Remembering the Uva rebellion
Posted on December 8th, 2019
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
November 26 marks the day when Maha Adikaram Keppetipola and Maha Nilame of the Uva Madugalle were executed on the banks of Bogambara Wewa on the orders of the British Governor.
It was left to Dr Henry Marshall, a friend of Maha Adikaram Keppetipola to take away the head of Keppetipola and send to the Edinburgh Phrenological Society to study the head. Later it was handed over to the museum of the medical faculty and it lay there until a relative of Keppetipola, Upali Keppetipola, petitioned the British Government for its return.
This cranium of Keppetipola is the link of the Kandyan kingdom and present independent Sri Lanka. Credit should go to President Maithripala Sirisena to freeing the Kandyan Freedom Fighters from the stigma of Traitors.
It was the brilliant swordsman of the Kandyan kingdom Udagabada Nilame and Dissawa of Wellassa Madugalle who set the ball rolling on December 7, 1816 for the freedom of the country
He was sent twice to prison by the British for these acts and they feared him for his skill in warfare. He was in prison for two years in Jaffna Fort but was released on the birthday of George IV.
No doubt that the cranium of Keppetipola lies at the foot of the stone pillar, but Madugalle also should be commemorated on the same day at this very place, because both were executed on the same day on the banks of Bogambara Wewa.
“Realising that entire Sinhala people were misled, Keppetipola thought that the time had come to avenge the plot of Robert Brownrigg”
The head or the decapitated body of the warrior was buried in
cognition by the British army who was in charge of the execution and no
one has found where he was buried. But the fact remains that both were
executed on the same day.
Then why not we commemorate both at this spot – Keppetipola and Madugalle.
The marketing phrase that the Independence for Sri Lanka had been won without a shedding a drop of blood is a fallacy.
Over the years, since the advent of foreigners to Sri Lanka’s shores
from around 1505 MANY HAVE fought to regain the Independence of the
territory they had forsaken.
Among them comes Keppetipola Maha Adikaram born at Matale. But
unfortunately, he was A Traitor” to the country he was born and
sacrificed his life for the country, fighting the ruthless British of
that era.
It is recorded that officers like Lieut. J. Maclaine of the 73rd
Regiment used to hang captured prisoners in front of him while taking
his breakfast. So was another Lt. Col. Hook.
Keppetipola Maha Nilame was a heroic fighter, who fought the British in
the 1818 rebellion. Governments after Independence have come and gone,
which promised that the name of Keppetipola would be De-gazetted from
the Gazette of the British, which had declared that Maha Nilame was a
Traitor, to the Imperial Government of Britain.
The blood and the toil of the people of the country went to force the Colonial powers to restore Independence back to the people
It brings us to mind the way the British treated one of their own
kinsmen William Walsh a Scotsman, who resemble the Kandyan freedom
fighters when he was quartered on the orders of Edward the First and his
flesh thrown around. In the case of Keppetipola, his Cranium was
stuffed with salt for preservation and was taken away to the British
Empire and kept in the Tower of London first and later taken to
Edinburgh.
The Cranium was later returned, to Sri Lanka and kept in the Colombo
Museum for nearly ten years before this valuable property was brought to
Kandy – Thanks to Upali Keppetipola.
Valiant fighter Monaravila Keppetipola was one outstanding man who did
not seek pardon from the British, even though they were very willing if
he did ask for it. Instead, he gave his life for the people of Sri Lanka
on the Banks of Bogambara Wewa, which area is now within the
Keppetipola Memorial Hall.
Keppetipola’s cranium lies buried at the Sacred Mahamaluwa in Kandy over which there is a monument.
The cranium is within a glass case, which was deposited after it was
exhibited to the public at the Kandyan audience hall, behind the Sri
Dalada Maligawa.
Keppetipola’s birthplace is in the district of Matale and this is the
only connection. It is alleged that he had a son who was from a second
bed, but fearing the British would destroy him after Keppetipola, he
entered into Sangha hood and has since then his whereabouts are not
known He is alleged to have died while been a priest and the direct
descendent of Keppetipola expired.
But, there are many who are connected to his ancestry. But, in the
recent past, there is a number of people who are trying to claim
relationship to this nobleman. The only man who could ever be thought of
was Upali Keppetipola who was instrumental in getting down the cranium
which had been removed to the Edinburgh Phenomenological Society. In
fact, there was a time, when Upali Keppetipola alone paid homage at the
monument at Maha Maluwa, Kandy, by placing a wreath of flowers.
The background of Monaravila Keppetipola begins with Governor Robert
Brownrigg who avoided the issue of placing a Kandyan on the Throne of
Kandy or even allowing to administer the Kandyan Provinces.
The fact remains that after the disposal of the King, it was said that
the reins of the administration of the Kandyan Provinces would be handed
over to the Kandyan Chiefs. But they did not realise, the cunning
British Diplomacy and the trained Civil Servants who were sent to Sri
Lanka and also the spies like Sir John D’ Oyly.
