He wrote his account on May 7, 1895, at the police station, Gampola based on the writing of Don. V. Dias, an interpreter to the British during the capitulation of Kandy in 1815 and also the Uva Rebellion 1818.

To refute the contradictory statements about the capture of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe which appeared in the Sinhala newspaper, Sarasavi Sandaresa

. The English army comprising several companies of Seapoys, Malays and Bengalis marched towards Kandy to take King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe alive, led by two English officers Lt. Debous, Steken, Ensign Clevet, and Sinhala Mohottalas — Kawdumunne, Tora-wature and Kurundu-munne and two Malay captains, Krisi and Kuppan.

The English army made their way through Nagahagedara, in the lower Dolospattu of the Hath Korale encounting army of the Sinhalese who were repulsed. Then Britishers advanced towards Kurunegala and then to Matale across upper Dolospattu of the Hath Korale.

The British army on their way to Kandy through Gangawala met another large force of British at Alutgantota. The British force consisted of Bengalis, Seapoy and Malay soldiers with D'Oyley, Col. Hardy, Col. Hook and officers of the different companies.

Among the others were Tambi Mudaliyar and a Malay Muhan-diram and two Adikarams, Ehelepola and Molligoda.

The Sinhala forces from Udunuwara and Yatinuwara were led by Pilimatalawa Disava, Eknaligoda, Doloswala Mahawalatanne Mohottalas and also several other chiefs.

When they reached Alutgantota there were many people crossing the ferry which took them nearly five days to reach the other side of Mahaveli.

Reaching Maha-nuwara, the British army found the royal palace abandoned. On hearing of the approach of the British army the king had left the city with his retinue and gone to a safer place.

Learning of the whereabouts of the king from the Malay Muhandiram the British army proceeded to Hanwella close to Teldeniya.

Dias and Eknaligoda Mohottala proceeded towards Medamahanuwara where the king was staying.

Having walked in the afternoon, they came across a large extent of a paddy field and spotting a boy running across a field on seeing the strangers. He was chased and was caught. The boy frightened, shivered before Eknaligoda Mohottala and Dias and with respect bowed before them and said: "My Lords, do not kill me, I will show you where Devihamuduruwo is staying."

Eknaligoda Mohottala had him tied the boy with a wild creeper round his loins and led him to the place he showed where they came upon a banyan tree.

The boy pointed at the tree and said: "There, it is the tree just above the place where Devihamu-duruwo is".

Nearly 500 men from Sabaragamuwa followed including Eknaligoda Mohottala, Imbulanwala Arachchi and Yatipaluwe Kankanama to the spot where the boy showed.

Having reached the place where the house was, they saw two women of the Ara-chchi's house standing near the door of the house which was kept closed.

In the compound was Appuhamy of the Bed Chamber pacing up and down with a lance in his hand.

Seeing Eknaligoda Mohottala, he said, "Ha! Eknaligoda Rala, where are you going." The latter replied, "Yes we too came here".

As he said this, Appuhamy hurled his lance at Eknaligoda Mohottala. It did not touch him but lodged in the ground and broke into pieces.

In a moment the Sabaragamuwa men caught Appuhamy. As to what happened to him, no one knew. Thereafter Eknaligoda Mohottala walked upto the door of the house and ordered the king to open it.

The king did not open the door and enquired from inside whether it was "Our relative Eknaligoda". "Yes, I am, open the door."

From an opening, three rifles with silver mountings and two kris knives were thrown out.

But the king declined to hand over the golden sword although he was requested to do so.

After a while at the instance of Eknaligoda Mohottala, the door was struck several times with a mortar found in the compound.

When the door burst open, the Sabaraga-muwa men entered and created a disturbance inside the house.

There was shouting and shrieking. In the midst of the melee, the men went on grabbing clothes and the queens jewellery bearing them only with the clothes they were wearing.

The two queens began to stagger from one side to another, falling and rolling on the ground.

