Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy family

The Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy family is an immensely powerful family in Sri Lanka formerly Ceylon. Many members of the family have received knighthoods in the past. To this day, the family continues to be respected across the island and its members continue to hold positions of power.


History

The Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy family hails from Manipay, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. They are the only family in Sri Lanka with continuous historical records of its members going back to the 16th century (a period before the subjugation of the Jaffna Kingdom by the Portuguese in 1619).

The family members comprised the ruling elite during the Jaffna Kingdom, Portuguese, Dutch and the British periods.

Since the 17th century its members have built up Sri Lanka and played a vital role in the improvement of the lives of many Sri Lankans. During the 20th century its members including Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam was instrumental in convincing the British Government to establish a University in Sri Lanka. This resulted in the The Ceylon University Ordinance No. 20 of 1942 establishing Sri Lanka's first fully fledged degree granting university, the University of Ceylon.

Members of the family were also instrumental in negotiation Sri Lanka's independence from Great Britain.

Members of the Ponnampalam family and Coomaraswamy family were closely related to each other and shared common ancestors. They followed the Jaffna Tamil tradition of marrying relatives with marriages arranged among related family members.

The family is of aristocratic origin and held titles during the Jaffna Kingdom.

Ponnampalam family

Madava Mudaliyar (birth around late 1580s-1600) is the oldest known patriarch of the family.

His son was Kathirkama Mudali.

His son was Ulakanadar Mudaliyar

Ulakanadar Mudaliyar's son was named Mathar Mudaliyar.

Lohanada Mudaliyar's direct descendant Ponnampalam Mudaliyar married Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy's sister.

Coomaraswamy family

Sir Muthu Coomaraswamy's father, Arumugampillai Coomaraswamy (1783–1836) was born in Manipai to an aristocratic family [1] and joint the seminary that Governor North started for producing interpreters. Coomaraswamy passed out and served as an interpreter from 1805. He was appointed by the Governor with a Mudaliyar position at the age of 26 and became the Jaffna Tamil with the highest government appointment. He played a critical role as the Tamil-English interpreter when the Kandyan king Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy was captured in 1815. He was rewarded by Governor Brownrigg in 1819 for loyal service to the British crown.[2]

Ponnanbalam Ramanathan in 1906 with his future wife Ms. Harrison (right). Several members of the family were married to western women.

Arunachalam Ponnambalam’s (1814–87) step Father Ariyaputhira was Coomaraswamy’s brother-in-law and in 1844 Ponnambalam married Coomaraswamy’s daughter Selachchi. Ponnambalam was appointed cashier of the Colombo Kachcheri in 1845 and deputy Coroner for Colombo in 1847. Many leading Englishmen were his friends and it transpired in the 1849 Parliamentary Commission that he used to lend money to government officials.[3]

His three sons P. Coomaraswamy (1849–1905), P. Ramanathan (1851–1930) and P. Arunachalam (1853–1926) were national figures and two of them, P. C. and P. A. married two daughters of Namasiyayam, an extremely successful broker. This closely related and endogamous clan emerged as the pre-eminent Tamil family of the country and rose to national elite status.[4]

Despite their anglicized background which propelled their rise, the family presented a staunch Hindu appearance and assumed the role of patrons of the Vellalas in Colombo. However many of its members; Muttu Coomaraswamy, P. Coomaraswamy, P. Ramanathan married western women. Ananda Coomaraswamy was married four times to western women. It is noteworthy that regardless of marriage or political affiliations non of its members switched to Christianity and were staunch followers of Hinduism.

They helped many young Tamils to secure employment in English banks and mercantile establishments. On the death of Mudaliyar Coomaraswamy’s wife in 1897, the leading daily, The Ceylon Independent wrote "to her and her husband, almost every important Hindu family in the city owes its rise."


Philanthropic donations made by the family


Various members of the family have made philanthropic donations for the benefit of the general public. Some of them are as follows.


Education


1) Parameswara College

Parameswara College was constructed on 30 acres of family owned private land using private funds.

The College was estsblished by Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan to provide free Hindu based primary and secondary education for Tamil boys and young men.

This school and its private properties were taken over by the Sri Lankan Government to establish the University of Jaffna.


2) Ramanathan College, Chunagam

This school was established by Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan to provide free primary and secondary education to Taml girls and young ladies.

It was established on 35 Acres of family owned private land using private funds.

Presently branches of this school can be found across Sri Lanka.


3) Jaffna Hindu College -

This school was established by Mudaliyar P. Coomaraswamy during his tenure as the president of the" Saiva Paripalana Sabai" Jaffna to provide hindu based primary and secondary education to young boys and men.

The management of the school was entrusted by him to a sub-committee of six members consisting of President – Justice Mr. Chellappapillai, Vice-President Mr. S. Nagalimgam Secretary Mr. V. Casipillai, Treasurer Mr. Pasupathy Chettiar and Committee members Mr. A. Sabapathy and Mr. S. Kailasapillai.

Presently it is one of the leading Hindu boys school in Jaffna.

Branched of this school can be found across Sri Lanka.


4) Nagapooshini School, Nallur (Jaffna)

This school was built by Mr.Moorthathamby (father of late Mr.M. Swaminathan) to educate disadvantaged children in Nallur in memory of his daughter who passed away at a young age.

Located just behind the Nallur Kandaswamy temple this school and its private properties were taken over by the Sri Lankan Government when it created the Government funded school system. The school is still in operation providing quality education to the children of the locality.




Places of worship


1) Sri Ponnambala Vaneswarar Temple in Kotchikadai, Colombo

This leading Hindu Temple was established by A.Ponnambalam mudaliyar on private land with private funds to provide a Siva Temple in which Hindus in Colombo can worship.


2) Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in Mutwal, Colombo

This leading Hindu Temple was established by Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam on private land using private funds to provide a Siva Temple in which Hindus in Colombo can worship.


3) Kurinji Andavar Temple, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu

This Murugan Temple was built by Lady Leelawathy Ramanathan in memory of her late husband Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan. The Temple overlooks the Palani shrine of Lord Muruga covered with kurinji flowers.



Other contributions


1) Ratmalana Airport, Ratmalana

The Ratmalana Airport which is Sri Lanka's first airport is built on one of the families private 50 acre estates.

Notable members of the family

References

  1. ↑ http://noolaham.net/project/19/1810/1810.pdf
  2. ↑ Vythilingam 36-43
  3. ↑ Vythilingam 58
  4. ↑ Jayawardena 210-212
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