" Every time we visit Anuradhapura sacred area, we must warship the name of Late. Valisinghie Harishchandra who afforded us the sites and right from British control and attempt to wipe out by law. island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=82875 ‘VALISINGHIE HARISCHANDRA, The Fearless Buddhist Leader July 5, 2013, 8:42 pm article_image by Upali K. Salgado ‘VALISINGHIE HARISCHANDRA, was a close friend and mentor of Anagarika Dharmapala. Remarkably,- they had many things in common between .them. They were both Buddhist Leaders who lived at the same time; they lived calibrate lives, were forceful popular speakers, and were committed to fight against injustices. Whilst Dharmapala wrestled it - out with an influential Mahant (local Overlord) at Buddha-Gaya, to - obtain a measure of control of that hallowed place of Buddhist. worship; Harischandra was the cause of constant annoyance. to the Provincial Government Agent, Anuradhapura, and the Governors at Queen’s House. Representations on behalf of the Buddhists hem made, was not unusual, by despatching, telegraphic messages, and Memoranda to Whitehall, complaining against the Governor, Sir Hugh Clifford, in particular. Harischandra was born on the 9th July 1876. at Maha Hunupitiya, a village off Negombo. He had his early education at the village Temple, and later attended Wesley College Colombo. The study of the - Laws interested him for a brief .period of about two years, but his calling was to be, a Religious and Social worker. The educational activities of a school Founded and Managed by the Maha Bodhi Society, at Rajagiriya took much of his time. As an active member. and later serving as General Secretary, and also Editor of MAHA BODHI, he became a. trusted lieutenant of Anagarika Dharmapala. Like his friend Dharmapala, who had voluntarily changed his name (which previously was DON DAVID), Harischandra too who had been named AT BIRTH AS, EDWARD DE SILVA changed his name toe be VALISINGHE HARISCHANDRA on 1st January 1899, in the presence of the Ven Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera, at the Vidyodaya Pirivena Maligakanda. A SILVER TONGUE ORATOR The golden threads of Buddhism, woven centuries ago into the Sinhala Peoples’ social web at Mihintale and Anuradhapura, lay buried after Magha’s historic invasion from South India. In Valisinghe Harischandra the Sinhala people found a Buddhist leader and a patriot, whose mission in life was to lighten-up ruins that lay in darkness. He was a born orator, blessed with clear diction. There were none to equal him. With charisma he won the hearts of the simple villager of the N.C.P. He travelled by train and cart and often on foot many, many miles. Magnetically like, people in their thousands gathered to hear him speak on temperance, and the ugly habit of sinners consuming, Beef and Venison. Whenever he spoke at Anuradhapura, (usually on Poya days) there was a sea of heads. He often reminded the vast gatherings present, that they stood before A city in ruins, where every cluster of fretted granite pillars, appeared to be large Monasteries, and Shrine Rooms. He spoke with great emotion, reminding his listeners that, where gangs of wild. Monkeys ruled over the densely over grown habitat of thorny trees, Arahants had paced to and fro down Avenues, meditating on the. impermanency of life whilst, the air of the city in the 6th Century A.D. was filled with sound waves of paritta (Pirith), chanted by thousands of pious monks. As a reward for his labour, the Anuradhapura Preservation Scheme was enacted. The Waste Lands Ordinance of 1910 was a typical Colonial, unpopular piece of legislation. He Collected historical, and social data from hundreds of Villages and Temples, in the Anuradhapura and Mihintale Districts; and submitted several Memoranda, to the Secretary of State for Colonies, to finally succeed in preventing the alienation of vast tracts of Temple and Village land to the State. This patriotic son of Lanka was also a prolific writer. His "golden pen" never ran short of ink. His writing had a punch and a style of his own. He authored thirteen publications; The PURA-VITHYAVA, and the RUWANVELI CHETIYA WARNANAWA are considered two of his best efforts. King Dutugemunu, the Sinhala hero, inspired him to speak-out fearlessly: and in 1902, alongwith the Venerable Naranvita Sumanasara Maha Thera of the Ruwanveli-Seya Temple, he inaugurated the Ruwanveli Maha-Seya Restoration Society. It is recorded that when the late Venerable Heenetiyane Dhammaloka Mahanayake Thera, had first listened to Harischandra at the age of 10 years, he was inspired to beg of his parents that he be ordained a Buddhist monk. This Venerable Mahanayake Thera was known to be a pious monk, an untiring popular preacher of the Buddha