Sri Lanka’s Greatest Statesman – SJV Chelvanayakam
Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
The Thanthai Chelva Memorial Auditorium
On July 1 saw the grand opening of a 1,100-seat memorial conference hall dedicated to SJV, Samuel James Velupillai Chelvanayakam, whom many Tamils fondly venerate for his leadership, foresight and honest dedication. The hall exudes never-seen-before practical grandeur in Jaffna – tall roof, well-lit, with generous windows letting in fresh air. The basement houses memorabilia from that glorious era of enlightened Tamil leadership.
The hall had been built through a foundation established by SJV’s third son Raveendran in Altadena, CA who was represented by my cousin Nandakumar Navaratnam and his wife Jega who works for Raveendran. There was graceful, faultless dancing by girls who, it was announced, are disabled. Other dances had girls bouncing about in ebullient happiness. Remarkable was a play, acted out by Jaffna Central College (JCC) boys, from the Ramayanam – I think set in the Ramayanam but newly and innovatively written. The theme was Ravanan killing his brother-in-law following which his sister seeks revenge by trying to marry Raman. As serious as it was hilarious, the play raised questions about whether today’s Tamil Asurar are on the side of the ancient Asurar, or Raman and the Aryans, whether Raman really was monogamous, etc.
The Kolam of Rice Flour at the entrance captured SJV’s image well.
Kolam – Coloured Flour Art Captures SJV’s True Likeness
SJV – His Christian Roots
SJV and his lieutenant EMV Naganathan (Hensman) were of a bygone era. Christians then were readily and repeatedly endorsed by the Tamil electorate despite election campaigns by those such as Ponnambalam Ramanathan’s son-in-law Nadesan’s slogan”Kurusa Vela?” ( “Jesus’ Cross or Muruha’s Spear?”)
I take great personal pride in SJV, whose niece, Samathanam Muththaiyah of Alaveddy married my mother’s brother Peter Somasundaram, FP MMC from Chundikuli. Also, around 1824, my great-great-great grandfather was the Assistant Priest, Cyrus Kingsbury, at the Tellipalai America Ceylon Mission (today’s Church of South India and distinct from today’s breakaway ACM). That parish was SJV’s home-church.
SJV’s deep Christian faith is to be seen from what older folk know about him. His fastidious observance of the Decalogue is widely known from his refusing to accept Holy Ash when offered it. I know two less known things about him. When travelling first class in the bunk berth of the Ceylon Government Railways, he would kneel even though a stranger might be his bunk mate, and say his evening prayers (Vespers). Second, in the year of his death, he was giving away his books and gave my wife his copy of Imitation of Christ, a book usually read by Christian mystics. It had his daughter’s name Susila on it and my wife says she benefited immensely from reading it.
Prof. A.J. Wilson, D.Sc. Lond., Susila’s husband, has said that SJV was a Christian by religion and Hindu by culture. It is something that might be said of any Tamil Christian but has been misinterpreted by seeing a contradiction in that by writing, using the word “although,” as in the Wikipedia: “Although he was a Christian..,” etc. as if to suggest that a Christian cannot continue Hindu customs – like wearing a verti – as SJV did.
Siting of the Hall
SJV was educated at the Tellipalai Mission of the ACM, and then at St. John’s and St. Thomas’, the Low Church (Protestant) and High Church (Catholic) wings, respectively, of the Anglicans that live together in one Anglican Church. We were wondering how his memorial hall is situated at the Methodists’ now-nationalized JCC. Well, it is not on JCC land; but rather sited on a plot in the middle of JCC once owned by Justice H.W. Thambiah and passed on to 12 heirs. The SJV Memorial Trust eventually bought the land. After deciding against donating the hall to JCC, thinking it unwise to give it to the government, it is run as a public charity to advance the values of nonviolence that SJV stood for.
Does the SJV Heritage Continue?
Appropriately SJV’s successor Hon. R. Sampanthan, was the Chief Guest. Apostle of Nonviolence, Sarvodaya’s Dr. A.T. Ariaratne, was the guest of honour. The latter took ill but sent a representative to read his message.
It is widely recognized that SJV, perhaps uniquely among our politicians, was free of any corruption, whether financial or sexual. When opportunity came at last to join the cabinet in 1965, he let his trusted and honest colleague M. Tiruchelvam take the Federal Party’s (FP’s) seat in cabinet. In contrast, almost every minister today has accumulated inexplicable fortunes.
