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Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka was born on February 13, 1868, in Waragoda, a village in Kelaniya. He was the eldest son of Don Daniel and Elisa Jayatilaka (nee Weerasinghe), the former hailing from Paththalagedara in Veyangoda. Daniel Jayatilaka was a contractor in the construction of roads and a founder member of the Vidyalankara Pirivena in Kelaniya.
Elisa Jayatilaka (nee Weerasinghe) was devoted Buddhist, a descendant of the highly respected, wealthy, Weerasinghe family of Waragoda.
His initial education was at Vidyalankara Pirivena where he learnt Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and Buddhist literature under the patronage of scholars such as Ven. Ratmalane Sri Dharmaloka Thera and Ven. Ratmalane Sri Dharmarama Thera. His elementary education in the English medium was at a Baptist school in Kelaniya. His secondary education was received at Wesley College, Colombo. His siblings were Muhandiram Don Simon Jayatilaka and Mudaliyar Don Abraham Jayatilaka. He married Mallika Batuwanthudawa, the daughter of Pandith Batuwantudawa of Warahena, Bentota, in 1898.
Sir D.B. was a scholar of high intellect who revised Buddhist literature in Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and English. He also revised Sinhala literature(which had declined under colonial rule). He was also the founding chief editor of the monolingual etymological Sinhala dictionary, an influencer for the publishing of the Dinamina newspaper of Lake House, a great Buddhist leader, and founder and the first president of the YMBA (the position he held for 46 years until his death), All Ceylon Buddhist Congress President, Vidyalankara Sabha President, initiated dhamma schools (daham pasal), Royal Asiatic Society of Ceylon President, in addition to being a leading personality of the Temperance Movement.
He was the first Buddhist Sinhala Principal of Ananda College, Colombo. He was also the OBA President of the College. He was the founder Principal of Dharmaraja College, Kandy, and the first manager of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo. Sir D.B. commenced and managed several Buddhist schools and was the general manager and the secretary of the Buddhist Theosophical Society. He was also a co-founder of Sri Dharmaloka Maha Vidyalaya, Kelaniya, which is now one of the most reputed national schools in the Gampaha district.
Well-respected personality
Sir D.B. Jayatilaka was a Barrister qualified with BA and MA from the Universities of Calcutta and Oxford respectively. He was an advocate of the Ceylon Supreme Court, a very well-respected diplomat who was the representative for Ceylon in India and represented Ceylon in many international conferences.
He became an activist of the Temperance Movement as a result of the admiration he had for Buddhism and the people of the nation. Sir D.B. was victimised and imprisoned through martial law with a false allegation by the British colonial ruling in 1915.
He who was a well-respected personality in the country by both the eminent and the common public, therefore, was instrumental in the revival and upgrading of the religious, national and cultural values of the nation that had deteriorated due to colonial rule. Sir D.B. had a close relationship with intellectual and eminent persons such as Venerable Ratmalane Sri Dharmaloka Thera, Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera, Venerable Migettuwaththe Gunananda Thera, Venerable Ratmalane Sri Dharmarama Thera, Anagarika Dharmapala, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, F.R. Senanayake, Pandith Batuwanthudawa, Walisinghe Harischandra, Sir James Peiris, Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, D.S. Senanayake, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, C.W.W. Kannangara, E.W. Perera and T.B. Jayah. He understood the pulse of the common man and was a noble personality who spent time with the public.
Sir D.B. was an outstanding politician and a statesman who towered above his contemporaries. He was a freedom fighter, patriot and leader of the Independence Movement of Ceylon. He was appointed as the Ceylon National Congress President in 1923 and was selected to the Ceylon Legislative Council from the Colombo district, holding the position of the Vice President which was the highest position a Ceylonese could hold (the British Governor was the President).
Constitutional reforms of the Donoughmore Commission led to universal franchise. Sir D.B. was elected to the newly formed State Council of Ceylon from the Kelaniya electorate and became the Leader of the House and the Home Affairs Minister in 1931.
