Rebelling for Independence The Grit of Sri Lankans
1818 UVA- WELLASSA REBELLION
The 1817 rebellion described as the Uva rebellion by historians is the culmination of the peoples anger and dissatisfaction over the British rule which promised to uphold and foster the Buddhist religion and observe the traditions and norms that hitherto prevailed in the Kandyan Kingdom up to the signing of the convention of 2nd March 1815. Mr. Wiliam Tolfry, the Chief Translator of the British Government; appraised the Commissioner in-charge of Kandyan affairs Mr. Sutherland of the volatile situation that prevailed in the country at the beginning of December 1816 and January 1817, and warned him of an impending revolt against the British administration.
Reports reached the authorities that one Duraisamy,a relative of the deposed king and claiming his rights to the throne is mustering the support of the people in Uva for a rebellion and that some Sinhalese leaders too joined him.
Duraisamy was the son of Kalu Nayakkar, a relation of the former king. He was a native of Sath Korale, a Buddhist priest for sometime and now appeared in public as Wilbawe. These facts were later confirmed by the evidence of Udugama Unnanse at the trial.
The appointment of a Malay Muhandiram Hadji by Major Wilson - Resident in Badulla was another action of the British which earned the displeasure of the Sinhalese to the British administration. The areas of Uva Wellassa, Nuwarakalaviya were neglected jungle areas which had a predominant population of Muslims who disrupted time and again the smooth supply of salt and dry fish to the people in the Kandyan Kingdom.
Keppetipola Disawe was sent initially by the British government to stop the uprising but ended up joining the rebellion as its leader and is celebrated for his actions even today in Sri Lanka. He assisted many regional leaders in providing men and material from various regions. The other leaders who supported this independent movement were:2nd in-charge of Gode Gedara Adikaram, Wilbawe (an alias of Duraisamy, a Nayakkar of Royal blood), II Pilima Talauve Adikaram, Kohu Kumbure Rate Rala, Dimbulana Disave, Kivulegedara Mohottala, Madugalle Disave, Butewe Rate Rala, Galagoda family members, Galagedara Mohottala, Meegahapitiya Rate Rala, Dambawinna Disave and Kurundukumbure Mohottala.
Keppitipola went up to Alupotha and joined the rebels having returned all arms and ammunition of the British. Rev. Wariyapola Sumangala of Asgiriya fled to Hanguranketa with the relics casket which resulted in a more vigorous phase of the rebellion. By September 1817 two rebel leaders Madugalle Basnayake Nilame and Ellepola Adikaram surrendered to the British and Pilimatalawe led the rebellion. The British captured Ellepola who was the Dissawa of Viyaluwa and a brother of Maha Adikaram Ehelepola and beheaded them in Bogambara on 27 October 1818.
1848- MATALE REBELLION
On 26 July 1848, the leaders and the supporters entered the historic Dambulla Vihara and at 11.30 a.m., Gongalegoda Banda was consecrated by the head monk of Dambulla, Ven. Giranegama Thera. Gongalegoda Banda was called “Sri Wickrama Subha Sarva Siddhi Rajasinghe”. He asked the people whether they were on the side of the Buddhists or the British. On the same day Dines, his brother was declared the sub-king and Dingirala as the uncrowned king of the Sat Korale (Seven Counties). Veera Puran Appu was appointed prime minister and the sword bearer to Gongalegoda Banda and attended his consecration ceremony with 4000 others.
After the proclamation of the king, he with his army left Dambulla via Matale to capture Kandy from the British. They attacked government buildings including the Matale Kachcheri and destroyed some of the tax records. Simultaneously, Dingirirala instigated attacks in Kurunegala, where eight people were shot dead by the British army. Governor Torrington immediately declared Martial Law on 29 July 1848 in Kandy and on 31 July in Kurunegala.
Puran Appu was taken prisoner by the British troops and was executed on 8 August. Gongalegoda Banda and his younger brother Dines escaped and went into hiding. Gongalegoda Banda lived in a cave at Elkaduwa, 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from Matale. Torrington issued a warrant for his arrest with a reward of £150 for information
on his whereabouts. On 21 September, he was arrested by Malay soldiers — although he offered resistance before his arrest - and was brought from Matale to Kandy where he was kept a prisoner.
