Ready to delve into a place of learning and history? We are standing before Sri Dharmaraja Piriwena in Kandy. It is a beacon of Buddhist education. This college has shaped countless lives for over a century.
Sri Dharmaraja Piriwena began as the Kandy Buddhist High School in 1887. Col Henry Steel Olcott founded it. He was a philanthropist. He was also the founder of the Buddhist Theosophical Society.
Olcott saw a decline in Sinhalese Buddhist education. He thought Buddhist schools could help. Dharmaraja College was one of the first. Others include Ananda College, Maliyadeva College and Mahinda College.
Several Kandyan nobles supported the school’s creation. They included Dullawe Adhikaram and Wadugodapitiya Punchirala Korale. They chose a plot near the Tooth Relic Temple. But there was a Bo tree on the land. It was sacred to Buddhists.
The British opposed cutting it down. Wadugodapitiya Punchirala Korale removed the tree in one night. He leveled the ground for the school. He was later punished by the British. They confiscated his property.
Andiris de Silva was the first principal of Dharmaraja Piriwena. He was the only teacher. The school started with 12 students. By 1890, there were 80 students. More teachers had joined.
Sir D.B. Jayatilaka became the principal. He transformed Dharmaraja College. He made it into one of Sri Lanka’s best schools.
H. Banbury followed Jayatilaka. He raised money for a permanent building. It was later named the Banbury Building. Banbury also changed the school’s name to Dharmaraja College.
K.F. Billimoria became principal in 1902. Dharmaraja College began its golden age. He made Dharmaraja a strong competitor to missionary schools. Lord Baden Powell visited the school twice.
In 1913, the 1st Kandy Dharmaraja Scout Group was established. It is one of the oldest scout troops in the world. The troop won the King’s Flag for three years. This was from 1917 to 1919. No other Sri Lankan school has matched this record.
Rabindranath Tagore visited in the 1920s. He gave a dance recital at the principal’s bungalow. D.H. Lawrence also spent a holiday there in 1922.
P. de S. Kularatne took over in 1932. He saved the Lake View premise from being sold. He also introduced science subjects in 1933.
L.H. Mettananda built two new buildings at Lake View. Advanced Level classes started in 1940. The Secondary Section moved to Lake View.
S.A. Wijayathilake became principal in 1945. He developed the laboratories and library. He also emphasized literary activities.
Charles Godage started the Dharmaraja Development Society in 1955. In 1960, the government took over Dharmaraja College. This was due to a campaign led by D.B. Thewarapperuma.
Today, Dharmaraja Piriwena has over 4,000 students and 300+ teaching staff. It owns 54 acres of land. This spreads over half of Dharmaraja hill.
The school has produced many notable alumni. They include William Gopallawa. He was the first President of Sri Lanka.
Dharmaraja College continues to excel in sports. Cricket has been played since its beginning. The annual match against Kingswood College is the oldest in the Central Province.
The school song is in Sinhala. It has only 20 words. P.B. Elangasinha Rate Mahathmaya composed it.
From its humble beginnings to its current status as a leading educational institution, Sri Dharmaraja Piriwena stands as a testament to the power of vision, determination, and community support. Its story reminds us that education can transform lives and shape the future.