SENARATH PARANAVITANA

SENARATH PARANAVITANA

Born on 26 December 1896, at Mataramba in the District of Galle, the name of Senerat Paranavitana will be remembered with respect for ages to come by the scholars, archaeologists, historians and the lover of national culture. After over half a century of dedicated and invaluable service to the scholarly world, he passed away at his Nugegod residence on 04 October.1973. His father was Abraham Paranavitana and he had four elder brother.

As was the practice at his time he was initiated to the learning of Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit at a Buddhist temple, namely Yatagala Vihara and then at Vidyavardhana Pirivena, Ranwalagoda. For his formal education he was admitted to Hettigoda Methodist School. He had his secondary education at Buona Vista College, Unawatuna.

After passing his eighth standard at Buona Vissta Collage, he worked as a teacher for a short period at Mihiripenna Sinhala School and then at Udugampola Vidyalaya.

In 1923 he returned to the country and resumed work at the Department of Archaeology. From 1932 to 1935 he served as the acting Commissioner of archaeology. In 1940, he rose to the position of Commissioner of Archaeology. He held this post till 1957 the year of his retirement. The same year he was appointed Professor of Archaeology at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya.

His fame spread not only in this country of birth, but all over the world. His eminence in scholarship prompted a Peradeniya, Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara Universities conferred upon him doctorates.

He was undoubtedly the greatest archaeologist; Sri Lanka has ever produced. His monumental, work Sigiri Graffiti alone is ample testimony to his erudition and the spirit of scientific inquiry The publication includes besides the texts and translation of the Sigiri verses a full scale examination of the peculiarities of language, grammar and the literary quality of the wall writings.

The stupa in Ceylon is another scholarly presentation of the study of the history and the art of building stupas. Sinhalayo, Ceylon and Malaysia, Abridged History of Ceylon, History of Ceylon an Oxford University publication co-authored with a panel of writers, the Editors-in-chief of which was Prof.H.C. Ray are his other outstanding works. In addition, numerous were the learned articles he had contributed to prestigious magazines.

After his death, the ashes were deposited at the foot of sigiriya rock which for a long time formed the focal point of his research studies.