Puran Appu

Weerahannadige Francisco Fernando alias Puran Appu (Sinhala පුරන් අප්පු) is one of the notable personalities in Sri Lanka's history. He was born on 7 November 1812 in the coastal town of Moratuwa. He left Moratuwa at the age of 13 and stayed in Ratnapura with his uncle, who was the first Sinhalese proctor, and moved to the Uva province. In early 1847, he met and married Bandara Menike, the daughter of Gunnepana Arachchi in Kandy. He was captured by the British after the failure of Matale Rebellion along with Gongalegoda Banda and Ven. Kudapola Thera. He was executed by a firing squad on August 8, 1848. His body was buried in Matale.

Veera Puran Appu
Born
Weerahannadige Francisco Fernando (full name: Weera Sanadhdhana Weera Bala Jaysooriya Patabendi Fransisco Fernando)[1]

(1812-11-07)November 7, 1812[2]
Uyana, Moratuwa, Western Province, Kingdom of Kandy[3]
DiedAugust 8, 1848(1848-08-08) (aged 35)[2]
Bogambara grounds, Kandy, Central Province, British Ceylon[3]
Cause of deathExecuted by the British by firing squad
NationalitySinhalese
Occupation(s)Political, Economic and Social revolutionary
Known forA leader in the Rebellion of 1848
Height5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (171 cm)
Titlekings sword bearer
SpouseBandaramenike (1847)[4]
ChildrenOne daughter[4]
Parent(s)Kalistoru Fernando (Father)
Madam Helena Nonis (Mother)[1][3]
RelativesMarcellenus Fernando (Uncle)
Gunnepana Arachchi (Father in Law)

The Hero

Appu living in Sri Lanka during the period of British colonial rule. Like many other Sri Lankans, Appu grew opposed to British colonial rule.[5] On 28.07.1848 Puran Appu led an attack on Matale. This was successful. However, the other leaders who attacked Kurunegala and Wariyapola failed. Governor Viscount Torrington in a letter to Earl Grey, the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in London dated October 9, 1849 “I remind you of the last words of Puranappu. He held up his hands and said if there had been half a dozen such men as me to lead, there would not be a white man living in the kandyan Province. This is true. If there had been such leaders, without doubt for a time we should have lost the country.”[6]

Legacy

Francisco (Veera Puran Appu) attended the Wesleyan school in Moratuwa and was a very mischievous boy. After a fight and thrashing the village headman from Lakshapathiya, he fled from Moratuwa in 1825 at the age of 13.[4] He traveled about the country, mostly the hill country – Haldummulla to Badulla and other places.[7] His uncle, W. Marcellenus Franciscu Fernando, was the first Sinhalese proctor who had a flourishing practice at Ratnapura and in 1840 Francisco stayed with him.[7]

It was at this stage of his career that he headed a band of outlaws and initiated a reign of terror against European planters and officials in Uva, much to the delight of His people, His daring exploits against the Europeans in Sri Lanka soon made him a legendary hero in Sri Lanka.[2]

He was now convinced of the necessity of expelling the British from Sri Lanka.[2]

With this end in view, he conferred with the Sangha of Mahiyangana and Muthiyangana who pledged him their support. This was in 1845. He married a highland woman, Bandara Menike of Harispattuwa, in 1847. They had a daughter. Francisco was now called Puran Appu. He broke into House of Magistrate Dawson of Badulla and was imprisoned and then broke prison. He cursed Major Rodgers who brought a false charge against him and Major Rodgers was struck by lightning in Nuwara Eliya.

The Gazette notification by the Colonial Secretary, Sir James Emerson Tennent on January 1, 1847, offered 10 pounds for his apprehension and described him as follows

“Puranappu originally of Morette, lately of Kandy, trade – unknown, caste – fisher, aged 34 years, height 5 ft 71/2 inches, hair – long and black, eyes – light hazel, complexion – light, well looking, make – well made, stout, marks of punishment on the back and 4 vaccination marks.

After three weeks of preparation in the early hours of July 28, 1848, a crowd of eight to ten thousand men under Puranappu's leadership armed with guns, spears and knives set off for Kandy from Dambulla.

The plan was for Puranappu, Gongalagoda Banda and Dingirala to go in three different directions then meet at Katugastota and attack Kandy on Sunday, 30 July.[8]

Puranappu's army first attacked Fort McDowl in Matale. Government buildings and property were ransacked – kachcheries, jails, rest houses and court house records. The coffee stores of Lieutenant General Herbert Maddock, a key adviser to the Government in Kandy was set on fire.[9] Puran Appu was successful in capturing Matale for a while and the people in another demonstration of popular fervor, proclaimed him King of Kandy.[10][11]

His success, however, was short-lived. An ill-trained army, equipped with primitive weapons was no match for the superior arms and organisation of the British Half-way between Matale and Kandy, the Sinhala forces, depleted by desertions and their movements betrayed by traitors, were intercepted by British troops and Puran Appu himself was captured and taken to Kandy. With his capture, the Rebellion fizzled out.

Brought to trial before a Court Martial, he was found guilty of having waged war against H.M. Queen Victoria and condemned to be shot.[12]

On August 8, 1848, on the banks of the Bogambara Wewa, Veera Puran Appu was executed.

Legacy

Weera Puran Appu Vidyalaya, a school in Moratuwa is named after him.[13] A new frog species found from Adam's Peak, was named Pseudophilautus puranappu, by the researchers for his great dedication to protect the country from foreign invasions.[14] A biographical film of Puran Appu was made on 1978, where Ravindra Randeniya acted as Puran Appu.[15]

See also

References
  1. Perpetual ferment : popular revolts in Sri Lanka in the 18th and 19th centuries, Kumari Jayawardena p.129 (SSA)
  2. "WWW Virtual Library: Sri Lanka: Veera Puran Appu". www.lankalibrary.com.
  3. "'Dedication, sacrifice of Veera Puran Appu made British Govt. more favourable to the public'". Daily News. 11 August 2003. Archived from the original on 27 February 2013.
  4. Fernando, Tyronne. "Veera Puran Appu - courageous son of Lanka". Ancestry.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017.
  5. Matale Rebellion
  6. "Mohamed Azhar: VEERA PURAN APPU". August 13, 2006.
  7. "List.lk - Business and collaboration platform for your business". www.list.lk.
  8. Kirthiratne, Mahesh (6 July 2011). "Veera Puran Appu; wasn't he a hero?". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  9. Britain's Empire: Resistance, Repression and Revolt By Richard Gott
  10. The De Soysa Charitaya, by C. Don Bastian and V. S. M. De Mel, p. 71 (University of California) ASIN B00H1CYGL4
  11. "Heroes in the struggle for Independence". www.sundaytimes.lk.
  12. "Books by Category - Heroes". Sumitha Books. Archived from the original on 14 March 2019.
  13. "Museums". Intravels Holiday (Pvt) Ltd. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016.
  14. Wickramasinghe, L.J. Mendis; Bandara, Imesh Nuwan; Vidanapathirana, Dulan Ranga; Tennakoon, Kamani H.; Samarakoon, Sameera R.; Wickramasinghe, Nethu (26 April 2015). "Pseudophilautus dilmah, a new species of shrub frog (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from a threatened habitat Loolkandura in Sri Lanka" (PDF). Journal of Threatened Taxa. 7 (5): 7089–7110. doi:10.11609/JoTT.o3501.7089-110.open access
  15. "Veera Puran Appu - වීර පුරන් අප්පු - Sinhala Cinema Database". www.films.lk.
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