Features
The Chay root
by Jennifer Moragoda
The whole of this island [Mannar] is low ground, exhibiting a mixture of shells and sand…the soil being hardly susceptible of any sort of culture and the water generally impregnated with salt… In the most wild and uncultivated part of the sandy tracts the best chaya root is produced.
(Simon Casie Chitty, 1834)
An Ideal Habitat
In the arid, inhospitable, saltine conditions of Mannar, few plants of commercial value thrive. Yet, in the past, one plant native to Mannar was an important commodity. Oldenlandia umbellata, which was known in Sri Lanka variously as chayaver, xaya, saya, say, chaya or chay, also grew in other parts of the island as well as in parts of coastal India. Chay was much in demand in fabric production centres, primarily on the Coromandel Coast of India — but also in the North of Sri Lanka. The lustrous and durable red it could produce was highly prized. In the hands of the most experienced and highly-skilled artisans, and in combination with other natural dyes and mordants, fine hand-printed cotton cloths with a rich palette of colour and intricate patterns were produced for export to markets throughout the world. This craft reached its zenith during the 17th-18th centuries. From early times, Mannar was an important centre for the collection and trade of this dyestuff. In fact, during Dutch times it even served as the heraldic emblem on the coat-of-arms of Mannar.
Chay is a low growing biennial herb, often somewhat woody and much branched, growing up to 30-50 cm tall. It has a very long yellow-red taproot, growing up to a length of 90 cm and small, pinkish-white flowers. The red colourant used in dyeing is obtained from the bark of the root. Oldenlandia umbellata contains alizarin as its sole colorant, which accounts for its dyeing superiority over other red-producing plants included in the Rubiaceae family which in the past were referred to generally (but less precisely) as Madder. In addition to its use as a dye, O. umbellata has been and continues to be used in traditional medicine in Sri Lanka (and in India and China) for the treatment of ailments including asthma and bronchitis.
Chay is said to thrive in soils rich in calcium. The calcium is absorbed by the root, and this in turn helps unleash its latent potential as it reacts with mordants used in the dyeing process to impart a durable and rich colour and fine lustre to cotton cloths. According to several sources, in its wild habitat the chay plant has shorter roots, yet yields one-fourth to one- third more colouring matter than when cultivated. The wild root was therefore preferred by dyers and mature two-year old plants were held to be the best.
Given their coral and shell-laden sandy soils, Mannar – and the Jaffna Islands of Karaitivu and Delft in particular – provided ideal habitats for chay. Dutch records state that chay from these areas was considered to be the best sources in Sri Lanka as these could impart a fine colour and lustrous finish to fabric. Chay growing in other parts of the North, while also used, did not yield such fine results. Henderick Becker, in his Memoir to Isaac Augustyn Rumpf dated 1718, stipulates that only the chay from Mannar, Delft, Karaitivu and Moelly(?) must be used in the “finer cloths…intended for the Fatherland and for Batavia” unless in cases of absolute necessity.
The Chay Rent & Diggers in Mannar
In Mannar, a group known as the Kadaiyars, carried out the digging, cleaning, drying and packing of the chay root. According to Markus Vink, the Kadaiyars were a Christian subdivision of the Pallars, a group who also lived along the Ramnad and Madurai Coasts of India. Casie Chitty stated that “according to traditions current among the natives, the island (Mannar) was in early times their (the Kadaiyars) hereditary property and exclusively occupied by them, subject to the king of Jaffna.” He also records that Totawelly (Toddavali) a small village three miles from Mannar town was “solely inhabited by that class of people who dig for chaya roots which abound in the neighbourhood”.
It is recorded that the Kadaiyars were “the poorest of all the inhabitants,” earning “meagre compensation for their labour,” barely earning enough income from their work to “derive a sustenance of dry rice,” and were obliged to work for the Dutch for eight months of the year in what was termed “uriyam” service. It is therefore understandable that, according to Dutch records, some chay root diggers tried to escape this obligation by fleeing to the Vanni.
The digging season in Mannar would commence in the month of January when the rains had subsided and continued until September. The rain helped to soften the soil, which was mostly a mixture of loamy earth and clay, making it easier to dig out the deep taproot. The diggers would usually start work in areas with these soils and end with the areas comprised of sandy ground. After harvesting, the root needed to be dried before use. If kept in a dark place, the efficacy of the chay root was said to rapidly deteriorate.
