 Having read a printed version of the ' Panadurawadaya ' of 1873, a public debate between Buddhist and Christian representatives on the correctness of each belief, Col Olcott was really impressed of the teachings in Theravada Buddhism, which were in line with his vision as a theosophist.It resulted in him arriving in Sri Lanka to study more on Buddhism, and starting a branch of the Theosophical Society, first in Colombo and then in Kandy and Galle.He was ably supported by Venerable Dodanduwe Piyarathana Thissa Thera, Venerable Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera, Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thero, Venerable Weligama Sri Sumangala Thero, Venerable Walane Sri Siddhartha Thero and Venerable Ratmalane Dhammaloka Thero, along with Anagarika Dharmapala, Walisinghe Harischandra, and Sir.D.B.