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| Monday, 1 March 2004 |
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Kandy falls and the Union Jack raised by M.B. Dassanayake The Kandyan Convention, signalling the fall of Kandy and the bringing of the entire island under British colonial rule, was signed on March 2nd 1815. An eye-witness to the ceremony wrote as follows: "The attendance of the priests of the two great temples of Kandy at the Audience Hall in the palace was an event of much interest and closely connected with the satisfactory issue of the negotiations.... He (the Mahanayake Thera of Malwatte) was then made acquainted with the object of the meeting and particularly with the part of the Convention which relates to Buddhism.
It was in the historic 'Mahamaluwa in Kandy that the Union jack was hoisted. It was also on this historic occasion that Venerable Wariyapola Sri Sumangala, Anunayake of the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya, had the courage to pull down the Union Jack that had been hoisted. When the sentry on duty tried to fire at them Governor Sir Robert Brownrigg, stood on his way and the Union Jack was hoisted for the second time. At the Audience Hall, in the presence of the Buddhist Sangha, the Kandyan aristocracy and high British officials, D'Oyley took charge of the Dalada Maligawa with the costly jewels and other properties. On February 29, 1815 A.D., the property was sealed up in two separate boxes and handed over to the custody of Sir John D'Oyley, who offered 'Dana' in the traditional manner. This may be construed as the full demonstration of the British Government's recognition of Buddhism as the State Religion of Ceylon. The Church of England expressed very strong views against Sir Robert Brownrigg for accepting the custodianship of the Dalada. The Clergy said that it was quite against the spirit of Christianity. The Church had their Champion in Sir William Wilberforce, a Member of the British Parliament. He openly advocated that the Kingdom of Kandy be converted to a Protestant Christianity. He strongly condemned and censured Brownringg for the protection afforded to the Dalada and the Buddhist Sangha. The clause which Wilberforce criticised most is the fifth clause of the convention. "The religion of the Boodhoo declared inviolable". To which Brownrigg replied: "The term was certainly strong, and although nothing more was meant by it, than a complete security from any kind of its violence to the Buddha worship, and a full protection to their religious property; yet if it has been misunderstood anywhere, I sincerely regret that it was never adopted." British Governors since occupation of Kandy. Sir Robert Brownrigg 1812 - 1820, Sir Edward Paget 1822 - 1823, Sir Edward Barnes 1824 - 1831, Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Horton 1831 -1837, Rt. Hon. James Mackenzie 1837 - 1841, Sir Colin Campbell 1841 - 1847, R. Hon. Viscount Torrington 1847 - 1850, Sir George Anderson 1850 - 1855, Sir Henry Ward 1855 - 1860, Sir Charles MacCarthy 1860 -1863, Sir Hercules Robinson 1865 - 1872, Rt. Hon. Sir William Gregory 1872 - 1877, Sir James Longden 1877 -1883, Rt. Hon. Sir Arthur Gordon 1883 -1890, Sir Arthur Havelock 1890 - 1895, Rt. Hon. Sir J. West Ridgeway 1895 - 1903, Sir Henry Blake 1903 - 1907, Sir Henry MacCallum 1907 - 1913, Sir Robert Chalmers 1913 - 1916, Sir James Anderson 1916 - 1918, Sir William Manning 1918 - 1925, Sir Hugha Clifford 1925 - 1927, Sir Herbert Stanley 1927 - 1931, Sir Grame Thompson 1931 - 1933, Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs 1933 - 1937, Sir Andrew Caldecott 1937 - 1944, Sir Henry Mason Moore 1944 - 1948. |
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All the priests listened with profound attention, and after the High
Priest had for a short time spoken in a low voice with some of the oldest
about him, he thanked the Governor, in the name of all, for the protection
now promised". After the signing of the Convention, the Mahanayake
Thera, Adigars, Dissaves etc. assembled at the Audience Hall, and the
conference was presided over by Sir John D'Oyley. With the sovereignty of
the kingdom of Kandy vested in the King of England, the British Governor
on behalf of the Sovereign also assumed the custodianship of the Dalada.
