Horagolla Walauwa (''also known as'' Horagolla) is a large

bungalow A bungalow is a small house or cottage that is typically single or one and a half storey, if a smaller upper storey exists it is frequently set in the roof and Roof window, windows that come out from the roof, and may be surrounded by wide ve ...

(as mansions are referred to locally) in Atthanagalla,

Western Province Western Province or West Province may refer to: *Western Province, Cameroon *Western Province, Rwanda *Western Province (Kenya) *Western Province (Papua New Guinea) *Western Province (Solomon Islands) *Western Province, Sri Lanka *Western Provinc ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

. A

stately home 300px, Oxfordshire.html" ;"title="Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire">Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a To ...

built by

Sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part ...

Solomon Dias Bandaranaike Sir Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna Kadukeralu Bandaranaike, ( Sinhala: සොලමන් ඩයස් අබේවික්‍රම ජයතිලක සෙනෙවිරත්න රාජකුමාරු ...

after his appointment as

Maha Mudaliyar The Maha Mudaliyar (''Head Mudaliyar'' or මහ මුදලි) was a colonial title and office in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Head Mudaliyar functioned as the head of the low country native headmen and native aide-de-camp to the Governor of Ceylon. ...

(Head Mudaliyar) at the turn of the twentieth century. It drives its name from his

country seat 300px, Oxfordshire.html" ;"title="Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire">Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a To ...

of Horagolla, where it is located, and from the word ''

walauwa Walauwa or walawwa is the name given to a feudal/Colony, colonial manor house in Sri Lanka of a Native headmen of Ceylon, native headmen. It also refers to the feudal social systems that existed during the colonial era. The term walauwa is derive ...

'' the traditional name for a headman's home. Located behind it is the older walauwa of Horagolla which was home to Sir Solomon's father

Gate Mudaliyar Mudaliyar (or Mudali) was a Ceylon, Ceylonese colonial title during Portuguese Ceylon, Portuguese and British Ceylon, British rule of the island. Stemming from the Native headmen of Ceylon, native headman system, the title was usually hereditary, ...

Don Christoffel Henricus Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilake Seneviratne Bandaranaike, which was originally built by Don Solomon Dias Bandaranaike, Mudaliyar of Siyan Korale East who was Sir Solomon's grandfather who helped the British build the Colombo - Kandy Road. A passionate horse breeder, Sir Solomon converted this house into his

stables A stable is a building in which working animals are kept, especially horses or oxen. The building is usually divided into stalls, and may include storage for equipment and feed. Styles There are many different types of stables in use tod ...

. After many years of dereliction, it was renovated by the renowned architect

Geoffrey Bawa Deshamanya Geoffrey Manning Bawa, (23 July 191927 May 2003) was a Sri Lankan architect. Often referred to as the leader of the Tropical Modernist movement, he was among the most influential Asian architects of his generation. Early life Geoff ...

as the home of Sir Solomon's granddaughter

Sunethra Bandaranaike Sunethra Bandaranaike (; born 27 July 1943), is a Sri Lankan philanthropist and socialite. A member of the Bandaranaike family, she is the eldest daughter of former Prime Ministers S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike and sister of ...

in the 1980s. Horagolla Walauwa, became the

family seat A family seat, sometimes just called seat, is the principal residence of the landed gentry and aristocracy. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families t ...

of the

Bandaranaike family The Bandaranaike family is a Sinhalese family prominent in Sri Lankan politics. The family includes three prime ministers and one President of Sri Lanka. History The Bandaranayaka family is claimed to originate from Nilaperumal Pandaram, wh ...

with Sir Solomon's son

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (8 January 1899 – 26 September 1959), also known as "The Silver Bell of Asia" (ආසියාවේ රිදී සීනුව), was a Sri Lankan statesman who served as the fourth Prime Minister of ...

becoming the

4th Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

Prime Minister of Ceylon The prime minister of Sri Lanka, officially the prime minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the most senior member of parliament in the cabinet of ministers. It is the second-most powerful position in Sri Lanka's exec ...

after independence followed by his daughter-in-law

Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike Sirima Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (; ; ; 17 April 1916 – 10 October 2000), commonly known as Sirimavo Bandaranaike, was a Sri Lankan politician. She was the world's first female prime minister when she became Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (th ...

becoming Prime Minister on three occasions and his granddaughter

Chandrika Kumaratunga Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (; ; born 29 June 1945), commonly referred to by her initials CBK, is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the fifth President of Sri Lanka, President of Sri Lanka from 12 November 1994 to 19 November 2005. ...

becoming

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

and then

President of Sri Lanka The president of Sri Lanka ( ''Śrī Laṅkā Janādhipati''; ''Ilaṇkai janātipati'') is the head of state and head of government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The president is the chief executive of the union governm ...

. Located in the gardens of Horagolla Walauwa, east of the Walauwa is the

Horagolla Bandaranaike Samadhi The Bandaranaike family is a Sinhalese family prominent in Sri Lankan politics. The family includes three prime ministers and one President of Sri Lanka. History The Bandaranayaka family is claimed to originate from Nilaperumal Pandaram, wh ...

the

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike and across the Colombo-Kandy road on top of a short hill is the mausoleum of Sir Solomon. After the death of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the house was inherited by her son

Anura Bandaranaike Anura Bandaranaike (15 February 1949 – 16 March 2008) was a Sri Lankan politician, who served as Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (2000-2001) and Leader of the Opposition (1983–1988). He held several cabinet ministries: as Foreig ...

who was a former Government Minister and

Speaker Speaker most commonly refers to: * Speaker, a person who produces speech * Loudspeaker, a device that produces sound ** Computer speakers Speaker, Speakers, or The Speaker may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Speaker" (song), by David ...

of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. After he died without heirs it was transferred to the Anura Bandaranaike Foundation.

References

{{coord missing, Sri Lanka Bandaranaike family Country houses in Sri Lanka Houses in Gampaha District Manor houses in Sri Lanka

See also

References