Flowers and lamps in Jaffna to commemorate burning of library

 

01 June 2022

he anniversary of the burning of the Jaffna Public Library was commemorated earlier today, marking 41 years since Sri Lankan state backed mobs set ablaze the crucible of Eelam Tamil literature and heritage.  

At the library, a commemoration ceremony was held with a photographs of the destruction on display. Local politicians including the mayor of Jaffna and library staff lit lamps and laid flowers before portraits of one of the library founders K M Chellapah and community leader Reverend Father David.

Over 97,000 unique and irreplaceable Tamil palm leaves (ola), manuscripts, parchments, books, magazines and newspapers, housed within an impressive building inspired by ancient Dravidian architecture, were destroyed during the burning. Some texts that were kept in the library, such as the Yalpanam Vaipavamalai (a history of Jaffna), were literally irreplaceable, being the only copies in existence. It was one of the largest libraries in Asia.

At midnight on May 31, 1981, Sri Lankan security forces and state-sponsored mobs set the library ablaze. The burning continued unchecked for two nights.

Reverend David reportedly died from shock days after the incineration of his beloved institution.

Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and party activists lit lamps outside the library to commemorate the burning of the library. 

Read more in our feature - History in flames: remembering the burning of Jaffna Library

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