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35-597: Veera Puran Appu Green Howards 19th Regiment of Foot The Matale rebellion , also known as the Rebellion of 1848 , took place in Matale city, Ceylon against the British colonial government under Governor George Byng, 7th Viscount Torrington . It marked a transition from the classic feudal form of anti-colonial revolt to modern independence struggles. It was fundamentally a peasant revolt . The Kandyan provinces were in
70-595: A firing squad on August 8, 1848, with his body being buried in Matale. Puran Appu lived in Sri Lanka during the period of British colonial rule . Like many other Sri Lankans, Appu gradually grew opposed towards the British. On the 28th of July 1848, Puran Appu initiated a decisive assault on Matale , leading to the city's successful capture, despite the failures of other rebel leaders who besieging Kurunegala and Wariyapola . In
105-565: A key adviser to the Government in Kandy was set on fire. Puran Appu was successful in capturing Matale for a while and the people in another demonstration of popular fervor, proclaimed him King of Kandy. His success, however, was short-lived. An ill-trained army, equipped with primitive weapons was no match for the superior arms and organisation of the British Half-way between Matale and Kandy,
140-658: A letter written by Governor George Byng , 7th Viscount Torrington towards Earl Grey , the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in London dating to October 9, 1849, stated: “I remind you of the last words of Puranappu. He held up his hands and said if there had been half a dozen such men as me to lead, there would not be a white man living in the Kandyan Province . This is true. If there had been such leaders, without doubt for
175-572: A protest march regarding unjustifiable taxes on 6 July 1848, near the Kandy Kachcheri . Weerahennedige Francisco Fernando alias Veera Puran Appu is one of the most colourful personalities in Sri Lanka's history. He was born in November 1812 in the coastal town of Moratuwa . He left Moratuwa at the age of 13 and stayed in Ratnapura with his uncle, who was the first Sinhalese proctor , and moved to
210-589: A state of turmoil. They had been under British rule for 32 years. Under the Crown Lands (Encroachments) Ordinance No. 12 of 1840 (sometimes called the Crown Lands Ordinance or the Waste Lands Ordinance), European planters had expropriated the common land of the peasantry and reduced them to penury . In the 1830s, coffee was introduced into Ceylon, a crop which flourishes in high altitudes, and grown on
245-513: A time we should have lost the country.” Francisco (Veera Puran Appu) attended the Wesleyan school in Moratuwa and was a very mischievous boy. After a fight and thrashing the village headman from Lakshapathiya, he fled from Moratuwa in 1825 at the age of 13. He traveled about the country, mostly the hill country – Haldummulla to Badulla and other places. His uncle, W. Marcellenus Franciscu Fernando,
280-578: Is a major city in Central Province , Sri Lanka . It is the administrative capital and largest urbanised city of Matale District . Matale is also the second largest urbanised and populated city in Central Province. It is located at the heart of the Central Highlands of the island and lies in a broad, green fertile valley at an elevation of 364 m (1,194 ft) above sea level. Surrounding
315-473: Is become as Matale. There are number of folktales about the name of Matale. Mahathala has been used for large valley area. It gradually converted as Matale. The Aluvihare Rock Temple that is situated on north side of the city's suburb, Aluvihare . The historic location where the Pali Canon was written down completely in text on ola (palm) leaves in 29 BCE. Matale was the site of a major battle in 1848 when
350-423: Is famous for its spice gardens. In addition to agriculture, the main economic activities include tourism , business and trade . Population growth, urban expansion and economic development in Matale have created regulatory and management challenges. Matale Municipal Council Area (MMCA) Matale is home to some of the island's oldest and leading colleges and schools. According by the statistics of 2019, 8.2% of
385-494: Is one of the notable figures of Sri Lanka's post-Kandyan history . Regarded colloquially as a national hero , his staunch resistance against British rule made him a symbol of independence and patriotism within many Sri Lankans. He was born on 7 November 1812 and raised in the coastal town of Moratuwa . He left Moratuwa with his family at the age of 13 in the aftermath of a village dispute and stayed in Ratnapura with his uncle, who
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#1732855048315420-532: Is writing the thripitaka which was held during the reign of king Walagamba in 89–77 BC in Aluvihare , Therefore, this is permanent evidence for human settlements in Matale before centuries of years. There are folklores receipt of the name "Matale". It is mentioned that "Mahatala" become as Matale because it is placed in a valley and also the King Gajaba invaded "Soli Rata" and brought and settled 12,000 peoples in here it
