February 26th is a day of mourning to Sri Lankans who know the past and genuinely love the nation, because it was the day H. Sri Nissanka, the founder of the vanguard of the local nationalist movement - the famed Sri Lanka Freedom Party, passed away. This brief narrative – though vastly inadequate when compared with the stature of the personage - is to commemorate the 69th anniversary of that great patriot’s departure.
Herbert Sri Nissanka (famously known as H. Sri Nissanka) was born in 1898 as the only son of Diveris Nissanka (himself an unassuming scholar) and Anoma Wickremaratne Soyza, of Garumuni Walawwuwa of great fame in Balapitiya, in the then Southern Ceylon. The boy was blessed with the company of three loving sisters, but must have been the pet of the family as the subsequent events demonstrate. Having had the primary education from Ananda College, Colombo, he joined the Royal College of Colombo for higher education. As he himself had reminisced occasionally, it was the acquaintance of Sir D.B. Jayatilleke – one of the pioneers in Buddhist revival and great patriotism - during that period that forged the character of this budding humanitarian.
Not surprisingly, he donned the saffron robes and went to (then) Burma in his prime, to study meditation and Tripitaka as a Buddhist monk. In the fourth year as a monk, he was compelled to relinquish that way of life on hearing that his parents were not well, and as the one and only son, he must shoulder the responsibilities of the clan and the family. Then, perhaps it was the fate of Sri Lanka that directed him to join the Oxford University and study to become a Lawyer and a Barrister. There he became the life-long friend of another student, young S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. Young Nissanka was matured enough to foresee the future and the great potential in young Bandaranaike and the pivotal role he can play in forging the country’s future. It was Nissanka who encouraged Bandaranaike in forming the SLFP and spearheading the Buddhist-Sinhala movement on returning from Oxford.
On returning from Oxford, during the 1930 - 40s, he established for himself a prime position as an eminent, unrivalled defense Advocate in criminal jurisprudence. Even illustrious J.R. Jayewardene - the first President of Sri Lanka - had gratefully recalled that in his budding days as a lawyer, he himself had received guidance from Sri Nissanka, occasionally, in defending difficult cases.
Considering his fame then, there was no wonder in his being unanimously elected the Municipal Councillor for Wellawatta Electorate of Colombo Municipal Council. Later, at the very first election held after gaining independence, he became the Member of Parliament from Kurunegala.
Being the scholar and the visionary, he realized the need for a vanguard of nationalist movement, and it was the opportune moment to plant the seeds of fresh thinking among the young elites. Using the recognition and the social standing as a leading citizen, and the knowledge gained through international exposure, he started influencing the fellow-men in forging a new movement for establishing nationalist ideology, tempered with Sinhala Buddhist flavour. Soon his home ‘Yamuna’ in Kirulapona, Colombo had become the happy meeting point of the young eager partisans, and the fount dispensing a new breed of social-democracy. With the gathering of such socialist democrats, the SLFP was formed in 1951. Very few know that the SLFP got the ‘Sri’ from Nissanka’s name; the party colour blue and the palm as the party symbol, were both Nissanka’s ideas. Nevertheless, Sri Nissanka was pragmatic and farsighted enough to hand over the leadership of that powerful organ to his lifelong friend Bandaranaike.
At that point, the fact that despite higher education in Oxford, he was still a Sri Lankan Buddhist deeply rooted in the Buddhist-Sinhala culture and way of life became manifestly evident, because he had made a very serious vow invoking the blessings of most sacred Ruwan Weli Stupa in Anuradhapura, to safeguard the new political party from the evil machinations. Only a handful of close associates know how he incurred a considerable expense from his private funds to offer a golden relic casket (incidentally, that was crafted by a famous jeweler in Colpetty, Colombo, who is still famously in business), in fulfilment of that vow after the SLFP was successfully launched. It is only a matter of historic record that the sibling party went on to win a resounding victory at its very first election in 1956. (Apparently, the SLFP still has the blessings of the triple gem because all those who betrayed the party seeking higher gain elsewhere had committed political suicide.)
Salgala Forest Monastery, Biyagama Monastery for the Bhikkhunis, and Lanka Viharaya in Singapore are a few socio-religious landmarks of Sri Nissanka’s illustrious career. He was the editor of ‘Heladiwa’ Newspaper and the ‘Clarion (Sankha Nadaya)’ magazine. Despite his busy life, he had authored ‘Our Lanka,’ ‘England’s History,’ ‘The Penal Code of Lanka,’ ‘The Sacred Salgala Temple,’ and ‘An Ode to Athugalpura, (An Appreciation of Kurunegala).’ There is no doubt that his loving wife Muriel and children Yamuna, Geetha and Ranjith must have been always backing him in his religious, political and social activities.
He was not only an eminent lawyer, but also was a scholar fluent in Sinhala, English, Hindi, Pali, Sanskrit, Burmese and Japanese languages. As such, he called for to represent infantile Sri Lanka at many international forums, bringing fame to the country. He was the first choice for innumerable posts in the independent Sri Lanka Government, and had an unblemished reputation as a straight-forward State-servant who never alienated his loyalty and responsibility for personal gain.
We are happy to note Dr. Avanthi Nissanka, Professor Randiv Nissanka and Desimuni Ranjan Abeysekera are continuing the tradition of socio-religious activities of their forefather. Shiran Abeysekera who won the ‘Best British Actor – 2022’ award, and Devika Abeysekera are his great grandchildren.
His untimely death in 1954 on completion of 54 years signified the termination of many great things to come. It was a great blow – not only to his loving family – but more so to the whole nation, and especially to Bandaranaike, who lost a close friend and a mentor in his political career.
As was his wish, his home Yamuna palace was donated to Maha Sangha, and presently is known as ‘Yamuna Ashram.’ Annually, Sri Nissanka Commemorative Society arranges felicitation activities and pay homage to this great benevolent man by donating dry rations, school equipment etc., to the needy. Two such festivities are scheduled to be held at Naga-Deepa Branch Temple, Demetagoda, Colombo, and Udammita Ashokaramaya Temple, Ja-Ela, tomorrow (February 26) and 27th respectively.
May we wholeheartedly wish – Let this great man attain Nibbana!
(Taraka Senaviratne is Advisor to the Nissanka Foundation)
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