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| Sunday, 21 September 2003 |
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D. J. Wimalasurendra : Remembering the 'giver of light' on his 129th birth anniversary by Karel Roberts Ratnaweera
The Institute of Engineers' of Sri Lanka (IESL)has honoured the late, great D. J. Wimalasurendra, father of hydro electricity in the island, by naming its new auditorium after him. In an eloquent tribute published in the Daily News of Monday the 15, the unknown writer says:On his 129th Birth Anniversary, the IESL, Sri Lanka's home-grown institution of engineers is honoured and privileged to remember him and not let his name pass from our midst.' The tribute went on to say that D.J. Wimalasurendra took at face value the famous words of Parakrama Bahu the Great, that not a drop of heaven-sent rain would flow into the sea without first serving the people. Devapura Jayasena Wimalasurendra was born to Don Juan Devapura Jayasinghe Wimalasurendra and his wife of Galwadugoda, Galle of an ancient line of master craftsmen, closely descended from Devendra Mulachari whose genius is seen in the world famous Dalada temple complex of Kandy and its famous lake, therefore also linking his lineage to very ancient master craftsmen whose work alone constitutes the cultural glory of Sri Lanka. Referred to as 'the giver of light,' - could a greater compliment have ever been paid to a human being? - Wimalasurendra's creation of Laxapana, a household word in the entire country, placed him instantly on a pedestal not to be shared with anyone. He was described as an engineer 'par excellence' by Chartered Engineer Aelian de Silva in an article in the Daily News of September 16, 1995. Visionary A postage stamp was issued some years ago in honour of the visionary whose contribution cannot be repaid in stamps and statues, speeches and articles; we can only honour his memory with these ceremonials. Wimalasurendra was one of those men who became a legend in his lifetime,long before he left this world. It would have been very interesting indeed to know what he would have had to say about the cruel power cuts the people suffered a few years ago.That he would have been appalled is certain. He was a visionary but he could not have foreseen that the population of this country would push 20 million between his creation of light' and the power cuts - the very cause of such hardships on the people of this country being the increase in the population. Wimalasurendra's engineering feat was accomplished in the face of tremendous odds and opposition from British engineers of the day who obviously did not believe that Ceylon could achieve such monumental engineering success. Genial Almost everything that is said and written of 'D.J' is exclusively of his engineering genius - not much is known about the man himself in this generation. Few except his fellow crafts kinsmen know that it was D. J. Wimalasurendra who designed the golden pinnacle of the Ruwanweli Maha Seya, a great honour that was bestowed on him as the scion of several generations of brilliant master craftsmen who were honoured by generations of our ancient Sinhala kings for work done in the name of the monarch. As a devout Buddhist, Wimalasurendra would have considered his work for the Maha Seya on par with his gift of light to his people. 'D.J' was a short, stocky man, very dark in complexion, genial and large-hearted. He was never too busy to sit down and talk about simple things with simple people, the enormity of his intellect never getting in the way. Steel is used by engineers and Aelian de Silva writes that steel was manufactured in ancient Lanka before the Christian era. He says that it was our steel that was imported by Arabia for the manufacture of the famous 'Damascus Swords.' It is also said that the Portuguese invaders noted that the guns manufactured by Rajasinghe were superior to the guns made by the Portuguese themselves! Few know that 'D.J's father was honoured by Queen Victoria. The elder Wimalasurendra had the unique ability of being able to engrave on diamonds! The British Governor of the then Ceylon had his initials engraved on his diamond ring by Wimalasurendra. On seeing the ring, Queen Victoria summoned the master craftsman to Royal Windsor and Wimalasurendra engraved the queen's name on a diamond pendant. The queen honoured him just as our own monarchs used to honour Wimalasurendra's ancestors - by conferring on him the rank of Mudaliyar, and presented him with a portrait of herself in oils which to this day adorns the walls of the gracious Wimalasurendra inner sitting room in the family mansion in Colombo 06. Some time later, Don Juan Jayasinghe Wimalasurendra was invited to participate in an exhibition being held in London. Aelian de Silva says that on that occasion, Wimalasurendra presented Queen Victoria with a model of a pol mala (coconut palm), made of ivory. With the sheath closed, the ornament did not look especially attractive. The queen it is said was disappointed with the 'ordinary-looking gift.' However, when it was being presented to her, Wimalasurendra pressed a concealed key, the sheath split into two and the flower blossomed into full bloom in all its glory.' The unique gift is now in London's Victoria and Albert Museum. The story also goes that the queen was so amazed at Wimalasurendra's dark complexion that she got an aide to touch him to see whether the blackness rubbed off on his gloved hand! But that story is in the family and has no way of being confirmed. Devapura Jayasena Wimalasurendra married Millicent de Silva, sister of the much respected late S. F. de Silva, a former Director of Education. This writer remembers the great 'D.J'. I was not yet in my teens but recall that he swept me onto his lap; it was at the homecoming of my elder sister and his eldest son, D.J. Junior! |
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