Seeing this change of events, Dias said in Tamil, "Ladies, don't be frightened but come out here" then they ran upto Dias and clung on to his shoulders.

Dias noticed his clothes were stained with blood. When examining the ear lobes of the queens he found they were torn and their earrings were snatched .

In the midst of the confusion, medicinal herbs were obtained with the help of Imbulanwala Arachchi and the bleeding was stopped by applying the herbs to the ear lobes.

Later the king was dragged out of the house. Eknaligoda Mohottala was heard saying, "Come out you fellow, to be taken and delivered over to your father."

He was preparing to have him tied saying, "Bring me Kirindi creepers to have this fellow tied like a pig and taken". At that moment, Dias stepped forward and said, "Nilame you Sinhalese were upto this very day and hour subject to and honouring this king calling him, God, Lord, Parent, whereas we cannot be expected to show him the same regard for the reason of our being subject to foreign administration from the days of our ancestors.

"He is your king your god, your master and your parent. Now, what is only necessary is to take him. It is not right for you to bind, insult or injure him."

Eknaligoda Nilame was enraged at this remark and retorted. "We are not come here to seek your advice." He was about to tie the king with creepers when Dias offered the shawl that was hanging on his shoulders.

Being grieved at the insults and injury to which the king was subjected and being able no longer to contain Dias tried to take a pencil and paper from his pocket to inform D'Oyley about the affair. But he could not reach his pocket because the queens were holding his arms fast.

However, he managed to get his pencil and paper from his pocket with the help of Yatipahuwe Kanka-nama. He freed his hands from the grip of the queens and wrote his note by placing it on the back of Yatipahuwe Kanka-nama.

He wrote, "To D'Oyley, the Sinhalese king has fallen into our hands and Eknaligoda Mohottala is fetching him on and has bound him and is subjecting him to much ill treatment and ignominy. Therefore it is of paramount importance that you should come to meet us with three palanquins. Some wearing apparel is also necessary as the queens are almost naked."

The note was sent through Yatipahuwe Kankanama. Within half an hour D'Oyley sent Col. Hardy, Col. Hook and officers with 50 troops and 100 English cavalry and eight palanquins.

By now, the king was laid on a meadow by the Sabaragamuwa men, after pushing and dragging him on the ground for some distance when he said he could not walk.

When the two colonels and two officers reached the place where the king was lying they saw the ignomny and torture to which they were subjecting him.

They whipped and drove away the people of Sabaragamuwa in all directions. Then they dismounted from the horses and uncovered their heads and knelt before the king. They untied the hands of the king and tried to comfort him.

Afterwards they enquired whether he was hungry and thirsty. The king replied he was thirsty and tired and said he would have a drink.

The king was given Madeira and drank nearly a pint of it with water and refused to take anything else.

The queens drank Claret and water. The king and queens were then dressed in white clothes and were placed in palanquins.

Meantime, the king called Dias and said, "Come here son, these English will take and kill me but I know they will not kill these ladies and I ask you to take charge of them and protect them." Dias assured the king that no harm would happen to him.

With these words, the palanquins with the king and queens were lifted from the ground. Two colonels with swords drawn mounted their horses and took positions on the two sides of the king and marched followed by other officers, with swords drawn and in different positions round the palanquins.

The king and his royal party joined with 50 soldiers and 100 cavalry with their muskets loaded and bayonets ready for action in the rear and in front.

Neither up country Sinhalese nor Malays took part in this march. Only the men belonging to the English regiments and a few of the low country Sinhalese including Dias accompanied the king's party.

The sun was setting when the party reached the camp. The king and two queens in palanquins and the two women of the Arachchi chamber on foot were presented to D'Oyley who received them courteously and gave orders to find quarters for them.

Tents were furnished with beds. Sentries were placed around them changing them by turns and in two days, they were transferred to Kandy.

The writer acknowledges the invaluable assistance of K. V. J. de Silva for providing the source material.

Back to Latest News

Home News Business DhammaWeb Info & Services Classified Search