Sri Lankan
Sinhalese Family Genealogy
JAYEWARDENE, Don Adrian Wijesinghe (Tombi Mudaliyar) -
Family #3002
For update
pertaining to this, please contact sgenweb@gmail.com
00 DAW
Jayewardene Mudaliyar Pitigal Corle/Korale
b.170? [info: J.R.Jayewardene Centre Museum Tel: 011-2678075.
Address: 191, Dharmapala Mawatha,Colombo 07 ] + Dona
Christina
0 Jayawardenege
Don Adrian Senior Jayewardene b.1730-1792 + Dona Ascencia Sinhala
book Madampe Withthie (affairs) by Victor Munasinha.
1
Don Johannes
1
Don Hendrick
1
Don Simon
1
Dona Magdelena
1 Don Adrian Wijesinghe/Wijeyesinghe
Jayewardene/Jayawardena (Tombi Mudaliyar) 1768-1830 + Suraweera Aarachchige Don Simange
Dona Dinesia at Kelanimulla in the Hewagam Korale ( b:1776?)
b:1768
in the village of Welgama near Hanwella in the Hina Korale. Descended from a
family of the Colombo Chetty Community [‘of
[part] Persian extraction’??] who trace
their origins to the Coromondel Coast India during Dutch rule (mid 17th
cent.). Several generations before the
birth of Don Adrian, a male member of his ancestors had married a Sinhalese
lady by the name of Jayawardena from the village of Welgama near Hanvalla about
20 miles from Colombo. It was from that time that the family took the Sinhalese
name of Jayewardene. Don Adrian served as an Arache of the Dutch Lascoryn
Regiment. Received lands in the village, Narahenpita. When the Dutch
capitulated to the British in 1796 he accepted office under the British as
Aarachi & Guide to the British Army. Accompanied General Mac Dowell on an
embassy to the King of Kandy, as his guide on 12-Mar-1800. Appointed Titular
Muhandiram of the Atapattu. Served as guide to the British Army Jan 1815.
Accompanied John D’Oyly to Kandy.
Mudaliyar of the Guides to the British Army, 15-Jan-1815. Received land
in Chilaw. Brought the last King of
Kandy to Colombo. Died: 11-Feb-1830. Buried with full military honors on the
order of the Governor Edward barnes at the Churchyard of the Wolvendaal Dutch
Reformed Church. Wife received an allowance of Pounds 18 Sh. 15 per mensem by
the British Government. (Madampe, in Chilaw).
British Museum has memorabilia about him (and probably his son).
2 Dona Johanna
Jayewardene + Don Herath Seneviratne’s son p. 26
It
is written that Don Adrian’s daughter, Johanna married the Mudaliyar of Chilaw,
Don Herath Seneviratne’s son.
In
the J.R. Jayewardene book…p.23-36 The British confiscated land belonging
to Chilaw Mudaliyar Don Herath Seneviratne and gave them to Don Adrian W.
Jayewardene. and that subsequently, Johanna had married the said Mudaliyar’s
son. Eventually there was a court case between the two families about
this land.
The
book ‘The Golden book of India’ by … says, :
SENEWIRATNA,
Don James Caulfield Herat, Shroff Mudaliydr ; b. Belongs to one of
the oldest families in the Chilaw district, whose members were for
several generations in succession Mudaliyars of Madampe under the
Singhalese Monarchs and under the Dutch. Descended from
Tanivella Bahu Raja, Sub-King of Madampe. The family held all the
lands at Madampe, but they were confiscated by the British Government in
1804, when the then Mudaliyar and his retainers were outlawed because
they had sided against the British in the war with Kandy. The order
of outlawry was subsequently recalled, and the Mudaliyar's son, Don Barend
Herat Senewiratna, was appointed Mudaliyar of Madampe. Residence : Kegalla.
3
Henrietta Seneviratne + Charles Edward (Bandaranaike) Corea Proctor of the Supreme Court (Chilaw?) d.1872 [Son of Simon Corea-Vikramasinha Mudaliyar Alutkuru
Korale, also Justice of the Peace + Cornelia Dias Bandaranaike] - needs verification/confirmation See Corea Family # 3166 (Victor Corea a descendant of Don Adrian won a seat to the Legislative
council 1924 - ran against E.W. Jayewardene and won. From book by De Silva).
(Family #3070)
2 Don Abraham Wijesinghe Jayewardene
(Mudaliyar) 1801-1866 bp:11-Dec-1808 Interpreter Mudaliyar, Puttalam Kachcheri. Resigned his post in
protest re. some remarks cast by Justice Carr. Appointed Maha Mudaliyar.
Associated with Dr. Christopher Elliot of the Colombo Observer in criticisizing
Governor Torrington. Arrested by the British Government along with Subraylu
Raja, descendant of the Nayakkars, Sep 1848. Produced before Colepepper, JP.
Openly criticized the Governor and the Colonial Secretary. Exonerated.
Requested Elliott to publish his interrogation by Colepepper. Mudeliyar Chilaw
Kachcheri Died:8-May-1866. (buried in Chilaw? Madampe? Or Colombo? )
Inherited
Don Adrian’s Walauwa (Mansion) in Colombo at Grandpass and land in Chilaw.
+ wife #1 Anna Perera (had 1 child)
+ wife #2 Rose Maria Perera (sister of Anna) (had
6 children)
+
wife #3: Sarah daughter of Malalasinghe Jayasundara Bandara &
Weerasinghe/Wirasinha Mudiyanselage Subadra Menike of Ratnapura and later of
Madampe. (had 2 children)
(as
per Kingsley Jayewardene and also the J.R. Jayewardene Centre Museum).
{But
Published record (Asiatic Journal) says that Don Abraham Wijesinghe Jayewardene
+ wife Miss Rose Maria Perera married: June
28.1827 At Malwane, In the Hina
Corle, [Book: The Asiatic Journal and
monthly miscellany by East India Company Vol. 23 1827] http://books.google.ca/books?pg=PA94&dq=Abraham+Jayewardene&ei=ZLDGTKzyEIOksQOK8vTpDQ&ct=result&id=QBMoAAAAYAAJ#v=onepage&q=Abraham%20Jayewardene&f=false }
According to
the book by K.M.de Silva and Howard Riggins,
Don Abraham disinherited 7 of his children : Cornelis. Adrian Philip,
Francis Alexander, Charlotte (married to Cornelis Wijesinghe}, James
Alfred (page 27?, 39 ), and…. J. R. Jayewardene, the President of the Republic of Sri Lanka:
...
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No
cover image |
books.google.ca1978 - 104 pages -
Snippet view
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books.google.caĒman
Kāriyakaravana, Neil Sri
Wijesinghe - 1981 - 151 pages - Snippet view
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3 Adrian Phillip Wijesinghe Jayewardene (by 1st
wife) was a lawyer, Judge? [Book JR
authors: Bulathsinhalage
Cyril Perera, Piyasena
Senaratne http://books.google.ca/books?ei=rcHGTLeSG5LEsAOJldGVDQ&ct=result&id=nIkdAAAAIAAJ&dq=Cornelius+Jayewardene+and+Anuradhapura&q=+Anuradhapura
] + Eliza Caroline Gooneratne/Goonaratna/Gunaratne
of Kalutara Wilegoda Waluwa (info from Kingsley Jayewardene of
Madampe). [Amongst her family members
one DDS Gooneratne (Dr.?) that was instrumental in Baptist Missionaries coming
to Madampe from Grandpass Baptist Church].
4 Philip Leechman Wijesinghe Jayewardene Eldest Proctor, Chilaw and landed proprietor + Agnes Beatrice Jayewardene Youngest Daughter of
James Alfred W.Jayewardene (see below for descendants etc.).
5
Hector Adrian Wijesinghe Jayewardene, (Did law….and passed away before
his final exams); + Pearly? Perline?
6 Hector Jr. Wijesinghe Jayewardene
in Colombo (was in Marawila) +
5 Alfred Wijesinghe Jayewardene
never married.
5 Fitzroy Philip Wijesinghe
Jayewardene (eldest son) + Justicia
Udunuwara Uralawatte Perera (3128) Justicia worked for Red Cross, even in 2nd
World War. She died young in 1946 or 1947, saving another woman from being
electrocuted. [ Justicia saw a woman with a pole trying to pick fruit. That
pole hit a light pole or wire. Justicia went to save her, but got killed
herself. ] Justicia and Fitzroy Philip were relatives (not sure if it is
through the Corea family…ie. both families seem to have Corea
grandmothers).
6
Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayewardene
(only child)+ Anthony William Perera Samarasinghe (Family #
3129)
Anne Marie Samarasinghe eldest. (St. Bridget’s, Colombo, Dominican Convent, Af. Degree from Canada)
Shani (St. Bridget’s,.. Accomplished ) +
Roy P. (Canadian)
+ 2nd hus: C. D.
7 Sonali (School: St. Bridget’s, ……) +
Lendon C. (Canadian heritage)
7 Thushara +
(of Canadian heritage)
8 Sierra
7 Tamara (Degree and part Masters from Canada) +
4 Randolph Wijesinghe
Jayewardene teacher + Henrietta Merriah
Wijesinghe (daugher of Cornelis
Wijesinghe and Charlotte Wijesinghe Jayewardene below)
5 Stanley Wijesinghe Jayewardene + Miss
Thilekeratne from Ratnapura
6 Thillekesiri Jayewardene +
Kingsley Jayewardene (see
below for descendants etc.).
4 Adolphus Wijesinghe Jayewardene landed proprietor (Not married ?)
4 Abraham Wijesinghe
Jayewardene + Jane
Matilda Jayewardene Daughter of James Alfred W.Jayewardene (see
below for descendants etc.)
4 Elsie Wijesinghe Jayewardene + Gabriel Jayewardene Mudaliyar Tamankade ‘The Golden
book of India’
b. April 14, 1856. Is a descendant of
Mudaliydr Don Adrien Wijeyesinghe Jayewardene, Is Revenue
Officer, etc., of Tamankaduwa. Residence : Dambool. Her Cousin. see below for descendants)
4 Lizzie Wijesinghe Jayewardene + Edmond Dassanaike/Dassanayake landed
proprietor ( b. 1864?) As per Kingsley
Jayewardene. [Son of Gate Mudaliyar LA Dassanayake?)
5 Zelda Dassanaike + Wlfred Dias
Bandaranaike Gampaha
6 Hope never married
5 Luis
Dassanaike + Janet Jayewardene (Daughter
of Daniel Jayewardene and Louisa Jayewardene below)
5
Aileen Dassanaike + Felix Jayawardene Lawyer Aileen and Felix are 1st cousins.
6 Ivy Jayewardene + Frederick
(Jayewardene) de Saram (see below
for children and grandchildren)
6
EDW (Archa) Jayewardene (family trait: over 6 ft. tall) Represented Sri
Lanka in rugby and swimming + Doreen Samaraweera (family from Galle?)
7 Jayantha
Jayewardene +
7 Prasanna Jayewardene (Author, Hotelier, Environmentalist ?)
+
8 Adrian (in Sweden) represented Sri Lanka in rugby
and swimming
8 Danielle (In Hawaii)
6 Dr. Lester (Leicester ?) Jayewardene
+ Indrani William
7 Shantha +
Panitha Gunewardene ?
7 Sunil in USA + Name Not Known
7 Indrakumar + Name
Not Known
*7 Nelum + Gunesekera
5 Rene May Dassanaike (bellana waluwa kalutara)
+ Harry Dias Bandaranaike
6 Leonard Bandaranaike
+ Etienne Bandaranaike (grand daughter of Walter Dias Bandaranaike) (Family #1001) d:14
Feb 2004 [She married Hugh Rupasinghe
…her 2st huband? and had a son, Harsha Rupasinghe..from Family #1001]
7 Rev Suresh
Dias Bandaranaike Anglican Pastor + Daphne Hope Ratnaike Kandy (no issue)
7
Roshanara Dias Bandaranaike + Sunil Bandaranaike
8
Rosanthi + Roshan Ranasuriya
6 Ruby
Dias Bandaranaike + Danton Obeysekera (son of Donald Obeysekera and Ethel
Perera, Grandson of James Peter Obeysekera + Corneliya Henrietta Dias
Bandaranaike ) See Family # 1006,
7
Arjuna Obeysekera Not married
7 Shireen Obeysekera + Pria Ameresinghe
8 Shehan
8 Rajive
7 Indra Obeysekera + Anoma Illangakone
8 Gemunu
7 Ajith Obeysekera + Sharmala
Dassanaike
6 Alick Dias Bandaranaike d:Aug 1 2007, (see
obit below) + Delicia (Dela)
Goonetileke
6 2nd spouse of Alick Dias
Bandaranaike + Name Not Known
6 Arun Dias Bandaranaike, (Radio & TV presenter, Sports
Commentator, Colombo, Sri Lanka) + Julian (Juliane?) De Saram (no issue)
3
Francis Alexander Wijesinghe Jayewardene + ???
4 Louisa Jayewardene + Daniel
(cousin) 1st
cousin below Son of Don Cornelius
Wijesinghe Jayewardene. See under Don Cornelius Wijesinghe Jayewardene for
Descendants.
