VENERABLE WARIYAPOLA 1862-63. Soon after, publications were replaced by and the Ceylon Reform League, of which he was WALISINGHE HARISCHANDRA DR WIJEWARDENA Maha Sabha was the largest party public debates. chairman, in 1917. in the State Council. SRI SUMANGALA The Baddegama debate originated from an argu- He was one of the founders of the Ceylon (1876 - 1913) (1886 – 1950) With Ceylon heading for self- THERA (1795) ment arising between a young monk and a Christian National Congress (CNC) in 1919 and served as Brahmachari Walising- In 1913, Wijewardena rule under dominion status, DS priest in the temple of Baddegama. Gunananda its first president from 1919 to 1920. he Harischandra was a was elected Secretary of Senanayake invited Bandaranaike In 1818, a Thera and many other monks including Bulatgama Arunachalam left the CNC in 1921 following social reformer, histori- the Ceylon National to combine his Sinhala Maha rebellion Dhammalankara, Sri Sumanatissa, Kahawe Nananan- disputes about communal representation in the an, author and revivalist Association, marking his Sabha with other smaller parties started in the da, Hikkaduwe Sumangala, Weligama Sri Sumangala, Legislative Council, which Arunachalam of Sri Lankan Buddhism. formal entry into politics into the United National Party uplands of Pothuwila Gunaratana participated in the debate. opposed, and the connivance of Sinhalese politi- He was a follower of and together with its (UNP) which Senanayake was the country The debate was not held face-to-face. This is because cians which resulted in no Tamils being elected Anagarika Dharmapala, President Sir James Pei- forming to contest for the 1947 against the if the manner of the behavior of the Christian debat- from Western Province at the 1921 legislative who gave leadership to ris he agitated for con- election under the new Soulbury British rule. ers had led to conflicts, the Buddhists, as the majori- council election. the Buddhist revivalist stitutional reform and Constitution. Bandaranaike accept- With the out- ty, would naturally be blamed. Considering the situa- He founded the Ceylon Tamil League in 1923. movement, after the self-rule. ed the invitation, formally dissolv- break of this tion the two parties agreed to carry out the debate JAMES PEIRIS lead given by Colonel DR Wijewardena and ing the Sinhala Maha Sabha and rebellion, the in writing. Originally the text were composed in Bad- Henry Steel Olcott. Wal- EW Perera traced the merging with the UNP. Venerable degama, though later writings were carried out in (1856 – 1930) isinghe Harischandra is location of the banner Thera Galle. The Waragoda debate was also held in 1865. Peiris was first to pro- also regarded as the of last King Sri Vikrama removed the A third debate was conducted in Udanwita in pose the creation of a saviour of the citadel of Rajasinghe, the last king of the Kingdom of Kandy VENERABLE S MAHINDA THERA Relic of the Hathara korele present day Kegalle District. The Crea- University College in Buddhism in Sri Lanka, to the Royal Hospital Chelsea where it was kept (1901 - 1951) tooth of Bud- tor, the Redeemer and the Eternal heaven were the Colombo and the means Anuradhapura. since the surrender of the Kingdom to the British in dha from the Temple of the Tooth in debating topics. The debate was carried out on Feb- of financing it. Following 1815. The recovered banner became a focal point Kandy, and went into hiding in Hangu- ruary 1, 1866. John Edwards Hunupola (Hunupola the establishment of the FREDRICK RICHARD SENANAYAKE in the independence movement and it became the ranketa. He later handed it over to Kep- nilame) represented the Christian side; he was a for- University College, flag of the Dominion of Ceylon upon its independ- petipola Disawe, who was leading the mer Buddhist monk and Christian convert. As agreed Colombo (later to (1882 – 1926) ence in 1948. rebellion. The possession of the Tooth before the debate Gunananda Thera published the become the University of He was a lawyer and Wijewardena was in touch with local events and Relic was traditionally regarded as a summary of the debate. In response Hunupola Nil- Ceylon), Peiris was a independence activist. A organised the first deputation to the Secretary of symbol of the right to rule the country, ame also published his own version of a summary. Member of the Advisory leading member of the State for the Colonies with HJC Pereira along with and the acquisition of it was a large Gunananda Thera issued more publications to coun- Council of the new Uni- Independence Move- EW Perera. As a result of lobbying benefits Ceylo- morale boost to the rebels, who inten- ter the Hunupola nilame's summary. There are no versity College. ment, he was an elected nese were given another concession of a seat in the sified their activities after that. Howev- records of the