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A temple in Tamil Nadu long believed to be Hindu turns out to be a Buddhist shrine!
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, August 6: What was believed to be and worshipped as a Hindu village deity for ages in Tamil Nadu is in fact the Buddha, an archaeological probe ordered by the Madras High Court has revealed.Now, the ‘temple’ in Salem district shall be converted into a Buddhist site and the village deity Thalavetti Muniappan will be worshipped as the Buddha from now on. No pooja or other Hindu rituals will be permitted there anymore.
Madras High Court Justice N Anand Venkatesh said: “The Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department shall erect a board inside the property by depicting the sculpture inside the property as the Buddha. The general public can be permitted to visit this place, and it shall be ensured that no poojas or other ceremonies are allowed to be performed for the sculpture of the Buddha.”
In 2011, P Ranganathan moved the High Court saying the Thalavetti Muniyappan Temple on Kottai Mariamman Temple Campus, Kottai Road Periyeri village in Salem district is a Buddhist site.
He said that it should be handed over to the Salem-based Buddha Trust. On November 20, 2017, the court directed the state archaeological department to inspect the temple and file a report.Though the petitioner had died, the case was pending before the court when the report was filed, validating the claim that it was indeed a Buddha idol, and that people had been worshipping it as a Hindu village deity due to mistaken identity.
After perusing the report, Justice Anand Venkatesh said: “It is clear from the report that the sculpture clearly depicts the Buddha. In view of the categorical report, the assumption of the HR & CE Department that it is a temple is no longer sustainable and control must go into the hands of some other authority.”
The court then directed the government counsel to ascertain the appropriate authority to take over.The government counsel argued that the place had been treated as a temple of Thalaivetti Muniappan for a considerable period, and that the court could permit the HR & CE department to retain control of the place by treating it as a Hindu temple. The judge rejected the plea.
The judge said: “After having received such a report, it will not be appropriate to permit the HR & CE department to continue to treat this sculpture as Thalaivetti Muniappan. The mistaken identity cannot be allowed to continue after coming to a conclusion that the sculpture is that of the Buddha. In view of the same, the original status must be restored and permitting the HR & CE Department to continue to treat the sculpture as Thalaivetti Muniappan, will not be appropriate, and it will go against the very tenets of Buddhism.”
The court then directed the Principal Secretary and the Commissioner of the Tamil Nadu archaeological department to take control of the place.Buddhism was popular in the region in modern-day Tamil Nadu around the third century BCE during the rule of Emperor Ashoka. It flourished under various ruling regimes until the advent of Bhakti movement during the sixth-ninth centuries when the royal patronage decreased.
During the rule of Chola Emperor Raja Raja Chola, there were endowments to Buddhist shrines in Nagapattinam during the 11th century. The bronze Buddhist images found around Nagapattinam region dating back to the 13th century and the religious texts by eminent Buddhists during the time indicate the presence of the religion during the period.
Historians also attribute that Buddhism was not only restricted to big cities like Kanchipuram and Madurai, but also smaller ones like Perambalur where the images are present. The set of images in the village are approximately dated to the 11th century. Thyaganur is counted among Madurai, Kanchipuram, Nagapattinam, Uraiyur, Kaveripattinam and Perambalur among famous Buddhist centres in Tamil Nadu. Another view is that Buddhism was prevalent in Chola period as found in the inscriptions and images found in various places in the modern-day Trichy, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Karur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Pudukottai districts.
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US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
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Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
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CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.