<P> In the late 1950s controversy arose over first line of the anthem, "Namo Namo Matha, Apa Sri Lanka". It was deemed to be "unlucky" and blamed for the country's misfortunes including the deaths of two prime ministers . In February 1961 the government changed the line to their present form, "Sri Lanka Matha, Apa Sri Lanka", despite Samarakoon's strong opposition . Samarakoon committed suicide in April 1962, leaving a note complaining that his anthem had been mutilated . </P> <P> The Second Republican Constitution of 1978 gave Sri Lanka Matha constitutional recognition . </P> <P> The Sri Lankan national anthem is available in an identical version in two languages, Sinhala and Tamil, both official languages of the country . It is just one of a number that are sung in more than one language: Belgium (French, Dutch and German), Canada (English, French and Inuktitut), New Zealand (English and Māori), South Africa (Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English), Suriname (Dutch and Sranan Tongo) and Switzerland (German, French, Italian and Romansh). </P> <P> Sri Lanka Thaaye, the Tamil version of the Sri Lankan national anthem, is an exact translation of Sri Lanka Matha, the Sinhala version, and has the same music . Although it has existed since independence in 1948 it was generally only sung in the north and east of the country where the Tamil language predominates . </P>

What language is the sri lankan national anthem