The relationship between the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple and Ven. Galboda Gnanissara Thera is unbreakable. The seventh-day almsgiving ceremony of Ven.
Gnanissara Thera was held at the Gangaramaya Temple, where a large number of senior bhikkhus participated. During this event, Chief Incumbent of the Paramadhammavediya Pirivena, Ratmalana, Dr. Madamme Wimalasara Nayaka Thera, and Chief Incumbent of Gangaramaya, Dr.
Kirinde Assaji Thera, along with other disciple bhikkhus, offered alms in reverence to him. Our primary objective was to meet the Chief Incumbent of Gangaramaya, Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera, to uncover Ven.
Gnanissara Thera’s hidden aspects. Ven. Gnanissara Thera’s memories turned out to be more historical and fascinating than we had anticipated.
What was confirmed to us was that if the recollections of Ven. Gnanissara Thera were documented, they would undoubtedly form an excellent history book. Ven.
Gnanissara Thera once that the first road constructed by the British in Colombo was Sir James Peiris Mawatha. Before that, it was known as General Lake Road. A part of it, marked as General Lake Road, can still be seen near the Salvation Army Building.
Ven. Gnanissara Thera had an extraordinary ability to foresee the future. When he first arrived in Colombo, many Buddhists lived in areas like Mattakkuliya, Union Place, Stewart Street, and Slave Island.
In his later years, Ven. Gnanissara Thera expressed deep sorrow over the dwindling number of Sinhala Buddhists living.