Roots of the Ratwatte Family In Matale South and Dumbara

North of the hill capital, Kandy, lies an enchanting mountain range consisting of Hunnasgiriya, Knuckles, Hampshire, Wiltshire and others, Hunnasgiriya stands conspicuous and regal among them.

At the foot of this majestic mountain range lies a valley fed and enriched by the soil washed down from the hills. The MAHAWELI GANGA ( Great Sand River) winds its way through this valley on its way to the Rajarata (Land of the Kings).

The Dumbara Valley, formed by this combination of factors was and is blessed with rich soil lending itself admirably to agriculture has attracted and maintains significant human settlement. Its perpetually misty ambience has led to it being called "Dumbara Mitiyawatha" (Dumbara Valley).

The abundant natural resources lent themselves admirably to the development of strong and progressive people who, in turn, produced several aristocratic families epitomizing those traits.

Due to famine, Chola invasion and other factors, there was a southern drift of population from the Rajarata as people moved to safer territory near to and in the hill country. These people brought with them strong religious beliefs and a depth of agricultural knowledge which was new to the areas in to which they settled.

Some Rahat Priests were said to have found settlement in Matale South in an area which was later known as Rahaswatte from which the name "Ratwatte" is derived.

The Ratwatte ancestry, together with that of a number of other aristocratic families, dates back a minimum of three hundred years in the Matale South and Dumbara regions. Out of these families came the administrators and warriors who dominated the political and military landscape of the country for succeeding generations up to the present time in Sri Lanka.

A descendant of the Ratwatte Clan, Gazing aross the Dumbara Valley into the mountains of what was once the Kandyan Kingdom, could legitimately envision his ancestors influencing and dominating the course of events in those far-off times, contributing siignificantly to the history of that time.

The first Ratwatte we find made mention of in the ancient chronicles is Ratwatte Panditha Wahala Mudiyanse Ralahamy who was the Dissawa (Governor of District ) of Matale South in 1767 and 1773 and Dumbara Maha Dissawa(Governor with military powers in any one of the four great Provinces).

His Daughter, Loku Kumarihamy, married Dumbara Nilame (man of high rank by birth) had one son, Ratwatte Loku Nilame Adigar (Adikaram/Chief Minister) who assumed the name of his mother, "Ratwatte". He married Meegastenne Amunugama Kumarihamy, a sister of the two Meegastenne Adigars, and they had three sons and one daughter:

1. Ratwatte Maha Lekam Dissawa ( Chief Secretory / Governor) married Mampitiya Bandaramahatmiya. there was no issue from this marriage.

2. Ratwatte Nilame – Dissawa of Matale from 1815 to 1824 and 2nd Adigar in 1825. He held several significant Offices. On 24th October, 1821, he made a submission to the Judicial Commissioner that lands at Rambukoluwa were given to his father by his great grand father, the Dumbara Maha Dissawa and that he had a firelock as a sannasa (Royal Grant). He built the Gederawala Vihara in Embitiyawa. His Lands were declared exempt from tax by the Proclamation of 21st November 1818 and 14th January 1826. He died in 1827. He was married to Abeykoon Amunugama Kumarihamy and had issue:

a) Ratwatte Banda – Died without issue.
b) Loku Menike – Married Wegodapola Ratemahatmaya (Chief of District) and Basnayake Nilame (Principal lay Custodian of a shrine of god).
c) Medduma Menike – Married Watupola Nilame.
d) Punchi Menike – Married "in Diga" to Paranagama Mudiyanse who was a proctor and notary and, later, Ratemahatmaya of Matale South.

Left to right Abeyratna Ratwatte,Albert Edward Paranagama,Seneviratne Ratwatte, James Richard Paranagama

Issue :  Two sons, namely Abeyratne Banda and Seneviratne Banda. Both these brothers assumed the name of their mother, “Ratwatte”. The elder brother Abeyratne Banda, was the Basnayake Nilame of the Maha Vishnu Devale and Shroff of the Mercantile Bank of India in Kandy. The Younger, Seneviratne Banda, was The Diyawadana Nilame ( Chief Lay Custodian of the Dalada Maligawa) from 1897 to 1901 and Ratemahatmaya of Patha Dumbara in 1900.

Tikiri Banda Ratwatte, son of Seneviratne Banda was The Diyawadana Nilame from 1937 to 1947 and Harris Levuke Ratwatte, son of Abeyratne Banda, was Diyawadana Nilame from 1960 until his untimely death in 1964. James Cuda Ratwatte, 1st Adigar, son of Abeyratne Banda, was conferred a knighthood by the British Crown.

3. Ratwatte Kumarihamy – Married Angammana Kahanda Dissawa and had no issue

4. Dewamedduma Nilame – Dissawa of Hathara korales (four korales) married the daughter of Pilimatalawa Adigar and later widow of Levuke Dissawa and had no issue. He was put to death in 1812 by order of the last king of Kandy.

The progeny of Ratwatte Nilame, 2nd Adigar and Dissawa of Matale and Dumbara, are now settled in several places; Amunugama, Gunnepane, Sirimalwatte, Walala, Tumpane (in Galagedera), Mahayaya (in Kandy), Mahawalatenne (in Balangoda), Mawanelle (in Hatharakorale),etc.

NB - The genealogical chart of our early ancestry is based on information obtained from the Gazetter of the Central Province of Ceylon dated December 19th, 1898. Volume 11 by A.C. Lawrie.

The progeny of the two brothers Abeyratne Banda and Seneviratne Banda are :-

Abeyratne Banda Ratwatte :- Basnayake Nilame of Maha Vishnu Devale and Shroff of Mercantile Bank, Kandy.

He married, 1st :-   Daughter of Thalgahagoda Ratemahatmaya of Matale and had one son
namely, Wilfred Ratwatte, who married a Panabokke lady and had issue, and

2nd :- The younger sister of the aforesaid Thalgahagoda lady and had 08 sons and
03 daughters:-

1. J.C. Ratwatte (1st Adigar) married Chitravo Katugaha
2. Barnes (Dissawa) married Rose Mahawalatenne
3. Bandura married Robert Dullewe
4. Mallika married Lionel Dunuwille
5. Leela married Robert Divitotawela
6. Clarence married Damayantha Panabokke
7. Arthur married Leena Nugawela
8. Victor married Leela Bulankulame, a sister of the Dissawa
9. Harris (D.N./ Dissawa) married Mallika Katugaha
10. Sene (B.N. K’gama Devale) married Chitra Weragama
11. Ananda died young

Seneviratne Banda Ratwatte :- Diyawadana Nilame 1897 to 1901 and Ratemahatmaya of Patha Dumbara in the year 1900.

Married Halangoda Kumarihamy daughter of L.B. Halangoda Ratemahatmaya of Patha Dumbara, and had 01 daughter and 06 sons :-

1) Loku Kumarihamy married W.A. Dullewe
2) William (advocate) married (name not ascertained)
3) Medduma Banda (B.N. K’gama Devale) married Loku Menike Halangoda
4) Tikiri Banda (D.N. 1937 to 1947 & R.M. of Patha Dumbara) married a Miss Rambukwelle.
5) Alfred (Registrar) married Medduma Menike Bulankulame.
6) Punchi Banda (R.M. of Tumpane) married 1st a Miss Paranagama and 2nd Palmawathy
Bulankulame sister of Medduma Menike Bulankulame.
7) Henry (Inspector of Police) married Seelawathy Rambukwelle.

Compiled by Nihal Ratwatte,
102/3, Nittawela Road,
Kandy.

Tel : 081/2211172 and 0777/860520