Wednesday, July 7, 2010

kingdom of Sitawaka


When the Portuguese arrived in Sri Lanka in the early sixteenth century they found an island that comprised a number of kingdoms. At the time, apart from the familiar Kandyan Kingdom, there was the aspiring Sitawaka Kingdom among others. As the Portuguese soon learnt, it was Sitawaka that held the balance of power and posed the greatest threat to their expansionist intentions.

Sitawaka, the ancient royal residence situated near Avissawella on a tributary of the Kelani Ganga (river), derives its name from Sita, who is supposed to have been imprisoned by Ravana in a grove somewhere in this neighbourhood.

As far as history is concerned, Sitawaka gained prominence for a relatively short period of 72 years, between 1521 and 1593. It was one of several squabbling kingdoms that patch-worked Lanka at a time the coastal areas were held by the newly-arrived Portuguese, the first European colonists.

The turmoil of the period is exemplified by the fact that Sitawaka was raided some five times in its brief history, which, according to Roland Raven-Hart who visited the place in the 1950s and wrote about it in his Ceylon: History in Stone (1964), makes it “the most-captured city in the world, considering its short importance.”

“Not that it was usually taken by storm,” Raven-Hart continues. “The king adopted the annoying tactics later employed by the Kandyan Kingdom, of abandoning his city to the invaders – on occasion with the palace lights burning and white cloths spread, then as now a sign of honour to welcome a guest. He vanished into the hills, watching for the chance of harrying the invaders; and whenever things looked up for him, he went and besieged the nearby Kotte Kingdom.

“It was a seesaw war: but a further complication enters – Kandy, at times an allay of Sitawaka against the Portuguese, at times attacked by Kotte, at times seeking Portuguese help against both Sitawaka and Kotte. It is like a mad game of billiards, played by the balls themselves.”


By the mid-sixteenth century, the ageing first king of Sitawaka, Mayadunne, handed over military leadership to his son, who promptly defeated the Kandyans on the battlefield and earned himself the new name of Rajasinghe, or “King Lion.” Moreover in 1559 he routed a Portuguese army near the Kelani Ganga. The Sitawaka Kingdom now held practically all the lowlands except Colombo, and the Portuguese were reduced to hit-and-run raids along the coasts.

Rajasinghe succeeded his father in 1581. He had originally been a Buddhist like his father, but owing to the treachery of some monks he apostatised to Hinduism. Subsequently he built many Hindu temples. The finest, although sadly incomplete, is the Berendi Kovil, named for Bhairawa, or Siva, at Sitawaka.

This remarkable king had the audacity to besiege the Portuguese at Colombo. Indeed the city almost fell in 1587 after he drained the protective crocodile-infested lake by cutting a canal into it. However the Portuguese had access to the sea and with their naval supremacy were able to bring provisions and men from India.

A minor revolt in his kingdom forced Rajasinghe to abandon the siege. Although this revolt was put down without difficulty, a later one in 1590 in Kandy proved to be his undoing. Eight years earlier he had captured Kandy, but now the kingdom rebelled under a Buddhist king. Rajasinghe was forced to retreat from Kandy and died of blood-poisoning caused by a bamboo-splinter on a sandbank, a spot which the inhabitants of Sitawaka showed Raven-Hart half a century ago. With him died the kingdom of Sitawaka.

From then until 1815, Avissawella was on the frontier between the Portuguese, the Dutch and finally British-held coastal areas and the Kandyan Kingdom. The Portuguese and Dutch built forts there, and clashes between colonists and Kandyans were frequent. But with the fall of the kingdom in 1815 to the British, the place became more accessible. One of the first to describe it was John Davy in An Account of the Interior of Ceylon (1821): “Avissawella is an inconsiderable village, romantickly situated almost at the base of bluff hills of black naked rock, which rise precipitously from a surface of rich foliage to a height perhaps of 1,000 feet. On a low but steep conical hill, just by the rest-house, there are the remains of a small military post, which has been unoccupied since we have had possession of the Interior.

“Sitawaka, once a royal residence, and a place of considerable consequence, is now merely a name. No traces of what it once was are now to be seen by the traveller passing along the road; and for a time none were supposed to exist. Lately, some remains of buildings have been discovered. In June 1819, when travelling this way the third time, I was conducted by the natives to an old fort situated on a tongue of elevated ground.”