4 Maud Jayewardene not married
4 Olga Jayewardene + Adolpus Jayewardene ?
4 Francis
Jayewardene unmarried
4 Abraham Jayewardene +
5 Casablanca
Jayewardene (died young) + Mabel Jayewardene (Francis J. + Agnes )
6 Perline
Jayewardene b. 1936- ? + Hector Jayewardene
(son of Agnes Jayewardene + Philip Leechman Jayewardene below )
7 Hector + [Kalansuriya div]
8 Asanka Jayewardene (singer)
6 Evelyn Jayewardene +
Asoka Ameresekere (near Kegalle,
Marline Abeywardene + Danny Ameresekere. Danny’s father superintendant
of Mail in Kegalle)
7 Nelum Ameresekere ( doing PhD
in Computer at Cambridge) + Nicholus Gunesakera (s/o Cecil Gunesekera &
Princey Perera)
8
Faith Gunesakera
8 Juliu Gunesakera
7 Olu + Vasanthe Kalansuriya (engineer)
8 Vishva Thilanke
7 Manel + Ajith Benjamin
8 Kiara Benjamin
8 Aaron Benjamin
8 Kiandra Benjamin
8 Kendrik Benjamin
6 David Oscar Wijesinghe Jayewardene
+ Mala Punchi Kumarihamige Marambe
7 Mayura Wasana Kumari Wijesinghe
Jayawardene (senior merchandiser) + Hiran Fernando (Engineer)
8 Gabrielle Angelina Fernando
(Student, Forensic science/medicine) b:2004
8 Nathan Fernando b:2009
8 Sarah Fernando b:2011
7 Omali Dammi Wijesinghe
Jayawardene (student BSc Psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan, UK) + Chaminda
Kitson Benjamin (CTO)
8 Kristen Danielle Benjamin
b:2011
8 Lily Alana Benjamin b:1999
3 Cornelia Wijesinghe
Jayewardene born 1859 (by
2nd wife?) – part owner of Grandpass and heir (according to book JR Jayewardene of Sri
Lanka by De Silva) +
Gooneratne? Gunaratne? Madampe
Gooneratne Walauwe?
4 Effie Gooneratne unmarried
4 David Gooneratne + Name Not Known
4 Hannah Gooneratne + Daniel Ameresekere Family # 3068
5 Edna Ameresekere (spinster)
5 Enid Ameresekere + Adrian CW Jayewardene
(Called Addie)
5 Alwin
Ameresekere + Lukshmi Kalutara and Galle (mother Wijemanne) 251 8235
6 Anil Lakshman + Name Not Known
6 Aylanee + Name Not Known
5 Ruth (Girley) Ameresekere
5 Daniel Ameresekere not married
5
Justus W. Ameresekere + Frances May Jayewardene (See below)
6 Anne b. 1925? + Earl Abayasekara
6 Daniel Justus (Ira)
5 Victor Ameresekere + Clarice (Dottie) Adelade Leelavathi Urelawatte Wijesundera Perera Family # 3128 No Children.
4 Sara Gooneratne +
Mudaliar CA (Albert) Abeyratne of Madampe Walawwe
5 Manel Abeyratne b.
1923 + Hector P. Abeysekera
6 Harindra Abesekera
5 Carl Abeyratne (deceased) + Vino Goonetillake
(Elsie Gooneratne + Donald Goonetillake’s daughter)
6 Sriva Abeyratne + Navaratnam
6 Asoka Abeyratne
(deceased)
6 Thilak Abeyratne (deceased)
6 Surangani (deceased)
5 Grace Abeyratne (deceased) + Wijemanne of
Kalutara
5 Sita
Abeyratne + Ranasinghe (Sir Arthur Ranasinghe;s only son)
6
Nilani Ranasinghe US
6 Rushika Ranasinghe
US
4
Elsie Gooneratne + Donald Goonetilleke Kalutara House: Mandarins
5 Sepala
deceased + Oosha Saravanamuttu
5 Sena + Name Not Know
5 Vino Goonetillake + Carl Abeyratne
(cousin. See below for children)
4
Connie Gooneratne + Abeywardene superintendent of mail (Postal). 3rd wife
5 Perl +
Dhanapala
5 Mertle + Name Not Known
5 Victor + Thilaka
5 Ben Abeywardene
4 Natty (Nathaniel?) Gooneratne + Flora
Jayewardene
5 [1] Marlene Gooneratne + [2] Sam Perera (
from the Udunuwara Urulawatte Wijesundera Perera family. Family # 3128 ).
6 Faith Perera + Nihal Dissanayake Anuradhapura (Related to Augustus Dissanayake
….husband of Queenie Paranavitane from the
Udunuwara Urulawatte Wijesundera Perera clan).
5 Norman Gooneratne, a Postmaster+ Ruth Muriel
Wanigatunga [See below …Jayewardene
Descendant]
5 Son
4
Sonny Gooneratne + Name Not Known
3 Matilda (Jane Matilda) Wijesinghe Jayewardene (by 2nd wife) – part owner of Grandpass and heir +
William Wijeyekoon [brother of
Cornelia Matilda Wijeyekoon married to James Alfred W. Jayewardene. William is a Son of ‘Bismark’ Don Johannes
Wijeyekoon from Vilegoda Waluwe Kalutara North. (Was there a daughter of
‘Bismark’ by the name of Ada Wijeyekoon who married Harry Ameresekera?) ]
4 AA Reginald Wijeyekoon + one daughter of
4 Charles Edgar Wijeyekoon + another daugher of
4
William Vincent Wijeyekoon Laywer Kurunegala + Daphne Jayewardene
4 James Alan Wijeyekoon, Lawyer b.1885 + Cecilia Siriwardene
5 Allan Wijeyekoon, Lawyer, registra of
companies b. 1928 [age 83 in 2011] + Naomi De Alwis
6 daughter + Name Not Known
6
daughter + Name Not Known
4 Artie Wijeyekoon unmarried Died in Singapore
4 Hilda Wijeyekoon + Arthur P. Gooneratne [Family living at Vilegoda Walauwe]
5
Name Not Known
3 Don Cornelius Wijesinghe Jayewardene was
Mudaliyar of Anuradhapura [instrumental, with 2 other people, in Baptist missionaries coming
to Madampe from Grandpass Baptist Church] + Name Not Known
4 Gabriel Wijesinghe Jayewardene + Elsie
Wijesinghe Jayewardene (1st cousin above)
5 Stanley Wijesinghe Jayewardene + May ( lived in Madampe) 1st cousin (see below for descendants etc.).
4 Alexander Wijesinghe Jayewardene +
4 Agnes Jayewardene + Jayewardene
4 Annie Jayewardene + Henry Udunuwara Urulawatte Wijesundera Perera
Family #3128 (Brother of Justicia U Urelawatte W Perera who
married Fitzroy Philip Jayewardene, and
Clarice U Urelawatte W Perera who
married Victor Ameresekere See below)
5 Rosalind Perera not
married
5 Edith Perera + Senaratne
5 Lidia Perera + Aikele Walauwe [near
Jaela/Seeduwa] Seneviratne
6 Duran Seneviratne + Violet Seneviratne
7 Vijitha Seneviratne lawyer
5 Letitia Perera not married
5 Deborah Perera + Paranavitane
5 Henry Bernard Perera + Charlotte Ambuldeniya Bambalapitya
6 Chitra + Kingsley Senaratna [his mother de Alwis?]
6 Doin Bernard Perera + Stella Rodrigo [Navala]
2nd cousins to Anthony Samarasinghe Descendant of Goonetilleke Family
#3129 [Mother
and father: Dhanapala Mudianselage Freeda Havers + Peter Rodrigo Navala ]
7 Sharnali + Nanayakkara
7 Rushika
+ Wiswajith Wickremesinghe
7 Sanjeeve Alexis Udunuwara
(Uruladeniya Koralage)
Senior Planter at tea
estate, State Plantation Corporation Matar
6
George Perera no children
5 Herbert Perera + Abayasekare from Colombo (Journalist Anne Abayasekara’s
sister-in-law )
5
Ebenezer Perera not married
5 [2] Sam Perera + [1] Marlene Gooneratne ( Marlene’s mother Flora Jayewardene +
Gooneratne )
6 Faith + Nihal Dissanayeke from Anuradhapura
4 Phillipa Wijesinghe Jayewardene + Mohandiram
David Navaratne from Putulam (Mallewagara waluwe ). He died @ age 28. Had a gold
box aka “pettagama” (one of 7) that Don Adrian brought from Kandy (Last King’s
??).
5 Rachel Cornelia Navaratne + Walter Perera Wanigatunga (from Kandy.
originally from Matara) His sister was Anne Adelaide Perera Wanigatunge who
married Samuel James Abayasekara of Galle
[Note: Anne-Marie was told that Wanigatunga
family have the same Ge name as Family # 3128 Are they related ???]
6 Gabriel Herbert Cornelius Perera Wanigatunga
Advocate d:1972, + Dorothy Estelle Lavinia Abayasekara, School Principal (d/o
Samuel James Abayasekara, and sister of Journalist Anne Abayasekara’s husband See below )
7 Ranjit Corneille Perera Wanigatunga b:21 July
1940 d:1998 +
8 Sumudhu Corneilia Deepani Rasangika Wanigatunga (Su) + Roy MacArthur m:2000 (York, UK)
9 Gabriel John Prasanna Corneilius Wanigatunga
Macarthur b:5 Nov 2002
9 Finlay Alec Benedict Kiran Wanigatunga
Macarthur aka Evie
8 Dimuthu Apsara Ranpyum Sangeetha Wanigatunga
aka Dee + Stephen Edwards m:1999
8 son – in Canada
7 Herbert Perera Wanigatunga ex Captain Sri
Lankan Airlines + Styephanie Anandappa
8 Mario Gavin Wanigatunga b:March 1972 + Nancy,
Canada
9 Nancy Wanigatunga, Canada
8 Sharon Wanigatunga b:1973, Detroit US
8 Amanda Wanigatunga, Canada.
* 7 Sunil Eric Perera Wanigatunga,
Lawyer b:1950 unmarried [have J. letters
from early 1900’s, DAWJ Seal, other J. memorabilia).
7
Priyantha Perera Wanigatunga b:1953 +
6 Ruth Muriel Perera Wanigatunga + Norman
Gooneratne (See above. Jayewardene
Descendant)
7 adopted 12 children, one for each of the
disciples of Jesus Christ
6 Timothy Lloyd Perera Wanigatunga
4 Daniel Wijesinghe Jayewardene + Louisa
Jayewardene
5 Felix
Jayewardene Lawyer + Aileen Jayewardene 1st
cousin. See
above for children etc.
5 Francis Jayewardene lawyer + Deloraine
(Delorine?) Leelawathie Elitra Corea [daughter of Percival Alan and Cicely
Augusta Corea] (1901-1961). See Corea Family #3070
6 Prof CHS (Cleobis Hector Sirinaga)
Jayewardene (1927-2004). (in Ottawa) + Dr. Hilda Ranasinghe (no children) (1925-1997).
6 Briarius (1935-2007). ???
6 Venitia Jayewardene + Leslie de Alwis in Ottawa
7 Ingrid
7 Ionie + Algama
7 Devika + Perera
6 Damaris Jayewardene + Sena (last name?)
7 Priyangani (in Ottawa) + Upul
(last name)
7 Son in Canada
7 Son
in Sri Lanka
6 DHS Jayewardene (newspaper editor) +
Maheswari
7 Aianthi in Perth + Weerathunga
(JR’s sister’s son)
7 Romayne + Mr Sonnadara
7 Tamara in Perth + Name Not
Known
5 Adrian C W Jayewardene (called Addie) + Enid
Ameresekera (sister of Justus) b.1902 - 1973
6 Joy Jayewardene +Leela Perera (both deceased)
wife
7 Mallika + Dicky Buhari
8 Gehan + Name Not Known
8 Shehan + Name Not Known
8 Jennifer + Name Not Known
7 Dayadeva + Name Not Known
7 Priyanthi + Name Not Known
7 Lilanthi (Never Married)
7 Anoma + Name Not Known
7 Ione (died at 7 years)
7 Shantha + Name Not
Known
6 Denia Jayewardene + Lloyd Wijewardene
7 Lalith Wijewardene + Shiranthi (1st
marriage)(Lalith lives in Canada, Shiranthi remarried)
8 Shanil Wijewardene + (lives in the States)
7 Hiran Wijewardene + Jacintha Perera
8 Dharshan Wijewardene + Akila (Lives in the
States)
8 Dilukshan Wijewardene + Name Not Known
8 Dilshan Wijewardene + Name Not Known
6 Christobel Jayewardene + Chandra Gunesekera b.1920 (Matara)
7 Dr P C (Prasanna Chandrakantha) Gunesekera (Obstetrics and Gynaecology}
Senior Advisor in Reproductive Health, UN (WHO in Afghanistan) + Dr Dulani Siriwardene (Paediatrics) Professor Sri Jayewardenepura University
8 Kanchana Vejayanth Gunasekera ,
BSc Mech. Eng.
6 Alma Jayewardene (unmarried)
6 Amy Jayewardene + Albert Nanayakkara (Florida) No children
*6 Zena
Jayewardene Personnel Manager+ Taruprabha (Tassie) Seneviratne Senior
Superintendent Police [Grand-father, Alexander De Alwis-Seneviratne was from Welipenne.
(Kalutara District)]. Wrote book: ‘Human
Rights and Policing - Reminiscences of my Police days’.
7 Prabhashini Seneviratne + Chaminda Thirimanna
(Lives in Sydney)
8 Chandev Thirimanna
8
Celia
8 Chiara
5 Frances May Jayewardene + Justus Ameresekera (His brother Victor
married to Clarice Adelade Leelavathi
Urelawatte Perera – Family #3128.
