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by Rohan L. Jayatilleke

There is a myth and misconception that Maha Adikaram Ehelepola betrayed the country, which led to the ceding of the Kandyan kingdom to the British in 1815, resulting in the entire Sri Lanka becoming a British colony. This myth and misconception are blasted by the report of an English official quoted by Archibald Campbell Lawrie (District Judge of Kandy from 1873 till 1892, Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon) in his authoritative work, published in 1896 by Government Printer of Ceylon George J. A. Skeen in 1896.

The quotation reads; it has been assumed by many writers that Ehelepola's ambition was to be raised to the Kandyan throne by the help of the English troops. It is said that was his main object in persuading General Brownrigg to invade the country.

I do not know that there is foundation for this, but if such was his policy, it may be that he was a more able statesman than the Englishmen with whom he had to deal. If Ehelepola had been raised to the throne as a king dependent on England, with a resident English garrison at once to support and to control him the Kandyans might possibly have been spared the horrors of the insurrection of 1818 and the cruelty of its suppression by the English.

The country might have flourished under a native ruler of no mean capacity, whose worst tendencies might have been corrected and his best fostered by English aid. In 1819 hardly a member of the leading families, heads of the people, remained alive; those whom the sword and the gun had spared, cholera and smallpox and privations had slain by hundreds.... If Ehelepola had reigned, much that must now be regretted might have been avoided, but fate decided otherwise, and Ehelepola died in exile in Mauritius. It is said that after the British accession he conducted himself with dignity.

He declined official employment, preferring to live in retirement and solicited the title' The Friend of the British Government'. He held the titular office of first Adigar, and by some he was called 'Deveni Rajjuruwo' (Second King), which excited the suspicion of Governor Sir Robert Brownrigg. (Marshall Report, A Gazetteer of the Central Province Vol 1. pages 202 - 203).

The chieftains of Kandy are popularly known by the name of their village of birth, where in they are the overlords of the area. Ehelepola is a villages in Udugoda, Udasiya Pattuwa of Matale North, about nine miles from Matale city. This vasama (area) includes Kinigama, Urulemulla, Kohona, Koholanwela, Delupota, Walmoruwa, Demada-oya and Homapola. The population in 1881 was 302, (166 males, 136 females; in 1891, 130, (64 males and 66 females).

The Ehelepola family was one of the greatest of the Kandyan aristocracy and had their Walawwa in Ehelepola and their name Wijayasundere, a name in the Kandyan areas now very scantily found but still continues in Galewela and Dambulla areas, where to even the members of the Wijayasundera lineage held offices such as Mohottala, Muhandiram and under the British Village Headman, quiet distinct from its substitute Grama Niladhari of present day, the Village Headman was the lord of all he surveyed, the repository of law and order and the administration directly under the Government agent and charged with power to arrest any offender sans title of social standing and put him on the 'Dandukande' a devise made of wood, which would imprison the legs of the offender and keep him prostrate until he is handed over to the Police or until he confesses to his crime. All Policemen patrolling the area at night must first call over on the Village.

Headmen and obtain his signature on their field log books. (This writer is aware of the procedure as his ancestors were Mudliyars, Muhandirams and Headmen in the Velleboda Pattuwa of Galle, with their ancestral Walawwa at Walawwatta Galle and Nagoda Galle viz Jayetilleke and Dias Abeysinhe Walawwas).

There is documentary evidence with regard to the high positions held by the Wijayasundere family. In the Matale Maha Disawa Kadaimpota, it is recorded that in the reign of King Rajasinhe and King Wijayapala of Godapola (Kandy) Ehelepola Basnayake Nilame was Ratemahatmaya and Muhandiram. Ehelepola Ralahami, Maha Adikaram Nilame was witness to an ola, Saka 1638 (1706 AD) written at the palace, Hanguranketa.

The family had a Sannas, Saka 1644 (1722 AD). Its history is told in the Sannas of 1745 AD quoted below:

SRI - His Most Gracious Majesty our Supreme Lord and God, king of the illustrious Lanka, by light of his incomparable and most profound divine wisdom, made the following edict.

Whereas Waradamune Wijayasundara Mudiyannehe served the Great Gate with affection and then obtained a great many favours., among which a Sannasa to asweddumize any land he might wish in any place below Narangashinna and above the ferry Tim-billa-tota.

That afterwards Wijayasundara Mudiyannehe having served in the presence of their Supreme Majesties, the three great kings Rajasinha, Vimala Dharma, and Narendra Sinha, obtained the following appointments under the said three kings.

Gabada Nilame of the Palle Maha Wasala; Basnayake Nilame of the Natha Devale and Maha Devale; Disava of the districts of Mandakalapuva (Batticaloa) Udapalata, Four Korales, Matale and Uva and Adikaram Nilame; and continued to serve in the said offices.

