Welcome to the Internet Home of Pilimathalawa Iddawela Foundation
Iddawela Ancestral Home (ඉද්දවෙල මහ ගෙදර)
Iddawela Ancestral Home (Mahagedara) is situated in Iddawela, Pilimathalawa which is opposite Gadaladeniya Junction on Colombo-Kandy A1 Highway overlooking the paddy field. This is the home of Wjesundara Mudiyanselage Mudalihami Iddawela. He was appointed Korala & Police Headman (Muladeni) of Yatinuwara Medapalatha by GA William Edward of then colonial British Government signed document Ref 20886 dated 14th October 1887. He also worked as tax collector, coroner & wel muladeni (5 positions).
Iddawela roots go back to Iddawela village near Aranayaka in Kegalle District. Mudalhami was also known as Udapamunuwe Mohottalalge Mudalihami Iddawela. Uda Pamunuwa, Iddawela, Hakurugammana & Kumbalgama villages lie between Aranyake and Devanagala in Kegalle District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka.
Mudalihami had one son Kiribanda Iddawela from his 1st marriage. After the death of first wife he married Hathara Korale Kumbalgama Samarakoon Mudiyanselage Gedara Punchimenika (alias Samarakoon Mudiyanselage Pinchimenike).
Mudalihami Iddawela was Pinchimenike’s third marriage since the death of second husband Urapola Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Kiribanda (Urapola is near Pilimathalawa). Pinchimenike’s first marriage was to Aranayaka, Hakurugammana Division Officer who was deported to Andaman Islands due to a murder conviction.
Mudalihami and Pinchimenike had a daughter Ranmenike and a son Ukkubanda. When the parents died while Ukkubanda was still young (??), he was raised by his sister. Ranmenike married UB Beddewela but they did not have children. They lived close to mahagedara along the same Nerathaldeniya Road.
Ukkubanda being the youngest of Mudalihami’s three children from 2 marriages settled in mahagedara as per the Lankan family tradition. He married Bulumulle Weerakoon Mudiyanselage Lokumenike (~1885-1972). Together they had 13 children. This website is mainly for the descendants of those 13 Iddawelas from Pilimathalawa.