Sister of Justicia Urelawatte Perera See below)
6 Daniel Justus Ameresekera Newspaper Editor deceased + Genevra Daulagala deceased
7 Priyani Ameresekera deceased not married
7 Amitha Ameresekera not married worked at UNDP
in Colombo not married
7 Dhakshina Ameresekera + Viraj Senewiratne Manages Music Section of a
major book shop No Children
7 Dhammika Ameresekera Unmarried Ceylon Tobacco factory 20 years
7 Tishan Ameresekera + Natalie Kalpage
8 Thishantha Ameresekera + wife
8 Natasha Ameresekera works in a Mercantile firm
7 Paneetha Ameresekera Journalist + Renuka
Samarasinghe [grandmother a Gunaratne, mother Grace Gunasekera from Kotte
Samarasinghe home in Mount Lavinia she had 1 sister)
8 daughter
7 Geethani Ameresekera Lawyer for Julius and
Cresy + Aravindha Athurupana
* 6 Anne Ameresekera (Journalist) + Earl
Abayasekara [7 children, 11
grandchildren]
7 Sarala Anne Abayasekara English teacher +
Chandran Williams Director for Youth for
Christ Sri Lanka (YGro social service
arm)
8 Chandrishan Williams IT Field
8 Shenali Williams Science
Teacher + Prakash Rajkumar Son in
Law [(T Work for Youth for Christ Sri
Lanka)
7 Dr Ranmali Abayasekara in US. + Dr Ajit
Ponnambalam
8 Indrajit Ponnambalam VP of AOL
+ Sybil
9 Katherin Anne Ponnambalam
8 Dhiren Ponnambalam in England
7
Rohan Abayasekara + Suvendrini Nicholas (tamil)
8 Dilshara Abayasekara Math at
Macquarry University+ Colin Hill in Australia
Math in High school No children
yet
8 Ambrith Abayasekara + Sue Phoo in Australia
9 Son
7 Ranjan Abayasekara in S. Australia Mechanical eng. + Niranjala De Alwis (grandmother
Corea) No Children
7 Dilip Abayasekara (Pensylvania) Speakers Unlimited
+ Sharon (American)
8 Allison Anne Abayasekara Masters in Eng Lit
8 Alexander Abayasekara Sports
Management Deg
7 Ranil Abayasekara Head of
Economics at Peradeniya University PhD + Charmalie Aponso Botany Prof at
Peradeniya
8 Ashani Abayasekara Honors in
Economics, Institute of Policy Studies as Economist
8 Shalini Abayasekara Greek and
Roman Civilization and Engineering at Peradeniya
7 Anusha Abayasekara IT Diploma, Systems
Analyst and Programmer+ Dr. Shantilal Atukorala
PhD from England in IT in
Australia
8 Asela Atukorala, Degree in Mass
Communication
5 Janet Jayewardene + Luis Dassanayake
(Aileen’s brother)
6 Clinton
Dassanayake (Adopted Son) engineer at
Hyatt Hilton + Murial Ranjani Rajanayagam.
7 Inoka Lilani Dassanayake + Shermith Sanjeewa
Fernando
7 Enok
7 Eban
6 Angela Shamalie Dassanayake + Franco Daberera
7 Joel
6 Michael Ruckshan Dassanayake (not married
yet)
5 Ursula Jayewardene unmarried [gifted her estate in Dummalasuriya (off Madampe) to Youth for
Christ]
5 Lionel Jayewardene + May Wickremetilleke
6 Gemunu Jayewardene (not married)
6 Lakdasa Jayewardene + Srimathi
7 Srimathi (England/Bahamas) + Name Not Known
8 Ruwan (England)
8 Laknath (Sandhurst -
7 Veronica +
8 Name Not Known
7 Devasrini + Name Not Known
8 Name Not Known
5 Alick Jayewardene + Euginie Seneratne
6 Neena Jayewardene+ Pastor Abeyratne Dissanayake,
7th day Adventist Pastor
7 Name Not Known
7 Name Not Known
7 Name Not Known
5 Winfield Jayewardene Lawyer + Zenobia
Jayesekera; 2nd wife: Shirley Holsinger (Burger)
6 Jennifer
Jayewardene (lived in Canada, went back to Sri Lanka and mysteriously
disappeared) +
Alavi Mohideen
7 Shaheed Mohideen
(in Canada)
3 Eliza Wijesinghe Jayewardene
(by 1st wife) … heir +
William Goonetileke, scholar and lawyer p.361 A History of Sri Lanka Vol. 2 by KM De Silva
[husband bought Jayawadene Walauwa ]
Kingsley Jayewardene
and Zena Jayewardene Seneviratne recall their parents talking about a Mabole
Aachie that the family used to visit.
Goonetilleke Waluwa in Mabole was also mentioned. It sounds like he is a descendant of the Mabole Goonetilleke family. Family
#3129
3 Charlotte
Wijesinghe Jayewardene (by 1st
wife) + Cornelis Wijesinghe
4 Henrietta Merriah Wijesinghe + Randolph Wijesinghe
Jayewardene teacher [See
above, son of Adrian Philip Wijesinghe Jayewardene.]
?? Does this fit here? 4 Violet Rosalind Wijesinghe, (d/o Cornelis
Wijesinghe interpreter Mudaliyar Matara Courts) + Simon Hendricus Barthalomew
Kuruppu (b:1863 at Panadura) (M1898) Kuruppu Family #3151
3 James Alfred
Wijesinghe Jayewardene (son by 1st
wife) Proctor, (Equivalent
to Solicitor), Deputy Coroner of Colombo b. 1845? d:1888 at age 43 + Ms. Cornelia Matilda
Wijekoon from Kalutara (d/o Muhandiram,
‘Bismarck’ Brother William Lawyer see above Vilegoda/Vileygoda Wauwe), later Mudaliyar
Wijekoon?– Twentieth Centiry Impressions of Ceylon, see http://books.google.ca/books?id=eUF_rS8FEoIC&pg=PA862&lpg=PA862&dq=cornelia+matilda+wijekoon&source=bl&ots=IhjLmNeWnd&sig=r5xC9TkPD_atSvsO1fbmtBvuaxU&hl=en&ei=xcQ0TNCyH8qonQeG6M3ZAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQ6AEwAA&safe=active#v=onepage&q=cornelia%20matilda%20wijekoon&f=false [Did Cornelia Matilda marry a 2nd
time - after James Alfred died? ]
4 Hector Alfred Wijesinghe Jayewardene, b:22-Jul-1870,
d:16-Oct-1913 (Eldest) Bought back properties in Chilaw and Grandpass belonging
to Don Adrian, b:22-Jul-1870. Educated at St. Benedicts College, Wesley
College, and Royal College, Colombo. Proctor 1893. Member New Bazaar ward CMC
1895. Works include “The Law of Mortgage in Ceylon”, 1905. d:16-Oct-1913. The
most successful of all the brothers.(Rose to prominence as an advocate in 1893)
Won election to the Colombo Municipal Council in 1897 and held the position for
nearly 20 years. Possessed great oratory skills in English…and was involved in
the 1st national political election helping candidate P. Ramanathan
get a seat in the national legislature.
Not married
4 Colonel Theodore Godfrey Wijesinghe
Jayewardene, b:17-Jun-1872, d:1945, Engineer, Educated at Royal College,
Colombo. Hony. Secy. Royal College OBU. JP. Life Member, Royal Asiatic Society.
Asst. Engineer PWD 1895. Civil Engineer 1900. Private CLI 1889. Major 1908.
Military Intelligence Officer 1921. He became the first Ceylonese commanding
officer of the Ceylon Light Infantry and reached the rank of Colonel, the
highest rank a Ceylonese could achieve in the colonial era. He was elected to
the State Council of Ceylon in 1933-1936
+ Lena
Attygalle, [daughter of??? brother of Francis Dixon Attygalle who was
murdered and where John Kotelawala, father of Sir John, was accused and tried
but committed suicide before the conclusion,] m:Feb-1905. (Family # 3119)
5 T.F. (Freddy) Jayewardene
Major
T.F. Jayewardene –Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of …… (not sure what Minister). p.291. Rural Sociologist and also an expert in
business and agriculture. p. 1671 There are
23 pages mentioning his name. Book:
Parliamentary Debates Vol. 12 Issue 1-20 http://books.google.ca/books?id=XJ4dAAAAIAAJ&q=T.F.+Jayewardene&dq=T.F.+Jayewardene&hl=en&ei=fFvPTOCaGYXEsAObwsj0AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAg
+ 1st
wife Philis Gunesekera (a descendant
of Udunuwara Urulawatte Wijesundera Perera Family # 3128 relative of Queenie Violet
Paranavitane and same Paranavitana family as related to Muthulakshmi/Lakshmi
Jayasundera, wife of Felix R.Dias Bandaranaike Family #
and her sister Malkanthi married to Gamini Wikremenayake)
+ 2nd
wife: Name Not Known
6 Dharshini + Name Not Known
5 Effie Jayewardene +
Carlton Corea of Chilaw (1903-??) ( Civil Servant.
He married 2 times. Effie was his 1st wife. He is a descendant of Dona Johanna
Jayewardene Seneviratne above).
6 Nirmal Asoka Corea
(Engineer) + Elfie (Austrian)
7 Gihan Asoka Corea
7 Anusha Corea
6 Lakshma Corea
not married math teacher,
tutored Prince Charles. Deceased
6 Damayanthi Corea + Harindra Corea former MP (div)
7 daughter
5 Margie Jayewardene + Wijemanne (They had a
few children)
5 Celia Jayewardene + Name Not Known
5 Sheri Jayewardene + Name Not Known (They had
children)
4 Justice Eugene Wilfred Jayewardene KC, b:11-Jun-1874
at Kalutara, d:28-Nov-1932, Educated at Royal College, Colombo. Actg. Private
Secretary to Justice Granier, 1897. Called to the English bar, Inner Temple,
1908. President, law Students’ Union. Actg. DJ, Police Magistrate. Commissioner
of Requests 1906. Member of the Legal Council of Education. Additional DJ
(1910-1911), Member CMC 1920, Judge May 1928. Vice President SSC. Took a
leading role in the in the revision and comparison of the new Criminal
Procedure Code, 1881. + Agnes Helen Don Philip Wijewardena, m:1905 (d/o
Don Philip Tudugala Wijewardena) who’s history goes back to the days of
the Kandyan Kingdom if not earlier to those of the Kotte kings. He had 3
ancestors who had served King Rajasinha II. Moved to Maitland Crescent in
Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo. Thereafter he moved to "Park House" on
Park Street where the family lived for 25 years. Park House was a huge mansion
built on an extent of 2.5 acres of land situated about half a mile from
Victoria Park. Its distinctive feature was a large verandah and seven bedrooms
and a dining hall that could accommodate a 100 guests. [3062]
5 Junius
Richard Jayewardene 1906-1996, b:Sep-17-1906 at Park House on Park Street, Colombo 2.
Aka Dick or Dickie & Junius after his paternal uncle Junius Quintus
Jayawardena, Richard after his maternal uncle Don Richard Wijewardena, a lawyer
by profession, who lived at Park House with the Jayaewardena family. Educated a
Royal College, Colombo. Prime Minister (1977–78) and President (1978–88)
of Sri Lanka. Active in Sri Lankan politics since the early 1940s, he was a
founding member of the United National Party. Supporting a new presidential
constitution (1978), he stressed free-market, pro-Western policies and
large-scale development and won elections in 1977 and 1982. In 1983, however,
he was unable to prevent civil war between Tamils and majority Sinhalese; the
unrest continued through the remainder of his presidency, despite Indian
intervention (1987). + Elina Bandara Rupesinghe, b:1913, d:Nov 17 2007,
d/o Mr & Mrs G. L. Rupasinghe, founder member of “Seva Vanitha” Unit in Sri
Lanka.
JAYEWARDENA - MRS. ELINA V. Beloved wife of late President
J.R. Jayewardena and mother of Ravi and mother-in-law of Penny, grandmother of
Pradip, Rukshan and Amrik, passed away peacefully. Cremation will take place on
Sunday the 18th November 2007 at 6.00 p.m. at General Cemetery - Kanatte.
Cortege leaves residence at 5.00 p.m. She is 94 years of age. She is the
daughter of late Mr & Mrs G.L. Rupasinghe, and the founder member of “Seva
Vanitha” Unit in Sri Lanka. Address: “Braemar”, 66, Ward Place, Colombo 7.
DN Mon Nov 19 2007
6 Ravi Jayawardena + Charmaine Vanderkoen (Family # 7001, 5036) [2nd spouce of Charmaine = Ricky
Mendis]
7 Pradip Jayewardene + Shan
Corea , d/o Nihal Corea & Gilian Ondaatchi
7 Rukshan Jayewardene
7 Amrik Jayewardene
6 2nd spouse of Ravi Jayawardena
+ Penny White, Air Hostess
5
Corbert Edward Jayewardene, b:13-Mar-1908, d:23-Mar-1981 Proctor (later SEDEWATTE DHARMARUCHI THERA) [Previously He was married and had daughter
Amitha]
5 E.W.
Jayewardene (Wilmot), b:1921 + Miss
Gooneratne
6 Prasanna Wijesinghe
Jayewardene, (Author, Hotelier, Environmentalist ?)
6
6
5
Dulcie Jayewardene 1913-1986 (President Colombo Ladies League for 16 years,
member Soroptimist International Organization, UK, member Prisons
Project) d:31-Dec-1985 + F.A. (Rick) Abeywardena (Crown Advocate,
Galle) (Family #3025)
6 Name Not Known
5 Harry Wilfred Jayewardene, QC.,
Dr., b:3-Nov-1916, d:20-Apr-1990
b:3-Nov-1916. Educated at Royal College, Colombo. Called to the
Bar, SC 18-Mar-1941, QC 1954, LLD (Hons) University of Colombo, 1985. Life
Member bar Association. President Sri lanka Bar Association. First President,
Law Association. President Organization of Professionals Association. Vice
President Commonwealth Law Association. Chairman Industrial Disputes
Commission. UN Human Rights Commission. D:20-Apr-1990 + Claribel E. Fernando married 1946 (info from : THE INTERNATIONAL
Who’s Who 1990-1991 Europa Publications Ltd.)
