Fall of the Kandyan Kingdom - lessons still to be learnt
S. M. J. NEANGODA
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
|