Salutation to Pilimatalavuve Maha Adhikaram

Dilshan BOANGE

Two hundred years will have lapsed at the end of this year 2011, since the last attempt made at restoring a Sinhala monarchy upon the throne of Sinhale, the last bastion of unconquered national pride which defied the might of the British Empire until the negotiated conditional ceding in 1815.

The last attempt to restore the sovereignty of the Kandyan kingdom back onto the hands of a ruler of Sinhala blood was in 1811 when Pilimatalavuve Maha Adikaram III moved to overthrow King Sri Vickrama Rajasingha. Though some would see only ambitiousness in this act, the resentment of a vaduga dynasty being enthroned

 over Lanka was strongly felt amongst the rank and file, which was the basis for the numerous coups against the vaduga kings of Lanka. And at a time when the threat of British invasion on the Kandyan kingdom was looming ominously, this need for a king of Sinhala blood once again to reign over Lanka with adherence to the Dasa Raja Dharama (The laws of righteous kingship), and successfully defeat the advancing invader, propelled Pilimatalavuve Maha Adikaram to meet his destiny.

Military strategist

Pilimatalavuve Vijesundera Rajakaruna Seneviratna Abhayakoon Panditha Mudiyanse Nilame better known as Pilimatalavuve Maha Adikaram was the third of the Pilimatalavuve family to hold the exalted rank of Maha Adikaram (Prime Minister) in the Kandyan court. He was also called Urulevatte Agra Senadhipathi and dubbed 'the king maker of Kandy' owing to the tremendous influence he wielded beginning around the latter part of King Rajadhi Rajasingha's reign. He was known thus, for having masterfully manoeuvred the accession of young prince Kannasamy to the throne and denying Prince Muttusamy who had a greater claim to become king of Kandy. The power he held, especially during the early days of the young king was widely known and has even been mentioned in records of British officers such as Robert Percival who noted of the Maha Adikaram - "a man of great power and intrigue who had sufficient influence to overrule several of the King's orders".

Exponential in statecraft, he performed his role as the Maha Adikaram with unmatched ingenuity keeping the British at bay through means both as a military strategist as well as a highly skilled negotiator and diplomat. Had it not been for his abilities to keep the echelons of power and administration in Kandy completely under his hand, and strategise accordingly to counter the British threat, it is possible that the British who employed means of aggression as well as insidious subterfuges through various agents, would have even succeeded in their plans of conquest of Kandy.

Successive kings

The British agent John D'Oyly is believed to have remarked 'Had Lord Pilimatalvuve been even in Westminster he would have succeeded in becoming Prime Minister.' Considering the innate arrogance of the colonial British, this is no light complement made of a Sri Lankan.

The Pilimatalavuve family had during the reign of successive kings made significant contributions to the Buddha Sasana and we are today heir to some wonderful architectural creations owing to their efforts. The Asgiri Aluth Vihare known as 'Vijesundararamaya' with its impressive reclining Buddha statue carved out of the living rock was built by Pilimatalavuve Maha Adikaram III in 1801. And it is noteworthy that it was his father who had built the Parana Viharaya. What we may find as a splendorous marvel testimony to more recent Sinhala architecture, the inner chamber of the Dalada Maligawa, too had been architected by him as a young Disava during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasingha. Apart from being an officer of state he was also the custodian of the Maha Vishnu Devale in Kandy as its Basnayake Nilame.

Patriotic vision

The attempt he made in August 1811 against the life of the King to restore a Sinhala monarch upon the throne once more, is seen by some as villainous and treasonous. But after the trial which is said to have lasted for three days in the Royal Audience Hall in Kandy - the Magul Maduwa, the Maha Adikaram stood his ground and would embrace death rather than accepting clemency at the price of swearing allegiance to the Monarch promising never to rise against the King nor his government. His intentions had been clear, stating he could not take a deceitful oath, for he believed in rescuing his country from a ruinous ruler.

He guided our country with a patriotic vision, at times when fierce dangers loomed from colonial forces against our sovereignty. And as this year draws to a close and marks the passage of two centuries of the execution of the man who could have changed Sri Lanka's destiny, I wish to respectfully salute the life and memory of Pilimatalavuve Maha Adikaram.