Context
The article, written by environmentalist and author Arefa Tehsin, reflects on her visit to Kanatte (Borella) Cemetery in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Through the quiet reflection of death’s democracy, Tehsin explores how cemeteries reveal truths about pluralism, tolerance, and human equality that the living world often fails to practise.
Key Highlights
- Symbol of Pluralism:
The Kanatte Cemetery houses graves of people from diverse faiths — Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians — all lying side by side. This coexistence represents the unity in diversity that transcends life’s religious or political divisions. - Contrasting the Living World:
While the living world is often fragmented by politics, faith, and conflict, death equalises. In the cemetery, distinctions vanish — an ultimate metaphor for human equality. - Cultural Commentary:
Tehsin compares Kanatte with Paris’s Père Lachaise and Washington’s Arlington, observing that while those celebrate celebrity and nationalism, Kanatte reflects quiet pluralism — the humble democracy of mortality. - Epitaphs as Social Mirrors:
The epitaphs, often humorous or reflective (“Please lower your voice. Some of us are still plotting”), humanise the dead and mirror the absurdity and pathos of life. They serve as a literary chronicle of shared humanity. - Colonial Echoes & Memory:
The cemetery also carries colonial-era traces — tombs of British doctors, soldiers, and local elites — reminding readers of Sri Lanka’s layered history of colonisation and independence. - Philosophical Insight:
Death’s silence, Tehsin suggests, teaches the living about tolerance, humility, and peace. The cemetery becomes a metaphorical classroom where human arrogance and conflict appear trivial.