The Story The wrath of Kuweni

Kuweni’s story is one of love, betrayal, and tragic strength—a tale deeply woven into the fabric of Sri Lankan history. In illustrating her, I wanted to capture not just her beauty, but the raw emotion and symbolism of her fate. Every element in the artwork holds meaning, telling her story in layers of imagery that reflect her pain, power, and resilience.

A Mask of Revenge

Atop Kuweni’s head rests a lion skull, a powerful symbol of Wijaya—the man who betrayed her. As she hides beneath it, tears streak down her face, revealing her sorrow even as she wears the mask of vengeance. The lion, a representation of Wijaya and his lineage, now looms over her, a haunting vision of the retribution she envisions for his betrayal. Cotton Flowers – A Fateful Meeting

When Wijaya first arrived in Lanka, Kuweni was weaving cotton, an act of quiet creation and sustenance. The delicate cotton flowers in the illustration symbolize the moment their destinies intertwined. What began as an innocent meeting soon spiraled into a tragic love story, forever altering her life.

Claw Marks – The Warrior’s Wounds

Kuweni was not just a woman scorned; she was a warrior queen. The deep claw marks on her body represent the pain inflicted upon her—not just emotionally, but symbolically by the lion himself. These wounds are both literal and figurative, embodying her strength as well as the suffering she endured at the hands of betrayal.

Lactating – A Mother’s Loss

Perhaps the most heartbreaking element of the illustration is her lactation, a haunting reference to the children she bore with Wijaya. In the end, they were taken from her, murdered in an act of ultimate loss. This detail serves as a painful reminder of the price she paid—not just with her heart, but with her very bloodline.

Through this illustration, I wanted to honor Kuweni’s complexity—not just as a betrayed woman, but as a queen, a mother, and a symbol of resilience. Her story is one of loss, but also of power, a reminder of the forgotten voices in history who deserve to be seen and remembered.