Where My Name Came from by Nilooka Vasanavi Ehelepola Dissanayake

Daily writing prompt

Where did your name come from?

Ptolemy’s Taprobana as published in *Cosmographia Claudii Ptolomaei Alexandrini*, 1535

My name is Nilooka Vasanavi Ehelepola Dissanayake and I am from Sri Lanka. I just go by Nilooka Dissanayake.

My name is associated with the history of my country and yes, this is a bit of a history lesson.

Ptolemy referred to Sri Lanka as Taprobana in his 1535 map. Taprobana was known to the ancient world, even before the time of Alexander the Great.

Ehelepola is a traditional high-cast name from Hill country in Sri Lanka. The most famous person to have held it is a leader, Ehelepola Adikaram, who fought against the last king of Sri Lanka, but ended up doing a lot of damage and was instrumental in promoting British colonialism.

Here’s the essence of what wikipedia says about him:
Ehelepola joined a revolt against King Rajasinha in Sabaragamuva province after he was sent to conquer it, and his entire family was executed. He helped the British launch an invasion against the Kandy Kingdom, overthrow Rajasinha, and subjugate Kandy to the British monarchy under the Kandyan Convention.

So yeah, name of a traitor, of sorts. However, his 10 YO son, Madduma Bandara, who was killed by the King, is a folk hero. As the king’s executioners came for the Ehelepola kids, his older brother cringed and cried in fear. Madduma Bandara said, “Fear not brother, I will show you how to die”. So he is known for his bravery. and his story is told to every little child as they grow up.

And there used to be a Junior Technical College called the Ehelepola Kumarihami Junior University in Polgolla in Kandy. Kumarihami is the wife of Ehelepola who was also killed by the King.

So my father, who was until then a teacher at a Colombo school got an appointment as a lecturer at this place soon after I was conceived. Hence I was considered lucky – and that is what Vasanavi means in Sinhala. And that is also how the Ehelepola part came into the name.

When I first went to get my National ID, I had to argue with the officials that “No, Ehelepola is not part of my surname. Its my given name!”. They had difficulty imagining that.

So that is my name. Hope you enjoyed the history lesson.