Anagarika Dharmapala
(17 September 1864 - 29 April 1933)
145th Birth Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala
The wife of hewa withar anage don carolis awealthy businessman delivered a son on sun day september 17,1864. The now born child was named david dharmapala.it was the vogue those days of the nigh class sinhalese families to name their children by christian name instead of using pleasant local name.this child who was brought up like any other normal child,became anagarika at the age of 17,1864. anagarika in sinhalese, means a person who has given up all desires of home life. thence forth he began a to work for the upliftment of the sinhalese and ven.migettuwatte gunananda were his closest asscciatesin 1880, when he was only ayouth of 19 years,dharmapala received the oppoortunity of meeting colonal henry steele olcott and madam helena blavatsky. they were the foundersof the year 1875. he was a junior clerk in the education department when in 1886 he fully resiolved to dedicate his life for the benefit of buddhism and the sinhalese.later he become the genaral secretary of the buddhist section of the buddhist theosophical.society in colombo. he was the manager of the journal ‘’sandaresatoo.
In 1891, when he visitid india he happened to see the miserable.this templed him to found the maha bodhi society save buddhagaya’ sinhalese’ get up from your slumber was his slogan.
Anagarika dharmapala was also the pioeer of’’sinhla bauddhaya news paper established in 1906 in 1931 Anagarika dharmapala beco me a samanera in the name of sri devamitta dharmapala he was then living in india. he who recived the highest ordinati on in 1933 passad away on april 29 1933at 3.00 p.m atthe mahabadhi vihara in benares india
” Let me be reborn 25 times to spread dhamma” was his last wish॥
