Background
Walisinghe Harischandra was born to the family of Walisinghe Hendrick de Silva and Pehandi Marthnanda de Silva Gunasekera in Negombo on 9 July 1876.
Walisinghe Harischandra was born to the family of Walisinghe Hendrick de Silva and Pehandi Marthnanda de Silva Gunasekera in Negombo on 9 July 1876.
After the school education, he attended the Law College.
Walisinghe Harischandra is also regarded as the saviour of Sri Lankan sacred city Anuradhapura. His birth name was Edward de Silva. Later he was entrusted to a lawyer uncle in Colombo, to continue his studies in English and Law.
He was a student of Wesley College, Colombo from 1889 to 1895.
He changed his name to East.de South. Walisinghe and started teaching at the Sunday Dhamma school at Ananda College, Colombo. Sri Lanka was then a British colony known as Ceylon.
Young East.de South. Walisinghe gave up his legal career and adopted the name Walisinghe Harischandra. He decided to be a Brahmacharya, which meant he would remain a bachelor, devoting his time to religious and national work.
He believed that he would be able to serve his motherland in a more meaningful manner by getting involved in nationalist and religious activities.
He worked first as the assistant secretary and later as the secretary of Mahabodhi Society. In 1899 he went across to India and was involved in the construction of the Maha Bodhi Vihara in Sanchi. He spent some time in India and participated in the campaign "Save Buddhagaya".
Walisinghe Harischandra was also interested in Temperance Work and addressed many meetings of the Sri Lankan temperance society.
By constantly addressing various meetings, he soon became a powerful orator. Walisinghe Harischandra kept a diary of daily activities making notes regularly.
Among the entries towards the latter part of his life was one on "The best die young". Walisinghe Harischandra died on 13 September 1913 after a short illness.
Brahmachari Walisinghe Harischandra is regarded as a National Hero of Sri Lanka.
Walisinghe Harischandra wrote and published a considerable number of books Most of his books were written in English and Sinhala languages. Description of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, Great Story of King Dutugemunu, Lumbini, Mahabodhi, The Significance of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and Life of King Devanampiyatissa are some examples for his written work.
In his book The Sacred City of Anuradhapura, he included a section titled The best way to see the ruins, to guide the newcomers to the city.