That afterwards Ehelepola Wijayasundara Wikkramasinha Chandrasekera Seneviratna Mudiyannehe, who served in the presence of His Majesty the great and pre-eminent King Narendra Sinha, obtained the appointments of Basnayake Nilame of the Maha Devale, Disava of Udapalatha and Adikaram Nilame and continued to serve in the said offices.

That after His Supreme Majesty the great King Sri Wijaya Raja Sinha, Protector of the whole world, at the city of Senkhanda Sailabhidhana-pura, otherwise called Sri Wardanapura which a bounds with all the wealth and prosperity possessed by all other cities, was installed Emperor of the whole island of the illustrious Lanka, being moved by his divine wisdom and mercy, made an order to perpetuate the existence of the Kshestriyawamsa which has continued to exist without any break in the illustrious Island of Lanka; This order Mudiyannehe having most respectfully borne on his head, brought princesses from Madura of the Solar dynasty with great effort, and after having undergone great troubles solemnized the marriage, for the prosperity and improvement of the world.

And further, the Mudiyannehe caused a new city to be built at place called Hapugastenna, situated in a delightful locality, and thus with great faith, loyalty, sincerity, and affection served the Great Gate.

In consideration of the said services His Majesty has been pleased of his own accord, pleasure, and wish to appoint the Mudiyannehe Disava of the Districts of Madakalapuwa, Tambalagamuwa, Panava, Nuwarakalaviya (Anuradhapura) and the Seven Korales; and His Majesty has likewise been pleased to grant and does hereby grant unto him, the following villages and lands: Wewala, Pokatiyamulla, Unumuwa, Yatiniyara, Kahakumarawela, Kadadekawewa, Weltota, Bokalawewa, Mahawelakumbura, Paldeniya, Medabedda, Beligomuwa, Galewela, Makulugahadalupota, Navaka-asvedduma, Gampahe, Nugadeniya, and Iriyagolla-dalupota all in Ehelepola in the Udugoda korale of the District of Matale, from the District of the Seven Korales (Kurunegala) the village called Gurussa in the Hiriysle - Ototapattuwa, Waduwa-asvedduma in the Tittawelligandahaya; from Harispattuwa the field Unumuwa in Gallella of Galasiyapattu; from Hewaheta, Megodatihe, the field Dikkena.

That all these villages' including high and muddy lands, houses and gardens, trees and leaves, forests, rills and streams have been granted in paravani to Ehelepola Wijeyasundara Wikkramasinha Chandrasekara Seneviratna Senanayake Jayetilleke Amarakoon Wahala Pandita Mudiyanse Ralahami and to his children grandchildren and descendants as their paraveni property for ever and ever, without any disturbance, and free from Pali, Marala, Madi-Hungan.

Thus this copper Sannas was ordained and caused to be written and granted by His Majesty's order in the year Saka 1667, called Krodhana, on Monday, the twentieth day of the waning moon of the month of Nikini" .

No other chieftain of Kandy Molligoda, Migastenne, Madugalle, Keppitipola or Pikimatalawwe were heir to the great respect and acceptance by the Sinhala Royalty of the Island nor were heirs such heroism as those of the Ehelepolas.

Ehelepola Maha Adikaram or Ehelepola Wijayasundara Wikramasinha Chandrasekera Seneviratne Mudiyanse, son of Ehelepola Wijayasundara Wikramasinha Chandrasekera Seneviratna Senanayake Jayetilleke Amarakon Wahala Pandita Mudiyanse ralahami was born in 1773 AD. He was Disava of the Seven Korales in 1803 and succeeded Migastenne as the Second Adigar in 1806, when about thirty-three years of age.

The Office of the Disava of Seven Korales was then divided between Ehelepola and Molligoda, which greatly dissatisfied both Ehelepola and the people, for two Disavas required double Rajakari duties and services. Over this matter and insurrection ensued which Pilimatalawwe suppressed.

Young Ehelepola was made the Disava of Uva. The kings were always suspicious of the Ehelepola family that they would one day outs them, as they were aliens (Nayakkars from South India) In fact the father of Ehelepola too incurred the displeasure of the king earlier and had been sent out of Kandy and his property given to Maha Nilame, who was his brother.

Pilimatalawwe rebelled and was put to death in 1812. Ehelepola succeeded him as the First Adigar (Maha Adikaram). However, the king was suspicious of him, from statements exerted from some of the accomplices engaged in Pilimatalawwe's rebellion. The King showed his ill-will to Ehelepola calling his rich presents mean and unworthy of acceptance at the king's daughter's wedding.

Ehelepola thereafter was Disava of Sabaragamuwa and when he was summoned in March by the king to call over at the Kandy palace in March, 1814, he refused to accede to the king's order. Ehelepola, whose prime objective was to displace the Nayakkar dynasty Nayakkar dynasty, who had been placed on the throne by self seeking clique of Sinhala chieftains, after the death of Sri Vira Parakrama Narendrasinha (1707 - 1739) who was the last Sinhala king.

