By Sena Thoradeniya

(Contd. From 07 October 2023)

1. Empire Day, Accession Day, Coronation, King’s Birthday, Victory Day, Armistice, Celebrated in Ceylon

Empire Day (date of Queen Victoria’s birthday), Accession Day (anniversary of the date the Monarch took office), Jubilees, King’s Coronation, King’s Birthday, Victory Day and other public occasions were celebrated throughout the Island, Native Chiefs taking the lead in ceremonies organized in the regions. Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee were celebrated in June 1887 and June 1897 respectively. In Kandyan areas celebrations were held in every town with the participation of school children, all organized by the Rate Mahattayas, to remind school children that they formed part of the British Empire, saluting the Union Jack and singing God Save the King/Queen”. Each government school was supplied with a Union Jack flag which was to be hoisted on specified days. Wace the Government Agent of Central Province in 1905 had asked to secure a translation in Sinhala and Tamil of God Save the King” to familiarize children throughout the Island with the Imperial instinct and arouse of loyalty to the Crown”.

In 1887 Queen’s Jubilee and Coronation Day was celebrated on June 28 at Paththiruppuwa.  

On account of the Coronation of King Edward VII (and Queen Alexandra), eldest son of Queen Victoria on August 9, 1902 celebrations were organized throughout the districts. Celebrations originally scheduled for 26, June were postponed as the government received a telegram informing King’s sudden illness. In North Western Province coronation was celebrated with peraheras of Chiefs and elephants. In Sabaragamuwa coronation celebrations were held in Balangoda, Maduwanwela and Ratnapura with illuminations, fireworks and demonstrating loyalty” to the Crown.  Assistant Government Agent of Kegalle, C. S. Vaughn wrote festivities were observed on a less elaborate scale than had been intended”.

Empire Day was celebrated on May 12 1908 at Kandy. A large number of school children was brought to Bogambara Grounds. In 1910 on the occasion of Empire Day, school treats” were organized by Rate Mahattayas. Empire Hotel, Empire Stores & Dye Works are a few relics in Kandy that reminiscence Empire Day. 

On the occasion of King’s birthday Kandyan chiefs were conferred with higher ranks (LankaWeb of 11 August 2023). In 1909 on the King’s birthday 3 cases of conferring of ranks in Central Province took place: the rank of Dissava on Monaravila Keppetipola Loku Banda retired Rate Mahattaya of Matale South, rank of Rate Adikaram on Weerasekera Mudiyanselage Kalu Banda Korala of Uda Dumbara and the rank of Dissave Lekam on Samarasinghe Mudiyanselage Punchi Rala Korala of Gangawata Korale in Yatinuwara.  J.P. Lewis, the Government Agent of Central Province wrote: The last two were the first cases of which these ranks were conferred during British rule so far I am aware’.

Death of King Edward VII was mourned in May 1910.

Coronation of King George V was celebrated on June 22 in 1911 with grand peraheras organized by Rate Mahattayas. Religious ceremonies were held at Buddhist Viharas under the direction of Rate Mahattayas and Presidents of Village Tribunals.  A parade, a Royal gun salute and feeding poor people attracted ordinary people; in the evening illuminations, a perahera and fireworks were held in Kandy.

In Nuwara Eliya services were held at Buddhist temples; a perahera starting from Mawela visited all temples in the Division of Kotmale. In Walapone two centres were selected for celebrations, Nlidandahinna under the direction of Rate Mahattaya and at Kumbalgamuwa under the direction of President of Village Tribunal respectively. The President rose to the occasion by firing a royal salute”. In the North Western Province each Rate Mahattaya and Presidents organized local celebrations and the major one was held at Kurunegala. A perahera was held at Anuradhapura. An Address bearing pictures of main ruins and irrigation works, ornamented with the British royal arms and ancient flags of Nuwara Kalaviya and Tamankaduwa was signed by the leading men in the North Central Province and sent to the Government to be submitted to Their Majesties. Local celebrations were held in Uva. At the main celebrations held in Colombo Uva Province was represented by a Rate Mahattaya and a retired Rate Mahattaya. 

