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Fall of the Kandyan Kingdom - lessons still to be learnt

One of the serious failings of Sri Lankan polity, particularly from the time of the Kotte and Sitavaka Kingdoms had been to seek Western support against other contenders to power and in turn supporting them in their surreptitious schemes of territorial aggrandizement. King Bhuwanekabahu's overtures to the Portuguese to defeat Mayadunne of Sitavaka led to the Portuguese getting a foothold in the Maritime Provinces, with adverse and far reaching consequences on Sri Lankan culture and Buddhist religion in particular, never to be erased.

Thus the three centuries following the arrival of the Portuguese were characterized by prolonged struggles by the Sinhalese to maintain their independence in the face of Western aggression which continued with the arrival of Dutch and the British in succession.

Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe

By 1762, Dutch relations with the Kandyan King had become sour and war with the Dutch was imminent. Under the circumstances the Kandyans made overtures to the British to get assistance and the English East India Company sent a Diplomatic Mission under John Pybus. The Dutch in order to secure their position sent two expeditions to Kandy: one in 1762 and the other in 1765. The first expedition ended in disastrous consequences for the Dutch as in earlier times when Portuguese suffered at the hands of the Kandyans. After the second expedition, a treaty was signed in 1766 giving the Dutch greater power in the island. On February 16,1796 the Dutch evacuated the Fort of Colombo and the administration of the possessions under their control were ceded to the British who were more powerful militarily and the independent status of the Kandyans were now really at stake. Access to the sea had also been cut off. So much so that Ehelepola had described the situation as living like fish encompassed by a net.

Historic battle

Although the maritime provinces had been brought under foreign control, the attempts to bring the Kandyan territories under Portuguese and Dutch control by invasion had been resisted for three centuries.. These attempts were crushed by the heroic Sinhala forces at many a historic battle until the tragic end of the Kandyan Kingdom was brought about by treachery and intrigue on the part of a few chieftains which enabled the capture of Sri Wickrema Rajasingha by the British. A noteworthy feature is that although the political situation at Kotte had been turbulent, particularly when it came to succession to the throne, the situation in the Kandyan kingdom had been relatively uneventful.

With the death of Narendra Singha (1707- 1739) the Sinhala Dynasty came to an end, having left no heir to succeed him. Neither his Consort Udumale Devi the daughter of a Nayakker from Madurai, nor her two sisters who were married to him had borne him an heir. Therefore he had nominated their brother to succeed him on his death.

The King had left a son by his Yakada Doliya named Unambuwe Bandara whose claim to the throne was also supported by some of the Courtiers but due to jealousy among the others and after about an year the King's brother-in-law who was nominated by the King assumed the sword of state as Sri Wijaya Raja Sinha (1739-1747). The Nayakkars were generally successful as rulers and their success could be attributed to the benevolence, patronage and support given for furtherance of the Buddhist religion in spite of the indifferent attitude shown to religion by King Narendra Singha earlier.

It was at this time that Saranankara who was born in 1696 at Weliwita in Tumpane joined the priesthood as a Samanera at the age of 16 years, expounded the Dhamma with his eloquence and charm. He took up abode at the Malwatta Vihara from where he carried out his priestly activities as well as functioned as the foremost scholar in the Kandyan Kingdom. Indeed Saranankara was entrusted with the preparation of many works including the translation of the Pali medical work, the Bhesajja Manjusa by the King.

Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe

On the death of King Sri Vijaya Rajasinghe in 1747, Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747- 1782) assumed the sword of state having been nominated by the late King who had no children. The new King married the daughter of a Nayakkar and the bride's parents and relatives also settled down in Court. The new King appreciating the fact that only a Sinhalese could be the King of the Sinhalese, worked enthusiastically for the advancement of the Buddhist religion, the religion of the people.

Ancient Kandyan Kingdom

Though there were no ordained priests at this time, the king encouraged novices to devote themselves to religion. At the same time he ensured that temples were repaired, preaching halls were built, religious books copied and distributed. He also visited the sacred shrines of antiquity, offered elephants and horses to the Sacred Bo tree, celebrated the religious festival at Mahiyangana. Observed the Esala Perahera which was regarded as conducive to prosperity, with great pomp, having himself taken part in the procession. It was around this time that the murals were painted depicting the Vessanthara Jathakaya at Hindagala Rajamaha Viharaya with the Kandyan environment as the background. Sooriyagoda Rajamaha Viharaya and Degaldoruwa are among the many which preserved the Buddhist heritage in the Kandyan Kingdom.

As a result of the religious ardour of Saranankara a mission was sent by the king with a letter to the King of Siam during the month of August in the year 1750.

The mission was received by the Siamese King with due kindness and accompanied by Upali Maha Thera a chapter of priests were sent to the island and in the presence of the King, Kobbekaduwa Unnaanse, Saranankara and four others were solemnly admitted to the Upasampada. This solemn ceremony which had been neglected was once again restored amidst much rejoicing with drums and music. Within a few years seven hundred priests had been ordained and Saranankara Thera was elevated to the high position of Sanganayake. The Siamese priests and the ambassadors returned to Siam and a replica of the Sacred Tooth relic was given as a present from the Sinhalese King to King Dharmaka of Siam, which was accepted with gratitude. In October 1755 another chapter arrived in the Island. Revival of Buddhism in the maritime provinces was also spurred by the activities of Velivita saranankara in the Kandyan Kingdom where the restoration of Upasampada took pride of place.

Kirthi Sri Rajasingha, met with a fatal accident and after a few months of suffering his death occurred having left no children by his Randoli. He was succeeded by his younger brother, assuming the title of Raja Adhiraja Singha 1782- 1798.

Raja Adiraja Singha the Malabar Prince had been placed on the throne of Tri Sinhale in 1782 mainly due to the influence of Adikar Pilama Talauwe. Another key player in the drama that changed the destinies of the Sri Lankan monarchy was Fredrick North who arrived in Colombo on October 12, 1798.

He took the oath as Governor over the territories taken over from the Dutch in the Maritime Provinces.

Adikar's influence

Tri Sinhale was in a serious state of crisis with the king's death by the end of 1797 having no children by any of his five queens. Under the circumstance, Sri Wickrama Raja Singhe an inexperienced young man of 18 years is raised to the throne by the Chief Minister or Adigar, Pilima Talauwe, brother of the late King's Minister who had considerable influence over the Sinhala faction in the Court. At the first opportunity North informed about his assumption of duties following Dutch precedent by a communication dated Colombo, October 29, 1798 in glowing terms as "To his illustrious, High and Mighty Monarch who at present governs the renowned and powerful Kingdom of Candia seated on his Golden Throne etc. etc”.

This was received with cordiality and British friendship was not open to doubt. However a treaty which was to be signed was put on hold. In February 1799 an Embassy from the Court headed by the Adikar himself and two other Courtiers arrived in Avissavella and North met them on the 14th at 4 pm.

The accession of the new king being announced at this meeting North ordered the firing of a Royal Salute. The Adikar, while emphasizing the need for an intimate union between the two governments also spoke with feeling about the Malabars, giving the impression that animosity had arisen between the king and the Adikar. Muddusamy, (brother of three of the former King's wives) his wife and children who were placed in confinement and released by Pilima Talauwe made their way to Jaffna.

They were accommodated by the British with a small allowance but were not given support as to the aspiration for the throne.

To be continued

 

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