Sri Lankan Sinhalese Family Genealogy
PERERA - Family #3128
The Urelawatte (sp. Uralawatte, Uralawatta?) Clan - See link to Tudugala Family
The reference to one Bhuwanayka Bahu Terunnanse in the Ehelepola Sannasa of 1745 is interesting. It states - "whereas the grandson of Siriniwasa Maha Terunnanse, whi is a hereditary descendant of Buhuwaneka Bahu Terunnanse, accompanied His Majesty (Rajasinha II) to Madakalapuwe, and performed military service"..... "Obtained two Kafir women and appointments to the following offices, viz Lekam of the Halumandape, and Radabadda Gabada Nilame of the PalleMahawasala" (AC Lawrie, "A Gazeteer of the Central Province of Ceylon, Government Printer, Ceylon 1896 - p200). The descendants of this Bhuwanayka Bahu Terunnanse are also recorded in the Palkumbura Vihara Sannasa of 1804, (AC Lawrie, "A Gazeteer of the Central Province of Ceylon, Government Printer, Ceylon 1896 - p688). The Wasagama of a particular branch of this family is repeated again under the two villages named, Urulewatta, one in Udunuwara and the other in Asgiriya Pallesi Patti of Matale South. The same Sannasa mentions that this Bhuwanaka Bahu Terunnanse is a relative of the King of Kotte, and that this family of brothers had left the Kingdom of Kotte since the demise of their king. The king referred to should be Buvaneka Bahu VI, whose reign in Kotte was a troubled one. During his reign which commenced, circa 1469 and ended circa 1478, the entire country between Kalu Ganga and Walawe Ganga rose up in arms against him. The rising is called Simhala-Peraliya in the Rajavaliya and is also recorded in the Dedigama inscription. The King had to take the fiedl himself to bring Sathara KMorale to obedience, and once submitted amnesty was granted. The granting of amnesty refers to the succession of UdaRata from Kotte under the leadership of Prince Senarasammatha Vickrama Bahu. The migration of this family from Kotte to the village of Urulewatta in Udunuwara, which is within the Kingdom of Kandy, would have taken place during the reign of King "Senasammatha VickramaBahu" (1463-1483), who from the court at Gampola, had founded Senkadagala Sailavhidhana Siriwardhana Pura, the future capital of the Kandyan Kingdom.
It follows that a nephew of this Bhuwanayak Bahu Terunnanse also known as Bhuwanayka Bahu Terunnanse had to disrobe when King Rajasinha I of Seethawaka invaded the Kingdom in 1582 and caused many Buddhist Priests to disrobe due to the influence of a certain Hindu Cult. King Rajasinha I of Seethawaka had founbght the Portuguese for many years without complete success, and was a disillusioned and demoralized king during the latter stages of his reign which endd in 1592, whe this particular Hindu Sect made use of the situation and succeeded in obtaining the King's patronage.
The narrative of the Palkumbura Sannasa concludes by mentioning that this Bhikku, Bhuvayaka Bahu Panditha Mudiyanse, after disrobing, was the tutor of Senarath, the robed cousin of King Vimaladharmasuriya I, who succeeded him as the King of Kandy from 1604-1635 AD. A descendant of this Royal Tutor known as Urulewatte Wickramasinha Chandrasekera Karunatillaka Seneviratna Panditha Wahala Loku Mudiyanse, from the Hamlet Elamaldeniya in Dodanwela, became Udugampahe 2nd Adikaram of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1741. However, this Urulewatte (Pilimitalawe) Loku Mudiyanse Nilame of Elamaldeniya could hold on to this office only for a very brief period of 11 months between 1741 and 1742, before he wqas forced to relinquish this office due to power struggles and internal conflicts among the chiefs. He had to wait another 18 years before he could reassume duties as Udagampahe Adikaram.
The village of the origin of the Ehelepola family of Matale is situated in Udugoda-Udasiya Pattu of Matale North. In fact Ehelepola is not only a village by itself but a cluster of villages (Wasama) under the control of a single Arachchi or Headman. This Wasama includes, Kinigama, Urulemulla, Kohona, Koholanwela, Dalupota, Walmoruwa, Demeda-Oya, Homapola, and Ehelepola. Four of these villages are connected to the ancestry of the Ehelepola family and are situated in close proximity to each other. One of them is identified, in the present day, as Monaravila (Mondaruvila) which lies in the Koswatta Wasama of Udugoda-Udasiya Pattu in Matalke North and comes under the supervision of the Arachchi of Beligomuwa. The others are the villages of Medabedda in Pallesiya Pattu-Udugoda Matale, and the villages of Palle and Uda Waradamuna in Gampahasiya Pattu in Matale South. Of the four ancestral residences, "Ehelepola Walauwa" and "Monaravila Walauwa" were in Udugoda-Udasiya Pattuwa. The "Hulangamuwe Walauwa" was in Kohona Siya Pattuwa and the "Nugahapola Walauwa" was in Udugoda-Pallesiya Pattuwa.