6 Dr H W Jayewardene + H M T
Panita-Gunewardene
7 H W Jayewardene
7 S D Jayewardene (Married to A M E La Brooy
(Burgher heritage)
8 K A L
Brooy
8 T A La Brooy)
7 E W Jayawardene (Married Vikki Boulton
(Anglo/Australian heritage)
8 E W Jayewardene
8 T G Jayewardene
8
H W Jayewardene)
7 S D Jayewardene
5
Dr. Rolly P. Jayewardene, b:1918, d:11 Nov 1999, MD,
MRCP and FRCP, Senior Physician of the General Hospital, Colombo.
Director-General at NARESA (Natural Resources Energy and Science Authority)
which has now been replaced by the NSF (Natural Science Foundation). + DR.
Gladys, Chairperson, State Pharmaceutical Corporation, PhD in Parasitology
from University of London. The first woman to be the Director of The Medical
Research Institute.
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
5
M.M. (MB?) Jayewardene (Monty), b:1920 + Lashmie Silva
6 Lalith Jayewardene + Preethi Fernando
7 daughter
7 daughter
6 Lalindra Jayewardene + Nirmala Peiris
7 Dhanushka
Jayewardene
7 Darshika
Jayewardene
7 Janitha Jayewardene
5
Girlie (Eugenie) Jayewardene + S C (Shirley) Corea Lawyer and Parlimentarian [Son of C E Corea,
politician. P. 64 and 134 of K.M. De Silva’s book re JR.]
5
2nd spouse of Girlie (Eugenie) Jayewardene + Danny Weeratunga,
Lawyer from Matara
6
Anil Weeratunga + Ayanthi Jayewardene
5
Rohini Jayewardene 1925 – 1932
5 Ione Jayewardene b.1932 + N W Athukorale
5
Winstone Jayewardene 1915 – 1980
died in England
4 John Adrian
St. Valentine W. Jayewardene, b:14-Feb-1877. Educated at Royal College,
Colombo, Barrister at Law, Inner Temple. Advocate Supreme Court of Ceylon,
March 1901. Founder Member CNC, 1919. DL Colombo 1922-1924. Actg. Puisne
Justice March 1923. SC Judge. Author of ‘The Law of Partion of Ceylon’ and
‘Roman-Dutch Law of Ceylon’. d:Jun-1927 + Ethel Charlotte Irene (m.1906) only daughter of Mudaliyar and Mrs. Francis
William Tillekeratne Dyssanayake (Dissanayake) of Matara and a descendant of one of the oldest
Southern Province families in Ceylon. (Their residence: Chateau Jubilee, Ward
Place). P. 574-575 Twentieth Century Impressions book.
5 Clodagh
Jayawardene (a politician) + (1st
husband a Perera -div.) 2nd Mr.
Jayesuriya?
(book: Women in our legislature by Chitra Wijesekera).
6 Sepala Perera
6
Nisanka Perera
6
Nalini Perera
6
Kamini Perera
4 Justus Sextus
Wijesinghe Jayewardene, b:28-Jan-1881, d:1928 Educated at Royal College,
Colombo. President Literary Club. Editor, Royal College Magazine. Admitted to
the Bar 1904. Practiced in Galle and Colombo. Works include “Elements of
Jurisprudence”. Ran for political office.
Not married.
4 Agnes Beatrice Jayewardene (youngest daughter) + Philip Leechman ? Wijesinghe Jayewardene Proctor Chilaw and landed Proprietor. (also lived in Marawila) See above for his parents. His father was Philip Wijesinghe
Jayewardene. His mother was Eliza Caroline Gooneratne. Brother of Abraham Wijesinghe Jayewardene
(see below).
[Proctor,
Chilaw? from Book: "The Life of Colonel T.G. Jayewardene by O.E. Martinus
published in 1941]
5 Hector Adrian Wijesinghe Jayewardene,
(Did law….and passed away before his final exams); + Pearly
6 Hector Jr. Wijesinghe Jayewardene in
Colombo (was in Marawila) +
5
Alfred Wijesinghe Jayewardene never
married.
5 Fitzroy
Philip Wijesinghe Jayewardene (eldest
son) +
Justicia
Udunuwara Uralawatte Perera (3128) Justicia worked for Red Cross, even in 2nd
World War. She died young in 1946 or 1947, saving another woman from being
electrocuted. [ Justicia saw a woman with a pole trying to pick fruit. That
pole hit a light pole or wire. Justicia went to save her, but got killed
herself. ] Justicia and Fitzroy Philip were relatives (not sure if it is
through the Corea family…ie. both families seem to have Corea wives).
6 Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi
Jayewardene + Anthony William Perera Samarasinghe ( see Family # 3128)
7
Anne Marie (St. Bridget’s, Colombo,
Dominican Convent, Af. Degree from Canada)
7
Shani (St. Bridget’s,..
Accomplished ) + Roy P. (Canadian)
+ 2nd hus: C. D.
7
Sonali (School: St. Bridget’s, ……) +
Lendon C. (Canadian heritage)
7
Thushara + (of Canadian heritage)
8 Sierra
7
Tamara (Degree and part Masters from
Canada) + Name Not Known
4
Cornelia Laetitia Jayewardene (or Dorothy?)
+ Villiers Augustus Hay De Saram Police Inspector. He was born 1884 married on 19
Jun 1913 in Holy Trinity Church, Colombo.
(Villiers A. Hay De Saram’s father: Richard Francis De Saram
born about 1858 in Ceylon. His mother
was Selina Louisa Dickman). See De Saram Family #
3126
5 Frederick
(Jayewardene) de Saram (Police Inspector? ) + Ivy Jayewardene (daughter of Felix Jayewardene &
Aileen (Zelda?)) Jayewardene, 1st cousins who married)
6 Sirimani de Saram, MP, Minister Sri Lanka Government (died) + Lalith
Athulathmudali, [Lalith William Samarasekera Athulathmudali]MP, Minister Sri
Lanka Government (assassinated) http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/11/27/fea03.html
7 Serala Athulathmudali
6
Sriyani de Saram + Nimal Amerasekera Family # 3128 Perera descendant.
7
Niroshini Amerasekera + Todd Zaharako (USA - of Greek heritage)
7 Shayami
Amerasekera + Ronald Ristaino (USA - of Italian heritage)
8 Dominic Ristaino
7 Chevonni
Amerasekera + Gehan De Alwis
6 Siromi de Saram
+ Ray Leonard (USA)
7 Ray Leonard + Stacey
8 Katelyn
Leonard
8 Joshua
Leonard
8 Amber
Leonard
8 Olivia
Leonard
7 Leona Leonard
8 Sydney
Leonard
7 Ramona
Leonard
6 Hareen de Saram*
(Deceased)
4 Jane Matilda Jayewardene (Eldest
in the family)+ Abraham Wijesinghe Jayewardene
Notary, landed Proprietor See above for his
parents. Brother of Philip Jayewardene who was husband of Agnes
Jayewardene. House Maligawe in
Madape
5 Concy
Jayewardene single
5 H.H.A .Jayewardene Lawyer in Chilaw
+ Greta Obeysekera
6
Hemamali Jayewardene + Armyne (Armine?)
Weerasinghe
7 Anushka Weerasinghe USA
5 May Jayewardene
( in Madampe) + Stanley Jayewardene 1st
cousin ( father
Gabriel Wijesinghe Jayewardene, Son of Cornelis ….see above #3)
6 Carmini [a
fashion designer] died 2011? Not
married. **
6 Anula not married
6
Kingsley Jayewardene + Thillekesiri Jayewardene (2nd cousin)
daughter of Stanley Wijesinghe
Jayewardene, his father Randolph Jayewardene. (….see above #4) Kingsley bought House Maligawe in Madape
from Mrs. H.H.A. Jayewardene.
7
Hemantha Senake + Miss Karunanayake Silva from Ragama
8
Dharmantha Tharusi
8
Adrian
8 Edgar
Ishan
7 Usha Swarnapali + Pushpakumara Silva from Panadura
8
Thilothma
8
Thiagi Amaya
8 Thiloththama
7 Manori Sharmaine + Chaminda Thilekeratne Bandara
6
Swarna died 1960’s not married
4 Junius Quintus Jayawardena, d:21 Apr 1906 after suffering a heart
attack at Polonnaruwa, Not married
1 2nd
spouse of Don Adrian Wijesinghe Jayewardene (Tombi
Mudaliyar) aka "Nanale Militie Muidyanse' of Wolvendaal 1768-1830: + Dona
Christina Corea of Grandpass (d/o Colombage Neseyge Christoffel Corea Padikaare
Muhandiramge), (d/o )m:22-Nov-1807, See Twentieth Century
Impressions of Ceylon by Arnold Wright for details re. this family
* ”J.R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka’ Vol. 1 by K.M. DeSilva and
Howard Wriggins.
Need to find
out where these people fit…
From Wolvendaal Church records on LDS
family research website (baptism record index p. 239]
0. Don Simon
Jayewardene b. circa 1725? + Dona Ursula
1 Don Salomon baptized 24/8/1749
0. Louis
Jayewardenege + Babitja Hamie
1 Samuel
baptized 1/12/1805
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Need to find
out if this is a relative or not:
GOONARATNA
- DONA LEELAWATHI Beloved wife of late Post Master Aurthur Vernon
Perera Abayasekara Goonaratna of Wilegoda Walauwa Kalutara North. Beloved
mother of Chandrika Piyadasa (formerly Sujatha Vidyalaya, Kalutara North), late
Ashoka Goonaratna (formerly Grama Niladhari), Dananjaya Goonaratna (formerly
Tractor Corporation), Keerthi Goonaratna (Nugegoda Post Office), Ajith
Goonaratna (Ministry of Defence), Udeni Goonaratna (Sri Lanka Army), beloved
mother-in-law of Luxman Piyadasa, Donagreta Weerasinghe, Chandrika Amarasinghe,
Gothami Goonaratna, Dumithi Shamali Abewardena. The funeral will take place on
Monday the 25th May 2009. For further details: 0342235034, 0602302759
____________________________________
Need to find
out where in the Jayewardene tree these people fit…
From: de
Alwis Family # 3137 and Bandaranayake family # 1001
7 Alexandra Dias Bandaranaike + Leo de Alwis. (lived
at Samudragiri Walauwwa Mt Lavinia)
8 Shirlene.de Alwis + Earl Jayawardena/
Jayewardene
9 Amal Jayawardena
___________________________
LAURA
FOENANDERS ROOTSWEB PAGES ON THE JAYAWARDENE FAMILY
___________________________
obituary: DN Wed Aug 8 2007
DIAS BANDARANAIKE - ALICK Brother of late Leonard, expired August first. Burial took place
on August 2nd. He is survived by his wife Delicia (Dela) and son Arun and
sister Ruby Obeyesekere. Friends and relatives, please accept this intimation. 49,
Kelanimulla, Angoda
______________________________________________________________________
|
|
Chitra
Wijesekera - 1995 - 283 pages -
Snippet view
books.google.ca
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editions
- In
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The
INTERNATIONAL who's who: 1990-91
|
|
Europa
Publications Limited - 1990 - 1772 pages -
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to My Library▼ |
S.D. and the
family roots in Sri Lankan politics
|
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Somasiri
Wickramasinghe, Nilmal
Wickramasinghe - 2005 - 405 pages -
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- In
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[Son of or brother of Danny Weeratunga?] : General Tissa
Indraka (Bull) Weeratunga, born on August 29, 1930 and was educated at Royal College
Colombo, d:Nov 2003, Colombo, joined SL Army
on Oct 11, 1949, commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant on August 2,
1951 and posted to Ceylon Light Infantry, was promoted to the rank of Brigadier
on December 1, 1977 and appointed Inspector of Training of the Army, appointed
Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army on March 1979 and while holding this
appointment he functioned as Commander Security Forces, Jaffna from 13 July
1979 to December 31, 1979, Commander of Sri Lanka Army from Oct 14, 1981-Nov 2,
1985, appointed the General Officer Command of the Joint Operation Command on
February 11, 1985, promoted to the rank of General on August 29, 1989, appointed by President J R Jayewardene, his uncle, as Sri Lanka High
Commissioner to Canada in 1986. + Sonia Paul
obit:
WEERATUNGA -
GENERAL TISSA INDRAKA (Bull) VSV, ndc. Dearly beloved husband of Sonia, precious father of Rohan and
Samanthi, Ajith and Sumudu, Annouchka and Terrence, darling seeya of Shanaya,
Kiyara, Hashan, Arvindh and Amrita, brother-in-law of Kumar and Gloria Paul,
Maurice and Pamela Rode, expired. Cortege leaves residence at 2.00 p.m. on
Sunday 9th November for Cremation with full Military Honours at General
Cemetery Kanatte at 4 p.m. 25/23 A, Jayapura Mawatha, Beddegana Road South,
Pita Kotte No flowers by request. All donations to Lt. Gen. Denzil
Kobbekaduwa Trust. Nov 9 2003
7 Rohan Weeratunga + Samanthi
7 Ajith Weeratunga + Sumudu
7 Annouchika Weeratunga + Terrence
Anil +
RESEARCH done
by: Anne-Marie Samarasinghe
________________________________________________________________________
JAYEWARDENE
Seal
(thanks to Sunil Wanigatunga for submitting this photo)
________________________________________________________________________
JAYEWARDENE
Seal
*Devoted son
and friend of all
Hareen de Saram
When my son's
e-mail to me in Manila last Tuesday, started with "Some very sad
news…" I knew that Hareen, my youngest cousin, was gone forever ending our
long association, which started from our childhood. He was more a friend than a
relative.
Hareen's
death was not totally unexpected but when the stark reality that I would not
see him again hit me, it moved me to tears. The only solace was that he enjoyed
life as long as he lived and death was to him a relief from the extreme pain
and suffering that many of his malfunctioning organs gave him.
Hareen had
some sterling qualities. The finest example of which was his devoted caring for
his mother who, like him, suffered a painful illness for a long time.
