නිතරැ නිතරැ සීතාවක රණ බෙර නැඟුණා
කොළඹ කොටුවෙ බළල් මසුත් ගිනි ගණන් වුණා
පරංගි දේසේ රජුටත් මර උණ ගැනුණා
රාජසිංහ දෙවි නාමේ ලොවේ රජ වුණා
පද රචනය : අරිසෙන් අහුබුදු
චිත්රපටය : සංදේශය (1960)
Prince Tikiri rising over Mulleriyawela.
In 1559 Captain-major Jorge de Meneses Baroche’ lead a Portuguese army against the Sithawaka troops under the command of Wickramasinghe Mudali -who would initially withdraw, hold and fortify themselves at Hewagama close to the Kelani river.
The Portuguese had walked themselves in to a trap within the marshes of Mulleriyawela and soon found themselves surrounded by the young and charismatic prince Tikiri himself leading the main body of the Sithawaka army, Wickramasinghe mudali taking the front and the militiamen from the villages of Korathota, Hewagama and Athurugiriya korales covering the flanks and the kelani river cutting off their Escape to the North.
The Battle was a decisive event in the War against the Portuguese. It was one of the first great defeats suffered by the Portuguese at the hands of the Sinhalese. And also, the proving ground for the young and rising prince Tikiri Bandara who would later become a force to recon as the King Rajasinghe I of Seethawaka.
The prince still only 16 years of age is said to have taken command of the armies and the battlefield himself. Riding in to battle and actively engaging the enemy in the Thick of the battle.
The carnage on the fields of the Mulleriyawa marshes were great. It is said that about 1600 Portuguese soldiers were slain in battle turning the waters of the marsh red from the blood spilt of the slain soldiers.
The Painting was done as a special commissioned work for my good friend Saranga Mendis – well known teledrama director.