The forming of the principalities of Matale took place during the final years of reign of King Senerath (1605-1635). The two principalities of Matale and Uva were formed by the King, in order to accommodate his two nephews, Prince Wijayapala and Prince Kumarasinha. They were half brothers of King Senerath's own son Rajasinha II, begotten from the common mother Kusumasana Devi, alias Princess Dona Katharina, the daughter of the once deposed sub-King of Kanda-Uda-Rata, Jayavira Bandara (1551-1561) alias "Karaliyadde Bandara".
It is recorded in the work, "The Kandyan Kingdom 1707-1760" by Lorna S Devaraja, that the two Chief Ministers, Wijayasundera Wickremasinha Chandrasekera Rajakarunanayaka Seneviratne Mudiyanse, the Pallegampahe 1st Adikaram of the Kandyan Kingdom from 1734-1737 and from 1747-1759 from the Wasagama of Ehelepola, and Wijeyasundera Loku Mudiyanse alias "Pilimatalawe", the Udagampahe Adikaram from 1760-1766, from the Wasagama of Elamaldeniya, were related to each other. Although the specifics of this relationship are not mentioned in that record, it is obvious that the marriage of the "Monarawila' Lady, who was King Narendrasingha's concubine, to the first known "Pilamatalawe Adikaram", is the basis for this relationship.
The same record in the work of Lorna S Devaraja, states that Urelawatte Wijayasundera Loku Mudiyanse, the 2nd Adikaram, had to yield his position to a rival of the first Adikaram due to the above mentioned relationship, between him and the 1st Adikaram. In this instance the rival of the 1st Adikaram from Ehelepola is identified as a relative of the senior "Leuke", the Maha Disawa of Sathara Korale from 1740-1751.
By 1743, the senior Leuke Nilame was in favor with King Sri Vijaya Rajasinha. Within the next three years he had received many lands by way of the Royal Grant, popularly knon as the "Leuke Sannasa", and had been appointed as the Disawa of of Thun Korale. Due to the excessive influence he was having at the Court, King Sri Vijaya Rajasinha was compelled to appoint a relative of Leuke, who is identified as Samarakkodi/Samarankodi Nilame, to the office of Udagampahe 2nd Adikaram in 1746, the last year of his reign. Samarakkodi Nilame held this office up to 1760, which was well into the reign of the succeeding King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha. However, due to his continuing close contact with the Madura Dynasty, with the ascent of a new King, the once removed Wijayasundera Wickremasinha Chnadrasekera Rajakarunanayaka Seneviratne Mudiyanse of Ehelepola was re-instated in 1747 and was Pallegampahe 1st Adikaram up to 1759.
The senior "Leuke" Nilame, the Maha Disawa of the Sathara Korale, died in 1751, and by 1753 the fortunes of Samarakkodi Adikaram were in decline. Samarakkodi/Samarankodi Adikaram had a hand in the conspiracy of 1760 against King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha. According to the "Sasanavathirna Varanawa", it was the ex-second Adikaram, Urelawatte (Pilimitalawe) Panditha Wahala Loku Mudiyanse who revealed the conspiracy through Galagoda Disawa alias "Munwatte Adikaram" who became the Pallegampaha 1st Adikaram in 1760. The Samarankodi Adikaram was executed in 1760 for his part in the conspiracy. Pilimatalawe Elamaldeniya Loku Mudiyanse was recalled to re-assume duites as Udagampahe 2nd Adikaram from late 1760 to 1766. Galagoda alias "Munwatte Adikaram" became very powerful and held as many as twenty High Offices between 1760 and 1777, the year of his demise. He held te post of 1st Adikaram until the defats in the Dutch wars between 1762 and 1766 made him to be removed by Kirthi Sri Rajasinha in favor of a new 1st Adikaram from the village of Angamanna in Kandukara Ihala Korale Udapalatha. This was Samaradivakara Wickramasinha Ilangakoon Senanayaka Rajapaksa Rajakaruna Mudiyanse of Angammana who received a Sannasa from Kirthi Sri Rajasinha and held the post of 1st Adikaram for 24 years, from 1766 to 1790.
The relationship between Uralawate Wickremasinha Loku Mudiyanse and Waradamune Chandrasekera Seneviratne Mudiyanse helps to establish the fact that these two families were identified later on, by their Wasagams, as "Pilimatalawe" and "Ehelepola", and have long standing inter-family links.
