Looking at the history of Buddhist societies in Sri Lanka, Parama Vijnanartha Buddhist Society, which was established in 1880, was the first Buddhist organization to be established. Its pioneers were Buddhist leaders such as General Henry Steele Olcott, Hikkaduwa Sumangala, Migettuwatte Gunananda, and Dharmapala.

The Young Buddhist Society was founded on January 8, 1898 at the “Sarasavi Sandarasa” newspaper office in Maliban Street, Petakota with Anagarika Dharmapala as the chairman. The first chairman was Mr. Sir DB Jayathilaka who resided in Waragoda, Kelaniya. He was the vice-principal of Ananda Vidyalaya, Colombo at that time. Mr. CS Dissanayake is the first secretary. Mr. CS Dissanayake is known as the pioneer of Young Buddhist Society. The initial number of members of this society, which started 125 years ago today, was forty two.

214 branches of Young Buddhist Associations have been established all over Sri Lanka. Establishment of North East branches is special. The newest branch is the recently established Jaffna branch. Kiribathgoda, Kelani Young Buddhist Society started in 1958 as “Sri Kalyana Buddhist Society”. It started on July 20, 1958. A month after the establishment of the Kalyani Buddhist Society, its name was changed to Kiribathgoda, Kalyani Young Buddhist Society.

In 1947, the housing department bought 18 acres of uncultivated forest land at Talavatuhenpita (now Kiribathgoda) on Kandy Road belonging to Gampaha Member of Parliament DD Karunaratne Mudali (in 1954) to construct the housing scheme. He handed over an acre of it to the school in the adjacent Eiriawatiya. On the remaining 17 acres, houses were built on 15-20 perches each, and three rudis and thirty-eight perches could not be used due to a mudslide on the side of the city road.

At this time (1958) the DRO office was located in Maharaya. Mr. Jinadasa Dias Pathinayake from Yatalamatte in Galle is the village development officer there. He is also the land officer. One day, Mr. Patinayake received a letter at the revenue controller’s office. It had requested that this piece of land be given for the construction of a religious center. Mr. Patinayake immediately went and gave the letter to Kelaniya MP RG Senanayake. Mr. Senanayake told Mr. Patinayake to immediately establish a Buddhist society and buy the land.

That is how “Sri Kalyana Buddhist Society” was established. This society became “Kelani Young Buddhist Society” a month later and bought the land from the housing department. Kelaniya MP R. G. Senanayake helped YMB Samiti but did not accept a consultant position at least. If anyone over the age of eighty living in Kelaniya is in their right mind, they know this story very well.

Among the photos of the secretaries of the former presidents, a photo of RG is hanging right next to Mr. Patinayake’s photo because of this story. To claim to know the merits of the people of Kiribathgoda in Kelaniya. 

RG Senanayake (Richard Gotabaya Senanayake) is the elder son of Deshabandhu F, R. Senanayake and Mrs. Alan Atigala. Kiribathgoda, Kelani Young Buddhist Society was founded by the people who took advice from the Viharasthanadipati, Parivenadhipati and Yathivarayans who worked in the temples in the area. 

Sacred places like Vidyalankara Pirivena, Kiribathgoda Sudarshanaramaya, Sapugaskanda Rajamaha Viharaya etc. can be introduced as basic names for this.