Keppetipola Disawe
Encyclopedia
Rajapaksa Wickramasekera Mudiyanselage Bandaranayake Monarawila Keppetipola (Sinhala:රාජපක්ෂ වික්රමසෙකර මුදියන්සේලාගේ බණ්ඩාරනායක මොනරවිල කැප්පැටිපොල), more widely known as Keppetipola Disawe was a Disawe, a high ranking official under the rule of King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe and later under the British Administration in Sri Lanka
(then known as Ceylon). He was a prominent leader of the Uva rebellion of 1818
after he joined the rebels whom he was sent to suppress by the British. The rebellion was defeated by the British, and Keppetipola Disawe along with several other leaders of the rebellion were found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death. He is well known for the exceptional courage that he showed at the moment of his execution, and is now a national hero of Sri Lanka.
family in Monarawila of the Matale
area. Keppetipola Disawe’s father Golahela Disawe was the Diyawadana Nilame of Temple of the Tooth
and Disawe of Tamankaduwa during the reign of King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe. After his death, Keppetipola acquired his position.
on 2nd March 1815, bringing the whole island under the British rule. Keppetipola was one of the three leaders who signed the treaty in Sinhalese. This is noted by some as a sign that even though Keppetipola signed this treaty, he was not willing to bring his country under the British rule.
Keppetipola served under the British rule as a Disawe, in charge of the Uva Province. By 1817 the rebellions were getting uncontrollable and attempts at negotiations also failed. As advised by the British Resident in Kandy John D’Oyly
, Governor Robert Brownrigg
sent Keppetipola with 500 men to suppress the rebellion. However, upon meeting the rebels Keppetipola joined them as their leader at their request. His men are also said to have joined with him, but Keppetipola returned his arms and ammunition to the British governor saying that he did not wish to destroy them with their own weapons. Keppetipola continued to lead the rebellion with great success until it was ended with the disbanding of the rebels.
was declared in Kandy and the surrounding provinces and two army divisions were sent to Uva immediately after the news reached the Governor that Keppetipola has joined the rebels. Soon after this, Wilbawe who had claimed to be the heir to the throne, was formally crowned. Under this new king, Keppetipola was appointed as the Maha Adhikaram (Chief Minister) and the rebels were urged to free the country from the British rule.
Keppetipola led a guerilla war against the British army, knowing that the rebels were outnumbered and lesser in firepower. There were only a few large face-to-face battles done against the British army during the entire rebellion, and most of the attacks were carried out in the form of ambushes. Under the leadership of Keppetipola, the rebellion gained new strength and grew rapidly, spreading to a large part of the country. On the 1st of January 1818, governor Brownrigg declared Keppetipola and sixteen others as rebels, outlaws and enemies to the crown and their lands and property were confiscated.
As it became clear that the rebels were gaining the upper hand and the British forces stationed in the country cannot do enough against them, reinforcements were brought in from India. The rebels were unable to face the strengthened British forces, and were facing difficulties with supplies as most of the cultivations and livestock in the areas where the rebellion took place had been destroyed. As a result of this and because of the hardships the civilian population of Uva had to face, the rebels were disbanded and Keppetipola fled to the Nuwara Kalawiya area in Anuradhapura
.
O’Neil of the British army
, with the assistance of Native
Lieutenant
Cader-Boyet of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment
. As the troops surrounded the house he was in, Keppitipola Disawe boldly came out and greeted Capt. O’Neil, identified himself to them and gave himself in. After his capture, Keppetipola was taken to Kandy where he was tried for high treason and sentenced to death by beheading.
On 25 November 1818, Keppetipola and Madugalle, another rebel leader, were taken to the Temple of the Tooth
, where they performed their religious rituals. Here Keppetipola made his final wish as to be born in the Himalayas
on his next birth and attain Nirvana
. He offered a cloth he wore to the temple, and presented his Dhammapada
to his friend Marshall Sawers. He requested Sawers to come to the execution grounds with him and witness his death, but was refused as Sawers did not wish to see his friend’s death.
Keppetipola and Madugalle were taken to the execution grounds at Bogambara, where Keppetipola requested the executioner to behead him with a single stroke of the sword. Keppetipola tied up his hair over his head to avoid it falling onto his neck and bent to receive the sword stroke, uttering some Pali
verses from the Dhammapada. However the executioner failed to behead him with one stroke as requested and Keppetipola was killed on the second stroke.
After his death his skull was taken to Britain and placed in the Phrenological Society of Edinburgh. When Ceylon gained independence from the British in 1948, Keppetipola was declared a national hero
, because he'd fought to free the country from foreign rule. In 1954 at the request of the Government of Ceylon his skull was returned home, and entombed in the Keppetipola Memorial in Kandy
.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
(then known as Ceylon). He was a prominent leader of the Uva rebellion of 1818
Uva Rebellion
The Great Rebellion of 1817-1818, also known as the 1818 Uva-Wellassa Uprising, , or simply the Uva Rebellion was the third Kandyan War with the British, in what is now Sri Lanka...
after he joined the rebels whom he was sent to suppress by the British. The rebellion was defeated by the British, and Keppetipola Disawe along with several other leaders of the rebellion were found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death. He is well known for the exceptional courage that he showed at the moment of his execution, and is now a national hero of Sri Lanka.
