Historic venue that shares the pride of freedom

• The Independence Square Commemorates 50 years

By Shantha Kumara Vithana

As the Lion flag flies high in every home with great pride on its 59th year of Independence the Independent Commemorative Hall celebrates 50 years of existence. The Independence Square which is totally in the highlight during the Independence Day celebration faces a sports ground for athletics and the road on all sides a popular venue for exercise is a sight that the Hall is visible to throughout its 50 years in the vicinity. The Independence Square affords a serene cool shade to every passer-by and is a historical venue that shares the pride of freedom. The hall was overlooked due to the fact that we speak more of the national leaders who contributed to our independence.

Front view of The Independence Square

The construction of a Hall to Commemorate Independence was first suggested by the first Prime Minister of Ceylo n D.S.Senanayake. The task was handed over to Sir John Kotelawala, then Minister of Transport and Parliamentary Affairs who was in search of a suitable venue which should accommodate the crowds to participate and also be in the capital of Ceylon. The land available in Colombo 7 belonged to the Horse Racing Association and was bought over by the Government for Rs.500,000 and the next step on line was to have a good structural plan which should be held in high esteem for generations in signifying the independence of the country. Eight famous architects were assigned the job and they produced a plan befitting the ideals of Ceylon. Architect T.N.Winnie was named the group leader, Representative Architect F.H.Billimoria, University constructor Shirley De Alwis, Colombo Town Planner Oliver Weerasinghe Assistant Architect H.J.Billimoria, J. Samarasekera and M.B. Morina. They produced many structural plans of which the Kandyan architecture in the lines of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy was selected by Prime Minister D.S.Senanyake. The construction of the building was begun in all haste but the Prime Minister D.S.Senanayake succumbed to injuries during a horse riding accident and the construction work was abandoned by the Department enlisted for the job. Work on the site was begun by the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike.

The Independence Square

The Independence Day celebration of February 4th 1957 was the beginning of a historical opening of the Independence Square in all regalia and the pillars carved out many historical issues for observance. Though it took the structure of the hall at Dalada Maligawa it had 432 seats and accommodated a crowd of 25,000. The Independence celebration of 1997 was celebrated in Independence Square.

Today it is surrounded by barbed wire and barricades and with buses plying on the roads, the ownership held by the Ministry of Sports and construction of roads around the square has restricted the numbers for accommodation.

The Independence Square has lasted 50 years in its grandeur and the wish one might hope for this Independence Day is for its existence for a further 50 years to keep up the monumental value of the history of Sri Lanka.