Silver Tongued Orator

Premasara EPASINGHE

Make thyself a craftsman in speech for thereby thou shall gain the upper hand
(Inscription found in a 3000 years old Egyptian Tomb)
Some are born great some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them
- Shakespeare

I will never forget the day, I saw the great leader SWRD Bandaranaike, for the first time. At that time, I was a student at Nalanda College, Colombo. Sri Lanka Freedom Party was founded in 1951. This Party was inclined to valuable socialist principles to a great extent. The Inaugural Meeting of the SLFP was held at the Colombo Municipal Town Hall.

My father, a sympathizer of Lanka Samasamaja Party, an employee of the University of Ceylon, Colombo, took me to this meeting. This was the first occasion, I saw this remarkable leader.

The Colombo municipal hall was full to the brim. There were at least five to six thousand people. My father, somehow managed to squeeze me into the main hall.

Speeches are like Ballet or Opera. Audiences have a strong expectation for how you will act. If you break the protocol, you grab attention and people sense something unusual is happening. This was just what Bandaranaike did.

As a young schoolboy, I was really impressed with the oratorical skill of this great leader SWRD Bandaranaike. As a University Undergraduate, I realised that SWRD Bandaranaike was the silver tongued orator in Asia. His dulcet commanding voice, the language, his humour, wittiness are etched in my mind to this day. His brilliant oratory was “Magic”.

He kept the audience spell bound. When he spoke there was pin drop silence. Sometimes, there were cheers and applause all round. Bandaranaike never opened his mouth until the brain was in gear.

After passing out as an Arts graduate from the University, I worked at Lake House as a Journalist, from 1960-1972. During this period, I was fortunate enough to listen to many a fine speaker and report their speeches to Dinamina and Daily News.

Parliamentarian Bernard Soysa, Pieter Kieuneman, Dr. N.M. Perera, Dudley Senanayaka, J.R. Jayewardene and Senators Nadesen, Doric de Souza and Reggie Perera were my favourite speakers and debators, to whom I have listened with great inspiration.

I consider, July 12, 1951 and July 17, 1951 as dates that laid the foundation for a new era in the political history of Sri Lanka. It marked the birth of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party headed by SWRD Bandaranaike. This party is still a living force.

On July 12, 1951 SWRD Bandaranaike left the D.S. Senanayake Government and crossed over to the opposition. With him followed D.A. Rajapaksa (Beliatta), like SWRD’s shadow.

Then on July 17, four other members joined Bandaranaike. They are D.S. Goonasekera (Udugama), George R. de Silva (Colombo North), A.P. Jayasuriya (Horana) and Jayaweera Kuruppu (Balangoda). These honest dedicated, politicians were the pioneers, who laid a solid foundation to form the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. They dedicated themselves to serve this country, for many years.

Most difficult conquest

SWRD Bandaranaike resigned from the office of Ministry of Health and Local Government on July 12, 1951 and after crossing over to the opposition benches made a sensational and a memorable 14 minute statement in his own inimitable style.

At the outset, he said that from a very early age, he felt strongly within him, the urge to serve the people of his country to the best of his ability.

He went on elaborating this views’.

“It is with a deep sense of personal sadness that I part from those with whom I have worked for so many years, many of whom, I count as my personal friends. I have received many personal courtesies and kindness from the Rt. Prime Minister, for whom, I have no hesitation in saying here openly that I have great personal regard, just as I have for so many of my good friends on the benches opposite.

But, I shall be guilty of a crime against the people of my country to whose service I have dedicated myself. If I permit personal considerations of any kind to come between me and my duty, as I conceive it, to my country, I go, in the words of Abraham Lincoln “With Malice Towards None and With Charity for All”.

Quote:- “I am myself solaced on this rather melancholy occasion by the thought that personally I have at last achieved the most difficult conquests of all; “I have Conquered Myself”.

Bandaranaike’s fine speech is like a Girls Frock - short enough to arouse interest. But long enough to cover the subject.

Era of the Common Man

The dawn of 1956 was undoubtedly a landmark in the history of Ceylon. In the General Elections held then, the ruling party United National Party (UNP) was routed.

The United National Party led by Prime Minister Sir John Kotalawela, a strong jovial man, full of life, who called a spade a spade, was completely demolished by the MEP.

In 1956 Bandaranaike, with the help of the Sangha-Veda-Guru - Govi-Kamkaru, the five most powerful forces, became the champion of the people and won a landslide victory, by defeating the Western Oriented UNP.

I presume, two incidents reacted against Sir John. Once during the Election Campaign he abused the Buddhist monks. The other incident was connected with a “Barbecue of a Calf”.

With his brilliant oratory, Bandaranaike captured the hearts of the masses. Very cleverly, he formed an alliance with Philip Gunawardene, and Dr. Dahanayake Champion of the South. He also entered into a no-contest election pact with the L.S.S.P. and Communist party.

All left forces joined hands together which was too much of a challenge and isolated and routed the United National Party. Added to it, some powerful Buddhist monks also flocked around the MEP to defeat the UNP.

Attangalle - Pocket Burough of SWRD

The Attanagalle Electorate was the pocket - burough of S.W.R.D.B. I still remember a banner put up across the Attanagalu Oya. The two creative lines predicted Bandaranaike’s resounding victory.

Labunoth Ehema Ape Matiduta Parajaya -

Udugan Balai Attanagalu Oye Diya -

(If our beloved leader is defeated, the waters of Attanagalu Oya, will flow up stream).