Throughout this period, Hareen cared for Aunty Ivy as I have not seen any son
do. Hareen was fortunate that he had a close family with three sisters who
loved him dearly. His sisters, in these last few months, took great pains to
try and pull him through. However, as he told an aunt on the phone from a
Singapore hospital earlier this month, "God wants me up there." I am
sure that this was God's plan.
Hareen, a
bachelor, considered all his close relatives his own family and was interested
in the welfare of everyone. All his nephews and nieces were extremely fond of
him especially because he could relate to them easily. Hareen was a good friend
and likewise he had some good friends who are going to miss him dearly. Rarely
do people like Hareen pass through this world. We who knew him were lucky to
have been there when he did.
From far off
Manila, I can only say, "Farewell Hareen. I loved you. May you find that
peace in Heaven which only God can give."
- Jayantha J.
DN
30.11.2005
Appreciation - Srimani Athulathmudali
One year has
passed, the spirit of Srimani floats through our lives, but the realisation
that she is physically no more upon this earth in the form we knew still very
hard to come to terms with.
Srimani was
so many things to different people, but not a contradiction. Frederick and Ivy De Saram's daughter, sister of
Sriyani, Siromi and later little brother Hareen, was her first role, De Saram by name but more Jayewardene by blood for three of her grandparents
were Jayewardenes.
Born with the
commanding gene of the De Saram
and Jayewardene
Mudaliyar ancestors, the gentle loving, caring heart was entirely her own. The
title 'the most practically caring person' earned by her over the years with so
many acts big and small were linked directly to the heart.
Very
beautiful like her mother, grandmother and greatbgrandmother before her, she
never allowed this to be a handicap either positively or negatively. She was
her own person and marriage to Laith and the birth of Serala must be the two
greatest gifts she received from the God she was so familiar with and whom she
believed in absolutely, with no reservation.
She became
comfortable with her husband's faith and politics. Her beautiful world opened
out as she walked on centre stage with the brilliant yet quite simple and
gentle private person Lalith, with Serala always in tow.
Tragedy which
stalked the land and was a curse to take our best, left her widowed after only
just over a decade of marriage. A high spirited loving child was all that was
left even though a resounding victory at the polls and a Cabinet portfolio
became hers.
Well before
her sixtieth year illness took her away and those of us with still some
distance to go in this world will be left with moist eyes for a long time at
the memory of the free and happy spirit called Srimani who injected sunshine
into our lives, who now by her faith and actions must be in green pastures with
so many whom she loved and who loved her.
Prasanna
Wijesinghe Jayewardene, Rosmead
Place, Colombo 7
Two novels and ten hotels in the offing
By Chitra
Weerasinghe
He has just
finished writing his second novel - `The King who keeps his crown' - based on a
fictitious island in the Indian Ocean; one which has an ideal social structure
and peace as its only priority.
He is Prasanna Wijesinghe Jayewardene the author,
hotelier, environmentalist - a man of many convictions who professes a great
love for this, his motherland and within which island's framework, he says, he
has been able to do what he has always wished - no matter how far he has succeeded.
Since leaving
Trinity College, Kandy after completing his schooling, he obtained a diploma in
hotel management and tourism from Salzburg's Klessheim Hotel School in Austria;
lived and worked in ten countries among them France, Sweden, Switzerland, UK,
Austria, Malaysia, Maldives, Seychelles and in Karachi when it was Pakistan's
capital and completely different to what it presently is as Islamabad.
Now, basking
in the glory of his experiences and, probably achievements; and having put his
thoughts on paper, he is dreaming of the time when what he visualises for Sri
Lanka will become a reality.
What made him
focus on peace as being a country's sole priority in this, his second novel
(not about Sri Lanka) - the first titled `A journey forward' was based on the
Sri Lanka of a couple of decades ago seen through the eyes of a foreigner
visiting this country for the first time to attend the funeral of his father?
That peace is
what his heart aches for I was able to gather as I sat talking with him one
poya afternoon at the Hilton Colombo's Thorana Lounge. I enjoyed listening to
him philosophise, fantasise, and convey useful messages of wisdom preached and
practised by sages and men whom he admired.
The Dalai
Lama maintains that a human being is essentially a good person; that violence
is only a surface emotion and that deep down in a person's heart he yearns for
goodness and a sense of value; and also that if you look at a person from a
positive angle as the Dalai Lama constantly reminds us, then the vast majority
of people will also react positively towards you, he said.
That then is
the theme on which he bases his story and weaves subtly into it the threads of
his thinking on the environment and its biodiversity.
A society
can, taking into consideration the inherent good in a person, engage him in
helping preserve the environment and its biodiversity and so to be one with
nature as human beings are expected to live, says Jayewardene a keen and committed
environmentalist who boasts of having held a leopard in his hands when it was a
cub and which cub he nurtured till full grown at the time he was General
Manager at Negombo's Brown Beach Hotel.
``It slept in
bed with me and my wife. But today keeping most forms of wildlife in
domestication is banned," he said.
Jayewardene's
love for the environment and for wildlife stems from that great concern his
ancestors spanning three generations (as far as he could remember) had for
plants and animals.
His father,
E.D.W. Jayewardene
was an officer in the British Army and a man who had captained the University
Rugby team; represented the CR & FC and Ceylon at Rugby; was also the
author of two books `Water Gardening in Ceylon' and `Sinhalese Masks. More
importantly he was a great believer in the peaceful co-existence of people,
plants and animals in the environment. He lived in some of the jungles in Sri
Lanka besides the towns. And he created the right environment in the home for
his family to imbibe and take to his great love and interest in nature.
Is it not
natural then, for Jayewardene
to seize every opportunity he possibly could to express his concern for the
environment?
And how could
you forget those days when he was General Manager of the Mount Lavinia Hotel,
the time he spent ensuring the cleanliness of the hotel's vicinity, the nearby
railway station and roads? He even roped in the residents of the area to join
him in his shramadana campaigns of the beach and the streets where they lived.
How many
hours does he spend writing and how did he find the time to do so with all his
work, interests and social service activities?
I never take
myself too seriously and think I am so busy that I cannot think of anything
else. Everyone is busy in his/her own way and you must not think of yourself as
being busier than the other person. That is what I learned from former
President J.R.Jayewardene.
He says he
socialises but not too much; that he shifts his priorities as the need arises
and that he does fulfil his social and family obligations and spends
profitabily whatever time he has - focusing, of course, on his happiness - a
priority in any person's life. But all in all he devotes two to three hours a
day to his writing.
And that is
not all. He has lots more things to do and lots more things happening.
Having had
considerable experience in running skiing hotels, city hotels, resort hotels
and jungle hotels, he is now in the throes of planning and building yet another
type- lifestyle hotels. He has planned ten such hotels in areas like
Hambantota, Maskeliya, Wilpattu, Trincomalee, Maduru Oya Jaffna and a few other
locations which he was averse to disclose until all the customary procedures
have been complied with and completed.
But `Elephant
Corridor' a lifestyle designer 24- all suite Boutique Hotel - the first of this
series of ten and a unique blend of art and architecture located in the wilds
of Sigiriya is almost ready and he is awaiting that most opportune time in
tourism this year - that is when tourists will once again begin to trickle in
greater numbers, to open its doors to them. It is an exclusive, upmarket,
luxurious boutique hotel for the discerning visitor and affords him the
opportunity of being with nature and studying and watching the flora and fauna
there, he says.
What I can do
for Sri Lanka from my side is to pioneer a new generation of hotels and project
Sri Lanka which when looked at objectively is a great destination - a very
attractive girl on the beach as it were; but we must remember and he quotes Dr
Anandatissa de Alwisd as saying ``we are not the only girl on the beach. We
must make our girl attractive and scintillating.'
Jayewardene talks of the location for a hotel as being of paramount
importance. It is priority number one. priority number two and priority number
three - a view, he says, expressed by a famous international hotelier and it is
the specific features of each location that he wishes to bring out and
capitalise on in his boutique hotels.
You design a
hotel within a particular location - primarily to enhance that area and improve
the living standards of its people - but without damaging or destroying that
area and also bearing in mind that a hotel has a shelf life unlike that of land
- the shelf life depending on the eventual demand of the market.
Three other
hotels besides the `Elephant Corridor' are in the process of being developed.
They are the `Leopard Mountain' in the tea estates of Maskeliya and `Flamingo
Plain' amidst the sea and paddy fields of Hambantota.
Jayewardene has met the Dabane Veddas in Mahiyangana to ensure whether he
could integrate his hotel with the vedda population and to see how he may
introduce their dances and rituals for the benefit of tourists.
I want to
give the tourists the opportunity of getting married, if they wish, in
traditional veddha style. And he has managed to pick up a few words of
andarademala (the gypsy language) as disclosed to him by Lalith Athulathmudali.
Having been
to Jaffna as a schoolboy and still remembering his father drawing his attention
to the architecture and other attractive features - culture and people of
Yalapalam; having seen the varying terrain from palm trees to beaches, visited
islands like Delft with its ponies and Nagadipa, he has already embarked on
plans for achieving his desire for a hotel there. He has named it the
`Peninsular Beach Hotel' and it will be located in Casurina Beach. It will
serve as a city hotel and an airport hotel and all that stems from his optimism
that peace is at hand.
|
Pradeep
Jayewardene's House – |
Until their
home was totally destroyed by fire at the end of the 1980s, the Jayewardene
family enjoyed the use of an old coconut estate bungalow perched high on the
red cliffs that frame the eastern side of Weligama Bay on the south coast of
Sri Lanka. In 1997 Bawa was asked by J. R. Jayewardene's grandson, Pradeep, to
design a replacement. The site lies at the end of a steep track off the main
Galle-to-Matara road. After a short climb, the noise of the traffic is left far
behind and a final twist in the track reveals a breathtaking view westwards
across the bay and a grove of coconut palms, silhouetted against the sky. On
closer inspection a platoon of black columns can be discerned among the coconut
trunks, a thin horizontal roof floating amongst their fronds: a simple pleasure
pavilion stands on a stepped plinth. The roof is a galvanized steel deck
sloping gently southwards and supported on three rows of six concrete-encased
columns: there are no walls, no doors, no windows, no shutters. Part of the
plinth is raised to accommodate a lower bedroom level and this raised area
creates a place for sitting, while the lower floor is dominated by a huge
dining table that rests on an old electricity generator, a remnant from the
original bungalow. An enclosed stairway leads down to a half-buried space
containing service areas and bedrooms that open onto a lower courtyard.
The house is
separated in time from the A. S. H. de Silva House by almost forty years, but
they are two points on the same journey. Both consist in essence of a roof inserted
into a landscape to exclude sun and rain while admitting cooling currents of
air. It may be that one house is simply a distillation of the other or that it
takes forty years to gain the confidence to strip things down to their bare
essentials.
Soon after
the house was completed, the following poem was written by Michael Ondaatje,
the uncle of Pradeep Jayewardene's wife:
House on a
Red Cliff, 26 January 1998 There is no mirror in Mirissa the sea is in the
leaves the waves are in the palms old language in the arms of the casurina pine
parampara, parampara from generation to generation The flamboyant a grandfather
planted having lived through fire lifts itself over the roof unframed
the house an open net where night concentrates on a breath on a step
a thing or gesture we cannot be attached to just the long, the short, the
difficult minutes of night's phenomena where even in darkness there is no
horizon without a tree just a boat's light in the leaves A last footstep before
formlessness (Ondaatje 1998)
Source:
Robson, David. 2002. Geoffrey Bawa: The Complete Works. London: Thames and
Hudson
Dr. Rolly dies
Sunday Times
Nov 7 1999:
Dr.
R. (Rolly) P. Jayewardene, one of Sri Lanka's most eminent and respected
medical personalities died on Friday night and was cremated yesterday at the
Colombo General Cemetery.
Dr. Jayewardene who was 81, was an MD, MRCP and FRCP. Having had a brilliant academic career at the Faculty of Medicine, he retired from public service as Senior Physician of the General Hospital, Colombo. In later years he was also a Director-General at NARESA (Natural Resources Energy and Science Authority) which has been replaced by the NSF (Natural Science Foundation). He was a younger brother of the late President J.R. Jayewardene. His wife, Gladys who was Chairperson of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation predeceased him.
POORNA
HEALTHCARE TRUST REPORT
JR
Jayewardene JRL
with President Ronald Reagan of USA JRJ
Pictures
sent in by:
Manjula
de Livera
email
- manjuladelivera@yahoo.com.au
3
Jul 2008
Husband of Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayewardene (son in law of Fitzroy
Philip Wijeysinghe
Jayewardene & Justicia Udunuwara Uralawatte Perera, father of Anne
Marie Samarasinghe)
Beatrice
Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayewardene (daughter of Fitzroy Philip Wijeysinghe
Jayewardene & Justicia Udunuwara Uralawatte Perera, mother of Anne
Marie)
Sat
8 Nov 2003
Gen. Tissa Weeratunga dies
General T.I. Weeratunga who served as the Commander of Sri Lanka Army from 1981 to 1985 and General Officer Commanding - Joint Operation Command passed away at his residence in Kotte yesterday.
Tissa Indika
Weeratunga was born on August 29, 1930 and was educated at Royal College,
Colombo.
General
Weeratunga was among the first batch of Officer Cadets to join the Regular
Force of the Army on October 11, 1949 after the formation of the Sri Lanka Army
in independent Sri Lanka. After his initial training in the United Kingdom he
was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant on August 2, 1951 and posted
to Ceylon Light Infantry.
Weeratunga
was promoted to the rank of Brigadier on December 1, 1977 and appointed
Inspector of Training of the Army.
He was appointed
Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army on March 1979 and while holding this
appointment he functioned as Commander Security Forces, Jaffna from 13 July
1979 to December 31, 1979.
He became the
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army on October 14, 1981 and served until November
2, 1985. Then he was appointed the General Officer Command of the Joint
Operation Command on February 11, 1985.
He was
promoted to the rank of General on August 29, 1989.