News of signing of the Peace Treaty (Armistice) by Germany in 1919 was hailed all over the districts and celebrated on June 29, 1919. Peace Day was celebrated on July 19 in Kandy on a grand scale; in the morning there was a parade by Cadets and Boys Scouts at Victoria esplanade. School children numbering 4500 all brought by the native chiefs marched to Victoria esplanade and sang the Marseilles and British National Anthem. In the afternoon main celebrations were held at Bogambara. Commemoration shields were presented to each school. Commemoration trees were planted at various schools in Kandy, Teldeniya and Wattegama. A perahera and fireworks were held in the evening. Signing of peace treaty was also celebrated in Matale too.

A Victory Dinner was held at the Queen’s Hotel, Kandy, attended by British administrators, military personnel, plantation community and Kandyan chiefs. 

From then onwards the Armistice was celebrated annually. Rate Mahattayas were in-charge of all arrangements. Armistice was celebrated by cessation of work and observing silence, stopping all vehicles and pedestrians for 2 minutes.

 It should be noted that Piyadasa Sirisena, the pioneer Sinhala novelist, national and Buddhist revivalist, on 16.7.1919 wrote a poem on Armistice titled Samadana Preethiya” (Joys of Armistice). He invites all Lankans to celebrate the Armistice in a carnival atmosphere (the victory of the ‘allies’ in a war between two imperialist camps) and hails our great king with loads of tributes”. This shows the dual nature of national revivalists of the time. This writer has given a detailed account of Piyadasa Sirisena’s poetry in his book titled Nidahas Aragalaya Saha Sahithyaya” (2019).   

In 1920 Armistice was observed throughout the Nuwara Eliya District, Rate Mahattayas making arrangements. Guns at headmen’s houses were fired and services were held in Buddhist temples.

Silver Jubilee of King was celebrated in 1936 in Kandy and Matale. In Kandy a parade and a perahera were held; a levee with the Governor was held on June 3.

Occupation of other lands were also celebrated; in 1900 occupation of Pretoria by the British Navy under Lord Roberts was celebrated in Kandy on 20 June with a thanksgiving service, parade of troops and volunteers. A perahera with 38 elephants was organized by the Chiefs. Fireworks and illuminations in the night with a Ball at Town Hall followed. This was the first occasion in which electric lights were used in Kandy for illuminations of the Temple and other buildings.

2. Durbars/Levees

The Governors held Durbars (levees), a reception to native chieftains at the Queens’ House. Native headmen attended durbars in their traditional attire. Dullewa Adigar in his Diary mentions about Durbars he had attended in Colombo. In May 1892 he was introduced to the Governor by Fisher, Government Agent of Uva. Dullewa writes that in May 1894 Paranagama Rate Mahattaya was promoted to the rank of Dissava by the Governor. The levees were followed by a Ball in the evening at the Queens’ House. (When Paranagama Dissava, the chief interpreter at the kachcheri died in 1895 the Governor and the Government Agent paid their last respects).

All Kandyan chiefs attended durbars held at Kandy; provincial heads attended durbars held in other provincial capitals. These were the occasions Rate Mahattayas discussed matters related to the province/district presided over by the Governor or Government Agent.   

Dullewa Adigar in his Diary mentions about a Durbar he had attended in Kandy kachcheri with the Governor and Government Agent in January 1894. Governor had asked the native chiefs whether the natives also had taken up” cocoa planting and whether cocoa stealing prevailed in the districts.  The chiefs were asked to suggest means to prevent cocoa stealing. They were not prepared with a ready reply.   

In 1903 Governor Ridgeway paid a farewell visit to Kurunegala and held a durbar. He received addresses of farewell from the Chiefs. At Anuradhapura Ridgeway at his farewell visit was escorted to the town in a perahera with elephants, tom-tom beaters and Chiefs and Headmen. Next day he held a levee; it was followed by the levee in Colombo on the occasion of the birthday of the King.

A Durbar/conference of Chief Headmen of the five Kandyan Provinces (Central Province, Uva, North Central Province, North Western Province and Sabaragamuwa) presided over by the Governor with the attendance of Colonial Secretary, Controller of Revenue and five Government Agents was held for the first time in the history of the Colony at the Pavilion Kandy in May , 1908 –  a new departure in the form of a Durbar of Kandyan chiefs. Among the subjects discussed were Sinhalese labour in estates and Kandyan ranks.

