Sri Maha Bodhiya The Ratwatte-Bulankulame connection and the bo-tree

Sri Maha Bodhiya

The Sri Maha Bodhiya was brought to Sri Lanka in 289 BC and the eight brothers of Queen Vedisa (During Emperor Dharamsoka’s reign) who belonged to the Suriya-wansa, accompanied the sacred Bo-sapling. The eldest of the said brothers was Suriyawansa Bodhigupta who was appointed as the Chief Trustee/Custodian of the sacred Bo-tree by King Dewanampiyatissa by conferring him the title Lakdiva Jayamaga Lenavo (vide Bodhiwansa 10th century AD page 233, and 242-245 edited by Kotagala Wachissara Thera and Kotagama Piyatissa Thera). 

The said Suriyawansa Bodhigupta was the first ancestor of Medduma Menike Kumarihamy Bulankulame’s lineage (Ancestry) on our soil, and whereas the descendants of the said Suriyawansa Bodhigupta were from time to time (hereditarily) appointed as Chief of Nuwara Kalawiya in addition to the rights as custodians of the scared Bo-tree during the times of Sinhala Kings.

The chiefs were called by their titles, Maha Vanni Uneha or Vanni Bandara of Nuwara Wanniya, Anuradhapura. The family had adopted the name Nuwarawewa Suriyakumara Wannisinghe by the time of King Rajadhi Rajasinghe (1793 AD) and one among the family was appointed to the post of Maha Vanniya upon a Copper Sannas. (vide Sri Lanka National Archives volume 41/58).

The duty of protecting the sacred Sri Maha Bodhiya was vested upon this family, recognised as the primary Buddhist family of Sri Lanka.

The British under the Kandyan convention were obliged to give effect to the customs and traditions of the Sinhalese. In giving effect to such traditions, sections, 9 of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance No.19 of 1931 was enacted preserving the hereditary right of this family. And whereas from time to time when disputes arose, the British who were obliged to honour the customs of the Sinhalese, were compelled to recognise this hereditary right of the family. 

The family even during the British rule, even though not under a King that could be called our own, steadfastly preserved its traditions and customs fulfilling its obligations as the primary Buddhist family of Sri Lanka. The emergence of the Bulankulame name is as a result of the Head of the Nuwarawewa Suriyakumara Wannisinghe family taking residence in the village of Bulankulame from which point on wards he and his descendants carried the name of Bulankulame. Henceforth, this family has been accepted as the lay Trustee/s of the Atamasthana.
At one point in time the Head of the Nuwarawewa Suriyakumara Wannisinghe Bulankulame family married one Owille Kumarihamy (Palipane) and the said head of the family died leaving his minor child N.S.W.L.B. Bulankulame (subsequently Dissawa during British rule) as his sole descendant. 

The said Owille Kumarihamy was given the right, by the District Court of Anuradhapura in case number 156 (referred to in 1988 q SLR 99 at page 107) to act as the lay trustee of the Atamasthana until her minor son attained majority status. The said son, N.S.W.L.B. Bulankulame Dissawa married Kahanda Weragama Kumarihamy and had ten children, of which Madduma Menike Kumarihamy was the fifth born.

Bulankulame Dissawa married Kahanda Weragama Tikirikumarihamy :-

Issues :-

1st - Loku Menike (Kumarihamy) - Married Mr. Rambukwelle 2nd - Maddume Menike(Kumarihamy) - Married Mr. Alfred Ratwatte. 3rd - L.B. (Disawe)  Married Miss. Nimala Hurulle 4th - M.B. (President Rural courts) - Married Miss. Somawathie Ratwatte 5th - Palmawathie - Married Mr. P.B.Ratwatte6th - Alice - Married T .B. Hurulle. 7th - P.B. (Dr Edmund) - Married Miss. Ivy Senanayake 8th - Leelawathie - Married Mr. Victor Ratwatte.9th - K.B. (Walter) - Married Miss.Chandra Madawala 1st and Seetha Panabokke thereafter.

(The writer is a member of the Alfred Ratwatte family)