A replica of the Brass Samadhi Buddha Statue at Viharamaha Devi Park, Colombo was presented to President Maithripala Sirisena recently by Aloy Jayawardene to mark the 45th Anniversary of its installation. The 15 feet statue which is the largest brass cast Buddha statue in Sri Lanka was manufactured by Aloy Jayawardene (President Emeritus, Sri Lanka Chamber of Small and Medium Industries) at his factory, Metalrich, Wattala and installed on May 26, 1972. Ruban Wickramaarachchi, Director, Presidential Investigations Unit was also present on this occasion.
Aloy Jayawardene who is in his 80s now being a catholic is very proud of the opportunity he got to make this iconic Buddha statue in Colombo. He says it was the well known Sculptor Priest, the late Ven Dr. Mapalagama Vipulasara Thera who chose Jayawardene to do this job. Reminiscing the great experience Jayawardene said in a letter: “The thera had contacted several large companies to get this work done but they had turned down the request. The thera came to know that I was doing brass castings and he contacted me and I was invited to his Temple to discuss the matter. Having visited his Temple, he explained to me the work I had to do, showing me a sketch of the statue. Having examined the sketch and the discussion I had with the thera, the type of casting needed for the production of the statue was beyond my experience in brass casts. All what the thera said was “you are intelligent enough; kindly study reading the required books and my kind request is that you should undertake this job for me”.
Excerpts of his letter;
“I took this challenge and started on the Job. The thera financed me to put up an additional structure at my factory to house the work of the statue. Subsequently he gave 58 pieces of concrete moulds for the brass cast. By trial and error, I was finally successful to complete all 58 pieces moulded in brass and have them welded together. The Colombo Municipality sent a tractor to transport the brass casts to Vihara Maha Devi Park, where the thera had put up a concrete pedestal to place the statue.
“The statue was in two sections, the body and the head separately. We filled the body with sand as it was hollow and thereafter welded the head to the body. The final polishing and lacquering was done on the statue and made ready for the opening on May 26th 1972, to commemorate the Republic Day, with a distinguished gathering including William Gopallawa, then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and a number of ministers including Mayor of Colombo, the late Vincent Perera.
“In the same year in October 1972, I received a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office indicating that I had been selected for the “Leaders Invitation Programme” from the Government of Japan for four weeks. This Program is offered only for two persons, one from the state sector and the other from the private sector. My selection was from the private sector.
“I telephoned the thera informing him about the letter from the Prime Minister’s Office. The thera told me that he was invited to the Temple Trees one morning by PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike. The thera was requested to sit next to her, and she had explained about the letter from the Japanese Government. The Prime Minister inquired from the thera whether the Program for the private sector should be offered to Aloy Jayawardene who did the Brass Cast Buddha Statue for us. Being a Catholic, for him to have undertaken this Job was highly commended by all Buddhists in the country and the thera approved the same.
“The Government of Japan had arranged my complete program for visits and study of major Brass Cast Factories in Kyoto where large Brass Cast Buddha Statues were made. This was a great exposure I had in Brass castings.
When I returned from the program the thera entrusted me with another Brass Cast Statue of the Buddha which was 10ft. high for the Pepiliyana Temple, the previous statue which was brass cast for Vihara Maha Devi Park was 15 ft. high.
“The 40th anniversary of the installation of the Buddha Statue was celebrated with a Pirith Ceremony at the site on May 26, 2012, which was organized by the former Mayor M. Muzzamil. I was requested to light up 40 oil lamps prepared by the Municipality which were placed in front of the statue.
Special messages from the then Prime Minister and Minister for Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs, D M Jayaratne and Ven Madapatha Dhammasara Thera, Chief Incumbent, Parama Dhamma Chaithya Pirivena, Ratmalana, the successor to the late Ven Mapalagama Vipulasara Thera were received on this occasion.”