Obituaries

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Now for a truly "weighty" character who passed away.
Nadungamuwa Vijaya Raja (Sinhala: නැදුන්ගමුව විජය රාජා, Tamil: நெதுன்கமுவ விஜய ராஜா) known as Nadungamuwa Raja was an Indian tusker.[1] He was the main casket bearer of the procession of Esala held in Kandy, Sri Lanka for more than a decade.[2] One of the most celebrated elephants in Asia during his lifetime, Nadungamuwa Raja was the tallest tamed tusker in Asia.

The Nedungamuwa Elephant Class, which was established in 1917, completed its 100th year in 2018 with the Nedungamuwe Raja, who was considered to be the most important elephant in the country. The first elephant for the Nedungamuwa elephant class was received in 1917 during the time of Livnis Perera, the grandfather of Harsha Dharma Vijaya, who is the current member of the Nedungamuwa medical family. His younger brother decided to attend the Balummahara Godagedara Pirivena. Livnis Perera bought an elephant as the child had to be taken in a procession. This elephant is the first elephant in the Nedungamuwa elephant lineage. Livnis Perera, Arnolis Perera, Dharma Vijaya Vedaralahamith and Harsha Dharmavijaya Vederalahamy are also credited with nurturing this hand class.[3]
Raja was born c. 1953 in Mysore, India. Raja was one of the two elephant calves gifted by a Mysuru Maharaja to the veteran native physician monk who resided in Nilammahara Temple Piliyandala in appreciation of curing his relative's long lasted illness. The other elephant being late Nawam Raja of Gangaramaya. In 1978 when Raja was 25 years old, Raja was acquired from his second owner, Herbert Wickramasinghe, who was a former parliamentarian of Bandaragama by Dharmavijaya Veda Ralahamy of Nadungamuwa area, an eminent Ayurvedic physician of that time for 75,000 LKR.[1] After the death of Ralahamy, the elephant was looked after by his son, Harsha Dharmavijaya, an Ayurvedic doctor.[2] Since then the elephant has been named after his residing village Nadungamuwa. Raja was looked after by four ivory towers: Seaman, Soma, Simon and finally Kalu Mama.[1]

Raja was cared for by Wilson Kodithuwakku popularly known as Kalu Mama for more than 15 years. Indika Jayasinghe from Polgahawela worked as the helper of Kalu Mama. Before participating in much popular Kandy Esala Perahera, Raja continuously participated for many perahera festivals in Gamapaha and Colombo and joined the procession of the Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya in 1985. However in 2005, Raja started to join Kandy Esala Perahera at a request of Pradeep Nilanga Dela who is the Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa. Since then, Raja participated in the Kandy Esala Perahera for more than a decade. The elephant was 52 years old when it first went to the Kandy Perahera.[1]
On all these occasions the elephant traveled to Kandy, covering a distance of about 90 km on foot from Weliweriya, Gampaha to Kandy. However, due to a road accident in 2016, the government provided military protection to the elephant when it arrived in Kandy. Raja always left the Nedungamuwa Palace after the monks and employers worship by sprinkling Pirith and tying Pirith strings.[2] The relics casket was carried 13 times by the tusker during the Dalada Perahera and the last time the casket was carried was in 2021.

Nadungamuwa Raja died early morning on 7 March 2022 at the age of 69.[4] After the death, the tusker was honored as a national treasure and government ordered to give full state honors.[5] The President has also instructed to preserve the body as a stuffed body.[6][7]
 

Nagungamua Raja saying good bye to his second owner. This picture was taken in 1978 at Herbert Wickramasingha's residence in Wawlugala Estate Horana.


A postage stamp of Rs. 15 and a first day cover were issued on 30 December 2019 in appreciation of the elephant's religious and cultural mission.[8][9] After the chanting of the Pirith by the Chief Incumbent of the Siamese Mahanayake Thera, Ven., the first day cover was released. The 2354 First Day Cover Issue was the second occasion for the release of an elephant stamp and first day cover.[10]