455-601: The Matale Rebellion started and the British garrison in the Fort MacDowall in Matale was placed under siege by the rebels led by Weera Puran Appu and Gongalegoda Banda . The city is also the birthplace of Monarawila Keppetipola, a rebel who led the Wellasa rebellion against the British troops . His ancestral home, Kappetipola walawuwa, still exists at Hulangamuwa, Matale. The city is surrounded by large plantations and
490-522: The Uva Province . In early 1847, he met and married Bandaramenike, the daughter of Gunnepana Arachchi in Kandy. The Matale Rebellion was the first transitional step towards abandoning the feudal form of revolt, being fundamentally a peasant revolt. The masses were without the leadership of their native King (deposed in 1815), or their chiefs (either crushed after the Uva Rebellion or collaborating with
525-571: The British. They attacked government buildings including the Matale Kachcheri and destroyed some of the tax records. Simultaneously, Dingirirala instigated attacks in Kurunegala , where eight people were killed by the British. Governor Lord Torrington immediately declared martial law on 29 July 1848 in Kandy and on 31 July in Kurunegala. Puran Appu was taken prisoner by the British troops and
560-521: The Buddhists or the British. On the same day Dines, his brother was declared the sub-king and Dingirala as the uncrowned king of the Sat Korale (Seven Counties ). Veera Puran Appu was appointed prime minister and the sword bearer to Gongalegoda Banda and attended his consecration ceremony with 4000 others. After the proclamation of the king, he with his army left Dambulla via Matale to capture Kandy from
595-591: The Sinhala forces, depleted by desertions and their movements betrayed by traitors, were intercepted by British troops and Puran Appu himself was captured and taken to Kandy. With his capture, the Rebellion fizzled out. Brought to trial before a Court Martial, he was found guilty of having waged war against H.M. Queen Victoria and condemned to be shot. On August 8, 1848, on the banks of the Bogambara Wewa, Veera Puran Appu
630-625: The United Kingdom had severely affected the local coffee and cinnamon industry. Planters and merchants clamoured for a reduction of export duties. Sir James Emerson Tennent , the Colonial Secretary in Colombo recommended to Earl Grey , Secretary of State for the Colonies in London that taxation should be radically shifted from indirect taxation to direct taxation , which proposal was accepted. It
665-636: The back and 4 vaccination marks. After three weeks of preparation in the early hours of July 28, 1848, a crowd of eight to ten thousand men under Puranappu's leadership armed with guns, spears and knives set off for Kandy from Dambulla . The plan was for Puranappu, Gongalagoda Banda and Dingirala to go in three different directions then meet at Katugastota and attack Kandy on Sunday, 30 July. Puranappu's army first attacked Fort McDowl in Matale . Government buildings and property were ransacked – kachcheries, jails, rest houses and court house records. The coffee stores of Lieutenant General Herbert Maddock ,
700-607: The city are the Knuckles Mountain Range , the foothills were called Wiltshire by the British. They have also called this place as Matelle. Matale is the only district of Sri Lanka, where an ancient book of written history is found. It is known as Pannagamam – பன்னாகமம் ("Five Headed Serpent" in English) of Goddess Muthumari in Sri Muthumariamman Temple . The most important historical incident in Matale
735-802: The colonial power). The leadership passed for the first time in the Kandyan provinces into the hands of ordinary people. The leaders were yeomen- artisans , resembling the Levellers in England's revolution, and mechanics such as Paul Revere and Tom Paine who were at the heart of the American Revolution . The old feudalists were crushed and powerless. No new class capable of leading the struggle and heading it towards power had yet arisen. Veera Puran Appu Weerahannadige Francisco Fernando , colloquially known by his nickname Puran Appu ( Sinhala පුරන් අප්පු)
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#1732855048315770-403: The first time in the Kandyan provinces into the hands of ordinary people . On 26 July 1848, the leaders and the supporters entered the historic Dambulla Vihara and at 11.30 a.m., Gongalegoda Banda was consecrated by the head monk of Dambulla, Ven. Giranegama Thera. Gongalegoda Banda was called "Sri Wickrama Subha Sarva Siddhi Rajasinghe". He asked the people whether they were on the side of
805-489: The land taken from the peasants. The principal impetus to this development was the decline in coffee production in the West Indies, following the abolition of slavery there. However, the dispossessed peasantry were not employed on the plantations: The Kandyan villagers refused to abandon their traditional subsistence holdings and become wage-workers in the nightmarish conditions that prevailed on these new estates, despite all
