Les Combles Des Maures De Ceylon

Les musulmans du Sri Lanka ont été une intrinsèque de la communauté sri-lankaise
depuis l’avènement de l’Islam et l’exploration du commerce Arabe, Indien, Perse et
d’autres commerçants musulmans sur l’île. Le Sri Lanka a été connu sous plusieurs
noms, l’île a été appelée Serendib en arabe qui signifie « île de bijou », l’existence de
l’île a été connu par les Arabes depuis une longue période. Il y a eu des musulmans
au Sri Lanka depuis des millénaires. Les disques historiques indiquent la présence
marchande arabe dans la ceinture costale de l’île même avant l’origine de l’Islam.On
dit que les relations entre les commerçants arabes et les indigènes de l’île étaient
extrêmement cordiaux.

Au Ier siècle ap J-C les Romains ont découvert la valeur marchande du Sri Lanka.
Puis l’île a été visitée par des Grecs, des Perses, des Arabes, et des commerçants
Chinois. A ce temps-là, les marchandises sri-lankais étaient la cannelle, les pierres
précieuses, les perles, les éléphants et l’ivoire. Au III ème siècle ap J-C, le rabais fiscal
de l’Empire Romain a causé une baisse périodique dans leur commerce. Les Arabes
et les Perses ont sauté sur l’occasion pour remplir le vide et se sont engagés dans un
commerce inter-côtier rapidement florissant. Après le triomphe de la Perse, de la
Syrie et de l’Egypte, les Arabes ont dirigé tous les ports importants et stations
marchandes entre l’est et l’ouest. Les Arabes du Golfe étaient venus directement sur
l’île pour le commerce, la migration significative et les règlements. Ils sont venus par
l’intermédiaire de la côte de Malabar dans ce qui est maintenant le Kerala. Ceci
apporte à notre esprit les histoires du Sinbad légendaire. On suppose que les
premiers négociants et marins musulmans ont débarqué sur les rivages sri-lankais
pendant l’ère naissante de l’Islam.

Les premiers Mohammadians qui ont occupés le Ceylan, étaient les membres de la
Maison des Hashims qui se sont enfui pendant la persécution des Califes tyranniques
dans la première partie du VIIIe siècle. Les premiers commerçants arabes qui ont
visité le Ceylan se sont installés dans la ceinture côtière se concentrant
principalement dans les villes du Sud-Ouest du pays. Cependant les traces de liens
arabes avec le Ceylan étaient évidentes bien avant que les chroniques ont été
fermés. Sulaiman, un commerçant arabe et un explorateur, raconte sa visite au
Ceylan en 850 ap J.-C. On mentionne un pèlerinage vers le Sommet d’Adam. On ne
peut pas penser à un Arabe, ignorant de la langue des habitants indigènes d’un pays,
contrairement à ses gens à tous égards en ce qui concerne des habitudes, la douane,
le régime et des observances, entreprenant un voyage long et périlleux dans le coeur
d’un pays inconnu. Ceci suggère sûrement que les Arabes étaient dans le pays depuis
quelque temps et on les a reconnus comme habitants du Ceylan et ils ont exercé
l’influence, donc permis de voyager loin dans la sécurité et le confort.

Cinquante ans plus tard, l’année 900 ans de notre ère. Il est relaté par un autre
Arabe, nommé Abou Zaid, qui soutient les histoires de Cosmas et Sulaiman et décrit
le port toujours florissant de Kalah maintenant connu comme Galle. Les narrations
de Zaid sont basées sur les expériences d’autres voyageurs, un de ce qui était Ibn
Wahab qui a inclus “Serendib” dans ses voyages. Wahab comme ses prédécesseurs a
fait des observations prudentes et a rassemblé beaucoup d’informations par rapport
au Lanka antique, car il peut nous dire que le Maya Rata ou “le Pays de Poivre ou
(Poivron)”, une des trois divisions les plus vieilles du Ceylan, a été placé entre Galle
sur la côte et le Ruhuna Rata dans le Sud-est.

L’implantation de Maures dans la ceinture côtière du Ceylan s’est concentré
principalement dans les villes du Sud-Ouest du pays et il a noté que la première
implantation Musulmane était dans un règlement de port au Sri Lanka occidental qui
a été nommé Berbereen maintenant connu comme Beruwala dans l’honneur du
voyageur berbère qui a fondé la ville. Et le deuxième était dans une zone appelée
Alutgamaweedia qui a été par la suite nommé la ville Dharga en années 1940 par les
Musulmans de cette ville. La mosquée au Beruwala a la preuve archéologique
indiquant ses origines historiques.

La troisième implantation dans la région était dans Weligama une ville plus au sud
de Berberyn. Son nom arabe a connu cette ville comme comme As Salawat. Le plus
grand massacre de Musulmans dans l’île par les portugais a été commis ici à
Weligama où au moins 10,000 soldats arabes et leurs familles ont été abattus
impitoyablement par les portugais qui était renommé pour leur barbarie vers ceux
qui ont refusé de se convertir au Christianisme. Les noms de famille des Musulmans
actuels dans la région affirment la première généalogie.

Habitué aux conditions locales de façons diverses les Musulmans ont contribués
largement avec leurs talents, richesse et ont aidé au développement et au progrès
du pays d’une façon paisible et confortable, s’ intégrant dans la société et se
mélangeant dans l’environnement local.

Vers le Xème siècle les sociétés de commerce Arabe ont été bien établies au Sri
Lanka, particulièrement aux villes côtières de l’île, jouissant de la faveur des
dirigeants et du maintien de relations cordiales avec les habitants locaux. Dans cette
ère les Cinghalais n’ont pas été intéressé par le commerce et ont été apaisé dans le
bétail de levée et l’agriculture. Le commerce était ainsi grand ouvert aux
Musulmans. Les rois Cinghalais ont considéré les règlements Musulmans favorable à
cause du revenu qu’ils les ont apportés par leurs contacts à l’étranger, tant dans le
commerce que dans la politique. L’histoire estime que, jusqu’au XIVéme siècle, les
Cingalais n’était pas familier dans l’échelle massive filant et entrelaçant de tissu.
Bien sûr, il y avait le métier à tisser manuel antique et la quenouille, mais la
production était insuffisante pour satisfaire aux exigences de la population entière.
En conséquence, ils ont dû dépendre de l’Inde pour leurs vêtements. Pendant ce
temps le roi cingalais a livré des manifestes accordant la récompense à n’importe
quel individu qui passerait en Inde et amèneraient un certain artisan qualifié dans le
but de présenter l’art de fabrication de tissu dans le Ceylan. A ce temps, un habitant
de Maures de Beruwella, motivé par l’offre tentant a fait le voyage à travers le
Détroit de Palk et a apporté avec lui un lot de huit tisserands de la caste de
Salagama, d’un endroit appelé Saliapatanam.

Alors que l’histoire continue les huit personnes renvoyées à ont été droguées et
garanties à bord. Ils se sont rendus compte qu’ils ont été transportés dans un pays
étranger seulement à leur réveil à des millers kilomètres en mer. Malheuresement,
deux des victimes plutôt que d’être les sujets d’une telle tromperie, ont sautée en
mer et n’ont jamais été retrouvé . On a accordé aux tisserands restants un accueil
chaleureux à leur arrivée dans le Ceylan. En temps utile ils ont été présentés au roi
qui les a traités avec chaque bonté pour les inciter à commencer la réalisation de
leur métier localement. Ils étaient au cas de la Cour, se sont mariés avec les femmes
de distinction et des maisons données avec les terres. Une manufacture a été établi
pour eux à proximité du Palais Royal.

La courtoisie et l’utilité des Maures se sont attirés dans la faveur royale. Ceci a acquis
une autorité plus haute qu’ils ont eue l’habitude d’accorder pour leur capacité au
plus complet dans leur territoire le long de la côte.

Il y a aussi un rapport dans l’histoire du Sri Lanka d’un Dirigeant Musulman, Vathimi
le Raja, qui a régné à Kurunegala ,la Province Centrale du Nord au XIV ème siècle. Ce
facteur ne peut pas être retrouvé dans les réserves de l’histoire, par leur omission,
pour des raisons inconnues, par des auteurs modernes. Vathimi le Raja était le fils du
roi Bhuvaneka Bahu Ier, et d’une mère Musulmane, la fille d’un des chefs. Le fils
cingalais du roi Bhuvaneka Bahu Ier, Parakrama Bahu III, l’héritier réel du trône était
couronné à Dambadeniya sous le nom de Pandita Parakrama Bahu III. Pour se
débarrassé de son demi- frère, Vathimi le Raja, il a ordonné d’arracher ses yeux. Il
est tenu que l’auteur du Mahavansa (l’histoire antique du Ceylan) avait supprimé
l’enregistrement de cet incident honteux. Le traducteur britannique, Mudaliyar
Wijesinghe déclare que l’original Ola le scénario de feuille a été physiquement
enlevé des écritures et de la fiction insérée au lieu de cela. Le voyageur arabe Ibn
Batuta a vu le Raja Vathimi aveuglé aussi connu comme Bhuvaneka Bahu II ou Al-
Konar, abrégé d’Al-Langar-Konar, signifiant le Chef de Lanka d’Alakeshwara pendant
sa visite à l’île en 1344. Son fils nommé Parakrama Bahu II (Alakeshwara II) était aussi
un Musulman. L’origine de rois d’Alakeshwara (d’origine Musulmane) s’est finie en
1410. Bien que tous les rois pendant ce règne ne puissent pas avoir été des
Musulmans, on peut considérer l’absence du préfixe-Shri Sangha Bodhi-(le
rapportant aux disciples de Bouddha) au nom de ces rois sur les inscriptions sur
pierre pendant les cent période de l’année, comme un indicateur qu’ils n’étaient pas
des Bouddhistes. Plus loin pendant que Ibn Batutas rend visite au dirigeant
Musulman appelé Jalasthi, est rapporté pour avoir tenu Colombo sous sa prise, avec
une garnison d’environ 500 Abyssins.

Le Sri-Lanka Colonial

L’afflux des portugais dans les années 1505 a affligé les Musulmans dans leur statut,
dont ils se sont jamais remis, vu que les portugais les ont considérés comme leur
adversaire dans le commerce et des ennemis dans la foi. Quand les portugais ont
d’abord apparu sur les rivages Sri lankais, les Musulmans ont averti le roi, Sangha, la
noblesse et le peuple, de la menace potentielle à la souveraineté du pays. La
rivalerie entre ces portugais et les Maures était inégal, car les portugais ont été
formé et discipliné pour être des soldats compétents en armes, bien équipées et
ayant acquis des méthodes de guerre modernes inouïes. De part, les Maures étaient
seulement paisibles et travailleuses. L’histoire nous montre que les portugais ont
essayé de prendre possesion de Colombo, les Musulmans se sont même fourni des
armes à feu, se sont battu côte à côte avec les cingalais et ont même utilisé leur
influence avec des pouvoirs de l’Inde du sud pour obtenir de l’aide militaire et
assister les dirigeants cingalais. Les portugais ont expulsés les Musulmans de
Colombo et ont interdis l’adoration d’une autre religion. Ils s’installent au Colombo
et commence une campagne vigoureuse de la Croix. Les Maures ont été soumises à
chaque torture et humiliation.