The second durbar of Kandyan Chief Headmen was held in 1909. In 1910 July at the Durbar of Kandyan chiefs elephant kraals and how can Kandyan girls be encouraged to take to the profession of school mistresses were among the subjects discussed. This was the day J. P. Lewis the Government Agent of Central Province retired from civil service. Kandyan Chiefs escorted Lewis in a perahera to Kandy railway station.

When Royal dignitaries visited various districts/provinces of the Island Durbars were held, all Kandyan chieftains attending in full dress”. On the occasion of the visit of Prince of Wales to Kandy on March 23, 1922 in the evening a durbar of Kandyan chiefs was held at 9.30 p.m. followed by a Raja Perahera.

3. Hunting by Royal Dignitaries

When Royal dignitaries visited Kandyan provinces, Kandyan Headmen had to facilitate their hunting expeditions. This facility was provided to Government Agents and Assistant Government Agents too who were on circuit”. Dullewa had to provide gaming facilities to His imperial and Royal Highness the Arch Duke of Austria at Kalawewa in 1891. In addition, he had to send an elephant tracker.

When Duke Edinburgh visited Central Province in !870 he was taken on an elk hunt at Bopaththalawa. Men worked for 5 weeks cutting roads and erecting embankments for the hunting party under the supervision of Rate Mahattayas of Nuwara Eliya district. 

In 1893 Nuwara Eliya chiefs had to facilitate sambhur hunting in Elk Plains with hounds for another dignitary. An elk hunt was organised in 1921 for Crown Prince and Princes of Germany at Kantalai and teal hunting in Kantalai for another in 1931. 

4. Disenfranchisement of Kandyans in North Central Province and Election of Low-countrymen” to Kandyan Provinces

For the first election held for the Reformed (new) Legislative Council in April 1921 the majority of the male adults in the North Central Province was disenfranchised as being Kandyans and the electoral roll being confined to the low-country” Sinhalese, Tamils and Moors, numbering 139. Polling stations were at Anuradhapura, Kekirawa, Medawachchiya, Kahatagasdigiliya and Polonnaruwa. There were two candidates, a low country” Sinhalese E.R. Krishnaratne and a Tamil Navaratnaraja. Although the latter withdrew, the ballot was held and the former was elected.  This was reported by R. W. Seymore, Government Agent of North Central Province.

No historian, political scientist or any other had observed this discrimination except disenfranchisement of Indian plantation workers by the UNP Government of D. S. Senanyake.

In a poll held in April 1921 to represent Central Province A. G. G. Wijekone (later Sir Gerald Wijekone) was elected by a majority of 23 votes. Number of voters who had voted in his favour was 661. In Sabaragamuwa J.W.E. Boteju, a Christian clergyman was returned as the Member of the Province. Uva Province was represented by D.H. Kotelawala (Sir Don Henry). In 1926 Central Province was represented by George E. de Silva (Ape George”), a migrant from the coastal belt.

5. Dullewa Adigar’s Servility

Dullewa Adigar functioned as a member of the Provincial /District Committee appointed under Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1889, making inventories of moveable property and lists of land owned by Buddhist viharas and devalayas interms of clause 14 of the said Ordinance.

His aim was to implement the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance to the letter acting against custodians of some Buddhist viharas and devalayas. He had disagreements with Mahanayaka of Malwatta Viharaya, Diyawadana Nilame of Dalada Maligawa and Basnayake Nilames of certain devalayas. He had instituted legal action against the Nayaka Unnanse of Dambulla Viharaya. His Diary notes that his work associated with Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance was not appreciated at all by Buddhist priests.

The purport of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance was to vest the property belonging to the Buddhist temples in trustees appointed by and acting under the control of district committees; the object being to ensure that the revenues of the temples were applied to proper uses”. Since there are hundreds of publications regarding Buddhist Ecclestical Law it is not our intention to delve into this matter any further. Temple property and the rights of Viharadhipathis have been regulated by successive Buddhist Temporalities Ordinances and their amendments.   