After his
career in the Sri Lanka Army he has also served as Sri Lanka's High
Commissioner in Canada.
The body of
Gen. Weeratunga now lies at his residence 25/23, Jayapura Mawatha, Beddagana
South, Pitakotte.
The
cortege will leave for General Cemetery, Kanatta, from residence at 3 p.m.
tomorrow.
JAYEWARDENE, ADRIAN ST. VALENTINE The Law
of Partition in Ceylon. Ordinances: Nos. 10 of 1863 and...
[Ceylon]. Jayewardene, Adrian St. Valentine. The Law of Partition in Ceylon.
Ordinances: Nos. 10 of 1863 and 10 of 1897. Galle: Printed by the Albion Press
Office, 1904. xiii, 108, xix pp. Octavo (6" x 8-1/2"). Original
cloth, black-stamped titles to front board and spine. Some shelfwear and
soiling, internally clean. Ex-library. Location label to spine, annotation in
ink to front pastedown, small stamp to title page. A nice copy of a rare title.
$450. * First edition. Partition law was unusually complicated in colonial
Ceylon due to the peasant and tribal traditions that governed the transmission
of agricultural land. "It is impossible to speak too highly of the
exactitude and industry with which the scheme of the work has been carried out,
and the author is to be congratulated, not only on having contributed a work of
permanent value to the jurisprudence of the country, but also on having
presented the experience of his country in a form which, it is to be hoped,
will prove useful in other parts of the world.": Anton Bertram, Journal of
Comparative Legislation and International Law (Third Series) 8 (1926) 156.
(Review of the second edition.) OCLC locates 1 copy. Sweet & Maxwell, A
Legal Bibliography of the British Commonwealth 7:218.
USD 450.00
Offered by: Lawbook
Exchange - Book number: 51175
J R Jayewardene Center:
The
Mural in the Auditorium
The Mural
adorning the walls of the auditorium depicts the saga of a country whose
sovereignty and independence were lost and subsequently regained. It tells the
story of a few Kandyan Chiefs who conspired with the British to dethrone their
King who was a Nayakkar of Indian origin and thereby retain power among
themselves. By the time they realised their folly it was too late, for they had
signed the Kandyan Convention and ceded the Kingdom over to the British. The
aftermath of the cession was an angry resurgence and revolt by some national
minded courageous men who ultimately paid with their lives.
After over a
hundred years the revolt never really ended, this time not by arms and
impulsive men, but by intelectual prowess of great patriotic men who pushed
forward with a resolute determination and finally succeeded in regarding the
lost sovereignty and independence and handed Sri Lanka over to their successors
who fashioned the country to be equal among other intelectual nations of the
world.
The mural
begins, on the left wall, with the meeting of Gen. Macdowall by Pilimatalawe
Dissawa on 12th March 1810. The second frame illustrates a discussion Sir John
D' Oyly had with the Chief Ehelepola, Chief Molligoda and Adigar of Kapuwatte.
The third frame depicts an instance inflamed by emotions of nationalism. 2nd
March 1815 was the date fixed to sign the Kandyan Convention at the Magul
Maduwa - the King's Court. Before even reading out the convention an English
soldier hoisted the English flag - the Union Jack. This was an illegal gesture
since the convention had not been signed at the moment. Enraged by this
insolence Ven. Wariyapola Sumangala leapt to the flag staff, pulled the flag
down and trampled it demanding "Who ordered you to do this. You have no
right to hoist this flag yet!" The soldier with his sword drawn was about
to strike the Thera when Sir John D' Oyly intervened, restrained the soldier
and apologised to the monk.
The next
frame illustrates, having dethroned the Nayakkar King, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe,
and ceding the Kandyan Kingdom to King George III of Great Britain, the signing
(with conditions) of the Kandyan Convention on 2nd of March 1815 by
Robert
Brownrigg as the Commander-in-Chief of the King of England
and on behalf of the Kandyan People :-
Chief Ehelepola
Chief Adigar Molligoda
Second Adigar Pilimatalawwe
Dissawe of Four Korales, Pilimatalawwe Junior
Dissawe of Uva, Monerawila
Dissawe of Matale, Ratwatta
Molligoda Junior the Dissawe of Three Korales
Dullewa, Dissawa of Walapane
Dissawa of Wellassa and Bintenna and Galagama
Dissawa of Tamankaduwa
Galagoda, Dissawa of Nuwara Kalawiya
The Sinhala
Chiefs sought the help of the British with the intention of crowning a Sinhala
Buddhist as King. But their plans collapsed amidst the crafty machinations of
Governor Brownrigg designed to firmly establish the British reign in Sri Lanka.
Thus by signing the Convention the Sinhalese finally had to cede the Kandyan
Kingdom which had been an independent, sovereign state for two thousand three
hundred and fifty seven years.
The first
struggle for liberation known as the 1817 Kandyan revolt led by Sinhalese hero
Keppetipola is depicted in the next frame. The struggle failed and Keppetipola
who was convicted as the man who initiated and organized the revolt was
sentenced to death by decapitation. He was accordingly executed near the
Bogambara tank.
In 1848 when
the people of Matale and Seven Korales rose up against the rule of the British
empire it was Gongalegoda Banda who led them. The British who suppressed the
uprising took into custody Gongalegoda Banda the Leader and Kudapola Thero who
assisted him and sentenced them to death. The first phase ends here, which was
the armed struggle for liberation.
The mural on
the right-side begins with the images of the Leaders who guided an anarchial,
divided and helpless nation to raise its head again. When the foreigners were
leading the country, nation and religion to ruination it was Anagarika
Dharmapala who generated in minds of the Sinhalese the love for the nation and
the religion. In 1886 Colonel Olcott and Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera helped
him to spread Buddhism. It was the cultural struggle launched by Dharmapala and
other Buddhist leaders which laid the foundation for the background to gain
independence in 1948. This mural consists of 18 frames and leads to the
independent Sri Lanka of today.
Colonel
Olcott and his wife, who came to Sri Lanka founded the Parama Vignana Buddhist Society.
Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala, Migettuwatte Gunananda Theras supported Colonel Olcott
in founding Buddhist schools for Buddhist Children. He was the pioneer who
designed the Buddhist flag with its shades acceptable to everybody. Gunananda
Thera had delivered more than 5000 sermons including Liyanagemulla, Gampola and
Panadura demolishing Christian arguments and thereby enlivening the Buddhist
sentiments in the people.
The second
frame depicts one of the most tragical events in recent history. William Henry
Pedris was arrested on the false allegation of leading the 1915 revolt against
the government and shot dead in public on 7th July 1915. This incident gave
birth to the political reformation activities of Ceylon Reform League by
Ponnambalam Arunachalam joining hands with F. R. Senanayake's Lanka Mahajana
Sabhawa.
Frame
3 gives the portraits of the Pioneers of Ceylon National Congress
namely,
W.A. de Silva, Sir D. B. Jayatillake
Sir James Peiris, Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam
E.W. Perera, E. W. Jayewardene
D. R. Wijewardene, F. R. Senanayake
S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, T. B. Jayah
Walisinghe Harischandra, John de Silva
Frame
4 depicts a symbol of Appreciation by a grateful Nation
On a tour of England Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan made several speeches, seminars
etc requesting a Westminster type government to Sri Lanka. He explained the
correct position of the 1915 revolt to the Secretaries and Members of
Parliament and the representatives of the Queen of England. On his return to
the island on 17th February 1916 he was given a warm welcome by the leaders of
Sri Lanka. As a mark of recognition of the service to the country the people of
Sri Lanka led by Sinhalese Leaders placed him on a cart and pulled the cart
along the streets of Colombo. The leaders so gathered included F.R. Senanayake,
A. E. Gunasinghe, A.W.P. Jayatillaka, E.W. Perera and P. N. Jayanethi.
Frame
5 Universal Franchise in 1931
The most
significant feature of the Donoughmore Constitution in 1931 was the grant of
Universal Franchise to the Sri Lankans. As a result every person over the age
of 21 was entitled to vote. Prior to 1931 only a few selected males had this
right. Since it was an era where the intellectual prowess was still premature
the voter indicated his option by marking a cross against the symbol of the
candidate of his preference.
Frame
6 shows the First State Council Building .
In 1912, Sir
Henry Mc cullum having pointed out the necessity for a State Council Building,
a site was selected at Galle Face, Colombo and plans were approved in June
1920. The new State Council Building was ceremonially declared open by Sir
Herbert Stanley, Governor of the Legislative Council. In this building met the
State Council from 1931-1941, the House of Representatives from 1947-1972 and
the National State Assembly from 1971-1978. In September 1978 after the new
constitution coming into force it became the House of Parliament.
Frame
7 shows the The First State Council established under the Donoughmore
Constitution. The council had 50 elected members, 8 appointed members and a
cabinet of Ministers.
Frame
8 portrays:
Sir D B Jayatillake who was the Leader of the House of the State Council
The Sooriyamal Movement
J. R. Jayewardene in discussion with Sri Javaharlal Nehru
Frame
9
With the introduction of the Soulbury Constitution the first House of
Representatives was elected in August/September 1947. The frame shows the first
cabinet of Ministers.
Frame
10
Portrays the first Governor of Ceylon Lord Soulbury and the first Prime
Minister D.S. Senanayake.
Frame
11
signifies the dawn of independence in 1948, the peasant colonisation movement
and the origin of the Colombo Plan.
Frame
12
Portrays Dudly Senanayake, Sir John Kotelawala and C.W.W. Kannangara
Frame
13
signifies the Bandaranaike era,
: S.W.R.D. Banradanaike, Prime Minister
: Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike, World's first Lady Prime Minister
: The Non Aligned Summit Conference at the Bandaranaike Memorial
International Conference Hall
: The new State Emblem of the Democratic Socialist Republic of
Sri Lanka
Frame
14
Portrays the first Executive President of Sri Lanka,
His Excellency J. R. Jayewardene
Frame
15
shows the new Parliament Building in Jayewardenepura Kotte and the Mahaweli
Project
Frame
16
Portrays President Jayewardene and Gamini Dissanayake Minister of Mahaweli
Development
Frame
17
Portrays President Ranasinghe Premadasa and his Udagam Movement
Frame
18
Portrays the first Lady Executive President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Banaranaike
Kumarathunge and the Sudu Nelum Movement
The Pushcannon Foursome
In 1929,
Junius Richard Jayewardene (Dick), joined three others in forming a private
'club' which was called "The Honorable Society of Pushcannons"
(reference to billiards). The object of the society was "to eat together
at least once a month". The members comprised of cousin T F Jayewardene
(son of T G Jayewardene), Percy Pieris, and Samson Gunasekera, brother in law
of A E de Silva (father of Sir Ernest de Silva).
A E de Silva
was one of the wealthiest businessmen and landowners of his time. His elegant
mansion "Sirimetpaya" down Flower Road (renamed to Sir Ernest de
Silva Mawatha presently) is now the office of the Prime Minister.
The
Pushcannon quartet met on at least 50 occasions between July 1929 and early
1935. They solemnly kept minutes of their meetings. The book of minutes which
has survived would, at first, seem an unlikely source of information on his
life, and the manner in which he was growing into manhood, but interspersed
with the notes and social activity are snippets of information of a personal
and political nature which any biographer would find invaluable. Often these
items supplement material from other sources; on other occasions they provide
clues to the development of Dick's personality which would be difficult to
obtain from any other source. Most of the details in the minutes refer to
social occasions, but every now and then the real world breaks through into
their discussions, and, wherever it does it is clearly Dick who is responsible.
The minutes
reveal that sometime in the early 1930's Dick had successfully completed his
second examination as an Advocate student. Also the Pushcannon Quartet had
helped an amateur dramatic society in staging a play, Temple Thurston's,
"The Wandering Jew".
The members
dined at the best hotels and restaurants in town. On one occasion it is
mentioned that "dinner was eaten at the Sinhagiri Hotel run by a
Singhalese (sic) as just then we were intensely national". That particular
hotel was as "undistinguished" as its location was unfashionable. At
this meeting they decided "not without Percy's usual opposition" to
"don white sarongs to visit [the] Maligakande Temple".
Here, if one needed
it, was a definite clue to Dick's religious convictions. Under the tutelage of
his uncle WalterWijewardene and the guidance of the Bhikku's of the
Vajiraramaya Temple, he was now a Buddhist in all but name. He had long since
absconded the Anglicanism in which he had grown up as a child and a young
gentleman. This was one battle that his father, E W, had lost. One by one, his
children, especially the older ones, had succumbed to the attractions of the
religion of their mother and her family, the Wijewardene's.
The members,
later, chose to use Sinhala to sign their names on the minute book and also
chose a Sinhalese name, "Priya Sangamaya", for the Pushcannon Club.
By the time the club celebrated its first anniversary on 3-4 August 1930, Dick was
calling himself "Ravindra" and signing the minutes book by that name.
He also substituted "Jeevaka" for Junius although he didnt use it in
any of the documents of the society. It should be noted here that Dick chose to
nsame his son Ravindra who was called "Ravi" by almost everyone. To
this anniversary meeting of the group Dick had invited two guests, Richard
Gothabaya Senanayake (son of F R) and Justin Kotalawela (younger brother of
John Lionel), who were both children of the Attygalle inheritance. RG, in time,
became Dick's bitterest political opponent.
One
interesting episode recorded in the minutes was the support Dick created for
the unveiling of a portrait of Ghandi at the Law College which was not much in
the favor of the British Colonial Administration who considered Ghandi, who was
fighting for freedom and languishing in jail, an enemy at that time. With the
support of his father, EW, he somehw managed to make it happen even though the
Brits were not very happy. The unveiling ceremony was performed by a prominent
politician and a leading figure in the Ceylon National Congress, Francis (Later
Sir Francis) de Soyza, KC. The main speaker at the occasion was also a leading
politician, C E Corea, father of S C Corea who was at that time the Hony Secretary
of the Law Students Union. The portrait of Gandhi still hangs at the Law
College. The vote of thanks was delivered by Dick who had by this time
relinquished his job as his fathers private secretary. The job was taken over
by Corbett Jayewardene, who was a law student himself.
