{"id":96139,"date":"2019-12-08T16:57:23","date_gmt":"2019-12-08T23:57:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=96139"},"modified":"2019-12-08T16:57:23","modified_gmt":"2019-12-08T23:57:23","slug":"remembering-the-uva-rebellion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/12\/08\/remembering-the-uva-rebellion\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering the Uva rebellion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Courtesy The Daily Mirror<\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Realising that entire \nSinhala people were misled, Keppetipola thought that the time had come \nto avenge the plot of Robert Brownrigg”<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The head or the decapitated body of the warrior was buried in \ncognition by the British army who was in charge of the execution and no \none has found where he was buried. But the fact remains that both were \nexecuted on the same day.
\nThen why not we commemorate both at this spot – Keppetipola and Madugalle.
\nThe marketing phrase that the Independence for Sri Lanka had been won without a shedding a drop of blood is a fallacy.
\nOver the years, since the advent of foreigners to Sri Lanka\u2019s shores \nfrom around 1505 MANY HAVE fought to regain the Independence of the \nterritory they had forsaken.
\nAmong them comes Keppetipola Maha Adikaram born at Matale. But \nunfortunately, he was A Traitor\u201d to the country he was born and \nsacrificed his life for the country, fighting the ruthless British of \nthat era.
\nIt is recorded that officers like Lieut. J. Maclaine of the 73rd \nRegiment used to hang captured prisoners in front of him while taking \nhis breakfast. So was another Lt. Col. Hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nKeppetipola Maha Nilame was a heroic fighter, who fought the British in \nthe 1818 rebellion. Governments after Independence have come and gone, \nwhich promised that the name of Keppetipola would be De-gazetted from \nthe Gazette of the British, which had declared that Maha Nilame was a \nTraitor, to the Imperial Government of Britain.
\nThe blood and the toil of the people of the country went to force the Colonial powers to restore Independence back to the people
\nIt brings us to mind the way the British treated one of their own \nkinsmen William Walsh a Scotsman, who resemble the Kandyan freedom \nfighters when he was quartered on the orders of Edward the First and his\n flesh thrown around. In the case of Keppetipola, his Cranium was \nstuffed with salt for preservation and was taken away to the British \nEmpire and kept in the Tower of London first and later taken to \nEdinburgh.
\nThe Cranium was later returned, to Sri Lanka and kept in the Colombo \nMuseum for nearly ten years before this valuable property was brought to\n Kandy – Thanks to Upali Keppetipola.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nValiant fighter Monaravila Keppetipola was one outstanding man who did \nnot seek pardon from the British, even though they were very willing if \nhe did ask for it. Instead, he gave his life for the people of Sri Lanka\n on the Banks of Bogambara Wewa, which area is now within the \nKeppetipola Memorial Hall.
\nKeppetipola\u2019s cranium lies buried at the Sacred Mahamaluwa in Kandy over which there is a monument.
\nThe cranium is within a glass case, which was deposited after it was \nexhibited to the public at the Kandyan audience hall, behind the Sri \nDalada Maligawa.
\nKeppetipola\u2019s birthplace is in the district of Matale and this is the \nonly connection. It is alleged that he had a son who was from a second \nbed, but fearing the British would destroy him after Keppetipola, he \nentered into Sangha hood and has since then his whereabouts are not \nknown He is alleged to have died while been a priest and the direct \ndescendent of Keppetipola expired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nBut, there are many who are connected to his ancestry. But, in the \nrecent past, there is a number of people who are trying to claim \nrelationship to this nobleman. The only man who could ever be thought of\n was Upali Keppetipola who was instrumental in getting down the cranium \nwhich had been removed to the Edinburgh Phenomenological Society. In \nfact, there was a time, when Upali Keppetipola alone paid homage at the \nmonument at Maha Maluwa, Kandy, by placing a wreath of flowers.
\nThe background of Monaravila Keppetipola begins with Governor Robert \nBrownrigg who avoided the issue of placing a Kandyan on the Throne of \nKandy or even allowing to administer the Kandyan Provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nThe fact remains that after the disposal of the King, it was said that \nthe reins of the administration of the Kandyan Provinces would be handed\n over to the Kandyan Chiefs. But they did not realise, the cunning \nBritish Diplomacy and the trained Civil Servants who were sent to Sri \nLanka and also the spies like Sir John D\u2019 Oyly.
\nAn innocent set of Kandyan Chiefs was \u2018caught\u2019 in the intricacies of \nBritish administration and lost the country through a set of rules that \nthe Britishers called Treaty\u201d. 
\nThe Kandyan Chiefs only realised that they were taken for a ride by the \nBritish State of Art of conquering the countries through diplomacy.
