Talk given at the Sydney Rajans’ Avurudhu Celebrations held in Rouse Hill Regional Park, Sydney, on the 14th April 2019 – Video by Dr Harold Gunatillake

Sinhala & Tamil Avurudhu (New Year) Celebrations was held at Rouse Hill Regional Park on 14th April 2019. It was an awesome celebration enjoyed by the old boys of Dharmaraja College, Kandy and their friends and families. Filmed by Dr. Harold Gunatillake.

Double Standards in the Educational systems in Sri Lanka (CEYLON) during the 19th Century

Education played a key part in the life and culture of the country and that dates to 543 BC. There are no records of names of schools during the prehistoric era, other than hear say information that the boys and girls attended the temple schools named “Pirivena schools” (monastic colleges)
Sri Lanka’s modern educational system was brought about by its integration into the British Empire in the 19th century. With the colonial expansion the children of parents living in the coastal regions and subsequently the interior provinces were given an English based education in missionary based schools, thoroughly neglecting to promote the teaching of English to the majority traditional Sinhala Buddhist people, by opening Buddhist schools to teach English.
In the 16th century when the Portuguese occupied the coastal regions, their missionary groups set up a few schools to promote Roman Catholicism
British after occupation in 1815, in 1836 framed a standard system of education in the school based on recommendations of the Colebrooke Commission. This Commission was appointed as a Royal Commission of Eastern Inquiry by the British Colonial Office. One of the recommendations was to appoint a commission to manage education in the country.

Matara Janadipathi Vidyalaya though sounding a Buddhist name, was founded in August 1814 inside the Portuguese Fort at Matara as a missionary school by Methodist missionaries headed by Rev Dr Thomas Coke Royal College, Colombo which began as a private school in 1835, was made the first government-run secondary school for boys in 1836.

The critical period of the impact of the missionaries was from the 1920s to early 20th century and the major inhabitants of the island being Sinhala Buddhists were powerless to create Buddhist Schools to teach in English media and the mother tongue, in keeping with the Buddhist traditions.
The American missionaries sponsored by the American Board of Commissions for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) took the opportunity to spread their Gospel by starting schools in Jaffna in 1813 and started the American Ceylon Mission (ACM) to Jaffna.

During that time, these missionaries got engaged in original translations of books from English to Tamil, and vice versa, printing and publishing, establishing primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions and providing health care for the residents of the Jaffna Peninsula.
British Colonial office in India and Ceylon restricted the American Missionaries to educate and improve the conditions of Jaffna people by providing health care, and not to any other region, including the Southern parts of the island.

As a result of this move, Jaffna boys and girls had the opportunity and opened the gates to obtain a good education in English and their social standards and self confidence grew, whilst the major race -the Sinhala Buddhist people became a second-class suppressed class of inhabitants, with no political power, or the opportunity to create young people with leadership qualities through English media.

Jaffna Central College a Wesleyan Methodist English School was founded in 1817.

All schools in the early 18th century was founded by Catholic churches, Benedictine monks, and Anglicans.

Piyaratana Maha Vidyalaya -located between 64- and 65-mile post along Galle- Colombo main road was the first Buddhist school that was founded.
It is important to know, and of historical importance for the Buddhists, the pioneering role played by this school, and the pioneering efforts made during that period by the founder of this school in promoting national education in Sri Lanka. It was the charismatic Piyaratana Tissa Thero who took the initiative to find this Buddhist School – who challenged missionary education in Ceylon under the British rule. The significance of this challenge was that it was the first ever attempt to revive Buddhism through the promotion of native Buddhist education subsequent to the victorious great religious debate known as Panaduravadaya (Debate held in Panadura). (Ref: Memories of Weerasooriya Clan)

Panadura Debate (Panadura Wadaya) 146 years ago, a debate was held at where Rankoth Viharaya stands today, in Panadura.
Migettuwatte Gunananda thero, a leading Buddhist orator debated against the Christian group Rev David de Silva, a fluent speaker in Pali and Sanskrit addressed the audience of around 6000-7000- but he was not well understood by the people. In complete contrast Mohottiwatte Gunananda who used plain language to counter the arguments of his opponents won the day.

As a result of this debates, Buddhism in Sri Lanka saw a revival.

There were other debates recorded in history: Baddegama Debate, and a third one in Udanwita in Kegalle District.

Colonel Henry Steel Olcott an American citizen, educated at City College, New York, a philanthropist, military officer, journalist and lawyer, came to Ceylon to further his studies in Buddhism. He realised that there were no Buddhist Schools to study Buddhism. He, understanding the need to provide Buddhist children with an appropriate Buddhist environment through a systematic objective, he established the Colombo Buddhist Theosophical Society on June 17, 1880.