Les Maures ont fait un effort énorme pour reprendre leur fort, continuant une
attaque puissante gardant les étrangers absents pour peu de temps. Après un
combat intrépide de la part des Maures, ils ont été forcés de réaliser leur défaite
face à la supériorité des armes que les portugais possédés. Motivés par ce succès et
crainte d’une attaque conséquente, les portugais ont continué à ériger une usine et
reconstruire le vieux fort de boue des Maures. Le fort a été entièrement reconstruit
en pierre; les Cingalais et les Maures ont fait tout ce qui était possible d’empêcher le
travail étant effectué, mais ont été brutalement vaincu.

Rajasinghe II, le roi de Kandy désirant se débarrasser des portugais qui ont gouverné
la plupart de la zone côtière de l’île, a fait un traité avec les hollandais en 1638 qui
avait à ce moment-là la plus grande flotte marchande dans le monde. Les conditions
principales du traité consistaient en ce que le hollandais devrait livrer les zones
côtières qu’ils captureront au roi Kandyan et le roi devrait accorder un monopole au
hollandais sur le commerce dans l’île entière. L’accord a été convenu par les deux
partis, cependant la conséquence était seulement la substitution d’un pouvoir
colonial d’un à autre. En1660 les hollandais ont contrôlé l’île entière sauf le royaume
de Kandy et ce n’est qu’en 1656 que Colombo est tombé.

Pendant la période hollandaise,les Malays forme un élément substantiel de la
communauté Musulmane, en venant au Ceylan. Presque tous les premiers
immigrants malais étaient des soldats, affichés par l’administration coloniale
hollandaise au Sri Lanka, qui ont décidé de s’installer sur l’île. Plus d’immigrants ont
débarqués, comme les prisonniers ou les membres de maisons nobles de l’Indonésie
qui ont exilés au Sri Lanka et ne sont jamais reparti. Quand les hollandais ont
capitulé aux Anglais, les soldats malais ont joint les troupes britanniques et se sont
installés dans le Ceylan. Leur identité séparée a été préservée par la langue malaise
qui inclut de nombreux mots absorbés du cingalais et la variante Maure du Tamoul.

Quand les hollandais ont apparu et ont persécuté les Musulmans dans leurs
règlements côtiers, les Musulmans ont couru au Royaume Kandyan. Senerat et
Rajasimha II ont installé ces Musulmans dans la côte Orientale. Les hollandais qui
ont supprimé ces dirigents du littoral n’ont rien préparé pour donner aux
Musulmans, même pas une petite part de leurs gains commerciaux et des
règlements ,annoncés pour les réprimer. Une loi a été passé interdisant la résidence
des Maures dans le voisinage des villes de Galle, Matara et Weligama. C’était au
moment où Galle était le port d’escale en chef pour l’île, Matara et Weligama était
aussi des centres d’affaires importants. Les difficultés de cette loi forcée sur le
commerce des Maures, les affligeait excessivement. Les hollandais avait un tact a
ruiné les activités de leurs rivaux dans la mesure du possible pendant plus de 140
ans. Les hollandais, comme les portugais, ont répété leur tentatives infructueuses à
prendre Kandy sous leur contrôle.

Les britannique ont éjecté les hollandais en 1796 et en 1802, le Sri Lanka est devenu
une colonie de la couronne. En 1815 les anglais ont gagné le contrôle de Kandy. Ils
n’ont pas suivi la politique de conversion abhorrante effectuée par les portugais vers
la christiannisme.Et n’ont pas été aussi dure que les hollandais dans leurs
exploitations financières.

Autour de 1804, l’alliance entre le roi cingalais et le gouvernement maritime a été si
enfermée que l’on s’est attendu à une éruption d’hostilités. On l’a donc considéré
imprudent de régler le paiement de l’impôt principal et de ainsi contrarier les
Maures qui pourraient être utile aux Anglais de façons innombrables indique, Lorna
Dewaraja dans son livre. En Inde les Musulmans sont devenus une arme puissante
dans les mains des Anglais; un allié qui pourrait être utilisé à leur avantage de saper
le pouvoir et l’influence du roi de Kandy. La proclamation du Gouverneur Frederick
North de 1799 préservant les lois applicables aux Musulmans et le code de loi
Mohammadian a effectué en 1806, était une tentative de convaincre les Musulmans
de leur identité séparée. Même l’abolition de la capitation sur des Musulmans,
imposés par les hollandais, que le gouverneur North décrit comme « un impôt
oppressant et honteux sur une race travailleuse » et n’ont pas été motivé par des
considérations purement humanitaires.

Il est aussi exposé que les Maures de Ceylan ont été pour la première fois nommées
aux rangs natals. Un des tous premiers de ceux-ci était Hadjee de “Velassy” le
distingué, même si peu de Maures sont connues.
Un individu plus populaire était le Scheik d’Uduman Lebbe Marikar Abdul Cader, le
grand-père de dernier I.L.M.Abdul Azeez, qui en son jour était un membre en vue de
la Communauté des Maures. “Sekady Marikar” par lequel le nom il était mieux
connu.Le 10 juin 1818 il a été nommé à la tête des Maures de Colombo par sir
Robert Brownigg. Plusieurs autres nominations ont suivis peu après et les Maures
ont été non seulement proclamés en tant que chefs dans les parties différentes des
Provinces maritimes, mais assignés aussi dans le service public.

Comme mentionné dans la partie précédente les Musulmans dans les règlements
côtiers ont couru au Royaume Kandyan des hollandais qui les ont torturés dans
toutes les chaînes. Senerat (1604-1635) et Rajasimha II (1635-1687) ont installés ces
Musulmans. Lorna Dewaraja déclare qu’il est aussi possible que les Musulmans qui
négociaient dans le royaume au XVII siècle, aient au moins été déjà associés au
madige à l’époque quand les pêcheurs y ont été affiliés. Le roi cingalais dans sa
capacité de responsable de l’ordre économique et social avait le pouvoir d’assigner
des fonctions économiques et de subvenir des terres, s’il a jugé bon à un groupe de
personnes étranger ou indigène et les incorporer dans le système badda. Dans ce
processus les pêcheurs ont été absorbés dans la société cingalaise, mais les
Musulmans n’ont pas été ainsi acculturés parce qu’ils se sont accrochés avec
ténacité à leur foi; mais ils ont fonctionné techniquement comme un groupe de
caste. (Dewaraja. p 88)

Pendant le règne de Keerthi Rajasinha, le Scheik Alim, un Musulman a été nommé
madige badda (le département de Transport) nilame et après lui son petit-fils, Scheik
Abdul Cader a tenu le même poste. Plus tard, Makula Mohandiram était madige
disave de sept korales. Depuis que le département madige a inclus cingalais et
Musulmans, ici nous trouvons un exemple de Musulmans se levant aux hauts
bureaux d’autorité sur les cingalais par leur association avec le système badda.
Évidemment, la course et la religion n’avaient aucune conséquence sur les rendezvous.

Bien que l’on le croie généralement que les Musulmans sont versés seulement dans
les arts de l’échange et le commerce, on verra qu’il y avait d’autres domaines dans
lesquelles ils ont excellé, dont un était la médecine. Dans certaines familles
Musulmanes Sri lankaises, ils avaient distingué des médecins parmi leurs membres,
qui se sont levés à la prééminence dans la profession. De plus les Musulmans ont
aussi fonctionné comme des tisserands, des tailleurs et lapidaires.

Un Médecin Musulman Suluttan Kuttiya, qui pratiquait à l’origine la médecine à
Galle a été invité au tribunal Kandyan, qui a été pris dans le service royal et donné
des terres près de Gampola, où ses descendants ont vécu jusqu’à 1874 et ont été
connu comme Galle vederala ou le médecin de Galle. Bien que l’on ne puisse pas
être sûr des nombres de personnes. Mais il est raisonnable de supposer qu’il y avait
une dérive de Musulmans au XVIIIème siècle. Ils ont fait le royaume Kandyan leur
base et ont voyagé du nord au sud aux fins du commerce quand les conditions
n’étaient pas défavorables. La première génération d’immigrants a épousé des
femmes Kandyan et leur progéniture qui a été invariablement socialisé comme des
Musulmans, intermarié entre eux ou les nouveaux immigrants mariés de la même foi
pour qu’avec chaque génération l’identité Islamique soit maintenue et renforcée.
(Dewaraja. p 97, p123).

Musulmans comme Fonctionnaires dans le Dalada  Maligava ou le temple de la dent

Les Musulmans ont été impliqués dans le fonctionnement du Dalada Maligava. En
1872 le Registre du Mandat de Service du quartier de Kandy a préparé et donné les
noms de plusieurs Musulmans qui occupaient des parts de service appartenant au
maligava en échange du service.

Le Dalada Maligava a possédé des terres vastes appelés maligagam et
l’administration était entièrement dans les mains d’un officier appelé le diyavadana
nilame, nommé par le roi de l’aristocratie radala. Ainsi, dans une économie en
grande partie non-monétaire les services rendus au maligava ont été payés par les
subventions de terrain. On pourrait considérer la provision de sel et le poisson séché
comme purement le service d’utilitariste rendu par les Musulmans et n’impliqué
aucune signification religieuse ou culturelle. Deux Musulmans, Mohammed Lebbe et
Udum Lebbe ont occupé le lunudena panguva (la part qui fournit du sel) du village
de Pallegampaha Kahavatta appartenant au Dalada Maligava. Le service attaché à la
part devait fournir le maligava de 20 mesures “du bon sel propre” pour le festival de
Nouvelle année. C’etait clair que précédemment que les Musulmans ont été
impliqués dans les aspects administratifs et rituels du fonctionnement du dalada
maligava. (Dewaraja. p 103-p107).

La tradition connectée avec la mosquée de Kahatapitiya près de Gampola illustre
plus loin la générosité des rois cinghalais vers les Musulmans. Le site où la mosquée
se situe était un terrain superflu avec peu d’arbres. Selon la tradition une ascétique
du Mecque a été assise ici dans la médiation et sa position immobile honorée a
frappé l’attention d’un grog tapper qui était venu pour découvrir le palmier. Pour
vérifier si cette figure était vivante ou morte, on dit que le tapper a coupé le bout de
son nez. L’ascétique est restée immobile. Le matin suivant le grog tapper a été
stupéfié en voyant le morceau rattaché au nez. Le tapper a été impressionné et a
relaté son expérience à Bhunvaneka Bahu IV. Qui lui, a rendu visite à l’ascétique et
lui a demandé ce qu’il a eu besoin “seulement d’une bande de terre pour poser ma
tête sur,” était la réponse. Quand le roi a voulu savoir la mesure exigée, l’ascétique a
jeté son bracelet appelé le sakkara valalla dans quatre directions et a indiqué
l’endroit. On lui a accordé et c’est toujours connu comme sakkarankotuva. Le saint
Bhavakauf a été déifié et un tombeau a été construit en son mémoire . Plus tard une
mosquée a apparu brusquement sur le même endroit et il continue d’être bien
connu pour le pèlerinage. Aussi on a accordé beaucoup de terres amarrent des
hommes représentant la haute autorité dans le royaume, le Lindekotuwa Gedara
accordé à Abdul Quddus dans Gampola et plusieurs autres offres faites aux salons de
dignitaires, comme le roi kandyan a montré des contributions remarquables et la
tolérance vers les Musulmans.