Referring to Pilimatalawe, the Pallegampahe 1st Adikaram who was executed in 1811, Paul E Pieris in his work "The Sinhale and the Patriots", mentions - "He is always spoken of as the uncle of the Maha Nilame". The Maha Nilame, in this case is undoubtedly the 'Ehelepola Pallegampaha 1st Adikaram' from 1811 to 1814. According to the prevalent customs and relationships, to be the uncle (Maama) of the last 'Ehelepola Adikaram', the person has to be either the brother of the Adikaram's mother or his father in law, botrh of which are referred to as "Maama". Due to the long standing inter-family relationships between the Wijeyasundara family of Waradamuna and the Wijeyasundara family of Urulewatta established in earlier generations, Ehelepola 'Jayatillaka Disawa', the Maha Disawa of Uva and Disawa of Nuwarakalaviya, had married the elder sister of Pilimatalawe Pallegampahe Adikaram and became brother in law to the very powerful and influential Pilimatalawe 1st Adikaram of the Kandyan Kingdom for nineteen years, from 1790 to 1811. This is one reason why the much talked about last Ehelepola Pallegampahe 1st Adikaram from 1811 to 1814 is referred to as the "Bena" (nephew) of the executed Pilimatalawe 1st Adikaram. This Mama-Bena (Uncle-Nephew) relationship fits well into the traditional form of identification between a man and his sisters son.
The powerful 'Pilimatalawe Maha Adikaram' took charge of the Ihala Dolos Pattu. 'Ratwatte' Nilame, a son in law of the Adikaram, took charge of the Pahala Dolos Pattu of the Sath KJorale and was since styled "Devamedda Disawa". When in November 1811, Pilimatalawe the 1st Adikaram and his son in law 'Ratwatte Devamedda Disawa', were executed for treason at Hunukotuwa, which is near the Bodhi at Getambe in Kandy, Ehelepola the 2nd Adikaram being "Udagampahe" was able to succeed his maternal uncle as 1st Adikaram. This is why Ehelepola Nilame came to be identified as "Pallegampahe" since December 1811.
[extracted from "Four Kandyan Families" by Sunil J Madugalle, 2005, pp 60-68]
1 PERERA
2 Edward Perera of Madampe married Dora Udunuwara Urelawatte from a prominent Kandy family? (that had moved from Kandy to Kohilawatte and some to Madampe)
3 Justicia Udunuwara Urelawatte Perera (Udunuara Urulandeni Koralage Lilian Justicia Florinda Perera) + Fitzroy Philip Wijeysinghe Jayewardene (3002)
4 Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayewardene + Name Not Known (3129)
5 Anne-Marie
5 Name Not Known
5 Name Not Known
5 Name Not Known
6 Daughter (Name Not Known)
5 Name Not Known
3 Clarice Urelawatte Perera + Victor Amerasekara from Madampe (3068)
3 Earnest Urelawatte Perera
4 Name Not Known
4 Name Not Known
4 Name Not Known
3 [1] Frank Urelawatte Perera + [2] Queenie Paranavithane
4 Queenie Urelawatte Perera + Augustus Dissanayake
5 Lal Dissanayake, born 1954
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
5 Sirimal Dissanayake, 1957
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
5 Nirmali Asuntha Dissanayake, 1958-1990?
6 daughter (Name Not Known)
6 daughter (Name Not Known
3 Donald Urelawatte Perera
2 James Perera (Movied to Mabole? Kirilapane? Abanvita?)
2 Harriet Perera + Paranavithane, (Moved to Mabole? Kirilapane? Abanvita?) (see Family #1172)
3 [2] Queenie Paranavithane + [1] Frank Urelawatte Perera (1st cousin)
4 Queenie Urelawatte Perera + Augustus Dissanayake
5 Lal Dissanayake, born 1954
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
5 Sirimal Dissanayake, 1957
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
6 Name Not Known
5 Nirmali Asuntha Dissanayake, 1958-1990?
6 daughter (Name Not Known)
6 daughter (Name Not Known
2 Susan Perera + Vander Ameresekera
2 Lillian Perera + Silva
2 Hector Perera of Madampe
2 Alfred Perera of Madampe
The Urelawatte family is also supposed to be direct descendants of Bhuvanekabahu VII. Research is under way re. finding proper genealogy facts/documents etc. If anyone has information pertaining to this, please contact sgenweb@gmail.com. The Urelawatte family branch fits in the Tudugala family somehow. Any information is much appreciated…..esp. from relatives). Past Sri Lankan newspapers did apparently have some key information.
This Urelawatte Perera family branch may also fit into many other Kandyan families. Any information is much appreciated…..esp. from relatives). Past Sri Lankan newspapers did apparently have some key information. Research is under way re. finding proper genealogy facts/documents etc. If anyone has information pertaining to this, please contact sgenweb@gmail.com.
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 2:30 AM
To: AM
Subject: RE: PERERA FAMILY
Justicia Udunuwara Urelawatte Perera Husband of Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayawardene (son in law of Fitzroy Philip Wijeysinghe
Jayawardene & Justicia Udunuwara Urelawatte Perera, father of Anne Marie)
Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayawardene (daughter of Fitzroy Philip Wijeysinghe Jayawardene & Justicia Udunuwara Urelawatte Perera, mother of Anne Marie)
Justicia Udunuwara Urelawatte Perera, & daughter Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayewardene (Mother of Anne Marie)
Sierra, Grand daughter of Beatrice Blossom Chandrakanthi Jayewardene