British Government wanted to transfer the custody of Vihara property from Viharadipathis to trustees consisting of lay persons, inventorise land and movable property through district committees appointed under the Ordinance. The commissioners of the Buddhist Temporalities Commission were of the opinion that the incumbent priests relish on the property of viharas unashamedly. But the Buddhist prelates argued otherwise, that the report of the Commission was going against the Buddhist values and ethics, ancient edicts of the kings, ancient customs and beliefs of the people and above all else against the English Law.

Buddhists argued that it was wrong to state that there was a law in Buddhism that the property belonged to Sanga and Viharas can be partitioned and sold. The Commissioners wanted to sell the property of Viharayas and utilize the proceeds to spend on colleges and schools. The commissioners had cited Rajawaliya” which was not a book written on Buddha Dhamma. It was a mockery learning principle of Buddhism from Rajawaliya”, the Buddhists argued in their petitions against the Ordinance. They argued that what was offered to one viharaya in the ancient times, whether land or any other moveable offering cannot be transferred to any other viharaya at the behest of the incumbent priest. Even sacred dhatus belonging to one viharaya, although they are of Lord Buddha cannot be shared with other viharayas or chaittyayas.

It was against the law of ancient kings transferring custody of viharayas to lay persons from priests. They were clearly stated in ancient sannases and thudapaths that bestowed offerings to viharayas. It was against Buddhist beliefs and views and prohibited by kings even plucking flowers and fruits from trees belonging to viharayas without obtaining prior permission from the incumbent priest. If the government uses the income belonging to viharayas it was a breach of 1815 Kandyan Convention they argued. Acquiring land belonging to viharayas by the government and paying a nominal fee according to the Commission report is against the English Law as it was illegal to acquire property belonging to someone else without his consent and agreement. It should be noted that many of the words and phrases contain in these petitions this writer had perused are untranslatable.

The Buddhists opposed the proposal of appointment of Mahanayakas and Anunayakas of Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters respectively and other provincial chief priests by a central board.  

Mahanayakas of Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters also sent a petition to Queen Victoria citing reasons how the recommendations of the Commission were detrimental to Buddha Sasana with no avail.

In 1891, Dullewa went to Dalada Maligawa to inventorise its moveable property. When the priests of Malwatta and Asgiriya had objected that the Committee or anybody should not interfere with the Maligawa or anything connected with it he and other Rate Mahattayas represented that matter to the Government Agent.  The Government Agent was wise enough to say that he could not openly interfere”.

Following day, the Committee held a meeting and resolved a deputation including Dullewa and the Presidents of the two Committees to meet the Governor and submit the difficulties the committee encountering in carrying out their work under the Ordinance. The delegation boarded the afternoon train from Kandy and stayed the night at British India Hotel. Following day at the Queens’ House the Governor received the delegation, listened to their oral submissions and accepted their written submissions.

The delegation went to see Wellawatta Spinning and Weaving Mills and came to Fort railway station to board the evening train to Kandy. But they were late by a few minutes. Utterly disappointed Dullewa and Nugawela, Rate Mahattaya of Udunuwara went to Kelaniya temple. The whole night was spent in conversation with Dompe Nayaka Unnanse and his pupil on the working and objects of the Ordinance and other religious topics”. Dullewa makes a comparison between Dompe Unnanse and Kandyan priests. This Unnanse is a very intelligent man. If the priests of Malwatta and Asgiriya are possessed of half the intelligence of this venerable man the wise intention of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance would have been satisfactorily brought up to work upon this time.” 

We discussed Dullewa’s trip to Colombo in detail to rack brains of present day pseudo theorists, who jump into conclusions at a drop of a hat and to warn them not to theorise: (1) that Dullewa was a modern” man ahead of his times, who worked   against feudalistic economic relations and land ownership patterns, who wanted to free Buddhism from all forms of feudal and un- Buddhistic practices (land ownership of Viharayas) and preserve its pristine glory; (2) that Dullewa was pro-industry visiting Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mills; (Dullewa does not write his impressions of what he observed at Weaving Mills or that Central Province needs at least some cottage  industries or the revival of textile weaving in  Talagune in Uda Dumbara and weaving carried out by drummers (viyannala) in other villages; it should be reminded that as his diary, Dullewa was not using a pocket diary; all diary entries were made in a big book made of foolscap folio by a clerk, not an onsite activity). (3) that he was intelligent enough to make a comparison between low-country” Buddhist priests who acknowledged changes and Kandyan Buddhist priests who were subscribing to archaic, feudalistic viewpoints resenting change.