It must be emphasised that he was the first elected leader of Ceylon or Sri Lanka through the voting rights of the people of our country and was the Leader of the House in the State Council – a position equivalent to that of the Prime Minister. This is a fact that has not been appreciated adequately.
A remarkable administrator with good governance and immense popularity among all nationalities and the towering personality that he was, led to Sir D.B. being re-elected uncontested to represent the Kelaniya electorate and continuing as the undisputed leader of the State Council of Ceylon.
Sir D.B. was the first Ceylonese to prepare the Budget speech for Ceylon as the Home Affairs Minister. He not only performed exceptionally in the portfolio of the Home Affairs Ministry, but also under his administration as the leader of the State Council, he extended his fullest support to other ministers, especially in the areas of agriculture, education and health to serve the masses of Ceylon.
Sir D.B. was the Buddhist state leader who was instrumental in the renovations of the Ruvanveli Maha Seya and was the state leader at the pinnacle laying ceremony of the Stupa in 1941.
As the State Council Leader, Sir D.B. fully supported Education Minister C.W.W. Kannangara at the State Council in overcoming barriers to pass the Free Education Bill. Rightfully and most deservingly, Sir D.B. was conferred knighthood from the King of the United Kingdom and Colonies, for the services rendered to Ceylon.
This great man was the guru of most pre and post-independence leaders of our country including some leaders who later became Prime Ministers of independent Ceylon.
He not only sacrificed his personal wealth to fund the Independence Movement, but also donated most of his assets to the state. The Public Trustee office at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, named Thurban House, a palatial building which was his own house, was gifted to the state.
Sir D.B. Jayatilaka Trust
The Sir D.B. Jayatilaka Trust is at present the richest state-owned trust managed by the Public Trustee Department, comprising a range of revenue-generating assets which makes contributions to numerous educational, charitable and social institutions.
World War II in the early 1940s created a food shortage threatening starvation in the country. The British colonial administration and the then Ministers of Agriculture, Trade and Commerce with officials were unsuccessful in negotiations with the Indian government as India too was suffering similar shortages.
Sir D.B. being the first and only Ceylonese to be the President of the Indian Students’ Association at Oxford University and later having closely associated with the Indian National Congress leaders during their Independence struggle, had developed personal friendships with the Indian leaders. The British Governor made a desperate request to Sir D.B. who went to India to request food aid. As a result of the respect and tremendous regard that the Indian leaders had for Sir D.B., food aid was provided to Ceylon.
This very success ironically proved to be detrimental to Sir D.B. as the British Governor felt that his continued assistance was required to obtain food aid from neighbouring India, with dangers lurking in the high seas from enemy naval ships to cargo vessels.
Sir D.B. hence sacrificed his position at the State Council in 1942 to comply with the request of the governor and undertook to function as the representative (High Commissioner) of the Ceylon government in India.
The position of the Leader of the House in the State Council was then filled by D.S. Senanayake whom the vast majority in the country regarded as being his deputy and who later became the first Prime Minister of Ceylon.
Sir D.B. fell ill in 1944 whilst in India and decided to obtain medical treatment in his motherland, in stark contrast to the high and mighty of today. However, he passed away on May 29, 1944, in the special aircraft allocated by the Viceroy of India. His last words uttered were, “Are we in Ceylon?” and then he breathed his last whilst the plane was over Indian territory.
The great philosopher Don Baron Jayatilaka was spoken of as our ‘uncrowned king’ by the Ceylonese of all walks of life. The highest respect was paid to Sir D.B. by the State of Ceylon with an official state funeral attended by a large number of people from all parts of the country. Sir Baron was the first Ceylonese to be bestowed a state funeral under colonial rule in Ceylon.
Sir D.B. Jayatilaka was an outstanding national hero of Mother Lanka.
The commemoration of Sir D.B.’s 151st birth anniversary has been organised at the Public Trustee’s office in Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, and the YMBA auditorium in Borella, Colombo 8.
I conclude this article with a verse written by the famous Tibetan monk, Venerable S. Mahinda Thera, following Sir D.B.’s death under the heading Lak Mawa Valapey (Weeping of Mother Lanka).
