Our story

The Mahagedara and the Korale of 1887

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

Family roots: Generation Zero

Family Roots

Generation Zero (Paternal): Wijesundara Mudiyanselage Mudalihami Iddawela (Korale) of Iddawela, Pilimathalawa had a son Kiribanda from his first marriage. After the death of first wife he married Samarakoon Mudiyanselage Pinchi Menike and had two children, daughter Ranmenike and son Ukku Banda .

Generation Zero (Maternal): Narangammana Bulumulle Weerakoon Mudiyanselage Ukku Banda Weerakoon (1861-1939) Korale and Nabadawewa Rajapakse Herath Mudiyanselage Dingiri Amma (~1863-1951) family. UB Weerakoon family of 11 children lived in Bulumulla Walawwa, Kiribathkumbura, Sri Lanka. Loku Menike was the second and eldest daughter.

1st Generation: Pilimathalawa Wijesundara Mudiyanselage Ukkubanda Iddawela (1880-1932) married Bulumulle Weerakoon Mudiyanselage Lokumenike (1885-1972). Their 13 children and subsequent generations are shown in the table below.

The 13 Iddawelas

1st Generation:

Wijesundara Mudiyanselage Ukkubanda Iddawela and Bulumulle Weerakoon Mudiyanselage Lokumenike Iddawela lived at Iddawela Mahagedara (ancestral house), Pilimathalawa opposite Gadaladeniya junction on Colombo-Kandy road overlooking a beautiful paddyfield. They had 13 children, 9 of them were males and 4 females.

2nd Generation:

Eldest W.K. Iddawela (1906-2009) would become a father figure for his younger brothers and sisters since the untimely death of his father Ukkubanda, After marriage to [family member], he settled down in Ambepussa, Warakapola on Colombo-Kandy road.

Eldest daughter Punchi Mahattayo Iddawela (1907-1999) married Tikiri Banda Dhanapala of Manadeniya residence, Pilimathalawa which is beside Wijethunga Mawatha (named after ex-president of Sri Lanka) on Colombo-Kandy road.

Second son Mudiyanse Iddawela (1909-1994) married Leelawathie Kumarihamy Te

The annual Iddawela Hamuwa since 1995

Annual Iddawela Get Togethers from the Beginning

Year

Date

Venue of Annual Iddawela Hamuwa

Main Sponsor

Attendance

1st

1995

2-Apr-1995

Kadugannawa Rockview Restaurant Inaugural Event

Attendee pay

116 (79ad+37ch)

2nd

1996

6-Apr-1996

Kadugannawa Rockview Restaurant

Attendee pay

3rd

1997

26-Apr-1997

Peradeniya Gardens Cafeteria

Attendee pay

4th

1998

10-Apr-1999

Ambepssa Rest House

Attendee pay

5th

1999

15-Jan-2000

Hingula Ulagoda Residence

Leela Ulagoda

2000

2001

8-Sep-2001

Pilimathalawa Iddawela Residence (Mahagedara)

[family member]

100+

2002

2003

22-Mar-2003

Pilimathalawa Manadeniya Residence

[family member]

100+

2004

2005

2006

2007

18-May-2008

Warakapola Rangana Rest

[family member]

2008

21-Dec-2008

Kadugannawa Rockview Hotel (Books 15

Iddawela family weddings

Visible to signed-in family members.

The story of iddawela.com (2008–today)

Message from Webmaster

Welcome to the new look Iddawela website.

Iddawela.com domain was acquired on 5th July 2008 and iddawela.com website was created on the same date to give internet presence to the Iddawela Foundation. Original site was designed using Microsoft Frontpage software application. [family member], eldest son of Wije and 3rd generation member is the creator, sponsor and editor of this website. Annual fee of US$ 168.00 is borne by [family member].

In 2011 web host Yahoo withdrew support for “Frontpage” editing of the site. Hence webmaster had to use Yahoo’s custom web design tool which is not easy and flexible as Frontpage. However many pages were updated leaving other pages half converted or untouched. Anyway all pages are visible in the browser. Many appeals were made during Iddawela AGM’s and privately from IT specialists in the family during the tr