Il y a plusieurs familles de Musulmans dans l’Udarata même aujourd’hui porter des
noms de famille comme Mohandiramlage, Vidanelage et Lekamage signifient leurs
rapports officiel de leur passé. Et comme nous examinons cette longue odyssée des
Maures de Ceylan, il révèle une sorte de périple où la base d’une première et vieille
communauté de commerçants arabes avait été mise des de côté.

– Zeyan Hashim

L’ ascendance des Zeyans

Schéhérazade, le narrateur hypnotisant des mille et une nuits, lui aurait fait son une
millième et seconde histoire, si elle avait connu la progéniture d’une tribu Arabe
distinguée étonnamment, profondément enracinée dans l’ île légendaire de
Serendib, qui est avec éclat dépeint dans son histoire de Sinbad
Selon les histoires transmises à travers la génération, l’arbre généalogique des
Zeyan a indiqué pour être une ramification de la tribu nomade de Zahran de
l’Arabie Saoudite de la province d’Al-Bahah qui est dans la grande proximité de la
Mecque. La tribu de Zahran est considérée pour être l’un des peu d’habitants
d’origine de la péninsule Arabe. Le légendaire Bin Zahran Abdullah aurait été le
patriarche de cette tribu.
Les Zeyan étaient parmi une poignée d’arabes allants de mer entreprenante, déviés
de leur mode de vie nomade et se sont étendus vers l’est au IX ème siècle à la
recherche du commerce latine ou les voiliers triangulaires. L’établissement des
comptoirs commerciaux lucratifs partout où ils se sont déplacés était une pratique
présentée par les commerçants arabes discrets de cette époque. Contrairement à
leurs associés qui se sont installés dans Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli et Madurai
dans l’Inde du sud.
Les Zeyan se sont installés à Thanjavur (ou Thanjaur). Les facteurs tels que la
stabilité politique dominant, les échanges s’activant dans le secteur dans l’Inde du
sud et son positionnement stratégique dans la région donnant sur le golfe du
Bengale et les routes maritimes s’étendant vers l’Extrême Orient, les auraient
induits à tomber amoureux de la ville, des temples privilégiés par la dynastie de
Chola qui a régné à Thanjavur du IX ème au XI ème siècle.
Les Zeyan innovateurs, sont entrés de leur commerce familier d’épice dans une
option lucrative de perle, rubis et de chanks qui était une grande demande à ce
temps là . Leur réputation impeccable de longue date de marchands honnêtes et les
gemmologues profonds ajoutés à la magnanimité avaient dégagé les obstacles en
mettant au courant le ménage des Nayakkar qui souffraient de la xénophobie aiguë.
Un des Zeyan était un Unani Hakim réputé (médecin praticien traditionnel) qui a
gagné une acclamation plus large pour prolonger l’offre thérapeutique non
rémunérée au souffrant de la proximité dans ses loisirs qui n’ont connu aucune
limite de caste ou de croyance. Pendant des générations le groupe de la famille liée
étroitement au Zeyan, a indiqué vivre dans la grande proximité de la route actuelle
de Dabeerkulam de Thanjavur. On a alors dit que les villas ont pointillé le bassin
étendu de mangue de ce voisinage aisé en étant le lit chaud de crème de Thanjavur.
Cependant rédigé dans les commerces, ils ont préféré les commerçants arabes et les
marins échoués délogeant leurs esprits captivés de la terre fabuleuse des pierres
précieuses connues sous le nom de Serendib situé dans l’autre côté de la route
maritime étroite qui a séparé l’Inde et le Serendib maintenant connu sous le nom de
Sri Lanka. Là, la « vallée des pierres précieuses » était témoin par Sinbad que le
marin fictif de Bassora a dit d’être vécu dans la période du califat d’Abasi a hanté
leurs esprits aventureux jour et nuit. Etant des Arabes typiques, les Zeyan, n’étaient
une exception au Serendibmania, néanmoins ils étaient sur la crête de leur
commerce. En fin de compte, armés avec une introduction d’estime, des Nayakkars
à leur amis et parents, les dirigeants de ce temps du royaume des Kandiyan, se sont
déplacés au Sri Lanka et se sont installés dans le pays des collines . Le royaume des
Kandiyan était approximativement à 101 kilomètres de Rathnapura, la « ville des
pierres précieuses » a indiqué pour être pas loin de la fable « vallée des pierres
précieuses » et était témoin de l’ascendance de Sinbad.
Leurs ascendances se retrouvaient nébuleux à ce stade, mais les morceaux recueillis
des histoires passées d’une génération à l’autre, indiquent que le délai où ils ont
arrangé dans le royaume des Kandiyan pourrait être la pièce d’extrémité du règne
du Roi Sri Vijaya Rajasinghe ou le premier pas du règne du Roi Keerthi Sri
Rajasinghe. C’était une période turbulente où les puissances européennes armées
avec la poudre à canon se démangeaient pour forcer le royaume fier des Kandiyan à
se mettre à genoux.
Le niveau élevé du patronage royal accordé au Zeyans, les a hissés à de nombreuses
grandeurs. L’association de leur connaissance profonde dans la gemmologie et
l’Unani guérissante a impressionnés les Nayakkar, tournant leur nouveau domicile
à adopté le point culminant de leur lignée. Ils ont été intégrés dans la tapisserie de
la société des Kandiyan, principalement par des fonctions de confiance qui se sont
rapportées à l’administration du roi. Un des Zeyan distingué, faisait partie du
Madige Badda ou du département de transport qui ont tenu le grade de Madige
Badda Lekam. On leur a permis de commercer dans le noix d’arec, qui a été
considéré comme un monopole royal, à ce temps. Les Zeyan perserverants ont
rapidement maîtrisé le dialecte indigène Cinghalais, en fréquentant les viharas
bouddhistes (temples). Les viharas bouddhistes étaient les pionniers en
enseignement des langues orientales.
Abdul Quddus Zeyan a dit être le plus remarquable parmi la progéniture des Zeyan.
Il avait été élevé au rang du conservateur de la collection aimée des pierres
précieuses du roi, qui a été considérée une aile importante du trésor. Il a tenu le
grade prestigieux de Muhandiram qui était un titre de haute fonction du ménage
royal. Dans l’appréciation des objets de valeur, les services rendus à
l’enrichissement du trésor royal et cataloguant la collection royale des pierres
précieuses, des terres, un manoir royal ou Gethara comme sa résidence ont été
remis à Muhandiram Zeyan, dans Gampola. Et aussi un cimetière distinct sur un
arrêté royal. La maison royale ou le Gethara investi à Muhandiram Zeyan a été
connue comme Lindekotuwa Gethara qui avait un puit remarquable, si profond, il a
dû être recouvert de sept ardoises à différents niveaux afin de réduire la profondeur.
Ils ont appréciés le Lindekotuwa Gethara comme retraite de loisirs et ont continué
une rangée de maisons distinctes le long de l’extrémité du « Eth Veediya » (rue de
Tusker) qui a été avalé par les changements incités après la fin de la conquête de
l’ère.
Le climat politique des Kandiyan a pris une tournure dramatique avec l’arrivée des
Britanniques sur le seuil. Les chefs indigènes qui étaient offensés par la dynastie des
Nayakkar,ont commencé à faire des pactes subreptices exotiques avec les
Britanniques. À la fin, le royaume fier des Kandiyan, qui a été considéré le dernier
bastion pour plus de 400 ans, a été conquis par les Britanniques en 1815. Le
chapitre, amer dévoilé avec la capture et l’exil du dernier Roi sri-lankais Sri
Wickrama Rajasinghe au fort de Vellore, dans l’Inde du sud le 24 janvier 1816, était
un épisode haineux que les Zeyan n’auraient jamais pensés. Le cycle cynique a
dévoilé ensuite la purge et la persécution des associés proches de la redevance
déposée, a montré aux Zeyan la sortie du royaume des Kandiyan. Ils ont renoncés à
leur propriété du Lindekotuwa Gethara et ont continués incognito, en abondonnant
leur nom de famille pour laisser leur piste froide. Dégénérés mais constants, les
Zeyan ont été absorbés dans la société pauvre musulmane des Kandiyan et ont
continués une vie obscure.
Le théâtre politique toujours volatile des Kandiyan a pris de nouveau une face
dramatique. L’autorité des chefs indigènes, qui ont utilisé l’influence considérable
dans les affaires d’état, s’affaiblissait avec le commencement de l’oeil strabismatique
des britanniques. Selon les histoires passées par la génération, c’était un Zeyan du
XVIII ème siècle important, qui a poussé ses confrères à frapper par peine,
assemblés autour de son lit de mort pour continuer le nom de famille tombé hors
d’utilisation.
Le Ceylan coloniale est passé du café au thé, puis entièremet en État indépendant.
La progéniture des Zeyan a pris leur long commerce négligé de pierres précieuses à
partir de zéro et s’est transformé en un des personnages éminents dans le
commerce sri-lankais de pierre précieuses. Par la suite Zeyan Mohamed Hashim
s’est vu confié le bâton de l’héritage passé par une multitude de caractères
flamboyants, et à clouté une saga dévoilée du désert à Serendib. Il a remis à neuf la
connaissance génétiquement héritée sous les nuances de distinction des aînés, qui
étaient des gemmologistes éminents.Un connaisseur raffiné sous le four, de
quarante ans d’expérience et exposé aux pierres précieuses particulièrement rares,
où seulement peu d’exposants doués auraient placé leurs yeux, étant maintenant
poussés dans son deuxième instinct passé par la lignée. Inspiré par la devise
islamique de «la richesse ne devrait pas être acquis, mais partagé » , il a mené sa
croisade personnel doté de connaissance, héritée vers la génération future. Il a
énergétiquement discuté les pierres précieuses inestimables, conçues par mère
nature et ne devrait pas être incarcéré sous-sols dans les collecteurs privés voraces,
une fois déterré. Comme un arbre buriné, la généalogie de leur progéniture a
rencontré les changements énormes en passant par beaucoup de siècles,de
différents pays, de dynasties et d’ouragans politiques. Il y a quelques années
Hashim Zeyan a fait une découverte choquante, quand la recherche du sien a
obscurci l’ascendance. Son nom de famille enterré par la progéniture des Kandiyan
a été mal orthographié quand il etait non relié à la terre, en Ziyaan et a continué
depuis, jusqu’au XXI ème siècle. Le nom a été dûment rectifié par Hashim Zeyan
récemment après la contre-vérification avec les antécédents familiaux. Les preuves
accumulées ont suggéré que le coupable pourrait être un dicton de grammaire
cinghalais, connu sous le nom de Poorvaswara Lopa Sandhiya , qui permet de
prononcer la langue sans efforts en tordant les mots prononçables, en omettant des
substituants de lettres dans les mots en question.
Il est dur d’empêcher son esprit de se demander l’inoccupation dans les collines
brumeuses des Kandiyan. Après tout, il est un Kandiyan commis cependant
domicilié dans le monde occidental. Il désire être laissé seul parmi les objets
façonnés des Kandiyan, dans sa maison héréditaire lorsque il visite le Sri Lanka.
Les restes abilement montrés du passé dans le salon spacieux, lui donnent le
sentiment d’avoir vécu avec l’ère passée avec ses ancêtres . Il sent que les antiquités
et le manuscrit indigène de feuille d’ola(Corypha Taliera Roxb) leurs ivoire
minutieusement sculpté et les couvertures en bois finement découpées avec le motif
distinct de « vigne double de courbe »ou Kandiya Vaka deka liya vela, sont
palpitants une fois touchés. Il n’est pas une personne tenant de fantaisies à l’esprit.
Néanmoins nos esprits voient parfois ce que nos coeurs désirs. L’effort des ancêtres
ont bravé les vagues indisciplinées à la recherche de l’île des pierres précieuses et ce
n’est pas un gaspillage absolu. Il y a un Zeyan du XXIème siècle férocement commis
pour transformer le rêve en réalité.

