Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Sri Lankan History, Cultural Heritage, Archaeology

Book Review:
Professor W.I. Siriweera's ''Heritage of Sri Lanka'' is a wonderfully accessible and informative handbook that opens up the island's rich historical and cultural legacy to a wide audience. Written with the clarity and authority of a distinguished scholar, this book achieves its stated objective of ''popularizing historical knowledge'' without sacrificing depth or accuracy.

What makes this book so valuable is its remarkable breadth. Siriweera covers an impressive array of topics, moving seamlessly from the sacred to the secular, from the monumental to the everyday. He provides concise yet informative essays on historically important places that are central to the island's identity: the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, the cradle of Buddhism at Mihintale, the multi-religious pilgrimage site of Kataragama, the enigmatic peak of Adam's (Sri Pada), and the strategic harbor of Trincomalee.

But the book's scope extends far beyond famous sites. It also delves into the ancient cities, the engineering marvels of the reservoir (tank) civilization, ancient hospitals, ports, and even the ships that once plied the Indian Ocean trade routes. Siriweera brings the texture of daily life in the past into focus by exploring topics like slash-and-burn (chena) cultivation, the historic pearl fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar, and traditional fishing techniques.

The book also ventures into the realm of ritual and belief, discussing fascinating local practices such as ''Kem'' (rituals for specific aims) and the ''Mutti Mangalyaya'' (pot-breaking ceremony). As the preface notes, even a specialist will find this publication useful, as it compiles data under particular themes that have not been brought together in earlier writings.

''Heritage of Sri Lanka'' is the perfect introduction for anyone—student, traveler, or curious reader—who wants to begin exploring the layers of history that have shaped this island nation. It is a concise, reliable, and engaging guide to the treasures of the past.