Keppetipola, Uva rebellion's hero

by S.B. Karalliyadda

The rebellion of Uva or the Kandyan rebellion of 1818 to free the country from the British commemorates 194 years on November 26. The rebellion was brought under control after a total of 778 rebels were either executed, imprisoned or banished from the country. Their lands were confiscated and the dependants were debarred from enjoying any returns from their ancestral wealth.

The article is in memory of the 778 national heroes declared as traitors in the Government Gazette No. 896 of 1818. What we handed over to the British on March 2, 1815 under the Kandyan Convention was the “Sinhale Rata” together with 5/8 of the land area of 15,800 square miles then known as the Kandyan Kingdom. By the convention the maritime provinces already ruled by the British from February 16, 1796 were amalgamated into one rule under them.

Keppetipola Maha Disawa.

But what the British handed over back to us under the pretext of Independence on February 4 1948 was a Ceylon and the Ceylonese who were hitherto known as Sinhalese. This misinterpretation was the cause of the ethnic and divisive problems in the country created by the British. No leader was able to correct the mistake although we have adopted various forms of Constitutions at different times.

John D’ Oyly became the ruler of the country. His second in command to assist him was James Gray and the next in line was Simon Sawers. The western area was under P.E. Woodhouse as the Government Agent in Colombo, overlooking central area. He was also the acting Colonial Secretary. Later George Turnor succeeded as the Government Agent and functioned as Colonial Secretary as well. With the changes the Sinhalese were placed under an alien administration which was foreign to them.

They were used to a rule by a king who moved with them on various social, cultural and religious ceremonies held on different occasions. Hence they felt that they were neglected and unwanted in the course of day-to-day administration and governance. John D’ Oyly was the Legal Commissioner while the Revenue Commissioner was Simon Sawers. John Kelley was the Chief of the Armed Forces. The powerful trio with James Sutherland as the Head Administering the Kandyan Kingdom and subordinate agents assisting, the country was placed under Assistant Agents for the purpose of revenue collection in Uva, Sabaragamuwa Thun Korale and Hatarakorale.

The Sinhale consisted of 21 Divisions of which 12 were Disawanis and nine “ratas”. The composition continued till 1818 with John D’ Oyly in Kandy, Simon Sawers in Badulla and Henry White in Kandy to Assist. There were Additional Government Agents in some places. They had a few Sinhala clerks who could speak English. The Britishers who were not aware of the Sinhale social setup and aspirations of the people and the role of the subordinate stakeholders such as Korales, Mohottalas and Vidanes in the process of governance gradually distanced themselves from the administration thereby harbouring disgust ane distrust on the British rule.

The key players such as the Adikarams and Dissawes too were unhappy when they gradually lost their powers and source of income they derived from the entrance gates or ‘Kadawat’ to the Kandyan areas. The situation was developing within a short span of 32 months after signing the convention. The British may have had memories of bitter experiences they gained in their Kandyan Wars in 1801, 1802, 1803 and how they could take revenge from the village martyrs. They wanted to enforce the system of administration practised in the maritime provinces.

The pride they had due to their white skin coupled with the experiences of the slave trade that was spreading in the world and seen how the black Nigers and Red Indians were treated in the slave market the British probably thought that the Sinhala people also could be treated like slaves. They seem to have taken over 100 years to realise that we have a history of thousands of years of a civilised culture long before the Englishmen were hunting in the wilds naked in Northern Europe. They started violating the conditions of the Convention and with the blessings of the military appointed a Muslim as a Muhandiram to Wellassa. The English too were a nation of traders as Moors.

The Englishmen started bartering textiles and ornamental items in exchange of our ivory and spices. Later they became interested in coffee, cocoa and tea and acquired vast stretches of land under the Waste Lands Ordinance, Crown Land Ordinance, thus becoming land owners and planters. The Sinhalese were reduced to the status of gypsies. In terms of the clause 12 of the Convention. We had to facilitate the export of their merchandise while the English in return promised to supply the Sinhalese with clothes, salt and cash for our services.

Rebellion starts

By October the Resident at Badulla Sylvester Douglas received information that a relation of exciled King with the support of Wilbawe and some members of the clergy accompanied by their supporters were planning to start a rebellion against the British rule. But by that time the Kandyan chiefs and holders of other subordinate positions under the British had now got together and discussed their plans and strategies to overthrow the British regime. When Wilson heard about the disturbances in Wellassa he sent the newly appointed Muhandiram to investigate into the situation and report to him the ground realities.

The disgruntled people caught Hadji and killed him. When Wilson received the information he himself set off from Badulla to inquire into the incident at Wellassa. While returning to Badulla, Wilson's soldiers were caught and detained by the rebels. The place where the incident occurred is today known as Wilson Plains.

Three soldiers who were on their way to Badulla carrying a message from Fort Macdowell in Matale were also caught by the rebels and killed. Even their corpses could not be found by the English troops. When D’ Oyly received information about the incidents he ordered Symon Sawers to go with Ehelepola to Wellassa and settle the issues with the rebels. But the historians are of the view that instead of Ehelepola, if Molligoda who was the first Adigar at the time was sent the situation would have been brought under control.

Ehelepola went to Matale and met his kinsman Ratwatte and discussed with him and proceeded to Nalanda to meet Governor Brownrigg and Lady Brownrigg returning from Anuradhapura. There he requested Brownrigg to remove Millawa who was aged from Uva and appoint Keppetipola as Disawa of Uva. As stated earlier since the Chiefs did not discuss their plans and strategies, Keppetipola by now had joined the rebels to lead them. In addition to Uva Wellassa the rebels by now were active in Bintenna, Walapane, Kothmale, Hewaheta and Dumbara.

The British by now deployed Malay and Sipoy troops but they could not cross the Kelani River as it was flooded. By January 1818 the Government issued a gazette notification naming Keppetipola, Kiulegedara, Butawe Kohukumbure and 12 others as traitors and confiscating their lands and properties. By March 1818 Madugalle Uda Gabada Nilame, Ehelepola Maha Nilame, Pilimatalawa, Kobbekaduwa Disawa and Rate Mahattaya the two brothers joined the rebels to lead the struggle.

Troops were brought from Bengal and Madras to reinforce the British troops. They burnt villages, looted the propertise killed more than 10,000 natives while thousands of their fighters too lost their lives in the battle. Unfortunately there were three main reasons that led to the failure of the independence struggle.

End of the rebellion

There was no prior planning and consensus among the leaders. One of the chiefs did not join due to a personal grudge he had with Ehelepola. The chief's areas Tunkorale and Hatarakorale people kept away from the struggle. When Madugalle had a difference of opinion with Keppetipola he too started a lone battle. By now Marshall Law was declared and the English forces were strengthened. Governor Brownrigg who planned a retreat to Maritime provinces who had already sent his wife to Colombo changed his plans. Simultaneously the rebel leaders fell one after the other. Ellepola Nilame was beheaded after a military trial. Madugalle, Pilimatalawe and Keppetipola were captured. Some rebel leaders were exiled to Murutius.

The Sacred Tooth Relic that was removed from Kandy during the rebellion was recovered from a forest in the possession of Madugalle and two other Bhikkhus by Col. Kelley and brought back to Kandy. It was deposited in the relic chamber of the Maligawa and the keys of the relic casket and the chamber were retained by the Government Agent in Kandy. The rebellion was contained and the hero of the rebellion Keppetipola Maha Disawa was beheaded on November 26, 1818. There is a memorial hall built and a Bodhi planted in memory of the national hero by the Keppetipola Memorial Society of Senkadagala which commemorates the event annually.