840-594: The low country, with rather broader vision than the Kandyan peasants they led. Gongalegoda Banda , the son of Wansapurna Dewage Sinchia Fernando was the leader of the 1848 Rebellion and King of Kandy . He had been employed by the police and came to reside at Gongalegoda, Udunuwara where he became a popular figure among the Kandyans . He was seen at the Temple of the Tooth just before the 1848 Rebellion broke out. Gongalegoda Banda led
875-479: The pressure exerted by the colonial state. The British therefore had to draw on its reserve army of labour in India , to man its lucrative new outpost to the south. An infamous system of contract labour was established, which transported hundreds of thousands of Tamil ' coolies ' from southern India into Sri Lanka for the coffee estates. These Tamils labourers started working on the plantations. An economic depression in
910-464: Was brought from Matale to Kandy where he was kept a prisoner. The trial of Gongalegoda Banda commenced on 27 November at the Supreme Court sessions in Kandy. He was charged with high treason for claiming to be King of Kandy and waging war against the British. He declared that he was guilty of all the charges. The Supreme Court condemned him to be hanged on 1 January 1849. Subsequently, a proclamation
945-428: Was decided to abolish the export duty on coffee and reduce the export duty on cinnamon leaving a deficit of £40,000 Sterling which was to be met by direct taxes on the people. A new Governor, 35-year-old Lord Torrington , a cousin of Prime Minister Lord Russell was dispatched to Colombo by Queen Victoria to carry out these reforms. On 1 July 1848, license fees were imposed on guns, dogs, carts, shops and labour
980-406: Was executed on 8 August. Gongalegoda Banda and his younger brother Dines escaped and went into hiding. Gongalegoda Banda lived in a cave at Elkaduwa , 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from Matale . Torrington issued a warrant for his arrest with a reward of £150 for information on his whereabouts. On 21 September, he was arrested by Malay soldiers — although he offered resistance before his arrest - and
1015-475: Was executed. Weera Puran Appu Vidyalaya, a school in Moratuwa is named after him. A new frog species found from Adam's Peak , was named Pseudophilautus puranappu , by the researchers for his great dedication to protect the country from foreign invasions. A biographical film of Puran Appu was made on 1978, where Ravindra Randeniya acted as Puran Appu. Matale Matale ( Sinhala : මාතලේ, Tamil : மாத்தளை , romanized: Māttaḷai )
1050-644: Was imprisoned and then broke prison. He cursed Major Rodgers who brought a false charge against him and Major Rodgers was struck by lightning in Nuwara Eliya. The Gazette notification by the Colonial Secretary , Sir James Emerson Tennent on January 1, 1847, offered 10 pounds for his apprehension and described him as follows “Puranappu originally of Morette, lately of Kandy, trade – unknown, caste – fisher, aged 34 years, height 5 ft 71/2 inches, hair – long and black, eyes – light hazel, complexion – light, well looking, make – well made, stout, marks of punishment on
1085-439: Was issued to amend the death sentence to flogging 100 times and deportation to Malacca (Malaysia). The Matale Rebellion was led by leaders such as, Paranagama Nilame, Swarnapali Paranagama Kumarihami (daughter of Paranagama nilame ), Suriyabandara Nilame (King Of Mathale) (Son), Gongalegoda Banda, Diyes, Dingi Rala and Puran Appu who were supported by the people and the village headmen of Matale. These were workers with links to
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1120-435: Was made compulsory on plantation roads, unless a special tax was paid. These taxes bore heavily not only on the purse but also on the traditions of the Kandyan peasant. A mass movement against the oppressive taxes was developing. The masses were without the leadership of their native King (deposed in 1815) or their chiefs (either crushed after the Uva Rebellion or collaborating with the colonial power). The leadership passed for
1155-451: Was now convinced of the necessity of expelling the British from Sri Lanka. With this end in view, he conferred with the Sangha of Mahiyangana and Muthiyangana who pledged him their support. This was in 1845. He married a highland woman, Bandara Menike of Harispattuwa, in 1847. They had a daughter. Francisco was now called Puran Appu. He broke into House of Magistrate Dawson of Badulla and
1190-511: Was the first Sinhalese proctor who had a flourishing practice at Ratnapura and in 1840 Francisco stayed with him. It was at this stage of his career that he headed a band of outlaws and initiated a reign of terror against European planters and officials in Uva , much to the delight of his people, his daring exploits against the Europeans in Sri Lanka soon made him a legendary hero in Sri Lanka. He
1225-461: Was the first Sinhalese proctor , eventually settling in Uva Province . In early 1847, he met and married Bandara Menike, the daughter of Gunnepana Arachchi in Kandy . Despite being an instrumental leader in leading the Matale Rebellion in 1848 , the subsequent brutal suppression of the uprising by the British led to his capture along with Gongalegoda Banda and Ven. Kudapola Thera. He was executed by
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