Obeyesekere Walawa
Encyclopedia
Obeyesekere Walawa aka Maligawa is a large bungalow
(as mansions are referred to locally) in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
. A stately home
modeled on Neoclassical style, it was used as a town house by the Obeyesekere family, even thou at its construction it was situated in the area of Cinnamon Gardens
a suburb of Colombo, now part of greater colombo area.
Built in the 1920s with large gardens and extravagant interior firings, by the wealthy and powerful Obeyesekere family, headed by Sir James Peter Obeyesekere II, Kt
, MA
who was the First Mudaliyar
highest post for a Ceylonese in the British Colonial Administration of Ceylon at the time.
In 1939, Sir James on request of the Royal College Colombo
, granted the house with its furniture for the use of the school as a hostel
after the school attempted to reestablish a hostel after absence of one for students from out station for several years. However in December 1941 with the out break of the world war 2 in the far east, the Maligawa along with the Royal College premise was taken over by the British Army
. As the school was turned in to a military hospital, the Maligawa soon became a the officer's mess
for the RAF that had covered the Colombo Race Course
to a airfield
.
Several years after the war it was returned to the Obeyesekere family, and it became the home of Deshamanya
J.P. Obeyesekere III former senator and minister of health & finance; his wife Siva Obeyesekere her self a former minister of health.
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
(as mansions are referred to locally) in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. A stately home
Stately home
A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...
modeled on Neoclassical style, it was used as a town house by the Obeyesekere family, even thou at its construction it was situated in the area of Cinnamon Gardens
Cinnamon Gardens
Cinnamon Gardens is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka located 3 kilometers south-east from Colombo city centre. Cinnamon Gardens is named from the former Cinnamon plantation in this area. In the year 1789, there were of Cinnamon trees in Cinnamon Gardens...
a suburb of Colombo, now part of greater colombo area.
Built in the 1920s with large gardens and extravagant interior firings, by the wealthy and powerful Obeyesekere family, headed by Sir James Peter Obeyesekere II, Kt
KT
-Science:* kT in Physics* Knot , a unit of velocity * Kardashev scale, method of measuring an advanced civilization's level of technological advancement...
, MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
who was the First Mudaliyar
Sri Lankan Mudaliyars
Mudali was a colonial title & office in Sri Lanka. The Portuguese colonials created the Mudaliyar class in the 17th century by enlisting natives of different castes form the coastal areas, who were most likely to serve the Portuguese masters with utmost loyalty. The Dutch continued the practice of...
highest post for a Ceylonese in the British Colonial Administration of Ceylon at the time.
In 1939, Sir James on request of the Royal College Colombo
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
, granted the house with its furniture for the use of the school as a hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
after the school attempted to reestablish a hostel after absence of one for students from out station for several years. However in December 1941 with the out break of the world war 2 in the far east, the Maligawa along with the Royal College premise was taken over by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. As the school was turned in to a military hospital, the Maligawa soon became a the officer's mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
for the RAF that had covered the Colombo Race Course
Colombo Racecourse Airstrip
Colombo Racecourse Airstrip was a temporary airfield constructed at the Colombo Racecourse in Colombo during World War II for the Royal Air Force.After the fall of Singapore the Royal Navy's East Indies Station was moved to Colombo and then to Trincomalee...
to a airfield
Colombo Racecourse Airstrip
Colombo Racecourse Airstrip was a temporary airfield constructed at the Colombo Racecourse in Colombo during World War II for the Royal Air Force.After the fall of Singapore the Royal Navy's East Indies Station was moved to Colombo and then to Trincomalee...
.
Several years after the war it was returned to the Obeyesekere family, and it became the home of Deshamanya
Deshamanya
Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
J.P. Obeyesekere III former senator and minister of health & finance; his wife Siva Obeyesekere her self a former minister of health.