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First Dalada Perahera after takeover by British
April 24, 1815 marks the day when the first Sri Dalada Perahera was held in Kandy after the British took over the Kandyan kingdom. On that day the sacred Tooth Relic was brought to Kandy from Puhulpitiya Vihara in Kotmale where it had been deposited for protection.

Since the Tooth Relic was considered the symbol of authority of the king, every Sinhalese king made it a point that the Relic did not get into the hands of the enemy. When the Tooth Relic was in Kotte during the period of the Kotte kings, there was a threat from the Portuguese and Hiripitiye Divanarala, the Diyawadana Nilame (lay custodian of the Relic) took the Relic to Sitavaka and handed it over to King Mayadunne. The Relic was deposited at the Delgamuwa vihara in Sabaragamuwa. For additional safety it was hidden in a stone reliquary. The Portuguese smashed the Dalada Maligawa in Kotte where the Relic was kept and built a church there. They had captured a fake Relic casket which had been deposited at the Dalada Maligawa, taken it to Goa, their headquarters. Historical records indicate that it was burnt and the ash was thrown to the river.

It has also been reported that Divana Rala along with some Buddhist monks later took the Tooth Relic to the distant Veddah locality in the northern bank of Laggala and protected it amidst much hardship.

It was during the reign of King Vimaladharmasuriya I (1592-1604) that the Relic was brought to Kandy where it was deposited in a specially built two-storey Dalada Maligawa. With the threat of invasions by the Portuguese, the Dutch and finally the British, the Relic was transferred from place to place right up to 1815. It is reported that Sir John D'Oyly, the British Resident in Kandy tried his best to take charge of the Tooth Relic between 1810 and 1815 after learning from the Kandyan chieftains that the Relic symbolized the suzerainty of the ruler. But he did not succeed.

After the Kandyan Convention was signed on April 2, 1815, it was decided to bring the Tooth Relic back to Kandy and that is how an elaborate procession was arranged on April 24. D'Oyly along with an officer named Wright had walked up to the city entrance to receive the Relic. The Maha Nayaka Thera of the Malwatta Chapter along with 150 monks and Kandyan chieftains led by Molligoda Maha Adikaram had assembled at the spot to conduct the Relic in procession with the Relic casket placed in a ransivige being carried on an elephant's back preceded by flag carriers, drummers and dancers. The entire city was gaily decorated and a festive mood prevailed. The description of the Perahera makes it look very much like what we see today during the Esala festival.

The procession ended at the Dalada Maligawa where the Tooth Relic was deposited in the chamber amidst a gun salute by the British Royal Army.

Birth of a national leader

On April 16, 1851 a national leader was born. He is Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan (1851-1930) who, along with his brother Ponnambalam Arunachalam (1853-1924), had a national standing as leaders of the Sri Lankan Tamil community in the latter part of the 19th and the early years of the 20th centuries. A lawyer by profession, he was appointed an Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council in 1879 which position he held till 1892, which year he was appointed Solicitor General.

His appointment came at a time when he was a critic of the colonial government. He retired in 1903, a year after he was made a King's Counsel, the highest position for a lawyer those days. He was responsible for the establishment of the Post Office Savings Bank in 1881. Today it has grown to be a strong financial institution under the name National Savings Bank. As a close associate of Colonel Olcott, he backed the campaign to get the Vesak holiday.

In 1911, he was elected to represent the Educated Ceylonese in the Legislative Council. He defeated Dr. Marcus Fernando by 1645 votes to 981. He was knighted in 1921. He continued to be a critic of the government, particularly agitating against the harsh treatment meted out to the Sinhalese leaders during martial law in 1915.

He was keen on improving the educational facilities in the North and established two schools - Ramanathan College for girls in 1913 and Parameswera College for boys in 1921. His literary skills were shown when he translated the Bhagvat Gita from Sanskrit to Tamil. Sir Ponnambalam died on November 26, 1930.

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