Davy goes on to reveal that British vandalism resulted in the degradation of the site. “The ruin was not uninteresting, and might have been worth preserving; I say, might – knowing that the work of destruction has commenced, and that the walls, which two centuries had spared, have been pulled down either in part or entirely, and their stones removed to build a new rest-house. The curious traveller will complain of this measure; whilst the indolent one will bless his stars for being saved the trouble of forcing his way through thickets to see an old ruin, the materials of which, newly arranged, afford him a comfortable shelter.”

Nevertheless, the ruins of the defensive walls and royal palace can still be seen, and the unfinished Berendi Kovil still exhibits some fine stonework, so the site is well worth an exploration. Raven-Hart admirably describes the kovil: “Only the platform remains, quite small within a moat crossed by a bridge of massive slabs. The wall of the platform is gloriously simple, with delicate flowered fillet, a garland of stone that must be seen to be appreciated. Apart from the fillet, the chief ornaments are pilasters, separated by perfectly flat areas which had to be cut away in order to leave the pilasters in relief; and on one of the flats is an odd little parrot, entirely unrelated to anything in the design. It seems obvious, and quite delightful, that the workmen got fed up with recessing that flat surface and left the birds in relief for fun, to be chiselled away on a morrow that never came.” And the “morrow that never came” was, of course, because of the death of Rajasinghe.

Kingdom of jaffna



Scholars who attempt to lift the veil of obscurity that envelops the early history of Jaffna face formidable obstacles: scarcity of literary evidence, very few archaeological findings and biased interpretations of available data.

Unlike the Sinhalese whose ancient chronicles such as the Mahavamsa and the Culavamsa which give the "Sinhalese a myth about their origin, which farfetched as it is, convinced them that they were a people with something special about them",l the Tamils do not possess any such comparable literature. The earliest local Tamil chronicles on Jaffna were composed in the Middle Ages. A prose work entitled Yazhppana Vaipava Malai was compiled by poet Mayilvakana Pulavar in 1736 A.D. This work depended on earlier writings such as Kailaya Malai, Vaiya Padal, Pararasasekaran Ula and Raja Mural. These, composed not earlier than the fourteenth Century A. D., contain folklore; legends and myths mixed with historical anecdotes.

Mahavamsa and Culavamsa contain references to Tamils but are rather silent on the early history of Jaffna.

References to Tamils of the North which are said to be found in the Hindu epics of Ramayana, in the ancient Tamil Classics and in the devotional Tamil literature have yet to be critically studied and appraised. and Mahabharata

As far as archaeology is concerned, one may mention four rounds of field Works.

Excavations were carried out in 1918 and 1919 at Kantarodai, an ancient capital of Jaffna, and at Vallipuram, a coastal town situated about six kilometers from Point Pedro. Punch-marked coins called puranas that were current in India during the time of Buddha (6th to 5th centuries B.C.) and copper rods - "kohl" sticks that were very similar to the ones Egyptians used to paint with and dating back to 2000 B.C. - were discovered. Sir Paul E. Pieris, who conducted these excavations, expressed his conviction that the Northern part of Sri Lanka was a "flourishing settlement" even before the birth of Vijaya, the legendary founder of the Sinhalese.

Excavations carried out in 1956 and 1957 at Pomparippu, Puttalam, a region intimately connected with the North, have revealed the existence of a culture bearing some resemblance to the South Indian Megalithic culture flourishing in the first millennium B.C. discovered at Adicha Nallur in the Tirunelveli region of Tamil Nadu: striking similarities are to be found in the features of Black and Red Rouletted pottery, in iron implements and in the style of urn burials.

Excavations were carried out in 1970 by a Pennsylvania University Museum team at Kantarodai. Though no burial monuments were found, the team reported the probable existence of a Megalithic stage of development in Jaffna.

Excavations were conducted between 1980 and 1983 which witnessed startling discoveries. The following conclusions are mainly based on these excavations.