\nIt was an unwritten promise that British would place one of Kandyan \nChiefs on the Throne. But, Brownrigg, did not honour his word and was at\n one time questioned in the British Parliament for his acts.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nRealising that entire Sinhala people were misled, Keppetipola thought \nthat the time had come to avenge the plot of Robert Brownrigg, with his \nposting to Uva to quell the riots of Wellassa. Monarawila Keppetipola \ntried to redeem the land of his birth. Thus began the Rebellion of \n1817-1818 with Monaravila Keppetipola at the helm.
\nThe shameful nature of bringing down the rebellion by the British, \nespecially on the orders Sir Robert Brownrigg, was such that even law \nofficers of Britain recorded that it was unimaginable horror and \nruthlessness of the British.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nKandyan Families were completely wiped out and the best of the Kandyan \ngentry went into hiding, while some sought toed with the British and \nearned their favours and also converted themselves into the faith of \nChrist. So much so it is recorded that pandemonium reigned in House of \nCommons. It was debated by British Parliamentarians even to the extent \nof condemning their own King for having a representative who knew no \ndecency – that was Robert Brownrigg.
\nMost of the people, who after the British – Kandyan Treaty thought it \nfit to enter into the service of the British, had plum offices, while \nothers were stripped of their positions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nWhen the Kandyan Treaty was signed, Keppetipola Maha Dissawa was the \nDissawa of Matale and subsequently the British appointed him to Uva as \nwell. While he was in Uva, a chance utterance to the Translator David de\n Alwis, cost him his future and his life. He had one day told the \ntranslator in conversation that it was time for the British to bid \ngoodbye to the country and place a Sinhala King on the Throne of Kandy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nThere was also a time when Keppetipola, punished officers under him who \nwere trying to curry-favour  with the Government Agent of Badulla. The \nGovernor became so vexed that he told the Kandy Commissioner and the \nresident representative Doy\u2019ly that the people were rising against the \nRepresentative of the British King.
\nKeppetipola also frowned on the methods employed where his work was \nbeing interfered with the British. The British on the other hand had \ntheir own favourites in Sabaragamuwa, where the people of these areas \nhelped the British to find their way into Kandyan Territory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“So, it should be noted that the real force for the freedom of the country were people like Keppetipola and other Chieftains”<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n


\nHe also indicated that as the Dissawa, he had the right to obtain the \ndues from Kataragama Devale. These led to the events of the Rebellion. 
\nA relative of Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe was roaming the area named \nDoaraiswamy, whom the British suspected as a claimant to the Kandyan \nThrone.
\nIn the meantime, the Assistant Government Agent Sylvester Wilson sent \nHadji (Who was appointed Dissawe of Uva) to capture Doraiswamy.
\nFrom the very commencement, the people of Wellassa did not take a liking\n over the appointment of Hadji. When he went to Wellassa, he had to face\n an armed gang, where he was taken into custody and his brother who \naccompanied him was hurt.
\nWilson who heard about these incidents made an attempt to arrest the \narmed gang with a band of Java soldiers. But, he could do nothing and he\n succumbed to a fatal shot of the gang by bow and arrow. Not content \nwith these incidents, Brownrigg offered to pay 2000 pagodas to anyone \nleading to the arrest of anyone who killed Wilson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nIt is recorded that the British who recruited the scum of their country \nfor adventure, had people like Lt. O\u2019 Neill and others of their kind \nused to hang prisoners of the rebellion before their breakfast table and\n eat in front of them. That was the scum that entered the British Army \nat that time.
\nSo by first January 1818, the entire Kandyan Province was under war, \nwith the British. A quick discussion was held at the Audience Hall of \nKandy by Robert Brownrigg and it he was told that under no condition, \nwould the Kandyan Provinces be handed over to the Sinhala People. 
\nAt this meeting, it was also stated that Robert Brownrigg declared that \nif anyone brought the Head of Keppetipola, he would be offered 2000 \nPagodas (The type of currency at that time )<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nBy February 18, the British moved, declaring that anyone who should \nbring the head of Madugalle or Pilamatalawa was offered 1000 Pagodas. \nBut, with more troops of the British being brought in to quell the \nrebellion it became a failure, with the intrigue within the rebels. By \nAugust, the rebellion was an utter and miserable failure.
\nBut on 28 October, Lt. O\u2019Neil captured Keppetipola, due to a sneaking \ntrader who had gone to barter goods to the village where Keppetipola \nstayed. Three days later Madugalle was arrested, and by November 4, \nunder a heavy guard, both were brought to Kandy. By November 13 both \nwere brought before a Kangaroo Court.  
\nBoth were executed on November 25, 1818 with several other Kandyan chiefs. Ellepola Nilame was executed on October 27. 
\nSo, it should be noted that the real force for the freedom of the \ncountry were people like Keppetipola and other Chieftains. The lands and\n properties of those who were in the rebellion were confiscated by  in \nJanuary 1818. as belongings of Rebels, Outlaws, and Enemies of the \nBritish. 
\nThe list of eighteen whose lands was confiscated to the Crown was head by Keppetipola, the former Dissawe of Uva.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[120],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96139"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96139\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}