Axe falls on historic banyan tree at President’s House

Most Sri Lankans are unaware of the disappearance of the banyan tree, which was a historic landmark at the Janadipathi Mandiraya or the former Queen’s House in Fort.

It was planted by then- Governor Sir Joseph West Ridgeway to honour the 25th anniversary of the ascension of Queen Victoria to the throne. She ascended at the age of 18 in June 1837.

Now, only pictures of this magnificent tree -- admired the world over as one that had withstood time -remain. Who has ordered the tree to be cut down is not clear but the Sunday Times learns that the demise came after falling branches had ear- lier damaged part of the roof.

One episode that reflects the significance of this tree occurred when the then Foreign Minister, the late Lakshman Kadirgamar, met the United States Secretary of State Colin Powell. The latter had recalled a visit to Sri Lanka, soon after the ethnic disturbances of July 1983, in the company of the then Defence Secretary Casper Weinberger, and the then Assistant Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Of all the memories of Sri Lanka, Gen. Powel had cherished most was the sight of the banyan tree when he held a meeting with the late President J. R. Jayewardene. Upon return to Sri Lanka, Mr Kadirgamar sent Gen. Powel an autographed copy of a large size photograph of the historic tree with a narrative on the tree’s history written by the head of the Botanical Gardens.

The precincts where the tree was located was first the residence of the Dutch Governor John Gerard van Anglebeek and was called the Governor’s House. When the British took over then Ceylon, its name was changed to Queen’s House. The name change to Janadipathi Mandiraya or President’s House came in 1972.

Under the previous Government, a statue of Queen Victoria which was a little distance away from the historic tree was shifted to the Vihara Maha Devi Park. This part of the precincts was then called Gordon Gardens.