Wi. Ja. Mu. Loku Bandara: Scholar Politician

Appreciation

His Full name was Wijesinghe Jayalath Mudiyanselage Loku Bandara and following the traditional Sinhala practice of having the family name first and the personal name after that, he introduced himself as Wi. Ja Mu. Loku Bandara, using the first letters of the family name as initials. He was popularly known as ‘Wijamu.’ When people following the British tradition referred to him as “W.J.M. Loku Bandara” he used to say in jest “There is no ‘Dayanna’ in my family name! (this is because the letter W is pronounced dubliv)

We have had only a few politicians who were real scholars or writers of repute. We begin with Sir. D.B. Jayatillaka, one of our finest classical scholars in the State Council days and then come to I.M.R.A. Iriyagolla and T.B Illangaratna in the early parliaments. In recent times it was Wijamu who bore that distinction. He was an ardent follower of Cumaratunga Munidasa, the founder of the Hela Havula. When he spoke, it was in a chaste Sinhala idiom reminiscent of the usages of Cumaratunga and other stalwarts of the Hela Havula, the most recent of whom was Arisen Ahubudu. Television viewers will remember Wijamu for his elegant use of the Sinhala language and his firm grasp of the Buddhist scriptures in the numerous Dhamma discussions he participated in, especially on Poya days.

One admirable quality of Wijamu was his lack of bigoted thinking, for which some followers of Cumaratunga were well known. Wijamu moved freely with scholars of all shades of opinion. For example, some in the Hela Havula saw us, in university circles, as “enemies.” But Wijamu treated all scholars as people following a common pursuit, the enrichment of the Sinhala language and literature. We in the universities, did not see eye to eye with him on matters of language, but when one of us, like Prof. J.B. Disanayaka had a heated argument with him, both parted as friends as they had always been. I remember how Wijamu got the Hela Havula to invite me to give the Keynote Address at the Cumaratunga Commemoration day in 1985. My talk, which he got printed, was about the socio-historical background for the emergence of the Hela Havula. In that way Wijamu had the capacity to bring Sinhala scholars of all ideologies together. He could do that because of his accommodating nature and because everyone felt that he was genuine in his attempts to foster our language and literature.

From the very first time he entered

ீarliament, Wijamu has initiated innumerable activities to promote the Sinhala language and literature. But it was when he was equipped with sufficient powers as State Minister of Indigenous Medicine and later as Cabinet Minister of Education, Cultural Affairs and Information, that he was able to do a great deal more, not only in the cause of Sinhala, but also in the cause of several aspects of Sinhala and indigenous culture. Equally notable, are his unforgettable contributions to the cause of indigenous medicine.

He organized conferences on topics of literary and cultural significance and got the proceedings printed as Sasandu Satahan. The series of compilations he initiated as Pujita Jivita (lives worthy of veneration) came out in five volumes covering the lives of over 150 great personages who appear in modern Sri Lankan history. Each chapter was written by a highly competent author and this work remains a highly valuable reference manual. Apart from inviting other scholars to contribute towards the enrichment of Sinhala literature, Wijamu himself wrote Siigire Gii Siri, in adoration of the beauty of the Sigiri poetry.

What Wijamu was able to do in the cause of indigenous medicine is remembered with gratitude and fondness by all practitioners and lovers of traditional medicine. I remember how he got an International Conference of Ayurveda held in Kandy. He also tried to get Indigenous medical practices updated to suit modern conditions. The several Hospitals of Indigenous Medicine he built in different parts of the country bear testimony to that attempt. In this connection, special mention must be made of the Ayurveda Hospital in Minneriya located close to the Tank. In that ideal environment, the hospital is a symbol of the close relationship that exists between indigenous medicine and nature.

It was Wijamu who got the 2nd of March declared as the “Sinhala Bhasha Dinaya”. I remember the impressive meeting that was held, most appropriately, in the premises of the Magul Maduva in Kandy which was attended by scholar monks and laymen from all over the island. He also saw to it that the schools also commemorated the Sinhala Bhasha day. As a scholar with a vision, he was able to advise his colleagues in the cabinet about matters of scholarly interest. It was Wijamu who advised Minister Gamini Disanayake on the need to compile a chronicle about the history and civilization of the Mahaveli Region. The Mahaveli Vamsa Kathava in two volumes, containing articles by authoritative scholars, is the result of this endeavo

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A great quality in him, worthy of mention, is his promotion of the habit of reading by presenting books to all he came in contact with. In fact, the boot of his official vehicle was full of books which he distributed magnanimously among would-be readers, particularly school-children. All in all, the contribution of Wijamu Loku Bandara for the enrichment of modern Sinhala culture is acknowledged and appreciated by all who knew him either personally or by reputation.

As is well known, Wijamu was a devout Buddhist and his journey in Sansara will be short indeed.

Prof. K.N.O.Dharmadasa