Sri Lankan Tamil National Anthem..

Tomorrow is the 72nd Independence Day for Sri Lanka; Sri Lankan government is getting ready to celebrate it in a gala manner as always. yet the complications spun around singing the National Anthem in Tamil, One of Sri Lanka’s two official language is yet unsolved.

To Be honest, If I’d have been in my homeland, i wouldn’t have bothered if it is sung in Tamil or not. But being away from home makes you more patriotic, and it’s a proven fact. When somebody talks with me in Hindi, ask me if I am an Indian, or simply say ‘Namaste’ (we do have somewhat similar physical features to our neighbor), I politely smile and say, I am from ‘Ilangai’. It’s in the blood I guess. You can’t deny you are a Sri Lankan, it’s your native soil. Knowingly or unknowingly you’ll be having that feeling within you, and will have some ‘so Sri Lankan’ characteristics, (which most of the time we don’t acknowledge)

When the so-called ‘Yahalpanaya’ came to power, the National anthem was sung in Tamil after a very long time. That was on 2016 Feb 04th. Genuinely, that gave a special kind of happiness when we witnessed it. My parents were visibly in joy. and it gave a good feel, making us think like we are really a part of Sri Lanka unlike what the Majority thinks

Today (03.02.20)also, former Minister for national integration Mr. Mano Ganeshan has requested to sing the National Anthem in Tamil stating that ‘The Tamil National Anthem is not just another song, but the Sri Lankan Identity of the Tamil Speaking community, which is the need of the hour’ fair enough

So, singing the Tamil National Anthem, what does it brings or what does it do to the ‘Ilangai Thamilargal’ i.e. Sri Lankan Tamil?

• It’s our right to sing the anthem in Tamil.
• It gives an identity to us, Sri Lankan Tamils.
• majority of the Tamils in Lanka do not know the complete Sinhala version of the anthem
• Tamil anthem is almost the direct translation of the Sinhala one
• It gives a sense of respect to us Tamils
• Most Tamils, we’ve been singing the anthem in Tamil only from our school days
• It’s always better to sing in the mother tongue
• It’s politically correct too, for a small country with two major languages, irrespective of the glut of defending by criticizers, that in many countries national anthem is only sung in one language.
• Singing the National Anthem in Tamil is not unconstitutional and not against the common traditions followed by other countries (https://www.ft.lk/columns/Joy-of-singing-the-National-Anthem-in-Sinhala-and-Tamil-An-appeal-to-the-President/4-692481)
• Its always better to respect our linguistic rights
• Last not least, nobody is going to lose anything by singing in Tamil

Additionally, Dishani Senaratne is an independent scholar and published writer, in her article written in the ‘Diplomat’ online edition ( 22.11. 2019) states that ‘Respecting the linguistic rights of all communities is one of the ways to avoid the past mistake of language discrimination. In this light, the Tamil national anthem is an important litmus test: If the Tamil version of the national anthem is ever banned, it is likely to set a dangerous precedent to the rights of minorities’.( https://thediplomat.com/2019/11/the-fate-of-sri-lankas-tamil-national-anthem/)

While Harsha Gunasena on his ‘my column in FT (28.12.2019-link below)apprises that “ In the first constitution of independent Sri Lanka referred as Soulbury Constitution, there was no reference to the National Anthem. However, at the Independence Day celebrations held on 4 February 1949 the present National Anthem was sung in both Sinhala and Tamil as national songs”

views, thoughts and opinions expressed in the article are my own except the quotes