  • The first inhabitants of Sri Lanka might have migrated through a landbridge that linked up northwestern Sri Lanka with southeastern Tamil Nadu. This land connection physically existed till 7000 B.C. No wonder, scholars have maintained that "man did not evolve in Ceylon but... arrived in the island from the main continent of India" Besides, the close proximity of Jaffna Peninsula to South India must have prompted periodic migration from the sub continent to the northern coastal areas of Sri Lanka. One could not disagree with the statement of Paul Peiris that "it stands to reason that a country which is only 30 miles from India and which would have been seen by Indian fishermen every morning as they sailed out to catch their fish, would have been occupied as soon as the Continent was peopled by men who understood how to sail". In point or fact, in the course of the centuries, South Indians came to Sri Lanka either as successful traders, seamen, soldiers, artisans or refugees fleeing from political upheavals in their motherland.
  • Jaffna was not the first habitat of the earliest migrants. A few microlithic (an earlier phase) tools were found at Poonakari and Mannittalai, two points very close to, but not inside, the Peninsula. This may have been due to the absence of microlithic tool material there."
  • The earliest inhabitants of Jaffna were Megalithic people. This culture had in general the following distinguishing features: tank-irrigated cultivation, developed settlements, a special pottery technique which produced Black and Red Wares, the introduction of iron technology and a certain style of burial chamber. The urbanization "in South India, the rise of earliest kingdoms and chieftaincies in this region and the refinement of the language to the stage of producing the Cankam Tamil Literature were the culmination of the Megalithic culture".

Friday, July 2, 2010

kingdom of Kandy



The city of Kandy lies at an altitude of 488.6 meters (1629 feet) above sea level in the center of the island and surrounded by the ranges of mountains. It is still very much a focal point of Sri lankan culture. It was the capitol of last generation of Sri lanka`s kings until it fell in to the hands of British in 1815.
Kandy was originally known as Senkadagala pura after a hermit named Senkada who lived there. Many of Sinhalese people call it Mahanuwara meaning the "Great City. But the name Kandy was derived from the Word Kanda, which means mountain. Due to its geographical location Kandy was not an easy target for the foreign invaders who could gain the control of coastal area of the island. Thus Kandyan culture was abler to foster and maintain its own social structure, mode of living, Art & Architecture. The kings of Kandy ensured the safety and sovereignty of the hill capitol and its great culture until the British finally captured the city in 1815.