The trial of Gongalegoda Banda commenced on 27 November at the Supreme Court sessions in Kandy. He was charged with high treason for claiming to be King of Kandy and waging war against the British. He declared that he was guilty of all the charges. The Supreme Court condemned him to be hanged on 1 January 1849.
Subsequently, a proclamation was issued to amend the death sentence to flogging 100 times and deportation to Malacca (Malaysia). Puran Appu, even though his leg of the rebellion was successful in capturing Matale, and was proclaimed as the King of Sinhale by people, was eventually captured, taken to Kandy and executed.
BATTLE OF GANNORUWA- 1638
The Battle of Gannoruwa was a battle of the Sinhalese–portuguese War fought in 1638 between the occupying Portuguese forces and the Sinhalese King’s army at Gannoruwa in the District of Kandy, Sri Lanka. The Portuguese had attempted three times without success to capture the Kingdom of Kandy, in order to bring the entire island under their rule. In 1635, Rajasinghe II became the king of Kandy and started negotiations with the Dutch to obtain their help in driving out the Portuguese. The Portuguese hastened their efforts to take Kandy because of this, and Diogo de Melo de Castro, the Portuguese Captain General, tried to provoke the
Sinhalese on several occasions. Melo seized an elephant presented to a merchant by the king, to which the king responded by seizing two of Melo’s own horses. Following this incident, Melo assembled his troops and set out for Kandy. The city of Kandy was evacuated by the Sinhalese, and Melo’s army found the city empty when they arrived. They sacked and burned the city, and started to return to Colombo. However, their way forward was blocked by the Sinhalese army at Gannoruwa. The Portuguese force was surrounded with all escape routes cut off.
On 28 March 1638, the Sinhalese army attacked the Portuguese force, leaving only 33 Portuguese soldiers alive, along with a number of mercenaries. The heads of the killed Portuguese soldiers were piled before the Sinhalese king Rajasingha II . The battle, which ended in victory for the Sinhalese army, was the last battle fought between the Portuguese and the Sinhalese, and was also the final battle fought by the Kingdom of Kandy. The Portuguese were driven out of the country by the Dutch soon afterward.
De Melo followed an aggressive approach towards Kandy from the beginning. A caravan of 600 men and bulls was taken into custody and later released. He also raised issues with the peace accord that had been signed earlier between the Portuguese and King Senarath. In the meantime, he assembled his troops in preparation for an attack on Kandy. These troops later encamped in Atapitiya, close to the boundaries of the Kingdom of Kandy as a show of strength. In response to this, the Sinhalese strengthened their defenses with troops from Matale and Uva.
Rajasinghe had presented an elephant to a Portuguese merchant, António Machado, who had gained the king’s favour. De Melo took this elephant into his possession. After hearing about this, Rajasinghe presented another elephant to the merchant. He then seized two horses that were sent to Kandy by Melo for sale, and informed Melo that the horses would be released upon the return of the elephant. The Portuguese also killed Rajasinghe’s Disawe, a regional officer, of Batticaloa, much to the king’s anger.
The Portuguese force advanced through Atapitiya to Balana, a fort and observation post of the king’s army. They proceeded to Kandy, and found the city deserted. They sacked and burned the city, including the royal palace and temples, and then withdrew, intending to return to Colombo.
They retreated towards Balana with the objective of entrenching themselves on the slopes of Kiriwat Talawa, but had only reached Gannoruwa by nightfall. The king’s army was strengthened by Wijayapala’s troops from Matale, and the combined Sinhalese army was also assisted by Indian soldiers and Moors. At Gannoruwa, Sinhalese woodmen cut down forest trees and obstructed the Portuguese path, preventing them from crossing the nearby Mahaweli river. The road back to Kandy was blocked by troops from Matale, and all escape routes were effectively cut off. The stragglers around the main force were killed by sharpshooters hidden in the surrounding forests. On the following day, 28 March 1638, the Portuguese force tried to resume their retreat. Sinhalese army at once attacked the Lascarins carrying provisions and separated them from the main force. The Lascarins abandoned the provisions in order to retreat and rejoin the main force. Before the Portuguese troops could reach the high ground at Kiriwat Talawa, the Sinhalese army surrounded them and opened fire with their heavy guns, including jingals.whilst, several factors had made the Portuguese fire power and heavy cannons useless.