Ran Mal Halena Karunabara Hinawata
Pandithakamata Yali Sihi-kalpanawata
Thanpathkamata Rupeta Wasanawata
Un Mage Putha – Aiyo Nathiwuna Mata
“Your kind and pleasant smile made flowers bloom
Wisdom and thoughtfulness,
Serenity, blessed bearing,
My son alas, I lost forever.”
(Translation by Dr. H.J.)
Thank you
http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/02/13/features/177371/memory-scholar-statesman
Elisa Jayatilaka (nee Weerasinghe) was devoted Buddhist, a descendant of the highly respected, wealthy, Weerasinghe family of Waragoda.
His initial education was at Vidyalankara Pirivena where he learnt Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and Buddhist literature under the patronage of scholars such as Ven. Ratmalane Sri Dharmaloka Thera and Ven. Ratmalane Sri Dharmarama Thera. His elementary education in the English medium was at a Baptist school in Kelaniya. His secondary education was received at Wesley College, Colombo. His siblings were Muhandiram Don Simon Jayatilaka and Mudaliyar Don Abraham Jayatilaka. He married Mallika Batuwanthudawa, the daughter of Pandith Batuwantudawa of Warahena, Bentota, in 1898.
Sir D.B. was a scholar of high intellect who revised Buddhist literature in Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and English. He also revised Sinhala literature(which had declined under colonial rule). He was also the founding chief editor of the monolingual etymological Sinhala dictionary, an influencer for the publishing of the Dinamina newspaper of Lake House, a great Buddhist leader, and founder and the first president of the YMBA (the position he held for 46 years until his death), All Ceylon Buddhist Congress President, Vidyalankara Sabha President, initiated dhamma schools (daham pasal), Royal Asiatic Society of Ceylon President, in addition to being a leading personality of the Temperance Movement.
He was the first Buddhist Sinhala Principal of Ananda College, Colombo. He was also the OBA President of the College. He was the founder Principal of Dharmaraja College, Kandy, and the first manager of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo. Sir D.B. commenced and managed several Buddhist schools and was the general manager and the secretary of the Buddhist Theosophical Society. He was also a co-founder of Sri Dharmaloka Maha Vidyalaya, Kelaniya, which is now one of the most reputed national schools in the Gampaha district.
Well-respected personality
Sir D.B. Jayatilaka was a Barrister qualified with BA and MA from the Universities of Calcutta and Oxford respectively. He was an advocate of the Ceylon Supreme Court, a very well-respected diplomat who was the representative for Ceylon in India and represented Ceylon in many international conferences.
He became an activist of the Temperance Movement as a result of the admiration he had for Buddhism and the people of the nation. Sir D.B. was victimised and imprisoned through martial law with a false allegation by the British colonial ruling in 1915.
Sir D.B. was an outstanding politician and a statesman who towered above his contemporaries. He was a freedom fighter, patriot and leader of the Independence Movement of Ceylon. He was appointed as the Ceylon National Congress President in 1923 and was selected to the Ceylon Legislative Council from the Colombo district, holding the position of the Vice President which was the highest position a Ceylonese could hold (the British Governor was the President).
Constitutional reforms of the Donoughmore Commission led to universal franchise. Sir D.B. was elected to the newly formed State Council of Ceylon from the Kelaniya electorate and became the Leader of the House and the Home Affairs Minister in 1931.
It must be emphasised that he was the first elected leader of Ceylon or Sri Lanka through the voting rights of the people of our country and was the Leader of the House in the State Council – a position equivalent to that of the Prime Minister. This is a fact that has not been appreciated adequately.
A remarkable administrator with good governance and immense popularity among all nationalities and the towering personality that he was, led to Sir D.B. being re-elected uncontested to represent the Kelaniya electorate and continuing as the undisputed leader of the State Council of Ceylon.