The royal palace in Senkadagala was built by King Vikramabahu the 3rd of Gampola on the advice of a Brahmin who selected the site as a lucky ground for a Capital city. The first king to ascended the throne of Senkadagala was Sena Sammata Wickramabahu.
When Wimaladharmasuriya the 1st ascended the throne in the city in 1592 he surrounded the whole of the vast city with a massive wall to ward off the foe and also fought against Portuguese at Danture and winning king returned to the city with the captive princess Dona Catherina as his queen and further improved the city and his palace using the skills of the captured Portuguese worriers and made the city of Senkadagala as the Capital of the hills. Then the Sacred tooth relic was brought back to the city from Delgamuwa Viharaya in the Sabaragamuwa Province and the King built (in 1592) a two storied temple in the neighborhood of the royal palace, thus adding yet another religious building to the already existing Natha Devale dedicated to the guardian god of the City. Since then it became the most sacred and venerated temple of the Buddhists.
There were 12 rulers who ruled the city of Senkadagala from 1469 to 1815 A.D.
During the period of Vimaladharmasuriya the 1st country was prosperous and peacefull.but with the succession of King Senarath, lots of internal problem arose and as he was not a crafty ruler but a pious Buddhist who has been a monk before ascending the throne. The king retired to Meda Maha Nuwara Central Great City as Portuguese marched to the under General Azevado and destroyed the whole city.
His successor Rajasingha the 2nd was a strong warrior and during his time there were two Portuguese invasions ;once in 1630 led by Constantine de Sa and in 1638 led by General Diogo de Melo de Castro.Portuguse were completely defeated in the famous Randeniwela battle in 1630 and in the remarkable Gannoruwa battle in 1638 but the Capital was set fire by the enemy. Even Rajasingha the 2nd had to face the internal revolt in 1664 led by Ambanwelle Rala.He was supported by Dutch who had arrived on cinnamon trade to the Country and extended the Kandyan Kingdom over a large territory in 1658.Although he joined the Dutch in the hope of driving away the Portuguese, his plans and hopes were in vain as Dutch were mainly interested in Cinnamon and so was the king who thought it was a source of income.
The Dutch began their Kandyan invasion in 1659.The territories won by the king over a period of 20 years were lost to the Dutch in three years. Battle took place in 1665 and again in 1675 and the Dutch were made to suffer defeat.
His successor was his son Vimaladharmasuriya the 2nd and according to his thought king of the hills is also the king of the whole country so he maintained peace and harmony with the Dutch and as a result people were able to live without fear.
The kings of Kandyan kingdom sought assistance from Vadugas (Nanayakkars of India who spoke Telugu as their language) from time to time against the invading Portuguese.Vimaladharmasuriya the 1st and King Senarath brought down Vadugas from Tanjore and Madura to fight the Portuguese. When King Rajasingha the 2nd fought the battle at Gannoruwa against Portuguese there have been a thousand Vadugas.With them came their families too who later inter mixed with the Sinhalese population in the hills.
Not only the common man even kings having connections with the Nanayakkar rulers of India even started marrying from vadugas as It is said that the Kings took these decisions in order to quell the power of his rebellious chiefs who were trying to get the throne back and to continue a pure royal line unmixed with the nobility.also there has been a absence of suitable royal families in Sri Lanka during that period. King Rajasingha the 2nd and his son Wimaladharmasuriya the 2nd had brought princess from Madura.
With the accession of Sri Vira Parakrama Rajasingha, The last Sinhalese king of Kandyan Kingdom had the throne in 1707 AD and his marrying a vaduga princess from Madura the Kandyan Kingdom fell in to the hands of Nanayakkars.
According to the law of succession in ancient Sri Lanka, It was passed from farther to son born of his queen or from brother to brother or sometimes to his sisters son. However the royal status of both parents were considered important. But Narendrasingha selected the brother of his chief Madura Queen to succeed him as Sri Vijaya Rajasingha following the rule of succession had among the people in the Southern India at that time. With this came the end of Sinhalese dynasty and king Narendrasingha was the last Sinhalese king to rule the country.
This king was never religious or courageous but led the life of a playboy. He was known to Sinhalese as the Sellan Nirindu meaning playful king. He spent much of his life in his palace at Kundasale and at Hanguranketha; The villages close to the city. He had only a few close associates and many of kandyan aristocrats were against with him. But many foreigners were among his close associates. They never encouraged the development of the Buddhism but was very close to the catholic missionaries in Kandy.That led to criticizing of him and there were several uprising against his rule.
After all these events and incidents, Birth of a great Buddhist revivalist took place in this period, the venerable Velivita Saranankara, who became a great scholar and a guardian of Buddism.The king was not hostile towards him and later encouraged him in his religious work a little and He died in 1739.
As there was no children from his queen of Madura his wish was to hand over the throne to his brother in law. This was not fully accepted by the community because king left a son named Unambuwe Bandara with a queen of unequal rank. claim of the brother in law was unsuccessful. The child was educated by the venerable Valivita Saranankara and ascended the throne of Kandy in 1739 as Sri Vijaya Rajasingha.As a result the royal court was divided in to two. The king embraced the Buddhism and helped his teacher Ven. Valvita Saranakara to promote his Buddhist activities. Sri Vijaya Rajasinha too married another Nanayakkar prince from Madura and again got married to another from Madura seven years after the first. But he had no any children from either of them.