With the Portuguese force suffering heavy casualties, Melo requested an armistice. Rajasinghe did not reply to this, but ordered his drummers to proclaim that all Sinhalese that were with the Portuguese force were to leave them. They were told that those who remained would be put to the sword the next day.
Numbers of the Portuguese force were rapidly reduced before the Sinhalese army charged up the hill and attacked them. Rajasinghe conducted his troops during the battle from under the shade of a tree. The Portuguese force was almost completely destroyed in the fight that ensued. Approximately 4,000 soldiers of the Portuguese force were killed.only 33 Portuguese soldiers were left alive,along with a number of mercenaries. Rajasinghe and Wijayapala ordered their men not to kill the survivors after the battle was won. Heads of the killed soldiers were piled before the Sinhalese king. A search was made for Melo’s body, but it was not found. However, some Sinhalese soldiers found Melo’s sword, and presented it to Rajasinghe.
1559 BATTLE OF MULLERIYA
In 1521, King Vijayabahu VI’S three sons mutinied against their father. They ousted him, had him assassinated, and divided the kingdom among themselves, leading to the events which known as “Spoiling of Vijayabahu” (Vijayaba Kollaya). The eldest son, Buvanekabahu VII received Kotte with the sea board and ruled with the title of emperor. The second son received the principality of Raigama and ruled under the name of King Raigam Bandara. The youngest son, who masterminded the mutiny, received the kingdom of Sitawaka and ruled as King Mayadunne Bandara.
With Raigam Bandara’s death in 1538 Mayadunne annexed the principality of Raigama and invaded Kotte. King Buvanekabahu VII, with the help of Portuguese, defeated Mayadunne’s invading forces, eventually paving the way to an uneasy peace between two kingdoms.
While the Portuguese wanted to conduct a full-scale offensive against Sitawaka, Bhuvanekabahu VII did not support their cause; he only wanted Portuguese help for defensive purposes. After Bhuvanekabahu’s death in 1551, his Catholic grandson, Dharmapala succeeded the Kotte throne. However, he was more or less a puppet king under Portuguese influence. At this time King Mayadunne was raiding the Kotte border and extending Sitawakan sphere of influence.
After the unsuccessful siege of Kotte from 1557-1558 by Mayadunne, the Portuguese laid plans to invade Sitawaka.
The first battle was short and the Sitawakans were defeated. They retreated towards Hewagama leaving 200 dead, pursued by the Portuguese. Wickramasinghe Mudali was himself wounded. Jorge de Menezes wanted to annihilate the Sitawakans and pressed the pursuit.
Retreating Sitawakan forces took refuge in a narrow pass which has been fortified earlier. Against the better judgment of veteran soldiers, de Menezes ordered to attack the fortified pass. But now reorganized and well entrenched, Wickramasinghe Mudali managed to repulse repeated waves of attacks.
Tikiri Bandara, mounted on a horse, led the centre on a full frontal attack. His force was arranged in divisions (Jayasundara division, Vijayasundara division) but the targe bearers, war elephants, and horses charged mingled together to prevent Portuguese from reloading their muskets. Targe bearers advanced under the cover of the elephants to avoid fire (“clinging to the tails of the elephants” – Rajavaliya). At the same time the mixed force of militia and targe bearers attacked from rear and flank and joined the fight.
Those who escaped found refuge in the smaller stockade which captured in the early part of campaign. But many were wounded and their pride has shaken
According to Portuguese sources, only 50 soldiers were killed (30 in the main battle and 20 from their wounds, after retreating to the smaller stockade).according to Rajavaliya, 1,600 Portuguese and Lascarins besides several Kotte men and officers were felled. But both Portuguese and local sources are silent regarding the number of Sitawaka casualties.
This was one of the few pitched battles between the Portuguese and the Sinhalese. The Portuguese became extremely weak within their area and the threat to Sitawaka from this direction ceased. Emboldened by this victory, Mayadunne and Tikiri Bandara conducted frequent attacks against the Portuguese and the Kotte Kingdom. By 1565 the Portuguese were unable to hold the capital city of Kotte. They abandoned Kotte and moved to Colombo (which was guarded by a powerful fort and the Portuguese navy) with their puppet King Dharmapala.