The telling of Sri Lanka’s history, one ‘Patta’ story at a time

Historical chronicles records Sri Lanka’s history at 500BC. Yet, some of the earliest uncovered human remains found in Sri Lanka also happen to be some of the oldest in the world, dating back 38,000 years. Our history is intertwined with that of the broader Indian-Subcontinent but has been mentioned by travellers from around the world in their works. So what really is Sri Lanka’s history all about?

This is a question that Patta History aims to answer. The idea first came to Ruwani Hettiarachchi whose curiosity about all things historical is a shared passion with her husband Geeshan Bandara. Together they embarked on a journey through our nation’s history and have along the way found other like-minded history enthusiasts who now make up the Patta History Crew. While Ruwani and Geeshan function as Executive Producers, she is also the Lead Screenwriter.

“Patta History started off as a passion project stemming from the need to tell Sri Lankan stories. Our country has such a rich history that has everything from tragedy to romance to comedy and stories that changed the world. Our attempt is also to allow people to find their true identity as Sri Lankans and take pride in being who we are,” she said. 

The Patta History team also comprises Duval Weerakoone – Director, Delano Perera - Narrator/Editor, Uvindu Sandakath - Lead Researcher and Assistant Screenwriter, Ashwitha De Mel – Production Designer and Storyboard Artist, Roshan De Selfa – Art Director and Lead Artist, Liswith Obinamuni – Unit Production Manager and First Assistant Director, Dhyresh Mendis – Brand Guru, Shamika Makalanda – Sound Designer, Sandaruwan Senewirathna – Editor, Kanishka Manoj – Assistant Illustrator, Duminda Hettiarachchi – Administrator and Nishu Gunawardana – Community Manager.

Since the YouTube Channel’s inception in November 2020, the page has accumulated much interest among those that love history. Patta History’s social media pages on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter also generate traction with fans and followers continuously engaging with the content being produced and actively engaging in conversations about our history. 

Extensive research is carried out into the stories that are brought to life in animated format. Stories of ancient kings and queens like Parakramabahu, Elara and Anula, and more recent tales of Thomas and Lovina’s love story and Sri Lanka’s Independence have all been told in an interesting and engaging manner. In a latest addition, stories are now also being produced in Sinhala and Tamil so that a wider audience can be reached. Patta History’s work has also been recognised by global content creators like Kraut.

Patta History’s work can also be supported by becoming a Patron of the channel via www.patreon.com/pattahistory which brings added benefits to subscribers for as little as $ 1 per month. “Patreon is a fantastic way for us, as artists, to get support from our fans to keep producing more stories of Sri Lankan history. We also have a variety of benefits, like Patta History t-shirts, that come with Patreon membership.”

Patta History releases a brand new video every Sunday at 9 a.m. on the YouTube page. Subscribe to the channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/pattahistory or follow its social media pages to stay updated on the latest news and releases. For more information on Patreon Subscription please contact +94 775234333 or email [email protected].