He awakened a nation that was asleep and helpless with no self-respect or strength to fight and rise. He was the pioneer who agitated to give due place to Buddhism and the reformer who compelled the colonial government that existed at that time to declare the Vesak Full Moon Day, a public holiday
He was the forerunner who was responsible for the establishment of National Schools such as Ananda College. Col. Olcott, whose contribution towards the betterment of our country, nation, religion, justice and good conduct has been so great, therefore remains in our hearts forever.

He was the architect who designed the six coloured Buddhist Flag that has gained universal recognition.

We must record our highest gratitude to Madam Helena Blavatsky who assisted him in all his endeavours.

It must have been a most depressing era for the Sinhala Buddhist children, when they were deprived of studying in the English media whilst Jaffna children had the privilege of achieving the highest standards of education through the missionary schools.

Why the British created this divisive decision by depriving the education of the Buddhist children and giving the rights to the Christian missionary schools to educate in the English media in the Jaffna peninsula and other parts of the island, is something that leaves room for the southerners to wonder- just like their divide and rule policy.
Dharmaraja College founded in 1887 was a premier Boys’ School in Kandy. The college was named ‘Kandy Buddhist High School’. Trinity College an independent private school for boys was founded in 1882 by Anglican missionaries.
Andiris de Silva was the first headmaster. He was the only teacher of the school at that time, which had enrolled 12 students. The number of students reached the 50’s and the staff increased to three under Andiris de Silva, who was an efficient leader and an accomplished teacher. Many of the local nobles supported Mudaliyar Mohottige and the school by enrolling their children in, having faith in the staff
Subsequently, Wadugodpitiya Punchikorale was the first principal.

Sir D.B. Jayatillakr was the next principal. His salary was Rs 5 and he contributed RS 2 for the welfare of the school, every month
Mr H Banbury (1898-1899) succeeded Sir D.B. Name change to Dharmaraja Vidyala during his time. He obtained a Government Grant to run the school. The present single storied building in Temple Squire adjoining ‘Natha Devala’ was built by him and named Banbury building, after him.

Subsequent principals were:
Wilton Hack 1899-1899
C.S.Rajaratnam 1899-1902
Mr K.F Billimoria 1902 1932 College buildings in Hills built during K.F. 30 years
P de S Kularatne 1932-1936 Boarding was created during his time
L. H Mettananda 1936-1945
S A Wijetillake 1946-1955 Science lab was started during this time
Charles Godage 1955-1959 Dancing classes. Went to UK
D B Thewarapperuma December 1960 became a government school
E.A Perusinghe sports activities
Col S.L.B. Amaranayak1965 1971 and so on

Dharmaraja College should be proud of three historical events: one was when the founder of the Scout Movement Lord Baden Powell visiting the ‘Lake View Park International Scout Centre’ twice, a unique distinction held by any Sri Lankan school. Secondly, the visit of a Noble Laureate in Literature, the great Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore holding a dance recital at the Principal’s bungalow when he visited the school in the 1920s. Thirdly, the visit of the English poet D. H. Lawrence who spent a holiday at Ardnaree, the college Principal’s bungalow, in 1922.

These were notable events when Buddhist Schools were not given recognition as much as to the Christian Missionary Schools.
In the Christian Schools where Buddhist children were enrolled in, had to participate in the morning prayers and singing hymns, whilst the Buddhist children attending the Buddhist schools were deprived of learning Buddhism as a curriculum subject.
We, even in the forties and fifties after the World War 11, had to learn Buddhism in Sunday Schools conducted by the local temple priests. Today, it is a compulsory subject at GCE ordinary level.

In conclusion, I would like to state that it was a most depressing era for the Sinhala Buddhist people of the country, created by the British for no reason or other.

Nevertheless, Dharmaraja was a shining school holding high esteem in educating Buddhist children, and producing many eminent personalities and leaders of the country.

Even, today the IGP is an old Rajan- Mr Pujitha Jayasundera. It was he who was responsible for creating our Rajans’ association in NSW, when he visited Sydney on official capacity, at a welcome dinner given to him by the old Rajans.

I must say, that we are assembled here today due to the vision of two people- Col. Steele Olcott and Pujitha Jayasundera.

Let us stand by our motto: ‘Attahi Attano Natho’- Oneself is the refuge tor one
Thank you
Dr Harold Gunatillake
Ref: Wikipedia