Police sources said.

Around 15 suspects were arrested in connection with the murder, while 10 were arrested over their involvement in the commotion.

The Police recorded statements from around 100 persons in connection with the incident. Police are investigating how a large number of people were mobilized to attack the Security Forces members suddenly with swords and clubs.

Eyewitnesses said the 23-year-old constable was on his way back to the station after traffic duty when he was severely assaulted by the angry mob in front of the Sathosa retail outlet.

Witnesses said the mob blamed the police for a spate of recent incidents in which unknown men entered villages and harassed women.

Hours earlier, unknown assailants entered a village near Puttalam and injured five people, including a woman and child, with gunfire.

On Friday night, a woman claimed that attackers entered her home and scratched her with a sharp instrument.

More than 2000 Muslims gathered near the mosque in Puttalam after Sunday's attack, but soldiers opened fire to keep the crowd away.

Several clashes between security forces and Muslims living in coastal areas have been reported this month.

The army killed one person in a Muslim crowd on August 12 in the south-eastern village of Potuvil. The local people claimed intruders were sexually harassing village women.

On August 15, Muslims protested in the north-eastern village of Kinniya, claiming three unknown people had been found in the village at night and later escaped into a navy camp in the area.

Villagers burned tyres and held a government official hostage for hours until several people previously arrested were released.

My rebuttal to Bandu de Silva's hate-mongering against Thiru Arumuka Navalar

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Bandu de Silva's hate-mongering against Thiru Arumuka Navalar can be read here:

http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1978/comment-page-1#comment-31626

My rebuttal:

I am not from a Vellala lineage but I am appalled at the author's hate-mongering against Thiru Arumuka Navalar. His rants are similar to a frustrated madman spitting at the sun.

The author is parroting the usual Navalar-baiting by Christian missionaries who were frustrated that Navalar stood as a towering obstacle in their devious agenda to convert all of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Hindus to Christianity between the 1840s and 1870s.

Although it is difficult to quantify as to how many Hindus may have converted to Catholic or Protestant Christianity without Navalar’s intervention but according to Bishop Sabapathy Kulendran, who laments: "When comparing the promise Christian conversions showed in Jaffna at the beginning of the century to their disappointing results, this low rate of conversion was largely due to Navalar".

As the pioneer of Saiva Hindu revival in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, Arumuka Navalar was way ahead of his times. Plunging headlong into a Saiva Hindu society (besieged by Christian attacks and conversions done forcibly or economically), Navalar worked as a religious reformer to remove all superstitions and ills that plagued the Saiva Hindu community, especially the Vellalas whom he understood best (because he happened to be born in their midst).

Arumuka Navalar was the first revivalist of native traditions in Sri Lanka. He along with others like him were responsible for reviving and reforming native traditions and religions such as Hinduism that had come under long period of dormancy and attack during the previous 400 years of colonial rule by various European powers. He was influential in creating a period of intense religious transformation amongst Tamils in India and Sri Lanka. He is regarded as the father of modern Tamil prose, a defender of Saivism (a sect of Hinduism) against Christian missionary activity and the first to use the modern printing press to preserve the Tamil literary tradition. He also reformed Saiva Hinduism and focused on first reforming the superstitions of his own family’s kinship group (Vellalas) because he believed that reform, like charity, should first begin at home (i.e. amongst his own kinsmen first). His reasoning was: “How can one dream of reforming all of society if one does not start with reforming one’s own family/kinsmen first?”).

Navalar was born Arumugam Pillai in 1822 in Nallur. Arumuga Pillai’s father Kandhar was a Tamil poet and he was instrumental in providing a solid foundation in Tamil literature to Arumugam Pillai. His mother’s name was Sivakami and she was known for her devotion to Lord Shiva. Arumugam studied the Indian classical language Sanskrit as well as Tamil grammar. Arumugam studied English in a Christian mission run school as a day student. As he was recognized as a talented student, he was asked to stay on at the Jaffna Wesleyan Mission School to teach English and Tamil. The missionary school principal, the perceptive Peter Percival also requested Arumugam to help him translate the Bible and other Christian literature. Arumugam worked with Percival from 1841 - 1848 during which time he formulated his ideas as to what it meant to be a modern Hindu, specifically a Saiva under attack by Christian colonizers.

While Arumugam Pillai was still working on translating the Bible, he published a seminal letter in “The Morning Star” under a pseudonym in Sep, 1841. It was a comparative study of Christianity and Saivism and targeted the weakness in the argument Protestant missionaries had used against local Saiva practices.

Saiva veneration of the sacred “Shiva Lingam” (Aniconic symbol representing Lord Shiva as a Endless Column of Divine Light) was a constant source of derision, ridicule and distortion by Christian missionaries. Protestant missionaries relentlessly attacked the “Shiva Linga Worship” viz. Murthy Poojai (by contemptuously labeling it as “idol worship”) and dismissed the temple rituals of the local Saivas as devilish and of no value.

But Navalar found evidence that Christianity and Jesus himself were rooted in the temple and the temple rituals of the ancient Israelites. His letter admonished the missionaries for misrepresenting their own religion and concluded that in effect there was no difference between Christianity and Saivism as far as idol worship and temple rituals were concerned. Although “The Morning Star” editors tried to reply to the letter, the damage was done.

As he immerged himself in the study of Vedas, Agamas and Puranas, Arumugam Pillai came to the awareness that Saivas needed a clearer understanding of their own religion if they wanted to stem the tide of conversions. With this in mind he eventually relinquished the only paying job that he had with the Weslyan Mission, although Peter Percival offered him a higher salary to stay on. He also decided not to marry as he felt that it would curtail his freedom. He relinquished his patrimony and did not get any money from his four employed brothers. From then on till the end of his life, he and his projects were supported by those who believed in his cause.

To confront the obvious power of the Christian invaders and to use the instruments of industrialization to reform their own Saiva Hindu religion, in Sep 1842 two hundred Hindu men gathered at a Siva temple monastery. The group, led by Navalar, decided to open up a school to study Vedas and Agamas that would be open to all Tamils, irrespective of their caste, class or economic background.

The pioneer Navalar had set up two Hindu schools and two Hindu printing presses (the first of their kind) to counter the Christianisation of the Tamils; and struggled against Christian missionary activity on both sides of the Palk Straits as well as against unorthodox Hindu priests who were not performing the temple rituals correctly. He even admonished the Dikshitars (priests) of the famous Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram because they were practicing erroneous temple rituals that were not sanctioned by the scriptures (Agamas).

As an owner of a pioneering new school with the enormous need for original publications in Tamil prose to teach subjects for all grades, he felt an acute need for a printing press. He and his colleague Sadasiva Pillai went to Madras, India in 1849 to purchase a printing press. On the way they stopped at Tiruvavatuturai Aadheenam in Thanjavur, India, an important Saiva monastery. He was asked by the head of the monastery to preach. After listening to his preaching and understanding his unusual mastery of the knowledge of Agamas, the head of the monastery conferred on him the title Navalar (learned). This honorary degree from a prestigious Saiva monastery enhanced his position amongst Saivas and he was known as the Navalar since then.

Using the preaching methods popularized by the Methodist preachers, he became a circuit preacher. His first discourse was on December 31, 1847 at Vaideeswaran Temple in the suburb of Vannarpannai. It became weekly event on every Friday evening. In these discourses, he read from Saiva Hindu sacred texts and then preached in a manner that common people understood. He was helped by his friend Karthikeya Aiyar of Nallur and his students from his school. These discourses were known as Prasangams. The sermon topics were mostly ethical, liturgical, and theological and included the evils of adultery, drunkenness, the value of non-killing, the conduct of women, the worship of the Linga, the four initiations, the importance of giving alms, of protecting cows, and the unity of Iraivan (Kadavul or Bhagavan or Eeshvaran or Paramaatman).

Navalar exposed Christians and Hindus as well, specifically the trustees and priests of the reconstructed Nallur Kandaswami Temple in his home town because they had rebuilt the temple (destroyed by Catholics) not according to the Agamas a century ago as well as used Brahmin priests who were not initiated in the Agamas. He also opposed their worship of Vel or the weapon representing the main deity as it did not have Agamic sanction. In effect he formulated a theory to purify local Tamils of all practices that did not find sanction in a written document such as Vedas and Agamas. The lecture series and its circuit continued regularly for several years and produced a Saiva revival, for an informed piety developed and grew among many Jaffna Saivas. This was a direct tactical response to confront the Protestant’s Bible based arguments.

In the larger Madras Presidency, his aggressive preaching of a Saiva cultural heritage inspired Vellalas and Brahmins to take up the proper study of Saiva Hindu scriptures and contributed to the growing Tamil revival in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Perhaps that is why the author hates Navalar, because without Navalar, the Tamil Saiva Hindu community would have become extinct, by being swallowed up and converted either into Catholic or Protestant Christianity or Buddhism.

My humble salutations to Arumuka Navalar. I pray to our beloved Murugan to send more such Tamil Saiva saints to our sacred land.

Myth and Hidden History of Madhu Church (Mannar, Northern Sri Lanka)

The Catholic Antiquity of this so-called "Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu" (Madhu Church) is a MYTH.

At the Madhu site, there existed originally a Hindu Amman Kovil that was atleast 1850 years old, if not older. The nearby tank is still called Kovil Kulam (Temple Tank) after the Tamil name of the site.

The Buddhists co-worshipped at the same site (like in Kadirgamam) and called it a "Pattini Devale", where "Pattini" refers to Kannagi Amman and "Devale" means "Devalayam" (Kovil).

"It is essentially a forest pilgrimage...the earth of Madu is considered to posses special medical properties, hence the sanctity, resulting in the reputation that `Madhu Medicine' effects cures in cases of snake bite" (Denham : page 76f). That age-old belief has nothing to do with Roman Catholic Christianity.