Sunday
Times No 10 1996
When JR made the Indians Cry....
By
Lakshmi Pieris
His
former Press Secretary
On November 4
at sunset we cremated a great man this land ever produced. He was a colossus. A
man amongst men and a leader amongst leaders. A man for all seasons, who
changed Lanka's history. He changed the horizons, created new vistas. Paved the
way for all of us to have a better life. He was a king without a crown.
Last time I
saw him alive was on his 90th birthday. He looked very frail although he tried
to appear cheerful. His beloved wife was in the hospital recovering from
surgery. He was missing her very much. He told me that was the first time he
spent his birthday alone after marriage. I was seeing him after 18 months. I am
glad I made that long journey from Texas to be there in time for his birthday.
Some thing in
the back of my mind told me that I would not witness his next birthday. So I
made my travel plans accordingly.
It was heart
breaking to see him lying in a hospital bed. So I never sighted the hospital.
Instead I prayed and held a Bodhi Pooja. I remembered he had told us that he
never spent a night in a hospital. Anyway news that filtered down the grapevine
was very disheartening about his deteriorating health.
I never
intended to write this so soon. But the saddest news next to my parent's deaths
reached me on Friday noon. I did not know how to start this. I had a duty to
write this note.
President JR
and Madam Jayewardene were like parents to me. I made it a point to see them
every now and then ever after their retirement, until I left the country due to
vicious politics.
My first
encounter with JR, the prime minister was in 1977 when I was assigned to work
in the ministry of defence and foreign affairs - subject of defence came under
the prime minister and foreign affairs under Mr. A.C.S. Hameed. As years went
by I kept moving from ministry to ministry and in 1979 ended up in the ministry
of finance and planning as it's information officer.
One fine
morning I received a call from Dr. Sarath Amunugama who was the secretary to
the ministry of information and broadcasting to see him in the office. Dr.
Amunugama, himself a very popular man amongst the mediamen at that time, was
the very same person who recruited me to the department of information as its
first woman press officer ten years before.
He said,
"I am going to give you a chance of a lifetime. I have decided to nominate
you to be the press officer in the president's office. When you get a letter of
appointment from the president's office go and assume duties."
I could not
believe my ears. But the offer was real. I waited for that letter for weeks and
months. But it never came my way. I felt there would have been an invisible
hand at work to prevent me from going there.
But again at
the end of 1983 I received a call from Mr. Milton Weerasena who worked in the
president's office. He wished to know whether I would like to join the
president's office to handle the media desk. At that time the press secretary's
post was vacant. I was never ambitious. But I liked the excitement of working
for the highest in the land.
One week
later I was before Mr. Menikdiwela, secretary to the president facing an
interview. Few weeks later I was appointed to the president's office. Working
in the president's office was like walking on a tight rope. One could witness
many facets of human behaviour there. I was not sure whether I'll be able to
survive amongst the tale carriers.
Few months
later all of a sudden I got a call from Ward Place. All these days my work was
confined to the president's office. Caller said president wants to see me at
8.30 am at Ward Place. I was a bit terrified. I wondered why he summoned me
there. I was a bit uneasy. But when I appeared before this calm, well mannered
charismatic gentleman I regained my composure.
Can you write
and read Sinhala well? He posed a question. "Fairly well Sir, I
replied." From tomorrow could you please come here around 8.30 am and
attend to Mrs. Jayewardene's correspondence, he asked. I agreed, and the
president said: "We will pay you a salary from our private resources,
since there are no funds allocated for a secretary for Mrs. Jayewardene.
I told him I
did not wish to draw another salary since I am doing madam's work during my
normal eight hours for which I am paid by the government. President looked surprised
at my reply who would refuse an extra salary. Until the president retired I
stuck to my word and never accepted a payment for being Madam JR's secretary.
Most of the
mail that reached Madam contained vicious petitions. My duty was to read all
the letters addressed to her and take the necessary action after consulting
her. She was very sympathetic. Sometimes reading those petitions aloud was very
unpleasant to me. I would tell her that we cannot take the anonymous petitions
seriously since most of them are written by jealous people.
Sometimes she
listened to me. Most people knew that if they addressed a letter or a grievance
to Madam it would reach the President. If she noticed any justifiable grievance
in her mail she would take it and rush to President's room, to draw his
attenion to it.
The most
bizzare experience I had while I was working there was that I had to read to
her a petition written against myself. Although there was nothing in it except
slander, I was very upset and sad realizing the wickedness of many around me.
She took it from my hand, tore it and threw it into the waste paper basket. In
the meantime she did not forget to console me. I felt very safe, while working
for her.
President JR
always consulted Madam Elena when he was making decisions. Most of the
important discussions were held at the breakfast table at Braemar. There were
close associates who dropped by regularly for those informal breakfast
meetings.
His lifestyle
was simple and frugal. Both of them enjoyed simple foods. Breakfast consisted
of strings made of kurakkan flour, bran bread, fresh fruits, fish curry and the
like. At 6.00 o'clock in the morning he must have the day's papers on his
table. After breakfast he would discuss the headlines and the day's programme.
He did not take alcohol. But occasionally took a sip of brandy for medicinal
purposes. Once in a way he would smoke half of a Cuban cigar after lunch.
Cuban cigars
arrived in the Ward Place as a gift from Cuban leader Fidel Castro. There was
an undying friendship built between Castro and JR who was branded as a
capitalist. Cigars were very popular among some of his ministers and friends.
He generously gave the cigars away.
A glorious day
in President JR's life was when he made hundreds of Indians cry during his
address at the SAARC summit at Bangalore, India in 1986. We reached there three
days in advance to prepare the ground for his arrival. At that time LTTE
propaganda machine was very active in India.
President's
media desk went to Bangalore well armed with counter propaganda material and
quietly released them to journalists. Next day Indian newspapers went to town.
K. N. Arun of the "Express News Service" wrote: "The SAARC
conference here has provided the Sri Lanka government with a chance for a media
offensive against the militants and other Tamil groups. Four documents in the
docket released by the president's desk stand out..."
Best part of
the Bangalore summit took place at "Vidhana Soudha" conference Hall
soon after President JR finished reading from his prepared speech. So much had
been said and written about his world famous San Francisco speech on the peace
treaty. This speech at "Vidhana Soudha" may be his second best because
that day he changed the Indian hearts and made them shed tears.
I would like
to quote below his speech made extempore that day for future reference.
Addressing Prime Minister Rajiv, he began...
....You
quoted a poem from Rabindranath Tagore which is close to my heart. Tagore
wrote: "If life's journey be endless, where is the goal". I think the
goal and the road are one. Every step must be as pure as the goal itself. There
can be no impure steps to attain a pure goal.
"I say
this because I know that violence brings hatred. Hatred cannot be conquered by
violence, but by non-violence and love. When I spoke at the 1957 San Francisco
conference on the Japanese Peace Treaty soon after the war, I cited the
Buddha's words. I said, "Hold out the hand of friendship to the Japanese
people. Hatred ceases not by hatred but by love."
"Zafrulla
Khan of Pakistan spoke after me. He said that Prophet Mohammed also had a
similar view. Certain enemies were defeated by arms and they were brought
before the Prophet with all the goods that were captured. He said,
"Release them, release everything you have taken from them, except their
arms. Forgive them," he said.
"Hindu
Vedas and the Bhagwat Gita asks us to do right without fear of consequence.
Christ forgave his enemies on the Cross.
"I am
reminded of all this because every time a bullet, whether it be a terrorist
bullet or a bullet from the security services in my country, kills a citizen it
goes deep into my heart. I do not know how to stop it. Violence achieves
nothing, except distress and hatred.
"I am
reminded of a story of Gautama the Buddha. He was meditating in a jungle near a
village. A young mother lost her only child. She could not believe that he was
dead. She carried the body round the village trying to find some medicine. She
could not find it. She was told, "Why don't you go and see that holy man.
He may help you."
"She
went to him. He told her, "Sister, can you bring a mustard seed? But it,
must be from a house where there has been no death." She went back to the
village carrying this dead child. She visited house after house; but there was
no house where there was no death. In every house somebody had died. She came
back and told the Buddha, "Lord, I could not find such a house to bring a
mustard seed."
"So he
said, "Sister, thou hast found, looking for what none finds, the bitter
balm I had to give thee. He thou lovest, slept dead on thy boosm yesterday.
Today, thou knowest the whole wide world weeps with thy woe. The grief that all
hearts bear grows less by one. Go, bury thou thy child."
"Whenever
I hear of death it grieves me more than I can explain. One of your leaders, the
great Mahatma Gandhi personified in his life the non-violence that I mentioned.
He showed the world that non- violence can be employed to attain political and
democratic objectives.
"Whether
it be freedom from foreign rule, or the elimination of Capitalism and the
formation of a Communist State or whether it is Separatism or Federalism, this
is the only way that can be supported by civilised people. That is the way of
non-violence or "ahimsa."
"I was
privileged, Mr. Chairman, as a young man just entering politics in the 1930s to
witness a great movement which began to stir India. Mr. Chairman, I knew your
mother and grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru. I stayed with him in his house. I was
his guest at the Congress Ramgarh Sessions - the last sessions before freedom.
I was his guest in Bombay when the "Quit India" Resolution was
passed.
"That
was the first occasion on which Mahatma Gandhi, in his long service to India,
tried the non- violent way to attain freedom for his country. He was training
his people in non-violence. He walked to the Dandi beach to break the
"salt laws." He broke the laws of the British Government after the
Amrithsar massacre. He broke the habit regarding the wearing of foreign cloth
and encouraged the Swadeshi Movement. He said you are in a movement not only to
attain freedom.
"At the
Bombay session when he spoke on the "Quit India" Resolution, I was
sitting behind him when he ended his speech with KARANGE YA MARANGE "DO OR
DIE".
"Mr.
Chairman, I was returning back to Sri Lanka when I was told that your
grandfather was arrested. Throughout his long life, Gandhiji never stressed any
means other than non-violence. I remember when there was an agitation in Bihar
and the police station was set on fire in Chauri Choura. Some policemen were
killed during the non-cooperation campaign
"Jawaharlal
Nehru and other leaders were in jail. Mahatma Gandhi called off the agitation
because violence had broken out. Jawaharlal Nehru from jail asked why did he do
so, when they were about to attain their objective. Mahatma Gandhi said,
"No! I do not want to attain freedom through violence."
"That
was the man that inspired me. Those are the men who brought freedom to all our
countries. Not only in Asia, but also throughout the world. And I say again
violence means hatred. Hatred cannot be conquered by violence, but by
non-violence and by love. That is the way I would like to follow.
"Mr.
Chairman, as I said before and I say now, "I am a lover of India, I am a
friend of its people and you its leader, Mr. Chairman. I am a follower of its
greatest son, Gautama the Buddha."
While he was
speaking many elderly Indians listened to him with rapt attention and their eyes
filled with tears. Ladies were reaching out quietly for their handkerchieves.
Some of the senior journalists too were wiping their tears secretly. We were
simply elated and so proud of Junius Richard Jayewardene.
During his
state visit to US in 1995, American Senators and some Congressmen did not take
much notice for unheard Sri Lanka. Ronald Reagan was the President and there
was a grand banquet in honour of President JR and Madam Jayewardene. Frank
Sinatra who was also invited for the dinner made a rendition of "I did it
my way", JR's favourite song. At the end of his prepared banquet speech JR
again spoke extempore, surprising his audience. At the end of everything
American journalists walked up to our mediamen and told them, "In his speech
your man outdid our man."
Sunday
Times No 10 1996
JR: the man I knew
by
Susil Moonesinghe
It is said
that when a great man dies even the heavens weep. So it was yesterevening.
After thousands thronged in grief to pay their last respects to J.R.
Jayewardene, the rain came down in sheets.
I will speak
of him as a man, since his politics and political life has been spoken of and written
in hundreds of pages and thousands of words. I saw in him a humanity born out
of the study of a human being and experience of long years. It was that ability
which made him mould those who followed him. He had the capacity to judge
people shrewdly and assess their potentiality. So it was that he chose men such
as Premadasa, Gamini Dissanaike, Lalith Athulathmudali, Ranjan Wijeratne, Ranil
Wickremesinghe and many others. He built them through guidance and advice and
imbibed in them that sense of discipline and leadership which was to become the
hallmark of the times.
I personally
would not have come into the front line of politics, had he not persuaded me
and offered his hand of guidance. When I took his hand in mine, I felt in me
all that strength and assurance necessary to make me want what I had thought
was not in me. In that proffered hand, the strong grip was borne out of years
of sacrifice, patience and humility. All these qualities I learned to respect
as I went on my political journey. Today more than ever, I realise that value
of self-reliance, truth and strength of character, to differentiate between
right and wrong. To fiercely defend what is right and equally resist with all
our strength what is wrong. Not to give into injustice and iniquity. To speak
the truth even if it hurts you, knowing that ultimately truth must triumph. All
of these have I come to know, practice and realise through guru, J R
Jayewardene.
After he had
achieved the pinnacle of success in politics, J. R. Jayewardene knew when to
call it a day and cut himself off from that world in which he had lived for
five decades. He had in him not only the deep knowledge of history, but also
the sense of history. In this retirement he availed himself of the opportunity
to study in greater depth the philosophy of the Buddha Dhamma. Often as we sat
together in the evenings engaged in long conversations and arguments, the basis
of it all would be the word of the Buddha. His was a very practical approach to
the Dhamma in the context of present day reality and not the indulgence in the
blind acceptance of ritual gathered over the centuries. His was not a display
of Shraddha influenced by ritual and opulent and meaningless display, but the
practice of cultivating those perceptions based on the understanding of the
Dhamma. It was that profoundness that captivated me.
