Dulma Niroshini Karunarathna
PhD Project Title:
Imaging the female in changing socio-cultural contexts: a study of female representations in the visual arts of late mediaeval and colonial Sri Lanka
Subject Area: Social Archaeology of Gender
Supervision team: Dr. Sam Turner and Dr. Samiksha Sehrawat
Personal Profile
My Doctoral Research will be the first of its kind undertaken on Sri Lanka as an in-depth cross regional study with a view to understanding female representations depicted in the visual art forms in their proper institutional structure prevalent during the period 14th Century to the 19th Century. The project aims to study varying representations of the South Asian women in history. In order to do this the project aims to:
- compare and contrast female figures represented in murals, paintings and sculpture with those situations depicted in the literary sources from this period
- compare and contrast such evidence through a cross-regional and cross-cultural study
This will be achieved through:
- collection of information from primary sources (mainly mural paintings, sculpture and architecture) and supplementary sources (mainly inscriptions, textual and ethnographic data)
- collection of information from secondary sources through a Library survey on women in ancient Sri Lanka
- Data analysis and interpretation with a multi-disciplinary application
This study will investigate how women lived in changing social contexts in Late Medieval and Colonial Sri Lanka, enabling us to question and dispel myths about women in our history, and to enhance our understanding of the situation of women in contemporary South Asia in general and Sri Lanka in particular. Such new information may ultimately be used in a productive manner in contemporary research attempting to focus on the rights of women and their legitimate position in society.
Research Interests
Ancient built environment of South Asia, socio-economic history of South Asia, art history, craft and technology of Pre-Industrial Sri Lanka, archaeology and gender
Academic qualifications:
- B.A in Archaeology, M. Phil in Archaeology
Selected Publications:
2004 – Dulma Karunarathna, Did Women Hold a Prestigious Position in the Krishna Valley during the Satavahana & Ikshavaku Dynasties? A Socio- archaeological study, Nawa Vimarshana, Centre for Women’s Research (CENWOR) Colombo. pp1- 17
2005 – Dulma Karunarathna, “ Review on Lakshmi Plaques” Welipila Archaeological Magazine, Vol. 6, ed. Thusitha Mandis, Central Cultural Fund, Colombo, pp 89-97
2006 - Dulma Karunarathna, “Andhra Art Tradition & the Relationship between the creations of Sri Lanka”, Alternative Archaeology, Vol. 1, ed. Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne & Others, Archaeological Society, Department of Archaeology, University of Peradeniya. pp 38-51
2007 – Dulma Karunarathna, “Cave Temples of Ajanta”, Welipila Archaeological Magazine, Vol. 7, ed. Thusitha Mandis, Central Cultural Fund, Colombo. pp 105-116
2009 - Dulma Karunarathna, The Sculptured Art of Jetavana Ayaka, Jetavana Stupa Puranaya, Central Cultural Fund, Colombo. pp 79-91
2009- Dulma Karunarathna, Women & Heritage: An Ethno-Archaeological study on Vaddha Women in Dambana, Sri Lanka ,Alternative Archaeology, Vol. 2, ed. Aruna Rajapakshe, Archaeological Society, Department of Archaeology, University of Peradeniya. pp 79-86
2010 - Dulma Karunarathna, Portrayal of Women in the Sigiri frescoes, Terracotta Figures and Graffiti: A Socio- archaeological study. Prof. K.N. O. Dharmadasa felicitation Volume, ed. Palitha Lakshman Nugapitiya & Mahinda Ratnayake, S. Godage & Brothers, Colombo. pp 282-307
Selected Paper Presentations:
2003 - Dulma Karunarathna, Andhra Art Tradition & the Relationship between the Carvings of Jetavana Monastery. Paper Presented at the 07th National Archaeological Symposium. Colombo.
2004 – Dulma Karunarathna, Did Women Hold a Prestigious Position in the Krishna Valley During the Satavahana & Ikshavaku Dynasties? A Socio- archaeological study, Paper presented at the 9th National Convention on Women’s Studies (CENWOR), Colombo.
2006 – Dulma Karunarathna, “Female Representation in Early Krishna Valley, Andhra Pradesh: A Socio- Archaeological Study”, Paper presented at the Postgraduate Research Symposium 2005, January 21, 2006, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya.
2006 – Dulma Karunarathna, Portrayal of Women in the Sigiri frescoes, Terracotta Figures and Graffiti: A Socio - archaeological study, Paper presented at the 10th National Convention on Women’s Studies (CENWOR), Colombo.
2008 - Dulma Karunarathna, Joined presentation with Prof. S.D.S. Seneviratne on Learning through an Archaeological and cultural study tour of South India, Consultative Review panel, Trans Asia Hotel, 01.03.2008, Organized by American Institute for Lankan Studies.
2009 – Dulma Karunarathna, Female representation in primitive rock art in Ancient India: Social- Archaeological Study. Paper presented at the Peradeniya University Research Sessions (PURSE) 2009.
2010 - Dulma Karunarathna, The Function of Lakshmi Figure in Sri Lankan Art Forms, Paper presentation, Postgraduate Symposium, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya. held on 29, 10, 2010 at University of Peradeniya. pp 1-3
2010 - Sudharshan Seneviratne, Dulma Karunarathna, Kumuduni Nanayakkara and Poornima Ihalagedara. (Joined research paper and presented by Dulma Karunarathna) Contradictions of Development in the Chasm of Survival or Obliteration: Saga of the Crafts Communities in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. International Conference, Reflections 2010, Managing Diversity, Reconciliation & Development, held on 01& 02, 11, 2010 at Galadari Hotel, Colombo, Organized by GTZ & FLICT
2010- Dulma Karunarathna, The Multi-facetted Contribution of Female Figures at the Entrances of Ancient Sri Lankan Built Environment, Paper has been selected to be presented at the, Peradeniya University Research Sessions (PURSE) 2010, will be held on 16th December 2010.
Training Programmes:
2007 - Attended the Cultural Heritage Institute – South Asia program in India & United States hosted by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. July 19 – August 16, 2007 , India (American Institute on Indian Studies, New Delhi) & U.S.A. (Smithsonian Institution & University of Wisconsin, Madison)
2009 - Underwater Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology Unite, Central Cultural Fund Galle, Sri Lanka. (8-18 July 2009)
Awards, Prizes, Scholarships & Fellowships:
2011- Commonwealth Scholarship United Kingdom
2003-2004-Hilda Obesekera Research fellowship for M. Phil, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
2002-Professor Leelananda Prematilake and Dr. Nanda Prermatilake prize for highest average in Archaeology, General Convocation, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
1997-Mahapola Higher Education ( Merit ) Scholarship, Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, Sri Lanka.
1996 Annual Best Students’ Prize, Awarded by Bandarathilaka Art Foundation, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
1995 -Prof. Maramba Ratanasara Annual Memorial Scholarship Prize to a student of Gurukula Maha Vidyalaya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka for the best Advance Level results.
Other Information:
Artist, Poet and Photographer