Idolatry and Vandalism by Portuguese Catholics

Reverend James Cordiner has given the explanation why we do not see the old, original buildings like the old Hindu Amman Kovil at Madhu:

"It is well known that every trace of religious fabrics of the Ceylonese was obliterated with enthusiastic ardour by the idolators from Europe" [i.e. the Roman Catholic Portuguese]." (A Description of Ceylon Vol. I (p. 188))

Barely 130 years ago, Catholics gradally usurped this ancient Hindu temple (Amman Kovil) in the dense forests, desecrated the sacred icon (Durgai Amman Silai) and built a Catholic church after destroying the temple.

Hindu pilgrims used to go there because of their belief in the special healing powers ascribed to the Hindu Goddess Amman. Amman's blessing is also sought by childless women. By building a church there starting in 1876, the Catholic bishop of Jaffna conveniently appropriated the popular age-old belief in the healing powers of Amman's for the edification of Virgin Mary of the Christian faith ("Madhu Matha").

The annual Madhu Festival on July 2nd initiated by the Bishop of Jaffna dates back only to 1870. Even at that time there was no Madhu Church. The foundation stone of the Madhu Church was laid down only in 1876 CE. So, even if we take 1870 as the date of official sanctification, the history of Madhu as a site of Roman Catholic pilgrimage does not date back to more than 132 years. Recently, in 2002, local Catholic converts have legitimised their illegal control of this Madhu Amman Kovil and successfully turned this church into a grand National Basilica, with Vatican approval.

You will be advised to read the hidden history of the genocidal Catholic inquisition in Jaffna/Mannar and other parts of the Tamil kingdom in the 15th century that witnessed in the wanton destruction of the ancient Pancha-Ishwaram temples (that were discovered and reconstructed in the 20th century), forcible mass-conversions and massacres of Tamil Hindus (who refused to convert) and the remaining Hindu civilians who fled the Catholic ruled areas to the hinterland.

Read more about the Catholic desruction of the ancient Thiru Koneswaram temple: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koneswaram_temple and http://www.tamilnation.org/heritage/thirukoneswaram.htm

and the Thiru Ketheeswaram temple: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketheeswaram

and the Thiru Naguleswaram temple: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naguleswaram

The Catholic clergy ordered the beheading of the last Tamil Hindu ruler (Sangili Kumaran) and extinguished the Jaffna kingdom. His surviving family members were forcibly converted to Catholicism and their descendants are shamelessly Catholic today, even though they are aware of the past history.

The same is true of all Tamil Catholic converts who today hypocritically will bow to a foreign white-skinned Pope, but shameless spurn a return to their glorious Hindu Saivite history. For the convert, the Bible becomes sacred but the Tirumurai, Thevarams and Bhagavad Geethai are useless junk.

The Catholics have been like the green snake in the grass for us Tamil Hindus.... Invisible, Deadly and Deceitful.

The murdered Hindu Religious Affairs minister Thiagarajah Maheswaran made many enemies in the Church which was angered that this outspoken Hindu devotee dared to do three things:

a) Maheswaran instituted an anti-conversion legislation in the Sri Lankan parliament.

b) Maheswaran pointed out that over 7000 poor, traumatised Tamil Hindu families had already been converted to Christianity in the past ten years in the refugee camps in the North East, as well as among the tea plantation workers in the Central Provinces. The bait was food, jobs and homes but if refused, the missionaries' threats were dire.

c) Maheswaran cited many incidents in Amparai, Batticaloa, Mannar, Vavuniya and Jaffna, where the foreign relief agencies allegedly put up churches during reconstruction work

In another tragic incident, in January 2005, three Hindus were killed and thirty eight persons were injured when Christian assailants threw two hand-grenades on a Hindu funeral ceremony for Tsunami victims in Vahaneri (northwest of Batticaloa town). An eight year old boy was among the three people who were killed. The three persons who were killed were: Mr. P. Mahenthiran (38), Mr. T. Tirusan (8), and Mr. N. Ananthan (24).Two suspected Christian assailants were arrested for the killings, which occurred in an area plagued by conversion-driven tension.

The three decades long civil war and the Tsunami has provided an easy way for the Catholics and Evangelicals to convert poor, traumatised Tamil Hindu refugees by offering them food, jobs and money as bait. The Tamil Diaspora and Colombo elite prefer to look the other way, distracted by the civil war and cricket matches.

Tamil Hindus are waiting for another Arumuga Navalar to emerge in their midst to reconvert all the prodigal Tamils who fell prey to the white man’s economic carrot and mimicked the white man's religion only to thow away their very own.

See: http://www.tamilnation.org/sathyam/east/navalar_hudson.htm

Tamil Hindus must unite and organize themselves to accomplish the following goals:

a) Encourage and welcome Tamil Christian converts to revert to their ancestral Hindu Saivite faith

b) Prevent future Christian conversions by opening more Hindu schools, orphanages, seva groups, bhajanai manrams and serve free food in the refugee camps

c) Reclaim the Madhu Hindu Amman Kovil back for Hindu worship.

d) Demand an apology from the Vatican Pope for the destruction of the Pancha-Eeswaram temples, forcible mass-conversions and massacres of Tamil Hindus.

Now, this would be a true tribute to Arumuga Navalar's memory.