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100 years of the High Street temple
The Dhammodayaramaya in Wellawatte established by an eloquent monk from Induruwa has seen a centenary of growth
By D.C. Ranatunga
A hundred years ago, a monk from Induruwa came to Wellawatte on the invitation of two upasakas - Podisinghe and Domingo - to spend the vassana season. The two upasakas arranged for the monk to reside in a house in High Street (W.A. Silva Mw). When news spread of an eloquent monk preaching the Dhamma, many devotees flocked to listen to his sermons every evening. At the end of the three months vassana, the devotees arranged the katina pinkama on a grand scale. Happy with the monk, they pleaded with him not to go back.

Abraham Peiris, a devotee among them, donated a plot of land to build a temple. Hurriedly a pol athu kutiya was built and the monk resided there until a permanent structure was put up. That was how Ven. Induruwe Wimalatissa Thera established the Dhammodayaramaya in 1903.

Leading the rest
A week-long programme beginning tomorrow has been arranged under the guidance of the present Viharadhipati, Ven. Gurudeniye Uditha Thera. Special bodhi poojas and bana sermons will be held daily. An ordination ceremony takes place on Thursday and a sanghika dana to 150 monks has been planned for Saturday following an all-night pirith ceremony. A centenary commemorative meeting will be held next Sunday.
There weren't many temples in the city of Colombo at the time the 'High Street temple', as it is popularly known, was established.

The earliest, according to available records, is the Dipaduttaramaya in Kotahena, which was founded as early as 1806 by Ven. Seenigama Maha Thera. The temple became famous under Ven. Mohottiwatte Gunananda Thera who played an important part in the Buddhist revival of the ’70s in which Colonel Henry Steele Olcott and Marie Museus Higgins were also involved.

Paramananda Purana Vihara is another old temple at Kotahena, also founded around 1806 by Ven. Panadure Dhammananda Nayaka Thera. The renowned monk, Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera had been in residence at this temple for several years before he founded the Vidyodaya Pirivena in 1874.

By the turn of the century, Vajiraramaya at Bambalapitiya had been established by Pelene Sri Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera. Closer to it was Mettaramaya at Lauries Road. It was a time when Buddhists in many parts of the city showed interest in building temples.

A solid foundation
For 25 years - 1903 to 1928 - Wimalatissa Maha Thera developed the newly built temple with the accent on teaching the Dhamma to the young and old around the area.

By the time he passed away, a solid foundation had been laid and when Ven. Rasnakawewe Saddhamma Thera took over, it was a well-established educational institution. He took the initiative in building a relic chamber and expanding the avasaya with several living quarters for the convenience of monks. He was head of the temple from 1928 to 1951.

The building of a spacious image house, a chaitya and a bodhi malaka was done during the time of his successor, Ven. Wellawatte Vibhavi Thera. A spacious alms hall and another hall for the devotees to observe sil on Poya days were built while numerous activities were organized for the benefit of students attending the daham pasala.

The classes started by the founder monk developed into a fully-fledged pirivena by 1925. It was registered as a government educational institution in 1932. The name of Ven. Induruwe Uttarananda Thera is mentioned as the acting head of the pirivena when Saddhamma Thera who was head, went on leave for a period of one year in 1941. Uttarananda Thera had introduced Hindi, Bengali and English as subjects to be taught to the monks. The pirivena work was disrupted during World War II when it had to be closed down temporarily. In 1942 the student monks attended classes at several places outside Colombo and continued their studies.

Continuing traditions
Due to a misunderstanding, the pirivena moved away from being a government institution in 1950 and was run independently. Fourteen years later, it was re-registered with the government on August 12, 1964. A ceremonial opening took place at the auspicious hour by the highly respected monk, Ven. Pandita Kadawedduwe Jinaratana Thera, who had his early education at the pirivena. Ven. Balangoda Bhaginda Thera was appointed as head of the pirivena.

The Dhammodaya pirivena continues to this day. The present head is Ven. Kahapathwilagama Ariyananda Thera. The daham pasala had its formal inauguration on November 9, 1947 when 28 students were registered. The Siri Perakum Lama Samajaya was started on June 27, 1948 to foster good habits among the students.

The student monks who had grown up at the temple have contributed a great deal towards the propagation of the Dhamma through the publication of a large number of books, in addition to other religious and social welfare activities.

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