The practice of auctioning the right to collect and trade chay to private individuals known as the xaya rent was institutionalized by the Portuguese based on a tradition that had been followed in earlier times in the island. This practice, too, was followed by the Dutch in their turn, and then by the British. The monopoly was abandoned by the British and all taxes on the trade were abolished in 1831 as the demand for the dyestuff plummeted due to the introduction of cheap synthetic dyes to the market.
During Dutch rule Mannar was the principal centre for the collection and trade of chay root and a special department was established by them for the supervision of this work. Various measures were put in place to ensure a sufficient yield of the dye root. For example, lands where chay grew wild were not allowed to be ploughed for domesticated crops until the roots had been gathered, nor before the seeds of the chay plant had matured. And, on the northern side of the island, the roots were collected before the winds of the Southwest monsoon could bury them.
The Dutch relied for a large part of their chay from Mannar. In 1665, it was estimated that Mannar could produce more than 150,000 lbs. of chay root. However, at times the Dutch appear to have faced some challenges in obtaining enough quantities of the dye root to meet their fabric production requirements due to drought or the lack of manpower. Dutch Governor Baron van Imhoff stated in his memoir to his successor Willem Maurits Bruynink in 1740, that he raised the quantity to be supplied by the diggers by 30% for the next harvest.
Local Fabric Dyeing Using Chay Root
Casie Chitty wrote that Mannar was the principal town where the dyeing of cloths using chay root took place and that it was only practised in the Northern Province. Writing in 1834 he noted that there was a street in Mannar town known as “Painter Street” which was still occupied by persons of the dyeing caste. Later, in 1894, Trimens noted that this root was still being gathered “to a small extent” and “a village in Mannar is wholly occupied by a caste who dyes cloths with it”. We also know from the Dutch records that chay from Mannar was used in Jaffna for the dyeing of red cloths for export to Holland and Batavia.
Coomaraswamy1 writing in 1906 stated that chay was “one of the three plants most extensively used for dyeing in Ceylon,” the other two being jak (Artocarpus integrifolia) and patangi wood (Caesalpinia sappan). These latter two were used primarily in the dyeing of the robes of Buddhist monks and in rush and palm mats. He also stated that chay was the principal dyestuff used for the traditional heraldic and dewala flags produced in Jaffna for the Kandyan market.
A detailed description of the various methods, materials and tools used in the North for dyeing and printing fabrics using chay root left to us by S. Kantiseru in 1906 provides valuable information. We also have some European accounts from the 17th and 18th centuries of the dye methods used in the Coromandel factories which are interesting for comparison.
Key Steps in Traditional Chay-root Dyeing
In order to fix the red colour of chay onto cotton, the cloth needed to be treated in a tannic solution before being processed in the chay dye bath. Sources state that gallnut and aralu (Terminala chebula) were two tannins commonly used in Sri Lanka. To obtain a durable vibrant red, artisans boiled the cloths in a solution of chay root in three separate stages, each one at a progressively higher temperature. To obtain a dark red, alum was added to the dye bath. Kantiseru points out that sometimes short cuts were taken which resulted in an inferior colour which faded quickly.
To create outlines and highlights on the cloth, alum and iron were the principal mordants (karam) variously applied before dyeing in the chay solution. Alum in combination with iron was used to obtain black and purple, while a range of reds, from pink to scarlet and dark red could be obtained by applying a varying concentration of alum. A pen-like instrument (munkitturi) made from split bamboo with a ball of hair tied around the shaft acted as a reservoir for the mordant. The artisan regulated the flow of the latter by squeezing the reservoir. Beeswax as a resist was sometimes applied selectively to areas to prevent dye penetration during the different stages of the dyeing process. A tool which looked like a trident with a bar attached to the ends of each prong (kammiyattuuriakkal) was used to apply the wax to help create borders.
Post-script
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in natural dyes as a new more ecologically attuned generation recognizes their value over chemical dyes on environmental, health, and aesthetic grounds. Concurrently, scientific discoveries isolating the chemical properties of specific natural dyes and advances in technology have helped overcome some of the challenges and unpredictability of natural dyes. In India, scientists have been experimenting with chay, equipped with this new knowledge. Therefore, over 300 years after its international heyday, perhaps we have not seen the last of chay as a dyestuff.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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