The Bandaranaike family | |
---|---|
Current region | Colombo |
Place of origin | Atthanagalla |
Members | Solomon Dias Bandaranaike S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Sirimavo Bandaranaike Chandrika Bandaranaike Anura Bandaranaike Sunethra Bandaranaike |
Connected members | Vijaya Kumaranatunga Jeewan Kumaranatunga Ranjan Ramanayake |
Traditions | |
Estate(s) | Neela Perumal (Kalu Kapuge – the black priest) Horagolla Walauwa |
The Bandaranaike family is a Sinhalese family prominent in Sri Lankan politics. The family includes three prime ministers and one President of Sri Lanka.
The Bandaranayaka family is claimed to originate from Nilaperumal Pandaram, who was from India and served as high priest of the Temple of Nawagamuwa Pattini Devalaya. The family changed their name to the Sinhalese form of Bandaranaike and adopted Portuguese names like Dias. They served the Portuguese and, later, Dutch colonial rulers. Their golden era began as translators and local scribes, expanding their influence and power serving as local headmen. A member of the family, Don William Dias, who served as a translator for the British, was present when deposed the Kandyan King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy was captured while in hiding by Ekneligoda Disawa. [1]
Other members of the family include;
(also related to Ratwatte family, William Gopallawa, A.R. Udugama, Hector Kobbekaduwa, Jeewan Kumaranatunga)
The Horagolla Bandaranaike Samadhi is the final resting place of Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike and his wife Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike. It is located in the grounds of the Bandaranaike family seat of Horagolla in Atthanagalla, Western Province, Sri Lanka. [2]
Constructed as a gift from the People's Republic of China in 1970 in the memory of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall was the largest conference hall on the island and in 2003 Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre was added to the same complex as a gift from the People's Republic of China in the memory of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. The complex is governed by the S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation which was established by the S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation Act No. 2 of 1975 with a permanent seat for the senior member of the Bandaranaike and two seats for distinguished individuals appointed by that family member on the board. [3]
Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike, also known as "The Silver Bell of Asia", was a Ceylonese statesman who served as the fourth Prime Minister of the Dominion of Ceylon, serving from 1956 until his assassination. The founder of the left-wing and Sinhalese nationalist Sri Lanka Freedom Party, his tenure saw the country's first left-wing reforms.
Mudaliyar was a Ceylonese colonial title during Portuguese and British rule of the island. Stemming from the native headman system, the title was usually hereditary, made to wealthy influential families loyal to the British Crown.
Sir Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna Kadukeralu Bandaranaike, was a Ceylonese colonial-era headmen. He was appointed as Head Mudaliyar and the aide-de-camp to the British Governor of Ceylon, therefore he was one of the most powerful personalities in British colonial Ceylon.
Deshamanya James Peter Obeyesekere III was a Sri Lankan politician and aviator. A Senator, he was also a Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Finance.
Forester Augustus Obeyesekere was a prominent colonial era legislator from Ceylon. He was the Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon and a member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.
Donald Obeyesekere, MBE (1888–1964) was a prominent colonial era legislator from Ceylon. He was a member of the State Council of Ceylon, the Legislative Council of Ceylon and was the President of the National Olympic Committee of Ceylon.
James De Alwis (1823–1878) was a lawyer, writer, poet and a prominent colonial era legislator from Ceylon. He was an unofficial member of the Legislative Council. He is remembered for his writings that included several works on Buddhism.
Adeline, Lady Molamure, CBE was the first female member of State Council of Ceylon, and therefore, the first elected female legislator in Sri Lanka. She was the Deputy President of the Senate of Ceylon.
Barnes Ratwatte was a Ceylonese colonial-era legislator and a headman. He was a member of the State Council and the Senate of Ceylon. He was appointed to the posts of Rate Mahatmaya of Balangoda and Dissawa by the British. He was the father of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the first female prime minister in the world.
William Ellawala was a Ceylonese legislator. He was the Kandyan Sinhalese member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon. He was appointed to the post of Rate Mahatmaya by the British Government of Ceylon.
Sir Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere was Ceylonese lawyer and legislator. He was an unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon (1900-1916).
Sir James Peter Obeyesekere II, Maha Mudaliyar, JP (1879–1968) was a Ceylonese colonial-era headmen. He was the last Head Mudaliyar and served as aide-de-camp to the British Governor of Ceylon and Governor General of Ceylon.
Horagolla Walauwa is a large bungalow in Atthanagalla, Western Province, Sri Lanka.
Christophel Panini Illangakoon was a Sri Lankan politician. He was a member of parliament from Weligama in Matara and a first cousin of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, former Prime Minister of Ceylon.
The Maha Mudaliyar was a colonial title and office in Ceylon. Head Mudaliyar functioned as the head of the low country native headmen and native aide-de-camp to the Governor of Ceylon.
The Senanayake family is a Sri Lankan family that is prominent in enterprise and politics. Along with many members who have been successful politician across generations, the family includes two Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka.
John Charles Dias Bandaranaike was a Ceylonese lawyer and legislator. He was the Sinhalese member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.
James Peter Obeyesekere I (????-1880) was a Ceylonese legislator. He was an unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon representing the Sinhalese until his early death in 1880.
Albert L. De Alwis Seneviratne was a Ceylonese legislator. He was an unofficial member appointed to the Legislative Council of Ceylon representing the Sinhalese from 1881 to 1899, he was succeeded by Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere.