Great Rebellion of 1817–18

The Uwa Wellassa Great Rebellion of 1817–1818 ඌව වෙල්ලස්ස මහ කැරැල්ල , also known as the 1818 Uva–Wellassa uprising (after the two places it had started), or simply the Uva rebellion, was the third Kandyan War with the British, in what is now Sri Lanka. It took place in what is now Uva, which was then a province of the Kingdom of Kandy, against the British colonial government under Governor Robert Brownrigg, which had been controlling the formerly independent Udarata (Up-Country in Sinhalese).[1]

Uwa Wellassa Great Rebellion of 1817–18 ඌව වෙල්ලස්ස මහ කැරැල්ල
Part of the Kandyan Wars
Date 1817 October – 1818 November Location Uva-Wellassa, British Ceylon Result British victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Kandy Rebels	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Commanders and leaders
Keppetipola Disawe Wilbawe as assigned King Pilima Talauve Adikaram Kivulegedara Mohottala Madugalle Disave Ellepola Adikaram Kohu Kumbure Rate Rala Ehelapola Maha Adikaram Gode Gedara Adikaram Thanne Adikarama Madulle Nilame Megaskumbure Nilame Kandepolla Nilame Dunuwila Nilame Iriyagama Nilame Dimbulana Disave Butewe Rate Rala Galagoda Mohottala Galagedara Mohottala Meegahapitiya Rate Rala Dambawinna Disave Kurundukumbure Mohottala Madugalle Basnayake Nilame Rev. Wariyapola Sumangala Thera Millawe Disawa Nanapurowa Raterala Allamulle Rala Baknigahawella Mudiyanse Nakkala Mudiyanse Ketakala Mohottala Maha Betmerala Kuda Betmerala Palagolla Mohottala Passerewatte Vidane Yalagomme Mohotalla Udamadure Mohottala Kohukumbura Mohottala Kohukumbura Gahawela Raterala Maha Badullegammene Raterala Bulupitiye Mohottala Palle Malheyae Gametirale Hapategamme Mohottala	Gen. Sir Robert Brownrigg, 1st Baronet GCB Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet, of Kandy Molligoda Maha Adikaram Ratwatte Adikaram Eknaligoda Dissawa Molligoda Podi Nilame Kawigamuwa Nilame Mahawala Thanna Nilame Mullegama Disaawa Doloswala Nilame Ahaliyagoda Nilame Katugaha Maha Nilame Katugaha Podi Nilame Dibulana Nilame Godagedara Nilame Binthanne Adikaram Gonigoda Nilame James Gray Simon Sawers P.E. Woodhouse George Turnor James Sutherland Col. John Kelly Lt. Col. Hardy Lt. Col. Hook Hadji Muhandiram Major MacDonald Major Wilson Major O’Brien Capt. O’Neil Lt. Newman Lt. J. Maclaine Captain Ritchie Captain Fraser Lieut-MacCornell Lieut-Taylor Native Lieut. Annan Native Lieut. Cader-Boyet
Units involved
	Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot Green Howards 19th Regiment of Foot King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 51st Regiment of Foot Royal Berkshire Regiment 49th Regiment of Foot Royal Ulster Rifles 86th Regiment of Foot Madras Army 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry) Bombay Army Ceylon Rifle Regiment Lascarins
Strength
Unknown - From 20,000 to 100,000 in an islandwide network.	15000 to 24000
Casualties and losses
8000 to 10000	900 to 2000

Background

Following the annexation of the Kandyan Kingdom by the British under the terms of the Kandyan Convention in 1815, British started to antagonise the Kandyan Chiefs who signed the convention through their actions. This included the breach of promises made by the British chiefs in terms retaining the traditional privileges enjoyed by them during the era of the Kandyan Kingdom. They were further angered by the appointment of a Moor loyal to the British, Haji Marikkar as Travala Madige Muhandiram of Wellassa undermining the authority of Millewa Dissawa sparked the rebellion.[2]

Leadership

Keppetipola Disawe was sent initially by the British government to stop the uprising but ended up joining the rebellion and ordering the regiment he was commanding to return to their garrison. Keppetipola Disawe Joined 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 tooth relic casket which resulted in a more vigorous phase of the rebellion, as Sinhalese believed that whoever possessed the tooth relic is the rightful ruler of the country. 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.