– Zeyan Hashim

périple du désert

Le désert et les mers étaient paisibles,
Quand l’odyssée a débutée,
En route pour un Serendib,
Le Califat pensait à une mythique sandale,
Striée par les constructeurs de temple,
Les vergers de mangues,
Et les perles de l’eau profonde,
N’ont pas découragés la vision de la progéniture,
Sur une terre ornée de pierres précieuses,
A travers le couloir maritime,
Au milieu des montagnes inhospitalières,
Intransigeant aux conquérants,
Qui sont arrivés comme les vagues de désunion,
Avec les baguettes magiques exaltées crachant le tonnerre,
Ils ont vécu sous les parasols brochés de perles,
Voilà, voici qu’arrive une nouvelle race de Conquistadors,
Maîtres de la diplomatie,
Et froid même étant en chaleur,
Pour tirer les rois à la poussière,
Et ont envoyé la progéniture dispercée,
déguisée et contrariée dans l’oubli,
Mais le nouveau bourgeon grandissait,
Et débâclait les poussées émoussantes,
Encouragé après une recherche d’identité,
Dans un affublement d’un nouveau millénaire,
Avec les veines remplies de sang de guerriers,
Semblable à ses ancêtres,
Chevauché avec le vent du désert,
Même à l’aube d’un nouveau millénaire,
Il marche encore à la recherche de meilleurs pâturages,
En répartissant la richesse accumulée,
Une fois un bédouin, il restera toujours un bédouin.

– Zeyan Hashim

Foundation to a Chateau in the Sky

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens                

 ~Kahlil Gibran

In the beginning twists, turns, depths and drops weren’t in the agenda of droplets just oozed out of a fountain.  They were yet to be formed in to a brook which is the adolescence of a fountain. Yet it hasn’t formed in to a river and for that mammoth task it got to flow countless miles. The characteristic beauty we admire in a river is being dictated by the terrain it flows through and not primarily by the water it carries. Nature is such!

Traces of this dogma could be observed in human life.  Humans let destiny chisel their lives, because it is effortless and less-burdensome.  This is because many aren’t result-oriented.  So their lives flow inertly taking whatever courses and shapes the eventful life dictates.  Like a driftwood in a sea with no shore in mind, they adrift.  But there is a minority goes the other way around chiselling their destinies.  This is indeed a mammoth task as it demands lifelong discipline to the core and perseverance under countless drawbacks.  It is somewhat like a river planning its course as it pleases.

I have found an iconic figure who chiselled his own life as he pleases.  Our very first meeting revealed a determined self-believer with-in Zeyan Mohamed Hashim.  He was supervising one of his customary gem and mineral exhibitions in Santa Barbara California.  Zeyan beamed at me as known for ages when introduced myself.  Looking fresh under the Californian summer he nodded with a broad smile indicating he was expecting me.  He encouraged me to join the throng of viewers before interviewing him.  “See me through my gems’’ he said philosophically.

He displayed no symptoms of lethargy when mobbed by the viewers who showered him with questions.  Wide array of cut-outs and photos depicting Sri Lankan gems and various stages in gem mining made the exhibition an educational event rather than a commercial one.  I saw a pragmatic man within him.  Looking at the crowd he commented he wasn’t there to lecture like a preacher, but to aggravate their enthusiasm, so they would deepen their passion in gems in their leisure.  It was fascinating to watch the wide eyed viewers staring at his rare gems and minerals.

He wasn’t interested when asked his background but well focused and resourceful when asked anything related to gems and minerals.  What matters here is gems and not me, he said gravely leaving no further space for me to dig in.  History of Sri Lankan gems goes deeper than one could imagine, he said.  “Why me?’’, he asked looking in to my eyes still smiling. “Theme of the exhibition is gems and not me.’’

Our brief conversation had revealed an exponent of gems within the ever-smiling man.  Present gem mining exhibits the hallmarks of indigenous methods used by the pristine Sri Lankan minors; he said standing next to his cut-outs.  The mining, lapidary methods and the trade tools haven’t changed much so far.  This indicates Sri Lankan mining society favour the inherited indigenous knowhow than the up-to-date technology.  His in-depth knowledge in gems and the country of his origin was spellbinding.  Owe-stunning elaborations he produced of Sri Lanka’s pristine records in relation with gems were jaw dropping.  I raised my eyebrows when heard the biblical King Solomon was said to have procured a stunning ruby for his queen Sheba from Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon.  Traveller and explorer Marco Polo (1293 AD) wrote about the ruby that once graced the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba (a sacred Buddhist relic chamber) built in the 2nd century at Anuradhapura, an ancient Sri Lankan capital of North Central Sri Lanka.  According to Mahavansa, the chronicle of Sri Lanka, the lord Buddha himself is said to have come to Sri Lanka from India to settle a dispute between two kings, Chulodara and Mahodara, over a throne of gems.  Even the mighty kings had waged war for gems, he said seriously.  Rattling armour for gems indicates how invaluable they were.

My outside investigations revealed a keen collector of gems and minerals within Zeyan.  He had all the rights to do so for being a descendent of a Sri Lankan ancestry of renowned gem traders.  The once nondescript boy who collected pebbles from the Mahaweli riverbed had turned in to a committed collector of gems and minerals.  His could be one of the most significant collections of its kind in the world.

He was born in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, as the second child of Abdul Rahuman Mohamed Hashim and Aysha Yoosuf.  His late father Abdul Rahuman Mohamed Hashim was a rebel of his own accord.  He had sidestepped from his family trade to live with his obsession of boxing which he picked up when schooling.  Elders had knitted their eyebrows in dismay when realised young Hashim was perusing a cause where no other had dreamt of in their progeny.  That was the period where the Ceylon Prisons Department was looking young blood with fighting spirit as recruits.  His parents had no option, but nod sadly when young Hashim cringed joining the Ceylon Prisons Department as a jailor.  Actually it wasn’t the khaki uniform he was fond of.  He was looking forward a rich pasture for sharpening his rudimentary martial arts skills.

Time turned the healer for the age old feud.  Time had forced Hashim to look at the depth of the cleavage created by his rebellious attitude.  In the end Hashim realised he couldn’t shun the request of his elders any more.  He had no option, but to leave the Prisons Department behind and join the family trade.  He returned to the ancestral hometown of Gampola with his family and joined the competitive trade his family was doing for ages.  Zeyan started his formal education from Zahira College in Gampola.  Instead of returning home after school, he had cultivated a habit of loitering in the sandy beds of river Mahaweli which is the longest river of Sri Lanka looking for pebbles.

His obsession with gems had retarded his education.  His lack of interest in formal education had made his parents uneasy.  It turned a habit for him to stray in to the sales outlets of gem traders and showering the sales assistants with countless questions to extract the finer points of the trade.  Soon young Zeyan was dubbed a window shopper by the city gem circle and a dreamer by his brothers and sisters.  Having stretched over his bed and engrossed watching sunrays playing with his multicoloured pebbles stored in empty jam containers was his favourite pastime then.

This was the period he started his own charity inspired by the Islamic teachings.  Charity begins at home, he believed.   Less privileged are the ones vanquished by the extreme greed and lust, he thought.  The idea of doing whatever he could to elevate their lives haunted him. First charity under his sole administration sprung when he was barely seventeen years old and the capital came from his pocket money.

Making boyish excuses by frequently pretending staying couple of days with friends never bothered his parents.  The untold truth was he had laboured as a casual worker in remote gem pits to learn the life in the gem trade.  He felt no pain labouring in the gem pits under the scorching sun or working prolonging hours immersed in muddy water.  What important for him was extracting the first hand knowledge of the trade.  Practicality was the essence of learning for him.  Total exposure to the gem industry should start from the scratch was his conception.  Identifying a mud coated gemstone in a split second was a trade skill he acquired while working in the gem pits.  He favoured the hard way in life.

His inertness in education and inclination towards gems had pushed his parents’ to the end of their limit in patience.  His genetics were pulsing within him, they would have thought, heavy with disappointment.  In the end he was entrusted as an apprentice to the elders who were rich with gemmological knowledge.  Young Zeyan had spent many years under the distinguished elders of his family learning gemmology.  It was an ulterior methodology practiced by his progeny to secure the finer points and craftsmanship of the trade passed from one generation to another.  Gemmology he learned under them was quite contrary to the principals upheld by other school engaged in gem trade in Sri Lanka.

Once picked up the essence, he was passed to the safe hands of his first cousins who were said to be the pioneers of the Sri Lankan gem trade.  Seven hard years of working under different gurus had made him an expert in the field.

Embolden with the knowledge and expertise, he had sprung in to action like a phoenix emerged from the ash.  Gushing desire to create a world of his own had made him busy as a bee.  Zeyan started visiting Palmadulla, Rathnapura (gem town in Singhalese language) and Balangoda areas bustling with gem mining.  He associated with all ranks in the mining trade and walked along inhospitable treks to reach mines in the shrub jungles.  The young entrepreneur befriended with the small-scale gem miners who were looking for a trustworthy buyer at their easy reach.  He started his own business when he was twenty nine years.

This was the period he started collecting rare gems and minerals.  He enriched his collection through the rapport maintained with the miners.  Zeyan developed a keen interest in Sri Lankan mineral deposits and started collecting specimens.  Cordial relationship maintained with all ranks of the gem trade had hoisted him to a popular buyer in the region.  This is a trade harnessed by trust and magnanimity.  Gem trade was no more a white coaler profession, he argued.  Zeyan pressed himself to learn the trade from scratch believing there is no short-cuts in gem trade.  Utilising his pocket money, he bought less expensive gem stones to pacify his growing hunger in gems.  Foundation for a lifelong career bloomed with slowly opening petals.

Once established within the country, he started exploring the global market.  He had made several visits to France, Italy and Germany to open the European market he craved for.  Hard work and perseverance made him a millionaire in five years.  By 1990 he made several business trips to USA and Europe.  He made it a point visiting Natural History Museums during most of his visits to the west.  Busy business life hasn’t bothered, but acceded with his crave for the nature.

Gemmology, trade and extensive travelling played a major role in his life negating a life of his own.  There’s no space for a woman in his life as he is married to gems, his family moaned.  The most eligible bachelor of Zeyan clan wasn’t aware of a life other than gems.  Discouraged traditional marriage brokers employed by the elders stepped back as convincing the groom wasn’t their role.  It wasn’t the match brokers, but gems which paved way for his marriage.  By knowing their superficial profiles, I assume that the passion of gems could be the cupid who shot the arrow in the end.  And that was how he met Hafsah, a gemmology student.

