When daddy came home after a hectic day in Parliament, he found his one and only son bitterly crying. Little son was much agitated because his two elder sisters were enjoying their ‘Malla’s’ discomfort. “Dad, our servant boy made me run out!” - he blurted on seeing his dad. The little bat in his hand was indicating the game in which he was adjudged run out. Father, the ever-quick thinking politician to solve problems spontaneously, assumed the third-umpireship – and ordered his servant – “Let Podi-haamu continue to play,” for that little boy was the second-in-command of Horagolla Walawwuwa. In fact, it was that little boy’s birth that made the dad eligible for the magnificent Horagolla Walawwuwa, because great patriarch Maha Mudali Solomon Dias had bequeathed the Walawwuwa on condition of siring a son to carry on with the family legacy.
Another one year later, that same boy was crying again. That time his two sisters too were crying, for their father had been assassinated by someone masquerading as a Buddhist monk. That is history, well known to contemporaries, but still shrouded in some mystery. What was not reported was that since then the boy had lived in fear that his beloved mother too would succumb to a similar fate: every time that famed ‘First Lady-Prime Minister’ had to attend Parliament, the little ‘Malla’ is said to have fretted away at home in fear.
While the mother was the Premier, on many occasions the little one was proudly introduced as ‘My little son’ to such regional political luminaries like Pandith Jawaharlal Shri Nehru and Marshal Tito of then Yugoslavia. No doubt he was well known to petite Indira Gandhi, who was destined to become the Premiere of the leading political giant of the region.
After completing the primary education from the Royal College, Colombo, he was sent to London University, UK, and graduated with flying colours in ‘History and Politics in South East Asia.’ On return, he was appointed the ‘Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Policy.’ Only very few close associates know that that youngster occasionally served as a Visiting-Lecturer in foreign Universities delivering very interesting lectures on ‘Family Politics in South East Asia.’ He was very fluent in English and Sinhala and was adept in delivering colourful and untiring lectures interspersed with Latin idioms and quotations from classical English literature.
During the Non-aligned Summit held in Colombo, Premier Sirimavo Bandaranaike was always accompanied by her son in the capacity of Foreign Policy Advisor, and was introduced to all visiting political leaders. That was a useful foundation in regional politics, invaluable for any youngster aspiring to become the future leader.
At the 1977 General Elections, he was voted the 2nd MP for the Nuwaraeliya-Maskeliya Multi-Seat Electorate. When his mother’s civic rights were revoked by the JRJ regime soon thereafter, the SLFP opted to select him as the Leader of the Opposition, overlooking such eminent party-seniors like Maithreepala Senanayaka (amply demonstrating that he too was not averse to Family Politics – his favourite subject!) thereby making him the youngest Leader-of-the-Opposition. That was the beginning of an illustrious career in Parliamentary Democracy. With his first speech itself he was able to captivate JRJ himself, who in his sagely seriousness had commented “That youngster has a promising future.”
In fact, our hero himself had realized that his destiny was in the ascend; following the Wartime British Premiere Churchill, he diligently prepared for each of his speeches to make them complete with appropriate content and full of great oratory. Yet he sorely lacked the guidance of a capable mentor of Sri Nissanka’s capacity (it was H. Sri Nissanka who propelled Bandaranaike senior to his success), but had sensed that he had the support of down-South Sinhalese of Balapitiya– especially of those who had supported his father previously. It was that utter confidence that made him to be careless enough to boast occasionally that he had the support of the civic leaders of a certain caste down South, and could even become the Prime Minister one day.
Like most of us learn the hard way, ‘probability’ and ‘possibility’ are not synonyms for ‘reality’. Unfortunately, it was the habit of expressing his opinion in ungarnished language, without fearing the repercussions, that marred his progression in the political arena. Not once but on several occasions, he had boasted that the Bandaranaike clan was the best in the country, thereby inadvertently demeaning even some clans supporting him. He never hesitated in casting aspersions to non-aristocratic origins of his opponent Ranasinghe Premadasa, another aspiring politician coveting nothing less than the Premiership in the long run. The Parliamentary Journalists of that era still remember the vocal duels between Premadasa and the hero of this epilogue, but they haste to assure that our hero’s language was always Parliamentary.
Our hero was not ambitious, because he was assured of the leadership from his childhood; he expected it delivered to him respectfully on a silver-platter, as his birthright. That made him to be less ambitious and rest on his laurels. For him, those aspirants of non-aristocratic origin were a mere nuisance; apparently, he never thought his rivals to succeed in an era “of people of all ranks, governed by the very people” - the very Social-Democracy era ushered in by his own father! His lethargy paved the way for his rivals to plot against him and run the political race, eventually bypassing him.
With all the responsibilities of an MP, he was fond of cinema, and is reputed to have spent a considerable time watching the films almost daily. It was the period of another rising star, flying to the hearts of the public through the mesmerizing Silver Screen. Famous Vijaya Kumaranatunga entered not only politics, but also the Bandaranaike family, and positioned himself strategically in the race towards future premiership. The realization that Vijaya’s alliance with his sister is effectively robbing him of the assured Premiership that was almost within his grasp, appears to have demoralized Anura B.; utterly demoralized and disillusioned, he made the fatal mistake of breaking away from the SLFP.
Though nasty in comments at times (he was always the ‘Podi-haamu of Horagolla Walawwuwa’ to the end), as a politician, he was one of the best among the gentlemen of the old Parliamentary system this country had inherited; he valued and upheld the grandeur of Parliament. His was an exemplary character, never tarnished with even the slightest allegation of fraud or misconduct. Though aristocratic in conduct even after becoming an MP, he was full of humane qualities and was considerate to his faithful servants and close associates, so much so that he gave away his properties to his life-long obedient servants, except the Horagolla Walawwuwa, which he bequeathed to Vimukthi, his loving nephew – the son of Chandrika and Vijaya alliance. The income from his considerable coconut estate is bequeathed to ‘Samaadhi Foundation’ for supporting local writers and promoting literacy in the country.
Despite winning the hearts of masses at the elections, and though he was handsomely built with pleasant demeanour, apparently he could not win the heart of a suitable dame; or perhaps the ladies of contemporary aristocratic society could not win his heart (we will never know now) – whichever was the reason, he remained an eligible bachelor to the end. He was hale and hearty, and was active - not in politics but in spending more time with his sister’s children, enjoying the family life that he was destined never to have. He passed away on March 16, 2008 (at the age of 59, a prime age for politicians anywhere) after a short spell of illness.
He was none other than Anura Priyadarshi Solomon Dias Bandaranaike, in commemoration of whose honorable name this little note is written. “May he attain Nibbana!”
(Tharaka Seneviratne is a freelance writer)
Add new comment