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Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

Hikkaduwe Sumangala Thera

Sir D.B. Jayatilaka

Mr. Walisinha harishchandra

Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

Sir.Ponnambalam Ramanathan

Migettuwatte Gunananda

Tibetan S Mahinda Thera

Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

Anagarika Dharmapala

Sir. Ponnambalam Arunachalam

Mr. M .C sidde-lebbe

Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

Colonel Henry Steel Olcott

Born - 02 August 1832 - Orange, New Jersey Died - 17 February 1907 (aged 74)- Adyar, Chennai Nationality - American Education - City College of New York & Columbia University Occupation - Military officer , Journalist , Lawyer Known for Revival of Buddhism Theosophical Society American Civil War Religion Buddhism, Theosophy Spouse - Mary Epplee Morgan

Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

Anagarika Dharmapala
Born - 17 September 1864 Colombo, Ceylon Died - 29 April 1933 (aged 68) India Nationality - Sri Lankan Other names - Don David Hewavitarne Education - CMS Boys School (Christian College) , Kotte St Benedict College, Kotahena St Thomas College, Mt Lavinia Royal College Colombo Known for - Sri Lankan Independence Movement Religion - Buddhism

Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

Pioneers in the cultural renascence in Srilanka ..

When Sri Lanka fell into the hands of British rulers on March 2, 1815, the people lost more than
their freedom. They lost the right to practise their own religion - the Buddha Dhamma. Places of worship were controlled by people of another religion, the education system was manipulated in such a way that made it impossible for any child to be educated in a government school without being baptized. The oppression was so acute that it encompassed social, religious as well as educational opportunities of the people. Though they did not take up arms, the Sangha fought colonial rule with a mightier weapon - their words of wisdom and gallantry that simply refused to give into British oppression. Ven Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thera , Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thera , Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera , Tibetan S Mahinda Thera , Rathmalane Dharmarama Thera and Rathmalane Dharmaloka Thera were the pioneers that lead to the ultimate liberation of the country from British rule. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera Primitive tribes rarely seek freedom. Yearning for freedom comes with insight, wisdom, knowledge. No one understood this as well as Ven Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thera. He observed that Sri Lankan children prior to independence, could only obtain a good education at the risk of religious brainwashing. That is why Sri Sumangala Thera made it his mission to liberate the field of education from westerm influence, by founding Vidyodaya Pirivena, established many schools such as Ananda College, Colombo, Mahinda College, Galle and Dharmaraja College, Kandy, together with Colonel Henry Steele Olcott.

Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

He was not only a pioneer member of Sri Lanka's fight for freedom, Ven Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thera's contribution to education is unparalleled. In fact he was appointed as the Nayaka Thera of Sri Pada considering the great service rendered to propagate Buddhism and to uplift Pirivena education. His eloquence as well as his writing skills were obvious at a very young age. During the struggle for freedom he never overlooked his duty to enrich people's minds with his writing. He establish the press Lankopakara in Galle in 1862 for the purpose of printing significant and influential magazine Sudarshana. Amidst all his publications, Balawatara Tika is the most significant. The Ven. Sri Sumangala was born on January 20, 1827 at Hikkaduwa. According to law prevailing at the time his parents were compelled to baptize him at the age of four where upon he was given the name Niculas. Although this was now eligible to study in a government school, he received his primary Education from the village's Temple, due to the predictions of a soothsayer who proclaimed that the child could not lead a prosperous lay life. He entered the Sasana at Totagamuwa Temple, at age 13. In 1848 he obtained higher Ordination from the Malwatte Chapter. He received higher education from Parama Dhamma Cetiya Pirivena Ratmalana, under the guidance of Ven. Walane Sri Siddhartha Maha Thera. He was able to master Pali, Sanscrit and many oriental languages within a very short period of time. His talent for creating impromptu verses in Pali was famous cause for wonderment. Ven Sri Sumangala was considered to possess qualities of Bodhisatva. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thera Sri Sumangala Thera, or Bamunakotuve Ralahamige Kirihami, was born in the village of Wariyapola, Kurunegala. His father was Herath Mudiyanselage Bamunakotuve Rala. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk in the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siam Nikaya. He quickly rose through the hierarchy of the Nikaya, and was eventually appointed an Anunayaka Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter. He is known mostly for the gallantry he displayed when taking down the Union Jack and rehoisting the Sri Lankan flag at the handing over of control to the British in 1815. He also removed the Tooth Relic of the Buddha from the Temple of the Tooth, during the rebellion of 1818 and went into hiding in Hanguranketa. Later Sri Sumangala Thera handed it over to Keppetipola Disawe. Sri Sumangala Thera was convicted for treason and imprisoned in Jaffna in 1818.
8 Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana

Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera Born on February 9, 1823 at Balapitiya Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera or Mohottiwatte Gunananda Thera was the Sri Lankan Buddhist orator, who lead Buddhist debates in Baddegama, Udanwita, Waragoda, Liyanagemulla, Gampola and most notably Panadura. This resulted in a Buddhist revival. After reading a pamphlet on the debates published in United States, Henry Steel Olcott arrived in Sri Lanka in 1880. His first tutors were his parents. His oratory skills, shown off at a very early age. What made him a great orator, capable of leading famous debates like the Panadura debate, was his knowledge in the Bible and Christian doctrine, which was instigated by his close acquaintance with neighbouring Roman Catholic priest. He was ordained at age of twenties by Venerable Thelikada Sonutthara Thera, chief incumbent of Dodanduwa Gala Uda Vihara. He gained proficiency in Buddhism and was able to master several oriental languages. Disturbed by the news that Buddhists in Colombo are subjected to religious discrimination by the Christians, Gunananda Thera moved to Deepaduttaaramaya, Kotahena. From there Gunananda Thera began making speeches in defence of Buddhism. While the Christian missionaries propagated their religion through pamphlets and the books Gunananda Thera replied with Durlabdi Vinodini. Soon after these publications turned into public debates. In fact the crowds that came to witness the debates were so exhilarated, by his oratory skills that they had to be finally dispersed. The debates induced enthusiasm, culminating in a Buddhist revival. It also brought international recognition to Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Colonel Olcott described Gunananda Thera "the most brilliant Polemic Orator of the Island, the terror of the missionaries, with a very intellectual head, most brilliant and powerful champion of the Sinhalese Buddhism." He published many Buddhist periodical, such as Riviresa, Lakmini Kirana and Sathya Margaya. He was also a leading member of the committee that designed the Buddhist flag in 1885. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera died in September 21, 1890 at the age of 67. Tibetan S Mahinda Tibetan S Mahinda Thera was born in the state of Sikkim by the name Pempa Tendupi Serky Cherin. He was a poet and author and a pioneer member of the independence movement. He arrived in Sri Lanka at a very young age and was ordained. Quite proficient in his Sinhala he became a poet, His creations arousing patriotism, urging the poeple to fight for freedom. He came to Sri Lanka on a scholarship to study Buddhism. Sikkim Punnaji, his elder brother who was already a Buddhist monk, accompanied him. They learned Buddhism under Gnanaloka
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Thera in a temple in Polgasduwa. He was then sent to the Vidyodaya Pirivena in Maradana, and admitted to a school there to learn English. With the outbreak of World War I, his mentor Gnanaloka, a German national, was arrested. His brother Sikkim Punnaji also died around this time. S Mahinda Thera was himself interned twice by the government. He was later ordained into the Amarapura Nikaya as Sikkim Mahinda. He wrote over 40 books. His first book was Ova Muthu Dama, written around 1921. His most famous works include Nidahase Dehena, Nidahase Manthraya, Lanka Matha, Jathika Thotilla, Ada Lak Mawage Puttu, Nidahasa, Videshikayakugen Lak Mawata Namaskarayak and Sinhala Jathiya. He died on May 16, 1951. Real heroes are remembered forever ..!

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Created By : Chehan Lankesh Jayawardhana & Anuja methsara Jayawardhana