A gem of a Monument

Ratnapura National Museum housed in the historical Ehelepola Walauwa is being renovated and conserved, the first ever exercise of its kind since its establishment. The archaeologically important monument which was closed for a few years is soon to be reopened to the public.

Story and Pix by Randima Attygalle

Nestled in a sprawling green garden of nearly eight acres is a ‘gem of a different kind’ in Ratnapura- the land of gems and the domain of God Saman. An oasis in the midst of the busy Ratnapura town, a drive canopied by its ‘forest garden’ brings a visitor to the stately mansion. The legend has it that once there was a secret tunnel to access this building, its entry point no longer to be found. Its impressive lobby replete with an elaborate wooden doorway, a high ceiling and thick brick walls reflect Dutch and British architectural influence. A dolawa (palanquin) and a wooden oruwa, both several centuries old, are exhibited here today.

Originally built between 1811 and 1814 for the occupation of Ehelepola Maha Adikaram when he was serving as the Disawe of Sabaragamuwa, the building known as Ehelepola Walauwa, was later used as the official residence of the government agents of the Sabaragamuwa Province during the British administration, earning the common reference of Disapathi Medura. Its spacious rooms with high ceilings enabling natural ventilation today serve as the seven galleries of the National Museum of Ratnapura dedicated to the historical and cultural heritage of the Sabaragamuwa Province.

The history of the Ratnapura National Museum goes back to 1946. ‘The exhibition of the first set of museum objects took place in April, 1946. These were brought from the Colombo National Museum, particularly for their safety from any possible danger in Colombo during the Second World War,” says the Director, Cultural, Department of National Museums, Senarath Wickramasinghe. The museum objects were initially exhibited in a private residence in Weralupe, close to the Ratnapura town. In 1957 it was shifted to a building near the old CTB Depot in the town. The museum was opened to the public on May 18, 1988 in the present Ehelepola Walauwa, after the premises were acquired by the Department of National Museums. It was officially declared as an archaeological monument on September 3, 1993 under a special gazette notification by the Department of Archaeology.

The seven galleries of the museum are dedicated to the gems, rocks and minerals of Ratanpura, extinct fauna of Ratnapura, pre-history of the region, History of Ratnapura, textiles, ceramics and jewellery, Sabaragamuwa dance form and rituals and traditional industries and customs of Ratnapura respectively. Among the special objects on display are the sword of Ehelepola Adikaram and the four-poster bed used by Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maithriya Thera.

Besides the objects of antiquity are newly done models reflecting Ratnapura’s well known gem mining, Balangoda man from the pre-history and Sabaragamuwa dance. Modern lighting systems in place enhance the finer intricacies of the objects on display. The gallery, ‘Extinct Fauna of Ratnapura’ features bones of some of the animals which lived in the Quaternary Period (the period between 2 to 500 million years before present) unearthed from gem pits in the area and replicas of some of these animals are found in the Paleo Biodiversity Museum Park- the first of its kind in the country, Wickramasinghe explains.

“Certain fossilized parts of large mammals which lived in the Quaternary Period have been found in the Ratnapura District among the layers of deposits in the areas such as Getahetta, Eheliyagoda, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Pelmadulla, and Kahawatta. These deposits are referred to as ‘Ratnapura deposits’ which belonged to the latter stages of the geological history; Pleistocene and Holocene (two million years before present) periods, found in wet soil layers of gem mines,” he said.

The fossils of the extinct species of animals in the Ratnapura District were first studied by the late Director of the Colombo National Museum, Dr. P. E. P. Deraniyagala. His research had confirmed that three species of elephants, two species of unicorns, one species of hippopotamus, buffalo, hunting dog, lion and wild pig had inhabited this region. The replicas which are exhibited in the Ratnapura Museum are based on the fossil data obtained from such studies.

It has also been recorded that Ratnapura district claims evidence representing all ages of prehistory in Sri Lanka. It is presumed that the stone tools that have been unearthed from wet layers of ‘Ratnapura mines’ represent lower and middle stages of the pre-history and also presumed that those tools belong to the period between 250,000 – 125,0000 years from today. The oldest skeletons of Homo sapiens who lived in South Asia have been found in Fa Hien Caves (Pahiyangala Caves) in Bulathsinhala and Batadombalena in Kuruwita. “These findings take us back to a definite time frame of 40,000 years from today and the findings of Batadombalena takes us back to 35,000 years, offering us clear evidence that prehistoric men continuously lived in these places up to 3500 BC,” points out Wickramasinghe. The excavations conducted in Bellanbendipelassa, an open space in the Ratnapura District located in the Walawe Valley had uncovered a burial ground of pre-historic men. The Pre-History Gallery of the Museum visually presents these findings.

An assortment of kitchen and agricultural objects of antiquity, exquisite jewellery worn by the Ratnapura aristocracy, ancient Buddha statues from temples, old coins, ceramics, garments and swords add to the grandeur of the museum. The Medicinal Garden, Bamboo Garden and Endemic Plant Garden surrounding it afford a tranquil setting to the stately building housing the museum meriting promotion among local and foreign visitors.

The first ever ‘conservation-renovation’ exercise since the establishment of the Ratnapura National Museum was a demanding task resulting in closure for several years during which the work was completed, remarks the Director General of the Department of National Museums, Sanuja Kasthuriarachchi. “In the process, while being conscious of the original architectural features of this archaeological site, we also had to do justice to Ehelepola Maha Adikaram who occupied this mansion as well as the historical and cultural heritage of Ratnapura,.” she explains. “The conservation project also aspires to be aligned with the proposed five-year Gem City Master Plan of the Urban Development Authority..”

“Here, we will be taking measures to conserve and develop the Bio Diversity Park of the museum as well, so that the premises can be promoted as a sustainable tourist attraction under the Master Plan,” she added.

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Ehelepola Maha Adikaram

He was born to a noble family from the village of Ehelepola, nine miles from Matale and was educated by the Yatawatte Maha Thera before joining the Royal court. His first appointment was to the post of Paniwidakara Nilame by the King and later succeeded Meegastenne Adikarama as the Second Adikaram. Ehelepola was also appointed as Disave of Sabaragamuva which was held by Meegastenne. Following the death of Pilimatlawe Nilame, Ehelepola was appointed as the Maha Adikaram in 1811 under the reign King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha.

Following the brutal execution of his entire family by the King, (including his eldest son, the child hero Madduma Bandara), he aided the British in launching an invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom. Ehelepola became part of the British administration of Kandy but soon came under suspicion during the Great Rebellion of 1817–18.  The royal courtier was arrested by the British and exiled to Mauritius Island along with several Kandyan Chiefs in 1825. He died on April 4, 1829 in Mauritius Island. His tomb, which is a protected Monument, bears the inscription: ‘Sacred to the memory of Ehelepola Wijesundara Wickramasinghe Chandrasekara Amarakoon Wahala Mudianse, late First Adigar or Prime Minister to the King of Kandy, who died on 4th April 1829 aged 57 years”.