He used his position to claim more and more land from British Government not only for himself but also for his brother.

In March 1893, Dullewa visited Embili Viharaya in Purijjala, Matale with Rate Mahattaya of Matale East, Padiwita Walauwe Tikiri Banda, member of Matale Committee, to make a list of moveable property belonging to the Viharaya.  The priest very willingly showed all the property of the Viharaya and got all his personal belongings entered in the inventory saying that it was his intention to offer them to the Viharaya. Dullewa without understanding the subtle opposition of the priest writes in appreciation that this is a very intelligent priest who had read the Ordinance” and deplores the opposition of other priests.

Dullewa in June 1893 met the Trustee of Dambulla Viharaya and gave instructions to one Mr. Bevan to institute a case against the Nayaka Unnanse to recover possession of the offering he had forcibly taken and obtain an injunction to prevent him from molesting the Trustee.” He stood himself” as security for Rs. 1000/=. He again instituted a case against Nayaka Unnanse for the recovery of the value of paddy alleged to have taken forcibly by Nayaka Unnanse’s people from a paddy field.  

Hearing of Maligawa case” was resumed in July 1894. Diyawadana Nilame denied that he accepted office as Trustee under the District Committee and that the Maligawa as a temple. To prove the latter statement among the other witnesses he called Thibbotuwawe Mahanayaka of Malwatte. Dullewa writes in his Diary: This venerable gentleman in open court stated that the Maligawa is not a temple as defined in the Ordinance to the surprise of those understood the meaning of the word Viharaya.”

At Galewela with the Assistant Agent of Matale he brought control of temple tanks under irrigation rules.

He had a peculiar way of resolving conflicts among villagers, threatening them that he was not prepared to give them his paddy fields and chenas to cultivate. This had some salutary effect on them. The leaders of the two factions promised to settle it among themselves”.

Dullewa’s Diary ends on 19, August 1895.  

6. Abolition of the Posts of Chief Headmen in 1939

A Headmen’s Commission was appointed by the British Government in 1920. But its recommendations were not implemented. A second commission was appointed in 1934. To replace the existing Chief Headmen, Divisional Revenue Officers (DROs) were appointed. In 1939 April Probationary DROs were appointed. On December 1, 10 of the 37 posts of Koralas in Kandy District were suppressed.

DROs were recruited to (i) Kandyan Areas (ii) Maritime Areas, and (iii) Tamil Speaking Areas. To Kandyan Areas only Kandyan Sinhalayas (any son of a Kandyan father; any son of a Kandyan mother) were appointed. It should be noted that of the DROs appointed in 1939, M.D. Banda (from Maturata in 1947, 1952, 1956, from Hanguranketha in 1960 and from Polgahawela in 1965- Cabinet Minister), D. B. Welagedera (from Kurunegala in 1952 and 1977 – Deputy Minister) and George Abeygoonesekara (from Hanguranketha in 1965 and 1977) entered Parliament. M.D. Banda began his political career as a member of the State Council representing Nuwara Eliya. Piyasena Tennakone (1940 intake – from Kandy in 1956 and from Heavaheta in 1970 –Deputy Speaker), X. M. Sellathambu (1942 intake – from Mullaitivu in 1977) E. L. B. Hurulla ( 1943 intake –  from Horowpotana in 1956, 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1977- Cabinet Minister) and U. B. Wijekone (1960 intake- from Dambadeniya in 1977 – Cabinet Minister) followed suit. Piyasena Tennakone was the only MP elected from SLFP. 

Many former Dissavas and Rate Mahattayas were appointed as members of the Legislative Council, State Council and later Parliament. Some became Cabinet Ministers; some of them were conferred with Knighthoods.

END OF PART VIII

NEXT: Land Claims of Chieftains