After the death of king the brother of his Madura queen ascended the throne in 1747 as Kirti Sri Rajasingha.He got married in 1749 to queen of Madura and He strictly believed that only a Buddhist could be the King of the Sinhalese and helped to develop the education which has been suffered due to the influence of Portuguese and King Rajasingha the 1st and renovated and built few religious monuments under the guidance of Ven. Valivita Saranankara .Dalada Perahera was once again conducted with great fashion along with the four Devala Peraheras and with the king himself taking part in the procession.It is said that he tried to follow the work of King Parakramabahu the great of Polonnaruwa Period. So his period of rule is considered a golden period of the history of Buddhism in the Kandyan period.
In 1760 there was a series of battle between the Dutch and the Kandyans and it went on for about six years. Dutch attempted twice to capture the Kandyan Kingdom and failed. Even a peace treaty was forwarded to the king but he refused it. When the Dutch could reach the city and destroyed the city, The King took the tooth relic and vanished from the capital. In 1766 the both parties entered in to an agreement as it was necessary to seek assistance of the Dutch to drive away the Portuguese.Again the rulers of Kandy felt the necessity of some foreign assistance to drive away the Dutch and sought the assistance of British.at first British were not that interested in the Kandyan Kingdom but later on having felt the importance of the Trincomalee habour they thought of getting assistance from the Kandyan kingdom for their war against the French.
Kirti Sri Rajasingha died in 1781 and his brother ascended the throne of Kandy as Rajadhi Rajasingha.The new king did not trust the British and sought the support of the French.British captured the Trincomalee from Dutch in1798 and defeated them in maritime provinces too in 1798.Then the British realized that it would not be difficult to establish their power over the island.
King Rajadhi Rajasingha died in 1798 and during his period again the kadyan Kingdom was collapsing in everything. Rajadhi Rajasingha had no children and the prime minister at the time called Pilimatalawe nominated an eighteen years old kannasami who was a distant relation of the deceased king as the successor to the throne thinking to capture the throne once the opportunity offered. The brother of three queens of the King disliked the decision and sought refuge with the British.So Kannasami ascended the throne in 1798 as Sri Vickrama Rajasingha.The king later disliked the activities of Pilimatalawe and in the mean time British tried to capture Kandy in 1803 and was a failiure. Then the British thought of getting the support of Kandyan chieftains who were against the King.Pilimatalawe infact approached the British for help. British thought of a tricky way of capturing Kandy and John Doyly went on to learn the native language, associated with scholars, Composed poetry and studied the culture and belief of the people. That helped them to build up friendship with all the notable Kandyan chiefs of the time and learn the inside political story of Kandyan Kings
Sri Vickrama Rajasingha was a crafty ruler and did everything possible to make his ideas and plans true. He even divided chieftain on rule and drew his Nanayakkar relatives closer and appointed new chiefs like Molligoda in to high positions. The old chiefs like Ehalepola were made to feel angry and jealous on these acts of the King. He also appointed two chiefs where there had been one to administer certain provinces, so they would quarrel with each other. He punished those chiefs whom caused suffering to the poor people thus won the heart of many. The prices of essential goods were controlled and liquor was prohibited. He built a beautiful octagon in the Temple of the tooth relic for his use and the lake in front was prepared with forced labour. His decision to move out the four shrines dedicated to God Natha, Vishnu, Katharagama and Pattini was disliked by the Buddhist population. King was shown with an uncontrollable temper and once ordered to execute his son born to one of the sub queens. In the mean time the enmity between Pilimatalawe and the King risen day by day and he was dismissed from the office in 1810.Then Pilimatalawe tried to assassinate the king through a Malay man and failed. As a result of his act king ordered to execute him with 7 others. Then the king appointed Chief Ehelepola as the Prime Minister (Maha Adikaram) but never trusted him and moved out to take charge of Sabaragamuwa province and in the mean time he appointed another person to the same province as Ehelepolas rival. Ehelepola kept in touch with the De Oyle and raised a rebellion against the throne.Moolligoda was sent to destroy it and Ehalepola had to take the shelter of British.
King was changed to act as a mad person from then onwards. A large number of people including Buddhist monks who were guilty and innocent were condemned to death as traitors. Then the brutal death punishment carried out on the wife and children of Ehelepola shocked the entire nation. It is said that for two days the whole of Kandy except the Kandyan court was like a house of mourning and no fire was kindled, no food was dressed and a general fast was held due to that incident. Both the people and their chiefs awaited the arrival of British to drive away the cruel king. British declared the war against the king of Senkadagalapura on the 10th of January in 1815 with the advice and help of Ehelepola and Molligoda maha adikaram too joined the British.although the king fled to Dumbara with his consorts and few attendants soon he was captured and on the 18th of February in 1815 and sent to Colombo and from there in 1816 to vellore in South India.Then on 2nd of March in 1815 the representatives of the two parties The British and the Sinhalease met in the audience hall of Kandy and to sign a pact as the British are the rulers of the whole country.
Although the Kandyan chiefs and peasants and monks joined British to get rid of the cruel king Sri Vikrama Rajasingha, They never expected the British to rule the country. They only asked British to help to drive away the king. Kandyan expected that Ehelepola would become their king. People again lost their hopes and they had no king to rule or protect them and their religion. Then the people got together under the leadership of Kandyan chief like Madugalle and Keppitipola. In the men time British took Ehelepola, Millawa and few other in to custody, as they were to join the new rebellion. British could over come the situation with the capture of Keppetipola and Madugalle and condemned them to death. From then British continued to rule the whole country until 1948 and Sri Lanka was offered the freedom on 4th of February in 1948
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Kingdom of Kotte