Rebellion

The rebellion was launched by Keppetipola Disawe. Except for Molligoda and Ekneligoda, many Chiefs joined the rebels. The rebels captured Matale and Kandy before Keppetipola fell ill and was captured and beheaded by the British. His skull was abnormal — as it was wider than usual — and was sent to Britain for testing. It was returned to Sri Lanka after independence, and now rests in the Kandyan Museum. The rebellion failed due to a number of reasons. It was not well planned by the leaders. The areas controlled by some Chiefs who helped the British provided easy transport routes for British supplies. Doraisami who was said to have a claim to the Sinhalese throne was found not to have any relation.[3][4][5][6][7]

Aftermath

Casualties

The British massacred the male population of Uva above the age of 18 years.[8]

They also confiscated the properties of the people involved in the uprising, they killed all cattle and other animals, burnt homes, property and even the salt in their possession during the repression. Paddy fields in the area of Wellassa were all destroyed. The irrigation systems of the duchies of Uva and Wellassa, hitherto the rice-bowl of Sri Lanka were systematically destroyed.[8]

Legacy

In the 'Journal of Uva,' Herbert White, a British Government Agent in Badulla after the rebellion minuted:

It is a pity that there is no evidence left behind to show the exact situation in Uva in terms of population or agriculture development after the rebellion. The new rulers are unable to come up to any conclusion on the exact situation of Uva before the rebellion as there is no trace of evidence left behind to come to such conclusions. If thousands died in the battle they were all fearless and clever fighters. If one considers the remaining population of 4/5 after the battle to be children, women and the aged, the havoc caused is unlimited. In short the people have lost their lives and all other valuable belongings. It is doubtful whether Uva has at least now recovered from the catastrophe.[9]

Gazette Notification

During the rebellion a Gazette Notification was issued by Governor Robert Brownrigg to condemn all those who rebelled against British Rule in Sri Lanka. All those who participated in the uprising were condemned as “traitors” and their properties confiscated by the government under the notification with some executed and others exiled to Mauritius. Several governments after the independence of Sri Lanka in the past have indicated their intention to revoke this Gazette Notification, however could not take action in this regard. The Gazette Notification issued by Governor Brownrigg was brought to Sri Lanka on the instruction of President Maithripala Sirisena.[10] It was submitted to the Parliament and was revoked with the signature of the President in 2017. This allowed all those who participated in the uprising to be recognised as National Heroes, and their label as traitors erased. A National Declaration was awarded on their behalf to their descendants.[11]

See also

• Kandyan Wars
• Matale Rebellion

References

1. "Sri Lanka is to revoke British Governor's infamous Gazette Notification". Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
2. "Monarawila Keppetipola Mahanilame : A true rebellion". www.dailymirror.lk.
3. Keppetipola and the Uva Rebellion Virtual Library Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
4. "Uva Wellassa rebellion - 1817 -1818". Retrieved 23 October 2014.
5. "Wellassa riots in 1818". Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
6. "Torture tree of the British Army". Retrieved 23 October 2014.
7. "1818 Uva Wellassa rebellion".
8. "Sri Lanka is to revoke British Governor's infamous Gazette Notification". Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
9. Karalliyadda, S. B. (2004). "The need for University of Uva". The Island. Retrieved 2013-11-06.
10. WEERASINGHE, Chamikara. "Revokes infamous Brownrigg Gazzette notification of 1818: President grants 'National Hero' status to Uva-Wellasse rebels". Daily News.
11. "81 leaders in 1818 freedom struggle declared as national heroes". www.dailymirror.lk.

Further reading

• The 1818 rebellion and the execution of Keppetipola Dissawe
• Keppetipola and the Uva Rebellion
• Our darkest day.
• From John D’Oyly to Robert O’Blake
• Ceylon under the British By G.C. Mendis
• THE BRITISH IN SRI LANKA
• The Madulla massacre by the British (9th of Dec. 1817)
• The execution of keppetipola Dissawe
• Kandy: the roots of the rebellion.

External links