Kaduwela was originally
Kadudevola, a compound of
Kadu (
sword) and
Devola (
shrine). It was the location of a shrine of the goddess
Pattini, linked to a golden sword used in the 'water cutting' ritual. The shrine is called the
Purana Rankadu Pattini Maha Devale (ancient great shrine of the golden-sword Pattini). In another possibility Kaduwela simply means the jungle
paddy field. Kadu means jungle (Sorata Thera's Sinhala–Sinhala dictionary) and wela means paddy field. There is also another Kaduwela in the Ukuwela division of Matale district According to Robert Percival of the
19th Regiment of Foot, during the Revolt of 1797 against the Dutch, the Sinhalese threw up earthworks and established a fort here. After the British defeat in the
1st Kandyan War, Kaduwela was occupied by a small force of British
sepoys and
lascoreens. They were later reinforced by a mixed force of European troops and sepoys under Captain Charles Wilkinson Mercer of the
51st Regiment, prior to the Battle of Hanwella. == Kaduwela Municipal Council ==