The Family of Keppetipola Disawe
Keppetipola was born to an RadalaRadala
The Radala refer to an extremely small minority caste in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. They were the aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom. After capturing the Kandyan provinces in 1815 with the aid of locals from both maritime and Kandyan provinces, the British created an extensive class of loyal...
family in Monarawila of the Matale
Matale
Matale is a town in the hill country of Sri Lanka, from Colombo and from Kandy. It is an area steeped in history and village living. The mayor of Matale is Hilmy Careem, as of May, 2006....
area. Keppetipola Disawe’s father Golahela Disawe was the Diyawadana Nilame of Temple of the Tooth
Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...
and Disawe of Tamankaduwa during the reign of King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe. After his death, Keppetipola acquired his position.
The Beginning of the British Rule and Joining the Rebellion
Keppetipola Disawe was one of the Sinhala leaders who signed the ‘’Udarata Treaty’’ at KandyKandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
on 2nd March 1815, bringing the whole island under the British rule. Keppetipola was one of the three leaders who signed the treaty in Sinhalese. This is noted by some as a sign that even though Keppetipola signed this treaty, he was not willing to bring his country under the British rule.
Keppetipola served under the British rule as a Disawe, in charge of the Uva Province. By 1817 the rebellions were getting uncontrollable and attempts at negotiations also failed. As advised by the British Resident in Kandy John D’Oyly
Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet, of Kandy
Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet was a British colonial administrator.D'Oyly had a key role in arranging for the British takeover of the Kandyan kingdom in 1815. Fluent in Sinhala, he was the intermediary between the British Governor and the disaffected Kandyan chiefs who were intriguing to "sell out"...
, Governor Robert Brownrigg
Robert Brownrigg
General Sir Robert Brownrigg, 1st Baronet GCB was a British statesman and soldier.-Military career:Brownrigg was commissioned as an ensign in 1775...
sent Keppetipola with 500 men to suppress the rebellion. However, upon meeting the rebels Keppetipola joined them as their leader at their request. His men are also said to have joined with him, but Keppetipola returned his arms and ammunition to the British governor saying that he did not wish to destroy them with their own weapons. Keppetipola continued to lead the rebellion with great success until it was ended with the disbanding of the rebels.
The Rebellion of 1818 under the leadership of Keppetipola
Martial LawMartial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
was declared in Kandy and the surrounding provinces and two army divisions were sent to Uva immediately after the news reached the Governor that Keppetipola has joined the rebels. Soon after this, Wilbawe who had claimed to be the heir to the throne, was formally crowned. Under this new king, Keppetipola was appointed as the Maha Adhikaram (Chief Minister) and the rebels were urged to free the country from the British rule.
Keppetipola led a guerilla war against the British army, knowing that the rebels were outnumbered and lesser in firepower. There were only a few large face-to-face battles done against the British army during the entire rebellion, and most of the attacks were carried out in the form of ambushes. Under the leadership of Keppetipola, the rebellion gained new strength and grew rapidly, spreading to a large part of the country. On the 1st of January 1818, governor Brownrigg declared Keppetipola and sixteen others as rebels, outlaws and enemies to the crown and their lands and property were confiscated.
As it became clear that the rebels were gaining the upper hand and the British forces stationed in the country cannot do enough against them, reinforcements were brought in from India. The rebels were unable to face the strengthened British forces, and were facing difficulties with supplies as most of the cultivations and livestock in the areas where the rebellion took place had been destroyed. As a result of this and because of the hardships the civilian population of Uva had to face, the rebels were disbanded and Keppetipola fled to the Nuwara Kalawiya area in Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
.
Capture and Execution of Keppetipola
On 28 October 1818, Keppetipola along with Pilimathalawe, another rebel leader were captured by CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
O’Neil of the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, with the assistance of Native
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Cader-Boyet of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment
Ceylon Rifle Regiment
Ceylon Rifle Regiment was a regular native regiment formed by the British in Ceylon. Its history goes back to 1795 when five independent companies of Malays where transferred from Dutch to HEIC service...
. As the troops surrounded the house he was in, Keppitipola Disawe boldly came out and greeted Capt. O’Neil, identified himself to them and gave himself in. After his capture, Keppetipola was taken to Kandy where he was tried for high treason and sentenced to death by beheading.
On 25 November 1818, Keppetipola and Madugalle, another rebel leader, were taken to the Temple of the Tooth
Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...
, where they performed their religious rituals. Here Keppetipola made his final wish as to be born in the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
on his next birth and attain Nirvana
Nirvana
Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
. He offered a cloth he wore to the temple, and presented his Dhammapada
Dhammapada
The Dhammapada is a versified Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. It is one of the best-known texts from the Theravada canon....
to his friend Marshall Sawers. He requested Sawers to come to the execution grounds with him and witness his death, but was refused as Sawers did not wish to see his friend’s death.
Keppetipola and Madugalle were taken to the execution grounds at Bogambara, where Keppetipola requested the executioner to behead him with a single stroke of the sword. Keppetipola tied up his hair over his head to avoid it falling onto his neck and bent to receive the sword stroke, uttering some Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
verses from the Dhammapada. However the executioner failed to behead him with one stroke as requested and Keppetipola was killed on the second stroke.
After his death his skull was taken to Britain and placed in the Phrenological Society of Edinburgh. When Ceylon gained independence from the British in 1948, Keppetipola was declared a national hero
National Heroes of Sri Lanka
National Heroes of Sri Lanka are those who are considered to have played a major role in the Sri Lankan independence struggle from British Colonial rule...
, because he'd fought to free the country from foreign rule. In 1954 at the request of the Government of Ceylon his skull was returned home, and entombed in the Keppetipola Memorial in Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
.