I knew him as a keen art collector.  Surprisingly he had diverted his attention toward miniature painting from abstracts and landscapes, which were his favourites.  It was jaw-dropping when my eyes caught the Basholi miniature paintings from India were among his rich collection.  Reproductions from Sri Lankan cave paintings lined the living room bringing the rich heritage of his country to the west.  Bewitching Sigiriya celestials looked at me from the living room as pristine pinups.  Iconic sharp primary colours which demanded attention were being substituted by tint and temperature derived colours.  “Your taste is changing constantly,’’ I commented looking at his collection of painting.  “Never deny the universal order’’ he smiled, looking at me.  “We are subjected to constant change.  Basically most of the gems were inorganic minerals and are you registering your displeasure for minerals transforming in to gems?’’  He looked at me contended after homing his point.  “Change is a part of the process governing the universe but the change should be more towards the betterment, and not the other way around.’’  Apparently minerals had changed in to gems, but he hasn’t despite being a dad to four kids. 

Picturesque and cosmopolitan British Columbia had stamped a full stop to the once habitual globe trotter sat facing me.  Our conversation revealed previously unknown facets in Zeyan’s life.  A committed nature lover hidden within him emerged slowly when our conversation trend towards his busy life style.  Some of the prestigious Natural History Museums enjoyed his donations were his Project Stakeholders in educating the world of gems and minerals.  That includes the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.  His personnel collection of gems and minerals took me to a world I have never been before.  “How could you part out of your priceless gems and minerals effortlessly ‘’I asked.  “Educating the world is a priceless commitment’’ he said.  In that context he has found it wasn’t hard donating some of his gems and minerals to a worthy cause.  “Enjoyment I reap when watched people viewing my gems displayed in various museums was an invaluable experience. ‘’ he said in a contended voice.

According to him the sublime reason behind nature conservation is protecting the planet earth for the future generation.  He sees a similarity in his donations and the aforesaid.  Natural History Museums are the forerunners promoting the above conception and he got no hesitation donating his gems and minerals to establishments of such nature.  “Conserve the Planet Earth and it will conserve us in return’’ is what he believes.  He hasn’t stopped but desires enriching the existing collections of other Natural History Museums to keep his dream alive.

He humbly believes the wealth he accumulated were from the earth.  A fare share of our wealth should find its way back to the earth as reimbursement, he commented.  Zeyan had recently floated his charity providing infrastructure to less `privileged students to pursue their educational objectives.  Education will one day harmonise the global cleavage, he predicted.

“After a certain point, money is meaningless.  It ceases to be the goal.  The game is what counts’’ quoted Aristotle Onassis.  For Zeyan, it is the reimbursement to the earth, for what he amassed from the earth by toiling.  So his recoupment is fulfilled. 

 Agni Mishra

Chronicles of Sri Lankan Moors

The Muslims of Sri Lanka have been an intrinsic part of Sri Lankan community since the advent of Islam and the exploration of Arab, Indian, Persian and other Muslim traders to the Island.  Sri Lanka has been known by many names, the island was called Serendib in Arabic which indicates seren (jewel) and dwip (island) showing the existence of the island has been known to Arabs since a long period of time. There have been Muslims in Sri Lanka for well over a thousand years.  Historical records indicate the Arab trading presence in the island’s costal belt even before the origin of Islam.  It was said the relationship in-between the Arab traders and the natives of the island were extremely cordial.

The Romans discovered the commercial value of Sri Lanka in the first century A.D. and the island was visited by Greeks, Romans, Persians, Arabs, and Chinese traders.  Some of the trading commodities of Sri Lanka at that time were cinnamon, precious stones, pearls, elephants and ivory.  The abatement of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century A.D had a periodic decline in the Roman trade and the Arabs and Persians filled up the vacuum; engaging in a rapidly flourishing inter-coastal trade.  After the triumph of Persia, Syria and Egypt, the Arabs controlled all the important ports and trading stations between East and West.  The Arabs from the Gulf had been coming straight to the island for trade and the significant migration for settlement came via the Malabar Coast in what is now Kerala.  This brings to our mind the stories of the legendary Sinbad.  The first Muslim merchants and sailors may have landed on Sri Lankan shores during the incipient era of Islam.

The first Mohammadians reached Ceylon were the members of the House of Hashim who fled in face of the persecution of the tyrannical Caliphs in the early part of the 8^th century. The early Arab traders who visited Ceylon settled in the coastal belt of Ceylon concentrating mainly in the South Western towns of the country.  However the traces of Arab links with Ceylon were evident well before the chronicles were penned.  Sulaiman, an Arab trader and explorer, recounts his visit to Ceylon in 850 A.D. and mentioned a pilgrimage to Adam’s Peak.  One cannot think of an Arabian, ignorant of the language of the indigenous inhabitants of a country, unlike its people in every respect in regard to habits, customs, diet and observances, undertaking a long and perilous journey into the heart of an unknown country.  This surely suggests that the Arabs had been in the country for some time and they were known to the inhabitants of Ceylon and wielded influence and were therefore permitted to travel far into the interior in safety and comfort.

Fifty years later, in the year 900 A.D. it’s narrated of another Arab, named Abou Zaid, who supports the stories of Cosmas and Sulaiman and describes the still flourishing port of Kalah (Galle).  Zaid’s narrations are based on the experiences of other travelers, one of whom was Ibn Wahab who included “Serendib” in his travels.  Wahab like his predecessors made careful observations and collected much information regarding ancient Lanka for he is able to tell us that the Maya Rata or “Pepper Country”, one of the three oldest divisions of Ceylon, was situated between Kalah (Galle) on the coast and the Ruhuna Rata in the South East.

The Moors settlement in the coastal belt of Ceylon concentrated mainly in the South Western towns of the country and it’s noted the first Muslim settlement was in a port settlement in western Sri Lanka which was named Berbereen (Beruwala) in honor of the Berber traveler who founded the city. And the second settlement was in an area called Alutgamaweedia which was subsequently named Dharga town in the 1940′s by the Muslims of that town.  The grand mosque in Dharga town has archaeological evidence pointing to its historical origins.

The third settlement in the region was in Weligama a town further to the south of Berberyn.  This city was known by its Arab name as as-Salawat.  The biggest massacre of Muslims in the island by the Portuguese was committed here at Weligama where at least 10,000 Arab soldiers and their families were slaughtered mercilessly by the Portuguese who were renowned for their barbarity towards those who refused to convert to Christianity.  The family names of the current Muslims in the region affirm the early ancestry.

Habituated to the local conditions in various ways the Muslims contributed extensively with their talents, wealth, and assisted to the development and progress of the country in a peaceful and comfortable manner, integrating with the society & blending with the local environment.

By about the tenth century the Arab trading societies were well established in Sri Lanka, especially in the island’s coastal towns enjoying the favor of the rulers and maintaining cordial relations with the local inhabitants.  The Sinhalese in that era were not interested in trade and were appeased in agriculture and raising livestock.  Trade was thus wide open to the Muslims. The Sinhalese Kings considered the Muslim settlements favorably on account of the revenue that they brought them through their contacts overseas both in trade and in politics. History accounts, Up to the Fourteenth Century, the Sinhalese were not familiar with mass-scale spinning and weaving of cloth. Of course, there were the ancient hand-loom and distaff, but the production was insufficient to meet the requirements of the entire population. Accordingly, they had to depend on India for their clothing.  During this time the Sinhalese king delivered manifestos granting rewards to any individual who would go over to India and bring some skilled craftsman for the purpose of introducing the art of manufacture of cloth in Ceylon.  About this time, a Moorman of Beruwella, motivated by the tempting offers made the voyage across Palk’s Strait and brought with him a batch of eight weavers of the Salagama caste, from a place call Saliapatanam.

As the story continues the eight persons referred to were drugged and secured on board and that they only realized that were being transported to a foreign country when they had been many miles out at sea.  It is stated that two of the victims rather than being the subjects of such deception, jumped overboard and were never heard of again. The remaining weavers were granted a cordial welcome upon their arrival in Ceylon.  In due course they were presented to the King who treated them with every kindness in order to induce them to commence practicing their craft locally.  They were at the instance of the Court, married to women of distinction and given houses and lands.  A manufactory was established for them in the vicinity of the Royal Palace.

The courtesy and avail of the moors attracted themselves into royal favor.This acquired them a higher authority which they used to bestow their ability to the fullest within their territory along the sea coast.

There is also a report in the history of Sri Lanka of a Muslim Ruler, Vathimi Raja, who reigned at Kurunegala (North Central Province) in the 14^th century.  This factor cannot be found in history books due to their omission, for reasons unknown, by modern authors.  Vathimi Raja was the son of King Bhuvaneka Bahu I, by a Muslim spouse, the daughter of one of the chiefs. The Sinhalese son of King Bhuvaneka Bahu I, Parakrama Bahu III, the real heir to the throne was crowned at Dambadeniya under the name of Pandita Parakrama Bahu III.  In order to be rid of his step brother, Vathimi Raja, he ordered that his eyes be gouged out.  It is held that the author of the Mahavansa (ancient history of Ceylon) had suppressed the recording of this disgraceful incident.  The British translator, Mudaliyar Wijesinghe states that original Ola (leaf script) was bodily removed from the writings and fiction inserted instead.  The blinded Vathimi Raja (Bhuvaneka Bahu II or Al-Konar, abbreviated from Al-Langar-Konar, meaning Chief of Lanka of Alakeshwara) was seen by the Arab traveler Ibn Batuta during his visit to the island in 1344.  His son named Parakrama Bahu II (Alakeshwara II) was also a Muslim. The lineage of Alakeshwara kings (of Muslim origin) ended in 1410.  Although all the kings during this reign may not have been Muslims, the absence of the prefix -Shri Sangha Bodhi- (pertaining to the disciples of the Buddha) to the name of these kings on the rock inscriptions during this hundred year period may be considered as an indicator that they were not Buddhists.  Further during Ibn Batutas visit a Muslim ruler called Jalasthi is reported to have been holding Colombo, maintaining his hold over the town with a garrison of about 500 Abyssinians.

Colonial Sri Lanka

The influx of Portuguese in 1505 afflicted the Muslims (Moors) in their status from which they never again recovered, as the Portuguese regarded them as their adversary in trade and enemies in faith.  When the Portuguese first appeared on Sri Lankan shores, the Muslims warned the king, sangha, nobles and the people of the potential threat to the country’s sovereignty.

The contest between these Portuguese and the Moors was an unequal one, as the Portuguese were trained and disciplined soldiers conversant with well equipped weapons & modern war methods unheard of by the peaceful and industrious Moor.  History records while the Portuguese tried to gain a foothold in Colombo, the Muslims even provided firearms, fought side by side with the Sinhalese and even used their influence with South Indian powers to get military assistance to the Sinhalese rulers.  The Portuguese expelled the Muslims from Colombo and forbade the worship of any other religion.  Installing themselves in Colombo; the Portuguese commenced a vigorous campaign of the Cross.  The Moors were subjected to every torture and humiliation.

The Moors made a huge effort to re-capture their fort, carrying on a powerful attack keeping the foreigners absent for a short time.  Following a fearless fight on the part of the Moors they were forced to own defeat owning to the superiority of arms and power the Portuguese possessed. Motivated by this success and fearing a consequent attack, Portuguese proceeded to erect a factory and rebuild the old, mud fort of the Moors.  The fort was entirely re-built with stone; both the Sinhalese and the Moors did everything that was possible to prevent the work being carried out but were brutally defeated.