Liyanagemulla debate, the only known In 1915 Peiris led the member of the Colom- British dominated legislative council. To this seat er, the British captured Venerable Sri fact being that it was held in 1866. campaign for a Royal bo Municipal Council. majority of the Ceylonese elected Sir Ponnambal- Sumangala Thera in November 1818 Commission of Inquiry He was the principle am Ramanathan against Sir Marcus Fernando. He and recovered the Tooth Relic, which VENERABLE HIKKADUWE and the vindication of the reputations of those who supporter of the early would later organise a second deputation too. He they ceremonially brought into Kandy had been falsely accused during the riots of 1915. political career of his was also instrumental in starting the Temperance The Venerable Thera soon again. The rebellion ended soon after SRI SUMANGALA THERA Peiris was the chairman of the committee which younger brother D. S. movement and the Amadyapa Sabha. became fluent in the Sinhala lan- this. Venerable Sri Sumangala Thera (1827-1911) was protesting the British Governor's handling of Senanayake. guage, and established himself as a was convicted for treason and impris- the riots and the unfair and discriminative treat- HENRY PEDRIS poet and author. He has written oned in Jaffna. Some accounts say that The Venerable Thera ment being meted out to Sinhala Buddhist lead- DON STEPHEN SENANAYAKE over 40 books, most of them are he was released on 13 April 1821 by was the chairman of the ers. (1888 – 1915) poems inspiring patriotism. His first order of the then Governor of Ceylon. ‘Colombo Committee’ As a Christian, although he was offered privi- (1883 – 1952) The Sinhalese Muslim book was Ova Muthu Dama, which which originally leges and pressured by the ruling British, he fear- Don Stephen Sena- Riots (known as the 1915 was written around 1921. His final GONGALEGODA BANDA designed the Buddhist lessly refused them and stuck to his principles. nayake emerged as riots), which began in book is believed to be Sri Pada. He flag in 1885. He was also Seeing the horror unleashed by the governor and the leader of the Sri Kandy when a group of also appears to have created a (1809 –1849) a pioneer in Buddhist his advisers, he initiated and drafted a memoran- Lankan independence Muslims attacked a Bud- number of unpublished works. In He was newspaper journalism in dum in great secrecy supported by other promi- movement that led to dhist pageant with his works, he has focused on the seen at Sri Lanka. The paper nent members of society to bring it to the atten- the establishment of stones, soon spread past glory of the country, and the the Dala- Lankaloka was started by tion of the King. self-rule in Sri Lanka. A across the island. The weaknesses of its people in the da Mali- him and afterwards he It was taken to England hidden in the sole of a planter, Senanayake British Governor of Cey- present, urging them to work gawa just assisted the local Bud- shoe by E. W. Perera. became active in the lon, Sir Robert Chalmers, towards their freedom. He also before the dhist community to pub- As a result of this the governor Sir Robert Chalm- temperance move- feared he might lose wrote several books for children as 1848 lish papers such as Sar- ers was recalled. ment which grew into control of the colony well, and in these too he has tried Rebellion asavisandaresa and Sin- the independence and, on the advice of to inspire patriotism upon the broke hala Bauddhaya. He was movement. Brigadier General Mal- reader. His most famous works out. Gon- well honoured and awarded many titles by Sri Lan- The three Senana- colm, came down with a include Nidahase Dehena, Nida- galegoda kans as well as the people of many other countries in yake brothers were heavy hand on the Sinhalese community. Chalmers hase Manthraya, Lanka Matha, Banda the East and the West. Reputed and renowned insti- involved in the temperance movement formed declared martial law on June 2, 1915, and ordered Jathika Thotilla, Ada Lak Mawage led the tutions in Ireland, Italy, Hungary and Germany also in 1912. When World War I broke out in 1914 the police and the Army to shoot without trial any- Puttu, Nidahasa, Videshikayakugen protest bestowed felicitation degrees on him. they joined the Colombo Town Guard. The one who they deemed a rioter. With the escalation Lak Mawata Namaskarayak and march brothers were arrested and imprisoned without of the violence, looting broke out within Colombo. Sinhala Jathiya. regard- VENERABLE RATMALANE charges during the 1915 riots. They faced the Pedris, as he was responsible for the defence of the He was also a member of the ing prospect of execution since the British Governor city, successfully managed to disband several riot- temperance movement, which unjustifiable taxes which was held SRI DHARMALOKA THERA ing groups after peaceful discussions.