12 Thursday 3rd January, 2008 Commemorating 30th death anniversary of Sir Cyril De Zoysa We are commemorating today Later on he became a minister. ect. The magnificent shirine room people of the area. the 30th death anniversary of a While practising as a lawyer, he next to the building constructed Sir Cyril was appointed to the great National Leader, a pioneer- embarked on a business venture at his own expense had also been Senate in order to contribute his ing Buddhist Leader: the former with a single bus i.e. Swarnapali a gift to the Buddhist people of experiences for the good of the President of the Senate, Bus Service, later transformed this country. country. He was Vice-President of Industrialist, Lawyer and into the South-Western Bus Building projects generate an the Senate for a period of five undoubtedly a noble personality Company, a massive transport income for the upkeep and the years and President of the Senate unsurpassed, Sir Cyril de Zoysa. service in the country. At the activities of the organisation due for eight years. At the end of the 19th century same time, he started putting up a to his farsightedness. The grate- Qualities of a Anathapindika in our country, fortunately several wall round the Bo-tree at ful members of the Y.M.B.A. i.e. a great benefactor with unlim- great people were born and they Kalutara, adjoining the river, decided and named this building ited generocity and a served the country in the 19th Kaluganga - between the Railway in Fort as 'Sir Cyril de Zoysa Parakramabahu, men of action, Century. The great Anagarika line and the highway. Building' in order to honour and determination and vision was Dharmpala, who pioneered the Collections from his buses and perpetuate his name. found in Sir Cyril where he could revival of Buddhism and other Buddhists, facilitated the The reconstruction of the his- be called a Bodhisatva or a Buddhist culture, Sir D. B. upkeep and the development toric Katagama Kirivehera, did Mahapurusha. Jayatillake, Buddhist leader, Dr. work, as especially it became cus- not succeed despite efforts made Considering his valuable serv- C. W. W. Kannangara, D. S. tom for almost every passenger of by many. Sir Cyril headed the ices to society over a period of Senanayake, S. W. R. D. a bus on its daily run to con- restoration committee and work time, he was knighted in 1951. Bandaranaike naturally comes to tribute his or her mite by way of progressed steadily and was The entire country especially the mind. They did so much for the a tribute to this holy site. crowned with the pinnacle. He got Buddhists, honoured him for the country, its people, Buddhism and It was well known even then, the Chudamanikayaya from Sam services rendered to the country. culture, education and develop- that every cent was intiliged for Wimalaratne and handed over the He was Chairman of the ment. this sacred purpose. successfully renovated Kirivehera CNAPT and headed the Scouts Sir Cyril happened to be one The transport business he to the Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Movement. such great person from Balapitiya started around 1930 with one sin- He admired the Mahasangha As Chairman of the Law where the indomitable Venerable gle bus ended up by the nationali- and understood their difficulties Society for over a decade, he was Migettuwatte Guananda thero sation in 1958 with the largest too, helping them in their educa- responsible for putting up a three was from. fleet of buses serving especially tional affairs. The morning meals storeyed building for the benefit He was born at Welitara the West and the South at a time for the monks at Saddharmakara of lawyers at Hulftsdorp. where his father had built his when South Western Bus Pirivena, Pinwatte, Panadura was His improachable conduct, far house and lived - in close proximi- Company had a huge fleet of supplied daily over a period of sightedness in business and also ty and almost on the other side of buses including double deckers. Where service to Buddhist educa- five years (1954-1959) at his in religious affairs, self confi- the road leading to Maha Kappina However, heavier the workload expense. He also contributed vast dence and determination, fear- Walawwa, where several genera- professionally and in business, he tion is concerned, he started the tions of Maha Mudaliyars had daily looked into the affairs of the amounts out of his wealth for the lessness, extreme faith in reli- lived (including Maha Mudaliyars Bodhi. He was mainly responsible Kalutara Vidyalaya by gifting his upkeep of institutions like gion, were some of the main char- Adrian Rajapakse around 1750 for the formation of the Kalutara Vidyodaya Maha Pirivena acteristic featheres. He had who owned the entirety of the YMBA in 1931. private property. A few years Maligakanda, Jayasekararamaya Sraddha and Pragna in