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Wickrama. Accordingly, the present study added the insight into
the contemporary academia that not only Ehelepola Kumārihāmi,
but also the family had been subjected to marginalized in that
time of the historical period. The significance of this research
adds insight into the revival of Ehelepola Kumārihāmy as one of
the greatest chaste women in Sri Lankan history during 21st
century.

1.Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

In his newspaper article, ‘Ehelepola Kumārihāmi – a heroic figure’ which is written
by Senarathne (2017) mentioned that Ehelepola Kumārihāmi gave her life and her

children’s lives with the purpose upholding and honour her family. She was an
aristocratic woman who was the sister of Maha Adikaram Keppetipola and the wife of

Ehelepola Adikar. Moreover, Vimaladharma (2000) mentioned that the family

hierarchies had been played an important role in that time period. He further
explained that the ‘radala -peruva’ (aristocratic family) had been provided the

important roles in that society including palace officials and the charge of the
monarch’s personal security. The principal families that had been living in Kandy

were categorized according to the geographical divisions such as disavani or Rata.
The district, Matale was under the family of Ehelepola and Keppitipola. There were

significant rivalries in between these aristocratic families including, Meegasthanne Vs

Pilimathalawa and Ehelepola Vs Molligoda during the reign of Sri Wickrama. (p.115)
As many historical records indicated that Ehelepola Kumārihāmi and her children had

been unfairly killed by the king due to his jealousy over Ehelepola Adikar. The death
has been written in the history of Sri Lanka as the most tragic and an inhuman murder.

The unfair powerful rules have been activated over innocence lives. There was no

power to the dhamma or truth. Ehelepola Kumārihāmi has been killed and hidden
under the water without receiving her right to act. In such a context, people used to

live poems, narratives and portraits for the sake of loving memory of this
marginalized woman. In the contemporary society, her legacy continues because of

the historical imagination of contemporary historical Sri Lankan Sinhalese novelist.

The present study selected the contemporary historical Sri Lankan Sinhalese novels

which have been written by Priyanka Amarathunga. The selected contemporary
historical Sri Lankan Sinhalese novels were Kumārihāmi I and Kumārihāmi II. In her

preface of Kumārihāmi I, Priyanka Amarathunga has shared her experiences of

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