Dhamma, blessed with a mellifluous voice. It was he who in 1925, founded the LANKA DHARMADUTHA SABAVA, two Pious monks the Ven. Aggamaha - Panditha Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Mahanayake Thera, who lived with us had also been inspired by Harischandra in 1905. CHARGED FOR INCITING THE "HOI POLO" TO RIOT The Government was often criticized by Harischandra in his speeches, because Colonial indifference had been shown to his pleas. Undeterred by Police harassment, on his initiative, Memoranda was submitted on behalf of the Buddhists, direct to King Edward VII. This action resulted in a Special Commission of Inquiry being appointed to examine the grievences of the Buddhists. Though physically weak after several attacks of the Malarial fever, Harischandra’s lone voice could not be stilled. He urged that no Government building should be built over Buddhist ruins, and no Archaeological evidence such as a granite pillar or stone statue should ever be removed to make way for a Government building. He urged that lands within one mile -radius of the Sacred Bo - Tree should be considered a Buddhist Preserve. About that time, on 20th June 1903 (which happened to be a Poya day), a young Kachcheri Mudaliyar named Amerasekera, had ridden on his Steed, at speed, in aninexperienced manner, over the glades overlooking the Ruwanveli Maha-Seya, where pilgrims observe Ata-Sil. The horse had kicked an aged lady, pilgrim, resulting in injury. The crowd that witnessed the incident, became angry and demanded that the Kachcheri Mudaliyar be punished forthwith. Whilst he hid in his bungalow, the crowd’ HAD GOT OUT OF HAND, and then destroyed the Venison. and Beef stalls, and also a large Roman Catholic Church, in one night. At the time, that British Colonial, Administrators gave little "protection" or support for Buddhist causes. On hearing of the unruly mob behaviour, Harischandra together with the Ven Sumanasara Maha Thera had addressed the masses, to be calm, but a mischievous informant who was a friend of the Kachcheri Mudalyar had indicated that Harischandra was one of the principal incitors. He was therefore arrested, and lived in a Remand Prisons for17 days, until bail was granted in Rs. 2000/- (which at. that time, wads considered a very large sumo., Later, alongwith several others, he was indicted in the Supreme Court, in Colombo, before Chief Justice J. P. Middleton, on five counts, including "inciting the hoi-poli to riot". With financial support readily donated by the Buddhist public, the best Lawyer who was, available, Fredrick Dornhorst KC, was retained to defend all the accused. Mr. Advocate Dornhorst KC, very eloquently addressed the Jury for four hours and thereafter, when British.justice echoed through the halls at Hultsdorp hill, Harischandra and two others were honourably acquitted. HIS EARLY DEATH This human dynamo had no financial organisation to support him. According to his Diary leaves, the Brahmachari had addressed over 1300 public’ meetings all over the Island. As a result of his efforts, hundreds of Toddy Tavern’s and Beef Stalls were closed. Temple Daham Schools began to function. He spoke aloud and fearlessly; giving the Buddhists courage to raise their heads to organise Pereheras, establish Buddhist Schools, build Temples, adopt Buddhist, names, and appealed to ‘them not to culturally ape the bourgeoise West. He gave up ties of family bondage. Some of his better known dearest friends were Mrs. Mallika Hewavitharana, Dr. C. A. Hewavitharana, Anagarika Dharmapala, a Philanthropist, Mudaliyar J. M. Weerasuriya of Anuradhapura, Arthur V. Dias of Panadura, Amadoru Mendis, D.S. Senanayake, F. R. Senanayake Advocate C. Batuwantudawe, D.S.C. Jinadasa and the Ven Naranvita Sumanasira Thera. When he had blossomed out in the eyes of the. Buddhist public as an energetic Leader, at the young age of 37, he fell-ill to suffer great pain from a carbuncle on his shoulder. Though nursed and medically cared for at the hospitable home of Mrs. Mallika Hewavitharane, at Aloe Avenue, Kollupitiya, he passed away on 13th September, 1913. The day he died, the Buddhists of little Lanka mourned his demise in their thousands, with deep sorrow, all dressed–up in spotless white. That night, after the funeral pyre had been lit, there remained an air of gloom, as if an eclipse of the moon had taken place. After his death, the MAHABODHI, published an IN MEMORIAM which said: His body lies, but the work lives on; the lips that utterred enthusiastic words are silent, but the words themselves perpetuated on living records, will carry their message of love, charity, patriotism to generations unborn.’ __._,_.___
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 03:12:28 +0000
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