Sir Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna Kadukeralu Bandaranaike, (
Sinhala: සොලමන් ඩයස් අබේවික්රම ජයතිලක සෙනෙවිරත්න රාජකුමාරුණ කඩුකෙරළු බණ්ඩාරනායක; 22 May 1862 – 31 July 1946) was a
Ceylonese
Sri Lankan or Ceylonese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Sri Lanka
* A person from Sri Lanka, see Demographics of Sri Lanka
** Sinhalese people, the ethnic majority
** Sri Lankan Tamils, an ethnic minority
** Sri L ...
colonial-era
headmen
The Headmen is a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Headmen first appearance, first appeared (as a team) in ''The Defenders (comic book), The Defenders'' #21 (March 1975) a ...
. He was appointed as
Head Mudaliyar and the
aide-de-camp to the British
Governor of Ceylon {{Use dmy dates, date=November 2019
The Governor of Ceylon can refer to historical vice-regal representatives of three colonial powers:
Portuguese Ceylon
* List of Captains of Portuguese Ceylon (1518–1551)
* List of Captain-majors of Portuguese ...
, therefore he was one of the most powerful personalities in
British colonial Ceylon.
Family History
The origins of the Bandaranayaka family in Sri Lanka is claimed to be from the person known as
Nilaperumal Pandaram
The Bandaranaike family
is a Sri Lankan Sinhalisation of Kerala Tamil family origin that is prominent in family politics. Along with many members who have been successful politician across generations, the family includes three Prime Ministers an ...
who was from India and served he was high priest of the Temple of
Nawagamuwa Pattini Devalaya
Nawagamuwa Pattini Devalaya is a historic temple situated in Nawagamuwa in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Considering its importance in historical, architectural and anthropological facets, the Archaeological Department has declared the Devalaya ...
. The family changed their name to the Sinhalese form of Bandaranaike and they adopt Portuguese name like Dias. They served the Portuguese rule and got social privileges and later on Dutch. Their golden era began as translators and local scribes expanding their influence and power. A member of the family, Don William Dias who served as a translator for the British was present when deposed Kandyan King Sri Vikrama Rajasingha was captured while in hiding by Ekneligoda Disawa.
Early life
Solomon Dias Bandaranaike was born on 22 May 1862, the son of the
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
Gate Mudaliyar
Mudali (or Mudaliyar) was a colonial title and office in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) which was part of the native headman system. The Portuguese colonials created the Mudaliyar class in the 17th century by enlisting natives of different castes from ...
Don Christoffel Henricus Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilake Seneviratne Bandaranaike, Mudaliyar of the Governor's Gate and Mudaliyar of Siyane Korale East and Anna Florentina Philipsz. His grandfathers were Don Solomon Dias Bandaranayake, Mudaliyar of Siyane Korale East and Phillipsz Gysbertus Panditaratne, Mohandiram of the Governor's Gate. He was educated at
S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
, motto_translation = Be Thou Forever
, song = Thomian Song
, athletics = Yes
, sports = Yes
, nickname = Thora
, denomination = Anglican
, patron ...
in
Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
. His sister Charlotte married Gate Mudaliyar Solomon Seneviratne, Mudaliar of the Atapattu of the Western Province.
Colonial service
He was appointed a
Muhandiram of the Governor's Gate in 1882 by
Prince Albert Victor
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward; 8 January 1864 – 14 January 1892) was the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) and grandson of the re ...
during his royal visit to Ceylon, following the death of his father in 1887 he succeeded him to the post of Mudaliyar of the Siyane Korale East. Eight years later, Governor Sir
Arthur Havelock
Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock, (7 May 1844 – 25 June 1908) was a career British colonial governor, serving as Governor of Sierra Leone from 1880, of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Natal, of Madras, of Ceylon from 1890 to 1895, and of Tasmania from 19 ...
appointed him to the post of
Maha Mudali (Head Mudaliyar) following the death of then Head Mudaliyar Conrad "Peter" Petrus Dias Wijewardena Bandaranaike who was also his uncle. This was the highest position available to a native Ceylonese in
British Ceylon
British Ceylon ( si, බ්රිතාන්ය ලංකාව, Britānya Laṃkāva; ta, பிரித்தானிய இலங்கை, Biritthāṉiya Ilaṅkai) was the British Crown colony of present-day Sri Lanka between ...
in 1895 and traveled to England as Ceylon's official representative at the
Diamond Jubilee
A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...
of
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
in 1896. He was the youngest to hold the position at the age of thirty three and would hold it for thirty three years until his retirement in 1928.
Wealth
Sir Solomon was a wealthy land owner with large estates. Apart from his town house in Colombo, he built a
stately house,
Horagolla Walauwa
Horagolla Walauwa (''also known as'' Horagolla) is a large bungalow (as mansions are referred to locally) in Atthanagalla, Western Province, Sri Lanka.
A stately home built by Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranaike after his appointment as Maha Mudali ...
, and converted his fathers
walauwa
Walauwa or walawwa is the name given to a feudal/Colony, colonial manor house in Sri Lanka of a Native headmen of Ceylon, native headmen. It also refers to the feudal social systems that existed during the colonial era.
The term walauwa is derive ...
in Horagolla to his stables,
Horagolla Stables. He was the first Ceylonese to own a house in the hill station of
Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya ( si, නුවර එළිය ; ta, நுவரெலியா) is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrativ ...
