Gajaman Nona, a poetess of great repute, was born in 1746. She was baptised at St. Paul’s Church, Milagiriya in Bambalapitiya. As a baby, she was brought to Kahawatta in Beliatta as her father was engaged in rajakariya service there.
During her childhood, she therefore became accustomed to village life. According to available records, she was one of the most beautiful girls in the village and was the attraction of the youth in the area. Her poetic ability developed as she lived in the serene village setting, surrounded by paddy fields, trees and a variety of birds.
She was named Donna Isabella Perumal Cornelia. Her father was Don Francisco Senaratna Kumara Perumal and her mother was Francina Jasenthu Graivo.
Cornelia learned to write poems in Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit. Her talents were noticed at an early age when someone hid her water pot and she wrote a poem in Sinhala, translated as:
Little golden pot, filled with water
And left on the edge of the well,
The one who hid it is a scoundrel who can’t count to five or eight!
Will you give back my little pot, so that I can go home?
She lived in Weragampita in Matara after her father was appointed as the Arachchi. Although a Christian, Cornelia was a constant visitor to the temple close to her house and it was the Viharadipathi, Ven. Koratota Dhammarama Thera, who was a poet of great reputation during that era, under whom she learnt the art of writing poetry. Women were not allowed to study in temples then. Cornelia in the guise of a young boy frequented the temple simply because she wanted to develop her poetic aspirations and talents.
Her father was known as Gajaman Arachchi and so, Cornelia became known as Gajaman Nona. By this time, she had become a popular poetess. There were men of great repute who were in love with her.
Gajaman Nona dressed in Portuguese-style dresses. They were attractive with puffed sleeves and long pleated skirts. When she was 22, she married a resident of Thalpe in Galle.
They were blessed with a child who was named Juwanis Alwis. During this time, Gajaman Nona faced the saddest time of her life because her husband met with an untimely death. Thereafter, she received marriage proposals in abundance.
Gajaman Nona showed reluctance to marry again, but her father persuaded her to get married for the second time. Her second husband Don Gabriel Hendick Siriwardena was a resident of Uyanwatta in Matara. Later, her father also died after being attacked by a tusker when her family together with a group of pilgrims went up to Adams Peak. The famous Englishman Sir John D’Oyly had been one of her lovers and had helped her financially at a time when she was in need after her husband’s death.
After the death of her husband, she refused to return the affection of Elapatha Mudaliyar who was a reputed citizen during that era.
Elapatha Mudaliyar who was also a talented poet thus queried:
Chanda Sooriyameni Lade Nube Uwana
Indaneela Deka Wenilemada Enathana
Andakarayata Evilu Pahana Mena
Kimda Thani Yahane Nidiyanne Nona
Elapatha Mudaliyar who was ordained as a priest for a certain period gave up the robes with the sole intention of wining the love of Gajaman Nona. He compared Gajaman Nona to a lamp that illuminates the darkness and queried why she slept all alone.
Gajaman Nona replied in this manner:
Benda Mage Himiparalowa Giya Bewina
Nindall Memata Puruduya Thaniyama Yahana
Winda Rati Sepaya Mata Mathaka Nethiuna
Kimda Thamuseta Vimasanna Karana
In the poem, she said she slept in her own bed all alone after the death of her husband and that she is used to it and queried the reason for him to ask her why.
She died at the age of 56 on December 15, 1814. She was cremated in Weragampita, Matara.
There is a statue of Gajaman Nona at the junction of Nonagama in Ambalantota which is exposed to the elements as it is without a canopy. The place is also frequently used to put up banners, while the city fathers turn a blind eye for reasons not known.
There is a resting place for pilgrims known as Gimanhala at Adam’s Peak set up by Gajaman Nona and there are several places in Ambalantota named after Gajaman Nona such as Gajamanwewa and Gajamangama. This shows that Gajaman Nona had close association with this area after Sir John D’Oyly gave her a gamwara there.
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