Sacred festival at Taniwella devala

Edwin Ariyadasa

In an admirable gesture of mass gratitude, the people of Sri Lanka, at times, deitify those monarchs whose benevolent rule had been a singular blessing to their devoted and loyal subjects.

In the extensive annals of our noble island, many kings in the long line of our rulers have become the sacred focus of mass adoration.

Minneri Deyyo (King Mahasen) Rasinha Deyyo (King Rajasinghe I) have evolved into folk-gods, enjoying the stature of cult figures.

They ruled in the far past.

A heroic ruler, who flourished in fairly recent times, has his Devale at Madampe, 62 kilometres from Colombo, on the Colombo-Chilaw road. This cult-figure known popularly as Taniwella Deviyo (The Deity of Taniwella) was a legendary personality, who utilized his astonishing martial dexterity to defend his subjects and safe-guard their property.

Taniwelle Deviyo, was the Provincial Ruler of Madampe region, as the Deputy King of his royal father king Vira Parakramabahu VIII of Kotte (1484-1518 AD).

In his day, Madampe was an affluent centre of trade and commerce. Vice King Taniyawallabha, (later Taniwella Deviyo) had to confront Indian ocean pirates, who would descend upon this flourishing port settlement, to plunder such precious materials as gems, ivory, pearls and even rice.

With the able assistance of his brave brother – vice king Sakala Kala Vallabha, Taniwelle Deviyo, got rid of the pirate menace, in a military campaign that eradicated the evil forces. The masses who had been harassed endlessly by these marauding hordes, heared a sign of relief and settled down to lead a serene, tranquil and peaceful life.

In their boundless gratitude to their saviour – legendary ruler Taniyawallabha – the masses deitified him as Taniwelle Deviyo.

The ruler’s favourite mount was a white steed. The rural folk still recall stories about the king, who flashed through the villages at lightening speed, on his white horse, wearing a white turban on his head.

He is adored not only for his military campaigns. After restoring peace to his settlement, he concentrated on the agricultural development of those areas. He built tanks. Had old ones restored. He constructed the complex of irrigation canals known as Mahawewa.

It is said by the rural folk, that even today, when people joyfully gather a bountiful harvest, they can see Taniwella Deviyo, riding through the clouds on his white steed, over the stretches of paddy fields.

The temple built in the name of Taniwelle Deviyo, continues to be functional even in our day. Devotees arrive even today, at this site to obtain the deity’s blessings for success in their agricultural pursuits.

Those who travel along the main road, can see the effigy of the white horse that symbolizes the shrine Taniwelle Devale.

The ruins of his palace complex can still be seen in the forested region, in the vicinity of Mahawewa Tank.

There is not much evidence to establish accurately the date of the original devale built at this venue.

But it is believed that the Devale (Temple) was constructed in stone, during early British Times.

The Annual Festival at Taniwella Devale, is held each year in August. Thousands of Devotees participate in this elaborate ritual.

The custodians of this shrine are the descendants of Muhandiram Wickrema John Mendis Wijegunaratne Senanayake.

The current custodian is W Kirthi M W Senanayake.

This year’s Annual Festival was held on August 6.

Taniwelle Maha Devale at Madampe, is the shrine of a deitified ruler, closest to Colombo.

The spiritually compelling shrine complex at Taniwella Maha Devale in Madampe, is symbolic of the mass faith in the miraculous.