Monaravila Keppetipola: The Disawa turned valiant soldier
Avanti Sri Nissanka Karunaratne to present her painting of
Keppetipola at the commemoration ceremony at the Peradeniya University
Avanti Sri Nissanka Karunaratne with her painting of Keppetipola in the background
The bicentenary of the 1817-1818 national freedom struggle (Uva–Wellassa uprising), led by Monaravila Keppetipola Disava will be commemorated today, Sunday November 25, at the Senate building of the University of Peradeniya. A commemoration lecture will be delivered by Dr. Palitha Kohona, former Foreign Secretary and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Professor C.M. Madduma Bandara, Emeritus Professor of the University of Peradeniya spoke to the Sunday Times regarding the events to mark the occasion. Artist Avanti Sri Nissanka Karunaratne will present her painting of Keppetipola Disava on horseback, brandishing his sword at this ceremony.
Two other commemoration ceremonies will be held in Kandy and Matale in the morning of November 26. The Matale ceremony is organised by Veera Monaravila Keppetipola Jatika Padanama and its President Walter Parahitiyawa Tenne explained that there will be many cultural programmes, including a perahera starting from the Dharmaraja Pirivena that will arrive at the Public Library premises near the Matale Town Hall.
The Jatika Padanama has identified a few selected families in Matale whose ancestors had been part of the 1818, 1823 and 1848 struggles and they will be recognized and remembered on that day. A lecture on the country’s history will be delivered for 100 schoolchildren too.
On the 26th, Avanti will once again display the painting in Kandy at the ceremony to be held in the Maha Maluwa opposite the Sri Dalada Maligawa, where the skull of Keppetipola rests under a memorial pillar.
The Kandyan Convention, formerly ceding the Kandyan Kingdom to the British was signed at the Magul Maduwa or audience hall of the King, on March 2, 1815 by the British Governor Robert Brownrigg and Kandyan Chieftains. Only three Chieftains, Keppetipola, Galagoda and Galagama signed in Sinhala. The others signed in Grantha, a combination of Sinhala and Tamil characters. There was no participation by the people. Thus ended the independence of the people of the Kandyan region.
Monaravila Keppetipola was appointed Maha Disave of Uva. The Governor explained that the powers of the chieftains, laws and customs would be the same and Buddhism, clergy and places of worship will be protected. But this was not to be. Within two months, the Chieftains, Buddhist clergy and the people were dissatisfied with the British authorities. Madugalle and Ihalagama Thera with other monks from the Malwatte Temple had a discussion to overthrow the British rule. Ekneligoda Mohottala revealed this to the authorities. Madugalla was imprisoned. Ihalagama Thera escaped arrest.
The Keppetipola memorial pillar
William Tolfrey, Chief Translator stationed in Kandy wrote to the Governor that “ a deep and extensive plot to annihilate British power was being organized in the Kandyan areas.” The rebellion broke out in October 1817 as the result of the appointment of a Moor, Hadji as Muhandiram to Velassa. On October 12 receiving information that a ‘Pretender’ was seen in Velassa, Sylvester Wilson, the Assistant Government Agent, Badulla despatched Hadji Muhandiram, to apprehend the stranger. Hadjiwas captured by armed gangs and executed. On learning of the fate of Hadji Muhandiram, Mr.Wilson set out for Velassa on October 14. His efforts for a discussion with the rebels were futile and he was killed on his return to Badulla.
Mr.Sawers, the British Commissioner in Kandy sent Keppetipola Disave to Uva. He met the rebels Maha Badulugama Rala, Butave Rate Rala and others who convinced Keppetipola to join them and give them leadership. Keppetipola returned the muskets and ammunition issued by the Government through the men who came with him with a note to Mr. Sawers, informing him of his desire to join the rebels.
The fighting spread to many districts and by January 1, 1818 most of the Kandyan Kingdom was fighting to gain their lost independence. Governor Brownrigg addressed the Chiefs in the Audience Hall. In his speech which was interpreted by Abraham de Saram, he expressed his disappointment. The Governor read a Proclamation declaring Keppetipola and 18 others to be rebels, outlaws and enemies of His Majesty’s Government. Their lives were accordingly forfeited and their property confiscated. A reward of 1,000 gold pagodas was offered for the head of Keppetipola and equal sum for the heads of Pilimatalave and Madugalle.
The fighting was intense. Martial law had been declared in the whole of the Kandyan Provinces.
Keppetipola and Pilimatalawe were captured on October 28, 1818 in Nuwara Kalaviya by Lieutenant William O’Neil. Madugalle was captured three days later. On November 13, Monaravila Keppetipola was tried by court martial “for levying war with intent to subvert His Majesty’s Government lawfully established.”
Dr. Henry Marshall came to Ceylon in 1808 as the Deputy Director General of the Army Hospital and met Keppetiola in jail. In his “Description of the Island and its Inhabitants” he writes that he found Keppetipola conducting himself in prison with much self possession. On one occasion in jail, the Disava spread out the coarse soiled cloth which he wore around his waist and said smiling: “you know, this is not the way I used to dress.”
Marshall recorded an account of the tragic and final moments of Keppetipola Disava and Madugalle on November 26, 1818. At the request of the prisoners they were taken to the Sri Dalada Maligawa and met by Mr. Sawers. “Kneeling before the priest upon the threshold of the sanctuary, the repository of the Sacred Relic, the Chief detailed the principal meritorious actions of his life, such as the benefits he had conferred on the priests together with the gifts which he had bestowed on the temples, and other acts of piety.” He then pronounced his ‘prarthana’(last wish), that at his next birth, he might be born in the mountains of the Himalayas and finally attain Nirvana.
Keppetipola was taken to the place of execution near the Bogambara wewa. His life ended with the second stroke of the sword. His head was separated from the body and in accordance with Kandyan custom was placed on his breast.
The Disawa’s cranium was later presented by Marshall to the Museum of the Phrenological Society of Edinburgh. When Ceylon gained its independence, it was returned to the country.
In Marshall’s words “Had the insurrection been successful, Keppetipola would have been honoured and characterised as a patriot instead of being stigmatised as a rebel and punished as a traitor.”
Keppetipola Disava and 18 others who were considered traitors by the British Government have been named as true patriots and heroes of our motherland by a Gazette Notification in 2016. Today, we salute our hero Monaravila Keppetipola Disawa, the valiant soldier.