, which was an exclusive holiday destination for the British.
Honours
Bandaranaike having received the honor appointment to the office of
Head Mudaliyar, he was appointed a
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
by the Governor and received permission from the Governor to add ''Rajakumaruna'' (meaning Royal Prince) to his name. In 1896, he traveled to England as Ceylon's official representative at the
Diamond Jubilee
A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...
of Queen Victoria. He attended the Coronation of
King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
in 1902, where he was appointed a
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III.
...
(CMG) in the
1902 Coronation Honours
The 1902 Coronation Honours were announced on 26 June 1902, the date originally set for the coronation of King Edward VII. The coronation was postponed because the King had been taken ill two days before, but he ordered that the honours list shou ...
for his service to the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
and received the
King Edward VII Coronation Medal
The King Edward VII Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal issued in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
Issue
The medal was awarded in silver and bronze. It was issued in silver to members of the Royal fa ...
. In August 1907, he was knighted.
He received the
King George V Coronation Medal
The King George V Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal instituted in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V, that took place on 22 June 1911.
Award
It was the first British Royal commemorative medal to be awarded to people who w ...
in 1911. He was appointed
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III.
It is named in honour ...
(KCMG) in
1925 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 1925 were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. They were published on 30 December 1924.
The recipients of honours are displayed here ...
for his services to the Government of Ceylon. He was a
Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
of the
Colonial Society
The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) is a non-governmental organisation with a mission to promote the value of the Commonwealth and the values upon which it is based. The Society upholds the values of the Commonwealth Charter, promoting confl ...
and the
Imperial Institute
The Commonwealth Education Trust is a registered charity established in 2007 as the successor trust to the Commonwealth Institute. The trust focuses on primary and secondary education and the training of teachers and invests on educational pro ...
.
A keen horse breeder, he was the Life President of the Colombo Turf Club, which erected a statue during his lifetime in front of the Turf Club in Colombo which stands to this day. He was collector of antiquities, he donated
Sir Henry Blake
Sir Henry Arthur Blake (; 8January 184023February 1918) was a British colonial administrator and Governor of Hong Kong from 1898 to 1903.
Early life, family and career
Blake was born in Limerick, Ireland. He was the son of Peter Blake of Corb ...
’s collection of
palm leaf manuscript
Palm-leaf manuscripts are manuscripts made out of dried palm leaves. Palm leaves were used as writing materials in the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia reportedly dating back to the 5th century BCE. Their use began in South Asia and sp ...
s to the
Colombo National Museum
The Colombo National Museum, also known as the Sri Lanka National Museum, is a museum in Colombo and the largest in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1877 and maintained by the Department of National Museums, it holds collections of significant importanc ...
. He was a life-member of the
Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is one of the oldest learned societies in Sri Lanka with a history of over 160 years. It was established on 7 February 1845, paralleling the Royal Asiatic Society ...
.
[Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon](_blank)
/ref>
Family
In April 1898, he married Daisy Ezline Obeyesekere, daughter of Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere
Sir Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere (12 February 1848 – 13 October 1927) was Ceylonese lawyer and legislator. He was an unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon (1900-1916).
Early life and career
Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere wa ...
, a member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon
The Legislative Council of Ceylon was the legislative body of British Ceylon, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) established in 1833, along with the Executive Council of Ceylon, on the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission. It was the first f ...
. His son, , became the 4th Prime Minister of Ceylon
The Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the head and most senior member of parliament in the cabinet of ministers. It is the second-most powerful position in Sri Lanka's executive branch behind the president, wh ...
after independence, and his granddaughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga ( si, චන්ද්රිකා බණ්ඩාරනායක කුමාරතුංග, ta, சந்திரிகா பண்டாரநாயக்க குமாரதுங்க; born 29 Ju ...
, became both Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
and President of Sri Lanka
The President of Sri Lanka ( si, ශ්රී ලංකා ජනාධිපති ''Śrī Laṃkā Janādhipathi''; ta, இலங்கை சனாதிபதி ''Ilankai janātipati'') is the head of state and head of government of t ...
. His grandson, Anura Bandaranaike
Anura Priyadarshi Solomon Dias Bandaranaike (15 February 1949 – 16 March 2008) was a Sri Lankan politician, served as Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (2000-2001) and Leader of the Opposition (1983–1988). He held several cabinet min ...
, became Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** In ...
of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
See also
*List of political families in Sri Lanka
This is a partial listing of prominent political families in Sri Lanka.
Abdul Majeed
* A. L. Abdul Majeed (15 November 1933 – 13 November 1987) also known as Mutur Majeed, former Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Member Par ...
*Horagolla Walauwa
Horagolla Walauwa (''also known as'' Horagolla) is a large bungalow (as mansions are referred to locally) in Atthanagalla, Western Province, Sri Lanka.
A stately home built by Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranaike after his appointment as Maha Mudali ...
*Bandaranaike family
The Bandaranaike family
is a Sri Lankan Sinhalisation of Kerala Tamil family origin that is prominent in family politics. Along with many members who have been successful politician across generations, the family includes three Prime Ministers an ...
Further reading
References
External links
The Bandaranaike Ancestry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bandaranaike, Solomondias
1862 births
1946 deaths
Ceylonese Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Ceylonese Knights Bachelor
People of British Ceylon
Sri Lankan Anglicans
Sri Lankan justices of the peace
Solomon Dias
Maha Mudaliyars