Other names Madduma Bandara Nationality Sri Lanka | Residence Kandy, Sri Lanka Resting place Sri Lanka Name Madduma Ehelapola | |
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Full Name Ehelapola Wijesundara Wickremasinghe Chandrasekara Amarakoon Wasala Mudiyanse Madduma Bandara Born 1806 Kandy, Sri Lanka Died 17 May 1814
Kandy, Sri Lanka | ||
Cause of death Executed by beheading | ||
Madduma Bandara Ehelapola mostly known as Madduma Bandara was the second son of Ehelepola Maha Disawe the Dissava of Sabaragamuwa under the King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy Sri Lanka. Madduma Bandara and his family were executed in 1814 by the King for treachery. The bravery shown by Madduma Bandara at the time of his execution made him a legendary child hero in Sri Lanka.
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Family of Madduma Bandara
Madduma Bandara was born on 1806 in Kandy to the parents Ehelepola Maha Disawe and Ehelepola Kumarihamy. He had an elder brother(Loku Bandara) and two sisters(Tikiri Menike and Dingiri Menike). His uncle was Keppetipola Disawe one of the prominent Kandyan leaders who signed the 'Udarata Treaty’ at Kandy on 2 March 1815.
Execution
It was known at that time to king Sri Wickremarajasinha that Ehelapola, while being the Disawe of Sabaragamuwa, was aiding the flames of the rebellion against British rule. While Ehelapola was away from Kandy, the King ordered to arrest the Ehelapola Family.The king could not arrest Ehelapola, as he was in the custody of the British in Colombo. The king arrested Ehelapola’s wife and children.On 17 May 1814, his sons were beheaded. Ehelapola’s wife Kumarihamy and daughters were forcibly drowned in the Bogambara Lake by tying huge stones around their necks. While Madduma Bandara's brother was frighten to face the death, he stepped forward asking the executioner to behead him at the first strike.