In pursuit of this objective and knowing pretty well that fighting the British, who were ruling the maritime provinces with a superior naval and military power was only a wishful bubble Ehelepola corresponded with General Brownrigg for English aid and he assembled his adherents in Sabaragamuwa to resist the king's authority. The king deprived Ehelepola of his office of Disava and of Adigar and conferred them on Molligoda.

Ehelepola addressing the people announced that he had been dismissed from the posts he held and questioned them whether he was to proceed alone to Kandy and face punishments or whether they were prepared to help him. The people in one voice declared their allegiance to them and came forward to proceed to Kandy with him. On his way to Kandy people of Tun Korale and Satara Korale too joined him. (D'Oyly to Brownrigg 1 - 5 1815. Govt Archives document 54/52)

While the Resident of Kandy John D'Oyly and the Governor courted Ehelepola but was all the time suspicious of him as the natives were always accepting his leadership. In October 1817 an insurrection broke out in Wellassa which spread to other Kandyan districts. Just at this time Ehelepola asserted his power in a manner which alarmed the English authorities. (Marshall p. 166)

On March 2nd 1818, Ehelepola was arrested and taken as prisoner to Colombo on suspicion of his being disaffected towards the English. But even then the British Government vacillated. In the minute dated 7th March it was stated' "Ehelepola Maha Nilame is removed for a time because Government considers his presence here as detrimental to the public good but it is not at all meant to charge him as a traitor".

Although, this was the assertion of the Government no charge was ever made ever against him, he was never restored to liberty. He was kept a prisoner in Colombo until 1825 and he was banished to Mauritius where he died at the age of 56.

The British government raised a tombstone in Mauritius where he was buried (incidentally not cremated as there were no crematoriums then). It is learnt even today people of Mauritius visit this tombstone and light candles in his memory.

Previously king Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe ordered Ehelepole's bother and nephew to be put to death and finally his wife Keppitipola Kumarihamy and children. This episode is vividly narrated by Forbes in the following manner:

"She and her children four in number were brought from the house where they had been confined, to the street in front of the queen's apartment in the palace and between the Vishnu and Natha Temples; the eldest of the four children was eleven years of age, the youngest was still at the breast.

Each of the children was beheaded in succession, and the head being then placed in the rice mortar the mother was compelled to go through the act of pounding the mangled infants. The youngest was snatched from her breast, and the milk from the mouth actually mingled with its life blood a moment after. The butchery of the children having being completed the mother and some female relations were led to the Bogambara tank and drowned."

Major Davy says in his work "The lady with great resolution maintained her's and her children's innocence and her lord's., at the same time submitting to the king's pleasure and offering up her wno and her offsprings' lives, with the fervent hope that her husband would be benefitted by her sacrifice.

Having uttered these sentiments aloud, she desired her eldest boy to submit to his fate; the poor boy, who was eleven years old, clung to his mother, terrified and crying; her second son nine years old, heroically stepped forward; he bid his brother not to be afraid. he would show him the way to die".

This beheading and pounding took place in the then place called 'Alakolamaditta' and thereafter people used to visit the place in large numbers and pay homage to the Ehelepola children.

Sadim Kumba, a Maly, stated to the Temple Land Commissioner, that in 1843 he saw on a land close to the new Police station in Kandy the stone through in which Ehelepola's children were pounded, and that in 1858 the trough was in the Pavilion. Case No. District Court Kandy 30,962). It is worthwhile looking out for this trough in the President's House in Kandy, which was earlier called Pavilion.

All in all Ehelepola was never a traitor. It is sad reflection on the Kandyans that no action has been taken to commemorate the Ehelepola's naming schools and streets after them. Few years ago, this writer was able to have Kandy Lake Road renamed as Veera Madduma Bandara Mawatha, a school at Bahirawakanda as Madduma Bandara Vidyalaya and a road in Bogambara as Ehelepola Kumarihamy Mawatha.

It is suggested that Sarasavi Uynana Vidyalaya at Peradeniya, Be hamed as Ehelepola Maha Adikaram Vidyalaya, Senkadagala Maha Vidyalaya at Buwelikade, Kandy as Ehelepola Kumarihamy Maha Vidyalaya and the Bogambara Stadium, which was formerly the Bogambara tank where Kumarihamy was drowned, be named as Ehelepola Kumarihamy Sports Stadium.

It is hoped that the Foreign Minister Tyrone Fernando, would negotiate with the Government of Mauritius and bring back the remains of Ehelepola Maha Adikaram and ceremonially re-inter them at the Maha Maluwa of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. It is also suggested that in the place (road) between the Vishunu Devale and Natha Devale, inside the Sri Dalda Maligawa square, opposite old Dharmaraja College building a monument will be erected by the Central Cultural Fund to mark where the children of Ehelepola Maha Adikaram were beheaded and Ehelepola Kumarihamy ordered to pound them in a motar.

This motar may be found in Kandy President's House and the Cultural Triangle officials of Kandy could make a search for it and have it along with the suggested monument.

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