There were many interesting stories woven round this great human-being Bandaranaike, which I gathered from Henry Senaratne Ralahamy of Kirindiwela, This interesting pencil slim character was more like one of Bandaranaike’s Election Campaign Managers.

He was in charge of canvassing in Kirindiwela, Diyawala, Paddawela, Medagama, Millate, Urapola, Pepiliwela and certain areas in Pugoda. Henry Senaratne was ably supported by the Post Master and Sub Post Master of Kirindiwela, namely V. Wickramasinghe and P. Jayatilake respectively.

Bandaranaike won Attanagalla with a thumping record - breaking majority of more than 40,000 votes. Incidentally, it was the highest majority of any elected member and he created history.

Attanagalla results were aired in the early morning at about 1.45 a.m. on, the third day of the Elections. By then, Bandaranaike’s victory was a foregone conclusion. Henry Ralahamy was on cloud nine. With his two supporters, he drove to the private residence of the newly elected Prime Minister in Rosmead Place, Colombo.

At that time, Bandaranaike was having a conversation with one of his close relations. When he saw Henry Ralahamy, he got up and came towards them and embraced them. He exclaimed loudly, these three are my giants at Attanagalla. They are like Gotaimbara, Velusumana and Theraputthabaya. Bandaranaike always maintained a very high profile as a Public Relations Personality. He moved with kings and Commoners alike.

By 1958, J. R. Jayewardene with R. Premadasa was trying to resurrect the United National Party.

A series of meetings were held islandwide exposing Bandaranaike Regime. Out of these UNP rallies, the one that was held in the hill capital, Kandy, is worth mentioning. At Bogambara Grounds, R. Premadasa, popular speaker of UNP stated that if SWRD had an opportunity of witnessing this meeting, not tears, but water would have flowed from Bandaranaike’s eyes, seeing this gathering. After a fortnight, SLFP held a public meeting at Bogambara to reply to the allegations made by JRJ and Company.

“Gentlemen, I heard, my good friend from Colombo, R. Premadasa, a few days back had very boldly said, if I saw the crowd at the Bogambara Meeting, of the UNP, not tears, but water would have flowed from my eyes. Today, I am telling you, from Bogambara, if Premadasa, were to see this massive gathering, who have flocked here, water will seep not through Premadasa’s eyes, but from another region of his anatomy.

In public speaking, the first 120 seconds is very important. You must target your audience, and capture the attention. Some times, great leaders start their speeches relating a humorous incident and keep the crowd attracted to the speaker.

Prime Minister Bandaranaike was addressing a meeting at Kadugannawa, in the electorate of CAS Marikkar, Minister of Posts. “My Dear friends, I had some fear, when I saw this sight.

My beloved friend was riding on top of a huge elephant. I felt sorry for the Poor Elephant as he is carrying a bigger elephant than him on his back. May God help the poor creature.”

Thunderous applause filled the air.

He developed his speech clearly, slowly and at time forcefully and delivered it in simple langauge.

He attracted his audience, with body language and added colour to his speech by using humour. Lucidity, precision, order and balance. These are the classical values that distinguished Bandaranaike’s well-trained mind.

While addressing the 1957 National Literary Festival at Dambadeniya, SWRD Bandaranaike started his address in this manner.’

“I am really delighted to address you from an ancient kingdom famous for its literary achievements. The Great Parakramabahu II, brilliant scholar, and literary man contributed much to Sinhala Literature during Dambadeniya Era. I am not a patch on Parakramabahu. I wrote only one detective novel titled “Mahahene Reeriyaka”.

This National leader, Patriot, SWRD Bandaranaike ushered the “Era of the Common Man.” He elevated the leading Buddhist Pirivenas - Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara to the status of Universities.

If Bernard, Pieter. N. M., Dudley, Colvin, and G. G. Ponnambalam were the Himalayan range of mountains, undoubtedly, SWRD Bandaranaike was its Mount Everest.

An outstanding Thomian

This noble son of Sri Lanka - SWRD Bandaranaike, had his Education at S’ Thomas College, Mount Lavinia. He was an outstanding student and a fine tennis player who obtained College Colours. He was a classical scholar, well versed in English, Latin and Greek.

After a brilliant academic career he proceeded to the University of Oxford and followed an honours course in Classics in Christ Church. He was also the Secretary of the Oxford University Union during his undergraduate days, and was an outstanding debater in the debating team. After graduation, he was called to the English Bar as a Barrister at Law in the Inner Temple.

Once, when the great Indian Prime Minister Pandit Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, in a friendly conversation questioned.

“Mr. Prime Minister, do you still speak with an Oxford accent.”

Immediately came the reply. “My Dear Pandit Nehru, Oxford speaks with my accent.”

This beloved leader was assassinated by a set of reactionary forces. He succumbed to his injuries and passed away on September 26, 1959.

His demise was an irreparable loss not only to his family, but to the entire Nation. With his death, Bandaranaike Philosophy became a powerful Force to reckon with.

The grateful people still respect the principles laid down by the late leader SWRD Bandaranaike. His untimely death at the hand of a gunman deprived this country of the great victory of the people in 1956.

Sir Winston Churchill was the greatest orator of the twentieth Century. SWRD Bandaranaike was undoubtedly the greatest orator of Asia in the 20th century.

The life of the great gentleman and National Leader could be summed up in the word of the great Bard of Avon, Shakespeare

“His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him, that Nature might stand up say to the world. This was a man.”