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by M. B. Dassanayake

The Kandyan Convention with 12 clauses was signed on March 2nd, 1815 between Lieutenant-General Robert Brownrigg, Governor and Commander-in-Chief acting in the name and on behalf of King George III on the one part and the Adigars, Dissaves and other principal chiefs of the Kandyan provinces on behalf of the inhabitants, on the other. This was done in the presence of the Mohottalas, Korales, Vid anes and the other subordinate headmen from the several provinces and of the people then and there assembled.

The cession of the Kandyan Province to the British took place on February 15, 1815 - a day from which says Knighten, "we date the extinction of the Sinhalese independence and the independence which had continued without material interruption for 2359 years (Buddhist Era)" so far as the Kandyan Sinhalese were concerned.

The Union Jack for the first time was hoisted and the establishment of the British Dominion in the interior was announced by a royal salute from the cannon fired from the "Mahamaluwa".

All the troops were under arms on the occasion on this important event. The historic 'Mahamaluwa' in Kandy is linked with three historic events - the hoisting of the Union Jack by the British when the Kandyan Kingdom fell - the Ehelepola tragedy - and the memorial in the name of the first architect of Lanka's freedom who was executed at Bogambara for leading the great revolt of 1818 against the British.

Lake

Encircled by hills, clad in orient verdure and decked with tropical flowers of varied hue, lies the Queen of Lanka's imperial cities, the last of the historic capitals, whose beauty is reflected in the rippling waters of a picturesque lake adjacent to the 'Mahamaluwa'.

It was on this occasion that venerable Wariyapola Sri Sumangala, Anunayake of the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya had the courage to pull down the Union Jack which was hoisted by the British. When the sentry on duty tried to fire at him, the then Governor Sir Robert Brownrigg stood in his way and the Union Jack was hoisted for the second time. During the British occupation detailed references to the Kandyan Provinces were for the first time made in the Proclamation of November 21, 1818, In order to give effect to the plan for the administration of justice, to collect the public revenue and to ensure the execution of public duties, the provinces were assigned to the immediate control and exercise of jurisdiction of a Board of Commissioners and under their superintendence of resident agents of government.

The execution of the Ehelepola family took place on May 17, 1814, at the 'Mahamaluwa'. The King (Sri Wickreme Rajasinghe) sent for the executioners and ordered them to go speedily and fetch Ehelepola Kumarihamy and her children as well as Pusselle Kumarihamy beat her breast and cried aloud: "Am I and my children to answer for the wrong of my Lord and husband?" To this the King replied: "Thy husband is an ungrateful and despicable dog."

Loku Banda frightened at the sight of the executioners and falling at his mother's feet, began to sob. The nine year old Madduma Bandara excla imed: "Elder, brother, the re is nothing to be gained by tears. They disgrace the Sinhala race. Therefore, it is right to give up our lives for our father."

Treaty

With these words after performing his religious duties, he advanced to the executioners and said, "Fellows, you may strike off my head", and lowered his neck. History tells us that the executioners rushed to Loku Banda and struck off his head. Next they snatched Dingiri Menike who was at the hip of her mother and struck off her head and put it into a mortar. They snatched the infant child who was in her arms and struck off the head.

After signing the treaty the priests, chiefs and the thousands of people who gathered left that evening to their temples and mountain fastnesses from Kandy on March 2, 1815, with very heavy hearts. The Sinhalese Lion Flag flew no more after 2359 years (Buddhist Era) over the last capital of that race. As the shadows fell over the Temple of the Tooth and those beautiful Kandyan hills, the city became clothed in darkness and the streets deserted and empty. In the shadow and chapter of treachery, greed, murder and betrayal, the soul of the nation could not be yet subdued. Since then many people from the provinces in Sri Lanka came to make a living in the Kandyan country. The land was very fertile and rich, the people poor, simple and hospitable.

It has become an honour for the entire Sinhalese race to uphold the Kandyan Treaty Rights, reserved for the people and preserved in law in Sri Lanka by the Governor's Proclamation with the consent and approval of King George III.

Just as there are in the independent states of Switzerland, the Germans, Swiss, French-Swiss and Italian-Swiss in cantons of their own, all deeply attached to every matter in regard to Switzerland, so there are low-country Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils, Burghers and Malays in the Kandyan country. It will be a responsibility cast on their brothers and sisters and the future generations to uphold and preserve the covenant that the British had agreed to maintain by the Treaty of March 2, 1815.

The Sinhalese race did not die. In 1947, a Sinhalese crossed many seas and returned in triumph and over the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, to the sound of a thousand Kandyan 'magul-bera' and with his own hands D. S. Senanayake with the Duke of Gloucester raised and unfurled once more the Royal Standard, the Lion Flag of the Sinhalese race over the very same Kandyan hills to remain so - it is hoped - for another 2500 years or more.

The Sinhalese Royal Standard (the Lion Flag) was flown in Kandy over the Temple of the Tooth of Lord Buddha in 1948 with all constitutional implications of law and also in the hope that the tenets of the Buddha's doctrine of tolerance, sympathy and mercy be extended to all in this land.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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