It is that
profoundness that made him utter that one sentence - "Nahi verena
verani" - hatred begets hatred, which won the everlasting affection of the
Japanese people. To a nation which was shattered by the authorship of
aggression, a giant of a man from a small, almost insignificant nation offered
hope based on forgivenesss. To those powerful nations besieged by a sense of
revenge, this message of forgiveness and love was indeed a revelation. In that
one sentence was conveyed to all those nations at the San Francisco Conference,
a fundamental of Buddhist philosophy. Perhaps no one ever contributed in modern
times to the propagation of the Dhamma as he did in that one effort.
Often have I
heard J R being described as an "iron man" or a "cold man".
In the event, it has been my experience that he is a warm-hearted man and full
of humour. He had that inordinate capacity to laugh at himself and accept
criticism. He was a great raconteur and many are the instances in those
nostalgic recountings that led to the personal insight of his character.
When JR.'s
wish as to how his remains should be taken care of was read out from the pages
of a diary noted in 1991, it showed how far he was looking. It was typical of
his devotion to detail. It also showed his sense of history. In a life
dedicated to the service of people, he never forgot that Kelaniya was as much
his first love as his responsibility. To him it was as much a part of his life
as it was of Buddhist history. So he wrote that his remains be cremated in that
hallowed spot where the Buddha visited, in full view of the Vihara and that his
ashes be immersed in the Kelani River at a place recorded to be where the
enlightened one bathed.
Most leaders
traditionally would have wanted to leave on record an epitaph befitting them,
but no epitaph can be written on the waters of a river and yet if JR's
achievements had to be recorded, it is necessary only to look at those places
where his vision was translated into the creator of vast reservoirs,
hydroelectric power houses, multi-storeyed buildings, fuse trade zones with
numerous factories, housing projects, universities, hospitals and the
Parliament in a new satellite city.
As the ashes
of his body mingles and flows with the waters of the Kelani River, it must
surely symbolise not only impermanence of life, but also the sansonic dimension
which he believed in. To that extent this lfie of JR has ended and yet a new
journey has begun, and in that long journey let us wish that all the good deeds
done in this athma will help him shorten that journey to the final and external
tranquility Nirvana.
Sunday
Times No 10 1996
Where the Kelani flows
By
Jeannette Cabraal
And so, the
elder statesman, that colossus who bestrode the world of Sri Lankan politics, a
beacon in Asian politics and a man of stature internationally, who in the last
decade and a half or so became a controversial figure, was cremated in the
historic sacred city of Kelaniya in the shadow of the Raja Maha Vihare.
As shades of
evening fell on the valley silhouetting the pinnacle, the flames licked around
the Chitakaya and consumed his mortal remains. And soon his ashes will merge
with the waters and the murky deeps of the Kelani which quietly meanders
through the verdant countryside.
The fact that
"J.R." as he was familiarly know in Kelaniya wished to have his final
obsequies in Kelaniya roused my interest. Hence these random jottings as I
wander back reminiscently to what I can personally recall of his overtures in
Kelaniya.
In those good
old days the elections held something of intrigue, providing us children with
much amusement and entertainment as slogans and cries sometimes downright
insulting, sometimes ingenious, nevertheless accepted genially, were raised
along the streets, where vehicles with loads of supporters roamed.
Vehicles also
sporting flags of various hues and later symbols came up to doorsteps to
transport the voters to polling booths. I remember the whisperings of the
adults as they tried their best both to evade and please; torn between loyalty
to the person they professed yet anxious not to displease or hurt the others.
People at that time were so scrupulous about maintaining amity, political or
otherwise. And we young ones enjoyed the thrill of the opposing factor at our
doorstep surreptitiously conveying the news to the adults and thrilled to bits
over our spying.
Once the
results were released the winning party took over the streets in jubilation,
revelling in the victory often entertaining the people around.
On such
occasions when "J.R." won as he always did, save once, he went along
the streets standing in an open vehicle which moved at a snail's pace, hands
clasped in grateful, thankful greeting, smiling at his voters who stood at the
edge of the road, pausing at the homes of his regular voters, acknowledging the
cheers, his faithful life's companion beside him.
I recall one
instance when he contested against Mrs. Wimala Wijewardene and won. He was
doing his normal round and a lorry load, brimful, making scathing comments on
the opponent preceded. Those who were by the edge of the road heard Mrs. Elena
Jayawardena going on in an audible whisper:
"Nanda
gana mukuth kiyanna epa kiyanna"
"Tell
them not to tell anything about Nanda"
Here was the
reaction of the gracious lady beside him, in his moment of triumph.
Another
incident that remains etched in my memory is the eve of another election day
when we, a batch of students from the then St. Paul's Girls' English School,
Kelaniya were returning, having recorded a programme at Radio Ceylon. We, in
our green school ties, were at the Pettah bus stand looking out for a bus. We
were asked by some bus crews which bus we wished to take. The moment we said
Kelaniya we were ushered in to a bus with an obeisance.....
"J.R.ge
kandeta ida denna"
( Allow
J.R.'s people to get in)
Thus he was
acclaimed in times past.
If I remember
right J.R. always contested Kelaniya and won until he met his Waterloo in 1956
in R.G. Senanayake when most of the greens turned blue except for the die-hard
loyalists with whom voting for J.R.was a tradition. Came the next election and
having given over to A.W. Abeygoonesekera (Ossie Abeygoonesekera's father) J.R.
opted for Colombo.
Was it a decision
prompted by hurt feelings that he was rejected in his own realm? I remember the
earlier cry:
"J.R.
Kelaniyatai
Keleniya
J.R.tai"
(J.R. is for
Kelaniya and Kelaniya is for J.R.)
And now the
saga of J.R. has ended. Politics is neither my field nor my concern. But in
recent years controversy has ranged loud and long over the Peace Accord; the
I.P.K.F; and the Executive Presidency. Be that as it may, there is something
gnawing in me where this admirable statesman is concerned. I could not fathom
why this grand gentleman of politics deprived Sirimavo of her civic rights.
Call it my feminist mentality if you will but to me it is strangely
inconceivable.
And so
finally J.R. has come back to Kelaniya. Has come home where his heart always
had been. By the banks of the Kelani in the vicinity of the sacred temple he
bade his adieu and the people of Kelaniya appreciate this magnanimous gesture
of gratitude and farewell.
sland
Mon Nov 19 2007
Madam
Elina Jayewardene
by Prematilaka Mapitigama
Gilbert
Leonard Rupasinghe, Notary Public, prominent planter and entrepreneur and his young
wife Nancy Margaret Suriyabandara, who was expecting her first baby, whilst
sight seeing in Italy had visited a picturesque and charming hamlet called
Eline. They were so enthralled by its serenity and its scenic beauty they
decided then and there to name their baby to be born after this hamlet. On 15th
December, 1913 a baby girl was born and she was named Elina. She was the only
child in the family.
As was the
custom in the Kandyan region in those days to add the name ‘Bandara’ to male
children besides their other names, in the low country, too, among elite groups
it was customary to assign 'Bandara' even to females. Mrs. Rupasinghe, too, was
accordingly known as Nancy Margaret Suriya Bandara before her marriage to Mr.
Rupasinghe and their daughter also came to be known as Elina Bandara
Rupasinghe.
Elina, the
only child in this aristocratic family, did not attend school, but was tutored
at home as was the custom of families of the elite of the day. She was tutored
in English, Sinhalese and Pali and also in Accountancy, Stenography and Music.
By 193, she was an accomplished young lady with all necessary attributes in
education, caste, creed and social status.
She was also
heiress to enormous family wealth. As the most eligible debutante at the time,
she was also the most sought-after by prospective mothers-in-law, who longed to
welcome her to their hearth. But Leonard Rupasinghe had laid down certain
stipulations in selecting a bridegroom for his daughter. Among the many
suitors, the the young up and coming barrister son of Mrs. Agnes Jayewardene,
Junius Richard Jayewardene, better known as J. R., was accepted to be her
partner in life.
They were
married on 28th February, 1935 and settled down at 'Vyjantha' in Dharmapala
Mawatha, Colombo 7, the 'Mahagedera' of the bridegroom, which now houses the
Jayewardene Centre. Their only child, Ravindra Wimal, was born here on 22nd
April, 1936. After three years at 'Vyjayantha', they shifted to Ward Place
building their own house after demolishing the old house 'Braemar', which
belonged to Elina's father. The new house, designed by an architect, was to be
their home ever since, and the name 'Braemar' from the old structure remained.
J. R. preferred to live in 'Braemar' rather than at his official residences, as
Prime Minister and Executive President, which he used only for formal functions
and official duties.
Elina never
took an active role in her husband's political affairs, but was always the
driving force and strength in behind his illustrious career. She was his loving
and faithful companion throughout their long married life. It is said that
after a tiresome day, studded with many problems of public office, he always
loved to come back home, where he found solace, comfort and affection.
President
Jayewardene, recalling his married life, admitted that Elina's co-operation and
affection have always been the driving force behind his life. Before breathing
his last, he summoned his Secretary and stated that after his death, everything
at Braemar should be done according to her wishes. It was indeed a fair
indication of the depth of his devotion and love he had nurtured throughout his
married life for a woman who meant so much to him.
The major
portion of the properties of the Jayewardene family was what Elina inherited
from her parents, and she encountered no obstacle in disposing of them
according to her own wishes. Manelwatta in Bollagala, Kelaniya, a prime coconut
estate of over forty acres, was donated by her to the Malwatta Maha Vihare.
Dharmaloka Vidyalaya, which caters to a vast student population in the area, is
established on a land donated by her father. Numerous blocks of land in
Dehiwala, Attidiya and Bellanwila, which belonged to her, have been transferred
to those who reside in those lands.
Elina had
over one hundred widows on her pay roll, who visit her regularly on an
appointed day to receive their donations, which no doubt went a long way to
keep their home fires burning. She makes this an occasion to have tea with them
and have a chit chat with the old ladies.
Once she
received a letter from a schoolgirl in Gampola, who had written to say that she
was the daughter of an estate labourer, and had only one school uniform, which
was discoloured and worn out, and that her father could not afford her a new
dress.
Elina
promptly made arrangements to dispatch material for five school uniforms
through the then Government Agent, Kandy, . S. M. Tenakoon. Having delivered
the material, the Government Agent, enclosing a letter of thanks from the girl,
wrote back to say that the girl thoroughly deserved help as correctly perceived
by the First Lady.
Elina could
move with the elite, both local and foreign, and at the same time mix with the
poor.
Notwithstanding
her position as the First Lady of the country, she had neither critic nor
competitor. Her generosity, decorum and true appreciation of humanity endeared
her to the young and the old, the rich and the poor alike.
We salute her
as a worthy daughter of Mother Lanka.
Sierra, Grand
daughter of Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayewardene
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/22384440
C Senarathne, on May 15, 2009, said:
Madampe: St. Sebastian’s Church
This was a kingdom coming down from the time of King Weera
Parakrama Bahu (1484- 1509), king of Kotte. (One of the 4 kingdoms of Sri Lanka
at that time) One of his sons Thaniya Wallabha reigned this area residing in
this city. (Today the area where his palace stood is called Maliga Kanda
(=Palace Hillock), Mahawewa. He committed suicide at the tank of Thinipiti Oya,
2 kilometers north to his palace. There is a very popular shrine built in his
memory called Thanivella Devalaya. He is regarded as a god of the area by
Buddhists and Hindus.
During the Portuguese occupation, Jesuits came to serve the people
in this area. They put up a church dedicated to Our Lady of Assumption in 1602
in close proximity to the Palace. That was the first church of Madampe . It had
two other outstation churches, one at Marawila dedicated to St Xavier and the
other at Katuneriya dedicated to St Ambrose. Fr. Emmanuel Barandos was the
first quasi Parish Priest under Chilaw. The spot where that church stood is now
known as Mattakotuwa, Mahawewa . During the Dutch persecution Bl. Joseph Vaz
from Goa secretly came to Ceylon and served the Catholics of the area from 1690
giving masses at the churches belonging to Madampe parish.
During the reign of King Sri Vijaya Rajasingha (1745) there was a
persecution of Christians led by a Buddhist monk called Welivita Saranankara.
Madampe Church (at Mattakotuwa) was razed to the ground and Catholics fled to
places of safety.
When the British conquered Ceylon in 1796 they gave religious
freedom to all and encouraged the English education. Since the Oratorians of
Bl. Joseph Vaz found it too difficult to switch over to English, European
priests and Religious had to be invited to serve our educational institutions
and churches. Thus in 1845, Madampe Parish was served by Fr. Froliano Orugna, a
Spaniard Cistercian . In 1894 Madampe was separated from Chilaw. By this time
Mattakotuwa had their own church closer to the sea.
In the meantime Madampe had shifted to the North of the Dutch
canal and there was a very prominent Mudlier of Chilaw, Mr. A. Don Adrian
Jayawardana , ( ancestor of Mr. J.R. Jayawardana, the late President) a big
land owner residing there from 1808. He has donated a piece of land to the
Madampe Parish. So they put upa new church on that bloc of land and dedicated
it to St Sebastian on the 04th of February, 1883.
This church celebrated its 125th jubilee last year on a very grand
way under the guidance of Rev. Fr. Kennedy Fernando the incumbent Parish
Priest. Incidentally, he hails from Mattakotuwa, known as Madampe in good old
days . I think it is a nice coincidence.
Fr DF Medagoda, The Diocesan Archivist, Chilaw. 12.04.2009
Photo’s by Chamara Senarathne
Researched by: Anne Marie Samarasinghe (Canada)
Contributors: Anne Abayasekera, Sumudhu Corneilia Deepani
Rasangika MacArthur nee Wanigatunga (UK)