Rajasinghe II, the king of Kandy desiring to get rid of the Portuguese who ruled most of the coastal area of the island made a treaty with the Dutch in 1638 who at that time had the largest merchant fleet in the world.. The main conditions of the treaty were that the Dutch should deliver the coastal areas they capture to the Kandyan king and the king should grant the Dutch a monopoly over trade on the whole island.  The agreement was breached by both parties, however the consequence came out was only the substitution of one colonial power to another.  By 1660 the Dutch controlled the whole island except the kingdom of Kandy and it was not until 1656 that Colombo fell.

It was during the Dutch period the Malays-who form a substantial element of the Muslim community, came to Ceylon. Almost all of the early Malay immigrants were soldiers, posted by the Dutch colonial administration to Sri Lanka, who decided to settle on the island.  More immigrants added as the convicts or members of noble houses from Indonesia who were exiled to Sri Lanka and never left.  When the Dutch capitulated to the British, the Malay soldiers joined the British troops and settled in Ceylon.  Their separate identity has been preserved by the Malay language which includesnumerous words absorbed from Sinhalese and the Moorish variant of the Tamil.

When the Dutch appeared and persecuted the Muslims in their coastal settlements, the Muslims ran to the Kandyan Kingdom.  Senerat and Rajasimha II settled these Muslims in the Eastern coast.  The Dutch who abolished the former as rulers of the sea-board were not prepared to give the Muslims even a small share of their commercial gains and therefore announced harsh regulations to keep them down.  A regulation was passed prohibiting the residence of Moors within the vicinity of the towns of Galle, Matara and Weligama.  This was at the time that Galle was the chief port of call for the island as well Matara and Weligama were also important trade centers.  Difficulties which this law enforced on the trade of the Moors were excessively afflicting them.  The Dutch tactfully ruined the business of their rivals wherever possible and during their 140-year rule, the Dutch, like the Portuguese, made repeated unsuccessful attempts to bring Kandy under their control.

The British ejected the Dutch in 1796, and in 1802 Sri Lanka became a crown colony.  In 1815 the British won control of Kandy.  The British did not follow the abhorring conversion policy carried out by the Portuguese towards the cross.  Nor were the British as rough as the Dutch in their financial exploitations.

Around 1804, the alliance between the Sinhalese King and the maritime government was so confined that an outbreak of hostilities was expected.  It was therefore considered unwise to regulate the payment of the head-tax and thereby antagonize the Moors who could be of service to the British in countless ways point out Lorna Dewaraja in her book.  As in India the Muslims became a powerful weapon in the hands of the British; an ally who could be used to their advantage to undermine the power and influence of the king of Kandy.  Governor Frederick North’s proclamation of 1799 preserving the laws applicable to the Muslims and the code of Mohammadian law effected in 1806, was an attempt to convince the Muslims of their separate identity.  Even the abolition of the poll tax on Muslims imposed by the Dutch, which governor North described as “an oppressive and disgraceful tax on an industrious race” was motivated not by purely humanitarian considerations.

It’s also stated that Ceylon Moors were for the first time appointed to native ranks.  One of the earliest of these was Hadjee of “Velassy” the distinguished, though little known Moor.  A more popular individual was Uduman Lebbe Marikar Sheik Abdul Cader, the grandfather of the late I.L.M.Abdul Azeez, who in his day was a prominent member of the Moorish Community.  “Sekady Marikar” by which name he was better known was appointed the head Moorman of Colombo by Sir Robert Brownigg, on June 10^th, 1818.  Several other appointments followed soon afterwards and the Moors were not only made chiefs in different parts of the Maritime Provinces, but also assigned in the public service.

As mentioned in the preceding part the Muslims in the coastal settlements ran to the Kandyan Kingdom as the Dutch tortured them in all channels. Senerat (1604-1635) and Rajasimha II (1635-1687) settled these Muslims. Lorna Dewaraja states it is also possible that the Muslims who were trading in the kingdom from the seventeenth century, at least were already associated with the madige at the time the fisher folk were affiliated to it. The Sinhala king in his capacity as head of the economic and social order had the power to assign economic functions and grant lands if he thought fit to any group of people extraneous or indigenous and incorporate them in to the badda system.  In this process the fisher folks were absorbed into Sinhala society, but the Muslims were not thus acculturated because they clung tenaciously to their faith; but they functioned technically like a caste group. (Dewaraja. p 88)

In the reign of Keerthi Sri Rajasinha, Sheikh Alim, a Muslim was appointed madige badda (Transport department) nilame and after him his grandson, Sheikh Abdul Cader held the same office.  Later, Makula Mohandiram, a Muslim was madige disave of the seven korales. Since the madige department included both Sinhalese and Muslims, here we find an example of Muslims rising to high offices of authority over the Sinhalese through their association with the badda system.  Obviously, race and religion were no consequence when it came to appointments.

Although it is generally believed that the Muslims are versed only in the arts of trade and commerce it will be seen that there were other areas in which they excelled, one of which was medicine.  Certain Sri Lankan Muslim families had distinguished physicians among their members, who rose to pre-eminence in the profession.  In addition Muslims also functioned as weavers, tailors, barbers, and lapidarists.

A Muslim physician Suluttan Kuttiya, who was originally practicing medicine in Galle was invited to the Kandyan court, taken into royal service and given land near Gampola, where his descendants lived till 1874 and were known as Galle vederalala or the physician from Galle.  Although one cannot be sure about the numbers, it is reasonable to assume that there was a drift of Muslims to the interior in the eighteenth century as well.  They made the Kandyan kingdom their base and travelled up and down for purposes of trade when conditions were not unfavorable.  The first generation of immigrants married Kandyan women and their offspring who were invariably socialized as Muslims, either intermarried among themselves or married new immigrants of the same faith so that with each generation the Islamic identity was maintained and strengthened. (Dewaraja. p 97,p123).

Muslims as Functionaries in the Dalada Maligava or the temple of the tooth

The Muslims were involved in the functioning of the Dalada Maligava.  The Service Tenure Register of the Kandy district prepared in 1872 gives the names of several Muslims who were occupying service shares belonging to the maligava in return for service.

The Dalada Maligava owned extensive lands called maligagam and the administration of these was entirely in the hands of a lay officer called the diyavadana nilame, appointed by the king from the radala aristocracy.  So in a largely non-monetary economy the services rendered to the maligava were paid by grants of land.  The supply of salt and dried fish could be considered as a purely utilitarian service rendered by the Muslims and involved no religious or cultural significance.  Two Muslims, Mohammed Lebbe and Udum Lebbe occupied the lunudena panguva ( the share that supplies salt) of the village of Pallegampaha Kahavatta belonging to the Dalada Maligava.  The service attached to the share was to supply the maligava with 20 measures of “good clean salt” for the New Year festival.  It is clear from the foregoing that Muslims were involved in the administrative and ritual aspects of the functioning of the dalada maligava. (Dewaraja. p 103-p107).

The tradition connected with the Kahatapitiya mosque near Gampola further illustrates the munificence of the Sinhala kings towards the Muslims. The site where the mosque now stands was a waste land with few trees. According to tradition an ascetic from Mecca sat here in mediation and his dignified motionless posture struck the attention of a toddy tapper who had come to tap the palm tree.  In order to ascertain whether this figure was alive or dead, the tapper is said to have sliced off the tip of his nose.  The ascetic remained motionless.  The following morning the toddy tapper was astonished to see the piece he had cut off re-attached to the nose.  The tapper was overawed and related his experience to the Gampola king, who visited the ascetic and asked him what he needed ‘’only a strip of land to lay my head on,” was the reply.  When the king wished to know the extent required, the ascetic threw his bangle called the sakkara valalla in four directions and indicated the area.  This was granted and the area is still known as sakkarankotuva.  The saint Bhavakauf was deified and a tomb was built in his memory.  Later a mosque sprang up on the same place and it continues to be a well known place of pilgrimage.  Also many lands have been granted to moor men representing high authority within the kingdom, the Lindekotuwa Gedara granted to Abdul Quddus in Gampola and several  other offerings made to dignitaries shows how the kandyan king showed remarkable contributions and tolerance towards the Muslims.

There are several Muslims families in the Udarata even today bearing the family names Mohandiramlage, Vidanelage and Lekamage all of which signify their official connections in the past.  And as we examine this long odyssey of Ceylon moors, it reveals a kind of saga where the foundation of an old community had been laid by early Arab traders.                

By Zeyan Hashim                                                            

Desert to Serendib

According to stories passed down through the generation, the family tree of Zeyans said to be an offshoot of the nomadic Zahran tribe of Saudi Arabia of the Al-Bahah province which is in the close proximity of Mecca. The Zahran tribe is regarded to be of the very few original inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula. The legendary Abdullah bin Zahran was said to be the patriarch of this tribe.

Zeyans settled down in Thanjavur (or Thanjaur). Factors such as the prevailing political stability, ongoing bustling trade in the South Indian sector and its strategic positioning in the region overlooking the Bay of Bengal and the sea routes stretching towards Far East would have induced them to fall in love with the city of temples favoured by the Chola Dynasty who ruled Thjanjavur from 9th to 11th Century. The innovative Zeyans moved from their customary spice trade into a lucrative option of pearl, ruby and chanks which had a greater demand then. Their long standing unblemished reputation as honest tradesmen and profound gemmologists coupled with magnanimity had cleared the obstacles in acquainting the Nayakkar household who were suffering from acute xenophobia. One of the Zeyans was a reputed Unani Hakim (traditional medical practitioner) who earned wider acclaim for extending unremunerated therapeutic offering to the unwell of the vicinity in his leisure which knew no limits of caste or creed. For generations the close knit family cluster of Zeyans said to be living in the close proximity of the present Dabeerkulam Road of Thanjavur. Villas dotted the extensive mango belt of this opulent neighbourhood was then said to be the hot bed of the cream of Thanjavur.

Though engrossed in trades they preferred, Arab traders and sailors failed dislodging their captivated minds from the fabled land of gems known as Serendib situated in the other side of the narrow sea lane that separated India and Serendib now known as Sri Lanka. There, the “Valley of Gems” witnessed by Sinbad the fictional sailor from Basra said to be lived in the time of Abasi Caliphate haunted their adventurous minds day and night. Being typical Arabs, Zeyans weren’t an exception to the ongoing Serendibmania nevertheless they were on the peak of their trade. In the end, armed with an esteem introduction from the Nayakkars to their kith and kin, the then rulers of the Kandiyan Kingdom, they moved in to Sri Lanka and settled down in the Hill Country. The Kandiyan Kingdom is approximately 101 kilo meters from Rathnapura, the “City of Gems” said to be not far from the fable “Valley of Gems’’ witnessed by Sinbad.

Their ancestry turns nebulous at this stage but bits and pieces gathered from the stories passed from one generation to another indicates the time frame they settled in the Kandiyan Kingdom could be the end part of the reign of King Sri Vijaya Rajasinghe or the first pace of the reign of King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe. This was a turbulent period where the European powers armed with gunpowder were itching to force the proud Kandiyan Kingdom on its knees.