abun- present Cinnamon Gardens, Around 1940, he was elected in Kuppiyawatte, Vajiraramaya in dance. which was in fact his Cinnamon Mayor of Kulutra and did a later, he started the Kalutara Bambalapitiya, Gangaramaya in A great personality, known Estate and Maha Mudliyar Tudor tremendous service to the people Balika Vidyalaya by gifting his Hunupitiya, Kandeviharaya in over the country as the ‘double Rajapakse who donated the land in his adopted hometown. Alutgama, Rajamahaviharaya, deckar personality’, he inspired on which Ananda College, my Where service to the Buddhist own house and proper. To start Bellanwila, Aranaya Seasanaya, many business personalities as alma mater is situated today. education was concerned, he Morogalle and Gangathilaka well. He chaired several big com- His fortunate parents were started the Kalutara Vidyalaya by with, both schools had been of Viharaya, Kalutara. Pilgrims panies on invitation. mother Harriet and father gifting his private property and a rests in Kataragama and He was born on 26th October Soloman de Zoysa, a Notary. He few years later he started the great service to the area and Polonnaruwa were constructed 1896 and passed away on 2nd was the second eldest child of a Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya by gift- for the benefit of Buddhist pil- January 1978. family of five, who was destined ing his own house and property. today, they stand as prominent grims, was also one of his gener- During the last stages in his to excel. As his father then was To start with, both schools had ous acts in addition to the elders life, Sir Cyril in an interviews practicing at Matara, he had his been of great service to the area schools in the Kalutara District, home in Kalutara. with the press had said: "Now I early education at St. Thomas' and today they stand as promi- For the propogation of am a free man. All that wealth is College Matara and at Richmond nent schools in the Kalutara thanks to Sir Cyril. Buddhism in the west, he helped empty. I was born without any College Galle. Thereafter, he District, thanks to Sir Cyril. construct the London Buddhist wealth and shall die without any. entered Royal College - Colombo By this time, the Kalutara structures of such magnitude The grateful public has erect- temple, and the Berlin Buddhist The happiness and consolation is where among his classmates Bodhi had expanded by adding a being erected. ed a statue of Sir Cyril in the temple. Buddhism. As long as I live Gods were: Sir Nichoals Attygalle and shrine room and a Pagoda. His The Kalutara Bodhi Trust was vicinity of the Kalutara Bodhi, He admired and respected his will protect me". Lord Buddha has Sir John Kotalawela. After com- idea was to get a land with the established around 1951. All those and also in the Balapitiya town. religion and likewise respected said even self is not to the self. pleting his Cambridge Senior hillock on the other side of Galle works had been undertaken and After the demise of Sir Ernest other religions. He was once "Uttanawatho, Sathimatho, Examination successfully, he road, which in no time he man- managed by this Trust with Sir de Silva, Sir Cyril became the invited to participate at the cente- Suchikamassa, joined the Ceylon Law College aged to obtain. A huge Watada Cyril as the Founder President. President of the Colombo nary celebrations of the church at Nisammakarino, and passed out as a Lawyer. Seya was constructed on this The services rendered to the Y.M.B.A. As a gogetter and leader Kalutara, where he was invited by Sannatassatha Dhamma As a young lawyer, he started hillock which is not only a land- Bodhi and to the District especial- Sir Cyril placed the affairs of the the custodians of the church to Jivino, Appamattassa practicing at Balapitiya Courts. mark in Sri Lanka, but also a ly through the Dhamma schools Y.M.B.A. on a firm footing. He take over the premises and give Yasohiwaddhathi," - After about an year, having got unique figure as no where in the and temple are being managed personally contributed a lot espe- them a suitable land for the con- Dammapatha. the bright idea of shifting to a world could we see such a magnif- today by the Trust where his cially by constructing at his own struction of the church. He Continuity increases the glory bigger town, he moved to salubri- icent edifice for the Buddhists to nephews, Kingsly Wickramaratne expens and gifting a well promptly turned down the offer of him, who is striving and is ous Kalutare which is closer to worship. as Secretary and Deshabandu equipped hall to the institution in saying that the church had exist- mindful, pure in deeds, restrained Colombo and just 30 km from Sir Cyril’s himself prepared Tilak de Sozya and Ajitha de Colombo in memory of his par- ed for a century and should not well considered, righteous and Balapitiya.