An innocent set of Kandyan Chiefs was ‘caught’ in the intricacies of
British administration and lost the country through a set of rules that
the Britishers called Treaty”.
The Kandyan Chiefs only realised that they were taken for a ride by the
British State of Art of conquering the countries through diplomacy.
It was an unwritten promise that British would place one of Kandyan
Chiefs on the Throne. But, Brownrigg, did not honour his word and was at
one time questioned in the British Parliament for his acts.
Realising that entire Sinhala people were misled, Keppetipola thought
that the time had come to avenge the plot of Robert Brownrigg, with his
posting to Uva to quell the riots of Wellassa. Monarawila Keppetipola
tried to redeem the land of his birth. Thus began the Rebellion of
1817-1818 with Monaravila Keppetipola at the helm.
The shameful nature of bringing down the rebellion by the British,
especially on the orders Sir Robert Brownrigg, was such that even law
officers of Britain recorded that it was unimaginable horror and
ruthlessness of the British.
Kandyan Families were completely wiped out and the best of the Kandyan
gentry went into hiding, while some sought toed with the British and
earned their favours and also converted themselves into the faith of
Christ. So much so it is recorded that pandemonium reigned in House of
Commons. It was debated by British Parliamentarians even to the extent
of condemning their own King for having a representative who knew no
decency – that was Robert Brownrigg.
Most of the people, who after the British – Kandyan Treaty thought it
fit to enter into the service of the British, had plum offices, while
others were stripped of their positions.
When the Kandyan Treaty was signed, Keppetipola Maha Dissawa was the
Dissawa of Matale and subsequently the British appointed him to Uva as
well. While he was in Uva, a chance utterance to the Translator David de
Alwis, cost him his future and his life. He had one day told the
translator in conversation that it was time for the British to bid
goodbye to the country and place a Sinhala King on the Throne of Kandy.
There was also a time when Keppetipola, punished officers under him who
were trying to curry-favour with the Government Agent of Badulla. The
Governor became so vexed that he told the Kandy Commissioner and the
resident representative Doy’ly that the people were rising against the
Representative of the British King.
Keppetipola also frowned on the methods employed where his work was
being interfered with the British. The British on the other hand had
their own favourites in Sabaragamuwa, where the people of these areas
helped the British to find their way into Kandyan Territory.
“So, it should be noted that the real force for the freedom of the country were people like Keppetipola and other Chieftains”
He also indicated that as the Dissawa, he had the right to obtain the
dues from Kataragama Devale. These led to the events of the Rebellion.
A relative of Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe was roaming the area named
Doaraiswamy, whom the British suspected as a claimant to the Kandyan
Throne.
In the meantime, the Assistant Government Agent Sylvester Wilson sent
Hadji (Who was appointed Dissawe of Uva) to capture Doraiswamy.
From the very commencement, the people of Wellassa did not take a liking
over the appointment of Hadji. When he went to Wellassa, he had to face
an armed gang, where he was taken into custody and his brother who
accompanied him was hurt.
Wilson who heard about these incidents made an attempt to arrest the
armed gang with a band of Java soldiers. But, he could do nothing and he
succumbed to a fatal shot of the gang by bow and arrow. Not content
with these incidents, Brownrigg offered to pay 2000 pagodas to anyone
leading to the arrest of anyone who killed Wilson.
It is recorded that the British who recruited the scum of their country
for adventure, had people like Lt. O’ Neill and others of their kind
used to hang prisoners of the rebellion before their breakfast table and
eat in front of them. That was the scum that entered the British Army
at that time.
So by first January 1818, the entire Kandyan Province was under war,
with the British. A quick discussion was held at the Audience Hall of
Kandy by Robert Brownrigg and it he was told that under no condition,
would the Kandyan Provinces be handed over to the Sinhala People.
At this meeting, it was also stated that Robert Brownrigg declared that
if anyone brought the Head of Keppetipola, he would be offered 2000
Pagodas (The type of currency at that time )
By February 18, the British moved, declaring that anyone who should
bring the head of Madugalle or Pilamatalawa was offered 1000 Pagodas.
But, with more troops of the British being brought in to quell the
rebellion it became a failure, with the intrigue within the rebels. By
August, the rebellion was an utter and miserable failure.
But on 28 October, Lt. O’Neil captured Keppetipola, due to a sneaking
trader who had gone to barter goods to the village where Keppetipola
stayed. Three days later Madugalle was arrested, and by November 4,
under a heavy guard, both were brought to Kandy. By November 13 both
were brought before a Kangaroo Court.
Both were executed on November 25, 1818 with several other Kandyan chiefs. Ellepola Nilame was executed on October 27.
So, it should be noted that the real force for the freedom of the
country were people like Keppetipola and other Chieftains. The lands and
properties of those who were in the rebellion were confiscated by in
January 1818. as belongings of Rebels, Outlaws, and Enemies of the
British.
The list of eighteen whose lands was confiscated to the Crown was head by Keppetipola, the former Dissawe of Uva.