Abdul Quddus Zeyan said to be the most noteworthy among the progeny of Zeyans. He had been elevated to the rank of the curator of king’s cherished gem collection, which was considered an important wing of the treasury. He held the prestigious rank of Muhandiram which was a senior official title of the royal household. In appreciation of the valuable services rendered to the Royal treasury by enriching and cataloguing the royal gem collection, Muhandiram Zeyan was given lands, a royal mansion or a Walauwa as his residence in Gampola and a separate burial ground on a royal decree. The royal house or Walauwa vested to Muhandiram Zeyan was known as the Lindekotuwa Walauwa which had a noteworthy well so deep and had to be covered with seven slates at different levels in order to reduce the depth. They enjoyed Lindekotuwa Walauwa as a leisure retreat and continued in a row of distinguish houses along the far end of the then Eth Veediya(Tusker Street) which was swallowed by the changes instigated by the post-conquest era.

Kandiyan political climate took a dramatic turn with the advent of the British at their threshold. Native chieftains who resented the Nayakkars Dynasty as outlandish started surreptitious pacts with the British. In the end the proud Kandiyan Kingdom which was considered the last bastion for more than 400 years was conquered by the British in 1815.The toxic chapter unfolded with the capture and banishment of the last Sri Lankan king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe to Vellore Fort in southern India on 24th January 1816 was a heinous episode Zeyans unthought-of.The cynic cycle unfolded thereafter purging and persecuting the close associates of the deposed royalty showed Zeyans the exit from the Kandiyan Kingdom. They relinquishedtheir ownership to the Lindekotuwa Walauwa and continued incognito abandoning theirfamily name to let their track cold. Degenerated but steadfast, Zeyans absorbed in to the meagre Kandiyan Muslims society and continued an obscured life.

The colonial Ceylon changed from coffee to tea and then to a fully independent state. Progeny of Zeyans picked up their long neglected gem trade from scratch and transformed in to one of the leading figures in the Sri Lankan gem trade. Eventually Zeyan Mohamed Hashim is been entrusted the baton of legacy passed through a multitude of flamboyant characters studded a saga unfolded from desert to Serendib. He furbished the genetically inherited knowledge under the distinguish shades of the elders who were eminent gemmologists. A connoisseur refined under the furnace of over thirty five years experience and exposed to exceptionally rare gems where only few gifted exponents would have set their eyes being now pushed into his second instinct passed through the lineage. Inspired by the Islamic motto of “wealth shouldn’t be acquired; but shared’’, he led his personnel crusade of endowing the inherited knowledge towards the future generation. He vehemently argued the priceless gems conceived within mother earth shouldn’t be incarcerated in voracious private collectors’ basements when unearthed.

Like a weather-beaten tree, the genealogy of their progeny encountered tremendous changes when going through many centuries, different countries, dynasties and political hurricanes.Couple of years ago Hashim Zeyan made a shocking discovery when researching his obscured ancestry.His surname buried by the Kandiyan progenyhas surfaced misspelled when unearthed as Ziyaan and had continued since then up to the 21st century. The name has duly rectified by Hashim Zeyan recently after cross checking with the family history. Accumulated evidences suggested the culprit could be a Singhalese grammar dictum known as Poorvaswara Lopa Sandhiya, which allows tongue twisting words effortlessly pronounceable by omitting and substituting letters within the words in question.

It is hard preventing his mind when unoccupied wondering in the misty Kandiyan hills. After all he is a committed Kandiyan though domiciled in the western world. He desires to be left alone among the Kandiyan artefacts in his ancestral house whenever visited Sri Lanka.The cleverly displayed remnants of the past in the spacious living room give him the feeling of being with the by-gone era his ancestors lived. He feels the antiques and ola leaf (Corypha Taliera Roxb) native manuscriptsin their elaborately carved ivory and wooden covers with distinct KandiyanVaka deka liya vela or “double curve vine” motif are pulsing when touched. He is not a person holds fancies in mind. Nevertheless our minds sometimes see what our hearts wish were true. Endeavour of his ancestors braved the unruly waves in search of the island of gems aren’t a total waste. There’s a fiercely committed 21st century Zeyan to transform the dream into a reality.

Saga

Battle of Hope

Defeating the prolong hesitation, I took the final breath and plunge into the ocean

The salty breeze stabbed me causing my body shrivel while my mind and conscious took command defying the body.

I open my eyes to catch my breath and perceive my current state once in the water.

Alone and terrorized I lay there frozen in the centre of the deep ocean.

My body contracts when the unknown fear electrified my frail skeleton.

The eerie sound of silence and the feeling of being empty have now taken authority of me.

The unknown fear and uncertainty has increased my heart rate refusing to be calm

The surreal thoughts frightened me when tried to admired the beauty and peace defying fear,

…….just to stabilize my frightened mind.

There is still hope, cried someone within me demanding not to give up

Suddenly, the feeling of fear and the darkness of the depth opened the windows of realization.

I attempt to re-surface and return to a dependable state.

But the vision blurred prompting me scream, potentially making things worse by in-taking salty water through mouth

I struggled to breathe, but my chest tightens and brain shuts off negating the ability of assessing the situation.

I fight for my last breath but the ocean swallows me whole and everything goes blank.

By Zeyan Hashim

Precious Gems of Sri Lanka Treasured Around the World

During my wonder years, I used to walk on the sandy beds of river Mahawali collecting pebbles. As I searched for treasures among the stones, I was unaware that the island of Sri Lanka had been blessed with endless streams of precious gems.  Today, whenever I hold a gem between my fingers, I envision the beauty of the island and its rich soil.  I enjoy the purest physical pleasure from the energy I receive from these wonderful gifts of the creator.  I feel complete and whole, as though the perfection of the gems is somehow transferred to me.

In the ancient world, Sri Lanka was known by many names. Second century Greekgeographers called it Taprobane.  Third and fourth century Arabic and Persian traders referred to Sri Lanka as Serendib. (From which we find the origin of the word serendipity.)  In the sixteenth century, the Portuguese gave Sri Lanka the name Ceilao when they arrived. When the British arrived and claimed the land as a British Colony, the Portuguese name was translated into English as Ceylon.  The island became the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972.

Geologically, it has been estimated that nearly 25% of the total land area of Sri Lanka is potentially gem bearing.  The highlands of the island are especially laden with complex gemstone deposits. are most abundent in the gem fields such as Ratnapura, Elahera, Walawe and Ballangodde. There are also many potential gem-bearing areas awaiting exploration. It is quite likely that the jewel box of Sri Lanka will continue to produce its precious treasures for centuries to come.

The Long Heritage of Sri Lankan Gems

There is a long and rich history of producing and trading precious gems within the eastern world.  Looking through historical and fictional writing, it is easy to establish the longstanding connection of Sri Lanka to this gem industry.  The rich and deep cultural connection, has even earned the island the title “Pearl of the Indian Ocean.”  Merchants of the coastal towns in Arabia grew so rich, that Greek and Roman historians observed that their doors, walls, and even the roofs of their houses were beautifully inlaid with “ivory, gold, silver, and precious stones from the land of Serendib (Ceylon).”

Legend says that King Soloman of the bible wooed the queen of Sheba with precious stones taken from the “paradise island” of Sri Lanka.  In the second century, astronomer Claudius Ptolemy, recorded that “beryl and sapphires were the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s gem industry”.  The awe-inspiring stories of Sinbad the Sailor are full of rich accounts of Sri Lankan gems and gem deposits, bearing further evidence of the influence of the island’s gemological bounty on the writing and story-telling of the eastern cultures.

In his classic work, ‘Divestment dou Monde’ (Description of the World), Marco Polo, the medieval Venetian traveller and chronicler (c. 1254 – 1324) wrote of the abundance of gemstones during his 1292 visit to Sri Lanka. “Iwant you to understand that the island of Ceylon is, for its size, the finest island in the world, and from its streams comes rubies, sapphires, topazes, amethyst and garnet”.  Sixteenth century Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama noted that “Ceylon has all the fine cinnamon of the Indies and the best sapphires.”

In 1344 Ibn Battuta, the reputed Islamic scholar and traveler  in his traveloguewrote that “gems are found in all localities of the island.  All the women of the possess necklaces of precious stones of diverse colors.  They wear them on their hands and feet in the form of anklets and bracelets.  I have seen on the forehead of the white elephant several of these precious stones, each of which was larger than a hen’s egg”.

In the seventeenth century, sailor Robert Knox wrote, “In this Island are several sorts of precious stones, which the king for his part has enough of and so careth not to have more discoveries made. Also there are certain rivers out of which it is generally reported that they do take rubies and sapphires and catseyes for the king’s use. And I have seen several pretty colored stones, some as big as cherry stones and some as buttons, and transparent, but understood not what they were. Rubies and sapphires I myself have seen.”

Indeed, the island is considered by many to be one of the oldest sources of sapphires in the world.  Perhaps Dr. Eduard J. Gubelin the famous gemologist, summed it best when he said: “The island of Ceylon was the world’s first source of sapphires and remained the premier supplier of these gem-quality stones for centuries. No sapphire in the world can equal that obtained in Sri Lanka”

Sri Lanka Gems Adorn Many Crowns Around the World

Blue Giant of the Orient

At 486.52 carats, this gem is considered to be the largest blue sapphire in the world.  Discovered in Sri Lanka in 1907, the gem was sold to an anonymous American collector and connoisseur of gemstones and art works.  Nothing was heard of the stone until 2004, when the “Blue Giant of the Orient suddenly appeared at a Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale held on May 19, 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Queen Marie of Romania Sapphire

This 478.68 carat cushion cut deep cornflower blue of Sri Lankan origin could be the most famous and historic sapphire.  The gem was originally purchased by King Ferdinand of Romania for his beautiful consort Queen Marie (1875 – 1938).  On November 19, 2003, the gemstone came up for auction at Christie’s Geneva under the title of “property of a noble family.”  The buyer of the gemstone is unknown.

Logan Blue Sapphire

The Logan is a 423 carat rich deep blue sapphire that was discovered in Sri Lanka.  The gem has ben set in a brooch and surrounded by twenty round brilliant-cut diamonds.  The gem has been named in honour of Mrs. John A. Logan.  She donated the stone to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. in 1960.

Blue Belle of Asia

The Blue Belle is  a 400 carat cornflower-blue sapphire that was discovered in Sri Lanka in 1926.  The word “belle” refers to the extraordinary beauty of this enormous beauty of this blue sapphire owned by Lord Naffield of Britain.  The fate of the “Blue Belle of Asia” after his death is not known.

Empress Maria’s Sapphire

This Sri Lankan blue sapphire is 260.37 carats and was purchased by the Russian Emperor ALexander II in the London Great Exhibition of 1862 and presented to his wife Empress Maria Alexandronova.  Two years after her death in 1880, the gem was donated to the State Diamond Fund of theRussian Federation where it is proudly displayed at their museum in Gokhran, Russia.

Bismarck Sapphire

A 98.6 carat cornflower-blue sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka in 1920.  The gemstone was gifted to countess Mona von Bismarck, the fashion icon of that era, by her third husband Herrison Williams in 1926.  Mona von Bismarck donated the stone to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. in 1967.

