Brass cast: The story of the Samadhi statue in the park
View(s):45 years on, Aloy Jayawardene a Roman Catholic who heeded the request of sculptor monk Ven. Dr.
Mapalagama Vipulasara Thera to create a brass cast for a Buddha statue to be placed at
The beautiful brass cast Samadhi Buddha statue at the park. Pic by M.D. Nissanka
Viharamahadevi park in 1972, presents a replica of it to President Maithripala Sirisena
The serene brass cast 15-foot statue of the Buddha that sits at the entrance to Viharamahadevi park against a backdrop of green opposite the Town Hall is one of the most well known in Colombo. Devotees stop by to offer flowers and pay obeisance and tourists photograph it from every angle. To mark 45 years since its installation on May 26, 1972, Aloy Jayewardene who did the brass casting of this largest brass cast Samadhi Buddha statue in the country presented a replica of the statue to President Maithripala Sirisena at his office.
It was the well known sculptor priest, Ven. Dr. Mapalagama Vipulasara Thera who created the moulds in concrete to have the statue cast in brass. When the big companies turned down the request, Ven. Mapalagama contacted Aloy Jayawardene who had his factory “Metalrich’ in Wattala which did electroplating and brass sheet spinning and asked him to come over to his temple where he explained what was required and showed him a sketch of the statue.
“Having examined the sketch and talked with the Ven. monk, the type of casting needed for the production of the statue was beyond my experience in brass casts. All what the Venerable Priest said was “you are intelligent enough, kindly study, reading the required books and my kind request is that you should undertake this job for me,” Mr. Jayewardene recalls.
Aloy Jayawardene presenting a replica of the brass Samadhi Buddha statue to President Sirisena. Also in the picture is Ruban Wickramaarachchi, Director, Presidential Investigations Unit.
“I took this challenge and started. He financed me to put up an additional structure at my factory to house the work of the statue. Subsequently he gave 58 pieces of concrete moulds for the brass cast. By trial and error, I was finally successful to complete all 58 pieces moulded in brass and have them welded together. The Colombo Municipality sent a tractor to transport the brass casts to Viharamahadevi park, where Ven. Mapalagama put up a concrete pedestal to place the statue.”
The statue was in two sections, the body and the head separately. “We filled the body with sand as it was hollow and thereafter welded the head to the body. The final polishing and lacquering was done on the statue and it made ready for the opening on May 26, 1972, to commemorate Republic Day,” Mr. Jayewardene recalls.
The distinguished gathering at the unveiling of the statue included President William Gopallawa, Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, several ministers and Mayor of Colombo, Vincent Perera.
In October 1972, Mr. Jayewardene received a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office informing him that he had been selected for the “Leaders Invitation Programme” from the Government of Japan. He had been the nominee from the private sector. Mr. Jayewardene recalls that he telephoned Ven. Mapalagama and was told that Mrs Bandaranaike had discussed the invitation with him at Temple Trees and he had recommended Mr. Jayewardene for this four-week programme.
“The Government of Japan had arranged my complete programme for visits and study of major brass cast factories in Kyoto where large brass cast Buddha statues were made. This was a great exposure I had in brass castings.”
On his return from Japan, there was another commission. Ven. Mapalagama asked Mr. Jayewardene to undertake another 10-foot brass cast statue of the Lord Buddha for the Pepiliyana temple.
“I am extremely proud that as a Roman Catholic that late Ven. Dr. Mapalagama Vipulasara Thera had great confidence in me doing these two jobs for him,” Mr. Jayewardene, who is Emeritus President of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Small and Medium Industries says. “It was a great honour for me.”