Visakha Vidyalaya

The school was established in 1917 by Celestina Dias as the Buddhist Girls College in a house called 'The Firs' in Turret Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was the desire of Dias to train the school girls according to the Buddhist moral values and principles. In 1927 it moved to its present premises in Vajira Road, Colombo and was named Visakha Vidyalaya by Lady Herbert Stanley the wife of the Governor of Ceylon at that time. In 1939 the school was affiliated to Lady Irwin College, New Delhi to conduct courses in Home economics.[1] Science subjects were introduced to the curriculum in 1946, for the first time in a girls' school in Sri Lanka.

Founder Celestina Dias

The school's motto is from the Alavaka Sutta in the Sutta Pitaka of the Tripitaka. When the yakkha Alavaka first confronted Lord Buddha, he threatened to exterminate Lord Buddha unless He, Lord Buddha were to answer all his questions. One of the questions asked was "Kathansu Parisujjhati" (how is one cleansed) to which Lord Buddha replied, "Paññaya Parisujjhati" (by wisdom is one cleansed)

There are 6 houses at Visakha:

• Dawes -         
• Dias -         
• Jayatilake -         
• Motwani -         
• Pulimood -         
• Weerasooriya -         

Most of the names of the houses are made from the names of past principals.

• Deepali Wijesundera, Judge of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka
• Kusala Abhayavardhana, social worker and member of parliament
• Kshanika Hirimburegama, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Colombo
• Jayathri Samarakone, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Singapore
• Sumitra Peries, filmmaker and Sri Lanka's Ambassador to France
• Inoka Sathyangani, film director and producer
• Sabeetha Perera, film actress
• Ruchira Silva, fashion designer
• Hirunika Premachandra, politician
• Anusha Damayanthi, film actress

• Education in Sri Lanka

• Visakha Vidyalaya