Star of India

This gemstone is a 563.35 carat grayish-blue star sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka.  J.P. Morgan donated the Star of India to the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 1900.

The Star of Artaban

The Star of Artaban is a 316 carat blue star sapphire of Sri Lankan origin.  The gem was purchased by a member of the Georgia Mineral Society toward the end of 1943. It was later presented anonymously to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Star of Lanka

This grayish-blue star sapphire is 193 carats and was discovered in the 20 th century in Sri Lanka.  It was originally owned by Allan Kaplan who sold the gemstone to the Royal Ontario Museum in 1958.

Star of Bombay

The Star of Bombay is a 182 carat violet-blue star sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka.  Given as a gift to Mary Pickford by her husband Douglas Fairbanks in the 1920’s. She bequeathed the gemstone to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., sometime before her death in 1979. 

Rosser Reeves Star Ruby

At 138.7, the Rosser Reeves Star Ruby is one of the world’s largest and finest star rubies.  This Sri Lankan stone is renowned for is fantastic colour and well defined star pattern.  Advertising mogul Rosser Reeves donated the piece to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. in 1965.

Midnight Star Sapphire

The Midnight Star Sapphire is a 116.75 carat deep purple-violet star sapphire.  It was discovered in Sri Lanka in the 19^th century.  J.P. Morgan donated the Midnight Star to the American Museum of Natural History in New York in the 1900s.

J.P. Morgan Collection

This collection is made up of three blue star sapphires – 188 carats, 158 carats and 153 carats respectively – of Sri Lankan origin.  They were a part of J.P. Morgan’s personal collection and were donated to the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

The Eye of the Lion

This 465 carat chrysoberyl cat’s eye gemstone was discovered in the late 1800’s in Pelmadulla, Sri Lanka.  It was originally owned by a family descended from King Rajasinghe the First, who ruled the island nation from 1581 to 1593.  The family appropriately named the gem “The Eye of the Lion.”  After the Smithsonian expressed interest in acquiring the gemstone in 1978, nothing was heard of it for nearly three decades.  The stone resurface in 2006 to visit the AGTA gemological testing center’s New York lab in the hands of gemstone dealer Jeffery Bergman of Primagem, Bangkok, Thailand.

Hope Cat’s Eye

At 500 carats, the Hope Cat’s Eye is the world’s largest chrysoberyl cat’s eye.  It iscarved to represent an alter surrounded by a torch.  Owned by the wealthy British banker and gem investor Thomas P. Hope, it is now on exhibit at the British Museum of Natural History.

Star of Ceylon

This 101.01 carat violet-blue star sapphire was originally discovered in Sri Lanka and is now in the hands of a private collector in Seattle, USA.

British Royal Jewel 

The British Royal Jewel is a 105 carat chrysoberyl cat’s eye of exceptional quality, discovered in Sri Lanka.  It acquired great fame when it was purchased for the British Royalty from a reputed London jeweler around 1900.  It is said that this cat’s eye was cherished by four British monarchs: Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, and Queen Elizabeth II.

Ray of Treasure

The Ray of Treasure is a 103 carat chrysoberyl cat’s eye  discovered in Sri Lanka.  This gemstone is a fine example of the most desirable qualities of cat’s eye stones.  It is currently part of the collection of the National Gem and Jewelry Authority (NGJA) in Sri Lanka.

Maharani Cat’s Eye

The 58.19 carat honey coloured chrysoberyl cat’s eye discovered in Sri Lanka is one of the finest gems of its kind.  It is currently displayed in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Timur Ruby

This 361 carat red spinel discovered in Sri Lanka and was once thought to be a ruby.The gem was originally owned by the Mogul Emperors of India who had their name engraved on the stone.  The Timur Ruby now finds its home among the crown jewels of Great Britain owned by Queen Elizabeth.

Star sapphire (unnamed)

This unnamed gemstone is a 393 carat blue star sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka in 1970.  It is part of the collection of the National Gem and Jewelry Authority (NGJA) of Sri Lanka.

Black Prince Ruby

This 170 carat Sri Lankan red spinel is an extraordinary piece with a unique history.  Henry V of England wore a gem-encrusted helmet that included the Black Prince Ruby. Richard III is also reported to have worn the Black Prince Ruby in his helmet at the Battle of Bosworth Field where he died.  It now forms the centerpiece of the imperial state crown of Great Britain and is exhibited in the tower of London.

Splendour of Lanka

 An 8042 carat blue sapphire gemstone discovered in Pelmadulla, Sri Lanka.

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The Pride of Sri Lanka

The Pride of Sri Lanka is an 856 carat deep blue sapphire.  This gemstone was discovered near Ratnapura in 1998.

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Unnamed Sapphire

 This stone is a 250 carat deep-blue sapphire discovered in Pelmadulla, Sri Lanka.

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 Unnamed Yellow Sapphire

A large yellow sapphire weighing 1.3 kilograms was found two kilometers from Ratnapura, Sri Lanka.

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Unnamed Corundum Crystal

This is a large homogenous corundum crystal showing parallel growth.

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Unnamed Aquamarine Crystal

This large aquamarine crystal weighs 7.5 kilograms and was found near Hatton, Sri Lanka.

Other recent discoveries of large sapphires in the Ratnapura District of Sri Lanka

a) Orange Sapphire (825 carats) – It was transparent and free of cracks.

b) Blue Sapphire (2516 carats) – It was transparent.

c) Blue Sapphire (4002 Carats) – Found in the year 2000.

d) Blue Sapphire (254 carats) – This was a deep-blue sapphire

By Zeyan Hashim

Humanity’s Footprint

Alone with myself exploring the green canopy the call of nature makes me gaze in awe at her splendor. Despite the captivating beauty it renders trees provide a multitude of benefits to serve humanity and keep the environment balanced, it’s hard to imagine a life without trees.

Forests serve humanity and represent a valuable and usually irreplaceable habitat for wildlife. Since creation trees have provisioned us with two of life’s essentials, oxygen and food. As we progressed, they provided additional necessities such as shelter, medicine, and tools. In this era their value continues to increase as modern lifestyle expand.

Humans have practiced deforestation since ages; deforestation is defined as the large-scale removal of trees. It occurs all over the world, but mainly in tropical rainforest. It was in the mid- 19 century that forests began to be depleted at an aberrant rate. The most worrying factors today are the massive destruction of the world’s rainforest disturbing the biodiversity unfavorably.

However the issue is not just about losing a few plants and animals; humanity is affected much more, and if the current rate of deforestation continues mankind will lose its own quality of life.The tropical forests diversity are perishing rapidly as humans clear the natural landscape to make room for farms and meadows, to harvest timber for construction and fuel, to build roads and countless other means. With all sort of destruction the most dramatic impact is a loss of habitat for millions of species, many of these animals go extinct, approximately we are losing 100 species a day. A fully functioning forest has a great capacity to regenerate but due to excessive depletion of tropical rain forests animal species necessary for forest regeneration is lost, so recovery of damaged forests are slowed down.

Today’s climate change is also one of the biggest long-term problems to global development. Forests have a vital role to play in the fight against global warming; forests absorb and store carbon in their trees and soil. The devastating combination of deforestation and burning of fossil fuels are releasing huge amounts of carbon dixiode into the atmosphere increasing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. If the forests are been damaged at this rate and resolutions aren’t taken immediately to cut less trees as well as replanting those we have taken out the accelerating climate fluctuations are unpreventable.

Depletion of rain forest has fortunately received some significance unlike some environmental issues. Despite the opposition to the cutting down of forests, the problem continues mainly because most countries don’t have proper regulations and the exploitation of rain forests has been quite chaotic. If it continues at this pattern, we will be losing all tropical forests and facing the consequences.

By Zeyan Hashim

The Moaning Ocean

The enchanting ocean is our earth’s divine natural resource. Gratify the senses and nourishing the spirit is a blessing of hers. A place of origin for most life, ocean is a home for all sorts of plants and animals. Mainly plants do not live in the deep dark waters of the ocean, but animals are inhabited all around the sea.

Extensive amount of people rely on the ocean for survival as the worlds fishing community bring in millions of tons of fish, in the recent times the severe decline of stocks in many traditional coastal fishing grounds has given rise to an increase in regulations. This, in turn, has intensified the search for new and less fishing grounds. Among the most destructive fishing methods the bottom trawling is the worst of all which destroys important habitat that sustain the ecosystem. In this process of fishing desired species, bottom trawls also catch millions of pounds of unintended species and devastating the coral gardens and sponge beds. The destruction of humans doesn’t stop there; oil spills too immensely contribute to the potential for enormous harm to deep ocean and coastal fishing and fisheries. Although Oil wastes that enter the ocean come from many sources, it is estimated that approximately 706 million gallons of waste oil enter the ocean every year, with over half coming from land drainage, waste disposal and leaks occurring during various stages of well drilling or work over and repair operations. So certainly fisheries will be hurt considerably in time to come.

Bounties of the ocean are countless Coral reefs are among the precious resources in the ocean because of their beauty and biodiversity and mainly they come in a seemingly infinite array of shapes and colors and teem with life, but their beauty is matched by their fragility. Coral reefs are often called the rainforests of the sea, both due to the vast amount of species they harbour, and to the high productivity they yield.

Covering less than one percent of the ocean floor but supporting an estimated 25 percent of all marine life its miraculous diversity and beauty is a powerful attraction for tourism, and well managed tourism provides a sustainable means of earning foreign currency and employment for people around the globe. So beyond a shadow of doubt they benefit people and the natural world far beyond their boundaries.

More than half of the world’s coral reefs are at a high risk. The largest living structures on earth, with diversity so rich, there is no other oceanic equivalent, coral reefs are facing serious threats and are rapidly disappearing and the appropriate conditions for them to survive is a delicate, balanced marine environment. They depend upon lots of light and oxygen. They also need clear water, low nutrients, a steady temperature. But with activities like overfishing, coastal development, and pollution being the key habitat degraders. It’s not surprising that human activities threaten coral reefs to greater extend. The protection of the marine environment is the responsibility of everyone, so we must be conscious of the threats to our oceans. If better international regulations aren’t implemented immediately it can be too late to save her.

By Zeyan Hashim

Revitalizing Nature’s Balance

Human species survive in the kingdom of nature; mankind is perpetually connected to it and totally benefited by the natural ecosystems of the earth and the ecosystem services they contribute.Humans have always been an immense dependent on forests to a lesser or greater degree.

Trees have had a great leverage in the Conservation of our planet and in determining the existing formation of life on earth, and the most noticeable living object which can be found everywhere except in dry and cold places and is attached to each and every type of organism available in some or the other way.

Sadly we find considerable amount of people engaged in the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands that maintains the atmosphere alongside the burning of fossil fuels, our destruction of the forests is a major contributory factor to the rising levels of carbon dioxide and global warming.

The scale of human pressures on ecosystems everywhere has increased enormously in the last few decades mainly the depletion of forests is happening at a very fast rate. And whenever humanity is affected by some sort of natural disaster, they look to the sky and curse mother nature without any concern how much of damage we have done to her.

Most of us rarely lend much thought to the importance of trees in our lives, may be because of their constant presence I believe. The safe keeping of our precious planet lies with each and every individual of the human population. So if the solutions aren’t taken quickly to restore the damages we have done; it is really going to be tough to save our mother earth.

By Zeyan Hashim