Sir D.B. was the first Ceylonese to prepare the Budget speech for Ceylon as the Home Affairs Minister. He not only performed exceptionally in the portfolio of the Home Affairs Ministry, but also under his administration as the leader of the State Council, he extended his fullest support to other ministers, especially in the areas of agriculture, education and health to serve the masses of Ceylon.
Sir D.B. was the Buddhist state leader who was instrumental in the renovations of the Ruvanveli Maha Seya and was the state leader at the pinnacle laying ceremony of the Stupa in 1941.
As the State Council Leader, Sir D.B. fully supported Education Minister C.W.W. Kannangara at the State Council in overcoming barriers to pass the Free Education Bill. Rightfully and most deservingly, Sir D.B. was conferred knighthood from the King of the United Kingdom and Colonies, for the services rendered to Ceylon.
This great man was the guru of most pre and post-independence leaders of our country including some leaders who later became Prime Ministers of independent Ceylon.
He not only sacrificed his personal wealth to fund the Independence Movement, but also donated most of his assets to the state. The Public Trustee office at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, named Thurban House, a palatial building which was his own house, was gifted to the state.
Sir D.B. Jayatilaka Trust
The Sir D.B. Jayatilaka Trust is at present the richest state-owned trust managed by the Public Trustee Department, comprising a range of revenue-generating assets which makes contributions to numerous educational, charitable and social institutions.
World War II in the early 1940s created a food shortage threatening starvation in the country. The British colonial administration and the then Ministers of Agriculture, Trade and Commerce with officials were unsuccessful in negotiations with the Indian government as India too was suffering similar shortages.
Sir D.B. being the first and only Ceylonese to be the President of the Indian Students’ Association at Oxford University and later having closely associated with the Indian National Congress leaders during their Independence struggle, had developed personal friendships with the Indian leaders. The British Governor made a desperate request to Sir D.B. who went to India to request food aid. As a result of the respect and tremendous regard that the Indian leaders had for Sir D.B., food aid was provided to Ceylon.
This very success ironically proved to be detrimental to Sir D.B. as the British Governor felt that his continued assistance was required to obtain food aid from neighbouring India, with dangers lurking in the high seas from enemy naval ships to cargo vessels.
Sir D.B. hence sacrificed his position at the State Council in 1942 to comply with the request of the governor and undertook to function as the representative (High Commissioner) of the Ceylon government in India.
The position of the Leader of the House in the State Council was then filled by D.S. Senanayake whom the vast majority in the country regarded as being his deputy and who later became the first Prime Minister of Ceylon.
Sir D.B. fell ill in 1944 whilst in India and decided to obtain medical treatment in his motherland, in stark contrast to the high and mighty of today. However, he passed away on May 29, 1944, in the special aircraft allocated by the Viceroy of India. His last words uttered were, “Are we in Ceylon?” and then he breathed his last whilst the plane was over Indian territory.
The great philosopher Don Baron Jayatilaka was spoken of as our ‘uncrowned king’ by the Ceylonese of all walks of life. The highest respect was paid to Sir D.B. by the State of Ceylon with an official state funeral attended by a large number of people from all parts of the country. Sir Baron was the first Ceylonese to be bestowed a state funeral under colonial rule in Ceylon.
Sir D.B. Jayatilaka was an outstanding national hero of Mother Lanka.
The commemoration of Sir D.B.’s 151st birth anniversary has been organised at the Public Trustee’s office in Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, and the YMBA auditorium in Borella, Colombo 8.
I conclude this article with a verse written by the famous Tibetan monk, Venerable S. Mahinda Thera, following Sir D.B.’s death under the heading Lak Mawa Valapey (Weeping of Mother Lanka).
Ran Mal Halena Karunabara Hinawata
Pandithakamata Yali Sihi-kalpanawata
Thanpathkamata Rupeta Wasanawata
Un Mage Putha – Aiyo Nathiwuna Mata
“Your kind and pleasant smile made flowers bloom
Wisdom and thoughtfulness,
Serenity, blessed bearing,
My son alas, I lost forever.”
(Translation by Dr. H.J.)
Thank you
http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/02/13/features/177371/memory-scholar-statesman