Form ancient administrative capital to the country�s official capital, from Kotte to Sri Jayawardenapura, this ancient citadel has come a long away. Kotte was a fortified city built by chieftain Alagakkonara. The establishment of a city close to Kolom Thota, the port of Colombo was a farsighted decision of his to convent the country's economy more towards trade departing from agriculture. Kotte, glorified in many aspects by king Parakramabahu IV (1412-67) served as a center of learning and contributed immensely to the development of Sinhala literature.

Vijayaba Pirivena of Pepiliyana were some of these erudite seats of learning. Kotte was renamed Sri Jayawardanepura when it was declared the official capital of Sri Lanka in 1982.

Kingdom of Gampola

Set in the salubrious hill country, on the banks of the undulating Mahaweli River, amongst the mountains and valleys, lay this bridge shead for resistance movements and refuge for strategic withdrawals-Gampola. When the Sinhala Kings commenced shifting their administrative capital from low land to the central mountainous region for strategic reasons Gampola with its unique setting was the ideal location. Gampola is surrounded by many important Buddhists temple. The interpolation of vedic and post vedic Hindu deities into the venerations of Mahayana deities firmly extrapolation as a part of religious practice of Sri lantern Buddhists emanated from Gampola. At Gadaladeniya and Lankatilaka temples the images of Saman, Vhibishana and Skanda were installed as attendants of the Buddha.



Gadaladeniya Viharaya

Built almost exclusively of stone in 1344 by the Gampola King Wickramabahu, situated on a hilltop, commanding views of the surrounding countryside.

The architecture is Dravidian. The entrance porch features large stone pillars, which support a roof of huge stone slabs. Within the vihara, an ancient stone and plaster Buddha image looks down upon milk rice pots that have collected food offerings for centuries.

The 638-year-Old jack wood doors still exhibit their original paintings.

Completed in 1344, but in a more traditional Sinhalese style.
Situated on a top of a gray rock above the fertile highland green, it justifies its name: "the beauty spot on Lanka's brow."
The shrine contains an ancient Buddha image of brick and plaster, plus devalas to the four guardian deities of the island, each with his consort.
A Pali language rock inscription at the site records the valuable gifts to craftsmen who toiled on the temple. Woodcarvers still work at the foot of the rock on which the temple stands. This is a Magnificent building shining in white against the blue sky in the background. Being a brick building in three stories, it has a peculiar architectural design.
Amidst the painted doors of wood and frescoes still bright with their original paint on walls and ceilings in the shrine room is found a superb seated image of the Buddha.



Lankathilaka Viharaya



Ambekke Devalaya

This Shrine is dedicated to God Kataragama. This temple is famed for its carved wooden pillars with intricate designs. The pillars leap to life with dancers, musicians, wrestlers, legendary beasts and birds.

Nearby are the ruins of an ancient Rest House with similar pillars carved in stone. All the above described monuments belong to the 14th century.

Kingdom of Yapahuwa

YAPAHUWA An ancient fortress and capital built in the year 1301. Yapahuwa is a rock rising to a height of 90 meters. Many traces of ancient battle defenses can still be seen, while an ornamental stairway, remains its biggest showpiece.
"Yapahuva" the the 13 th. Century capital in Sri Lanka was made King Buvanekabahu I.
Here the chief object is the rock, which rises about 300 ft above the surrounding land.
The land at the base to the south is fortified with two moats and ramparts. In this enclosure there are the remains of a number of buildings.The tooth Relic too was brought from Dambadeniya kept in the special built for the purpose.
Yapahuwa is situated at Kurunegala - The North Western Province of Sri Lanka

13 th century

Kurunegala, the Capital of North Western Province is a treasure house of archaeology, having been the seat of four medieval kingdoms of Sri Lanka between the mid 12th and 14th century. Sri Lankan Kings built handsome citadels at Panduwasnuwara, Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, and Kurunegala. Impressive remains of these citadels-fortresses, places, Buddhist temples, shrines, monasteries and hermitages, walls and moats as well as monuments of much earlier (even pre-Christian) and later European colonial periods, providing existing sightseeing to visitors.

The North Western province has number of medieval temples and edifices raised on pillars or small boulders. All of them contain classical masterpieces of Sinhala art & craft wall paintings, wood work, sculpture and images of lord Buddha.


Ancient Ruins Haththakuchi & Rajangane

Haththakuchi ("Elephant�s Belly") near Galgamuwa, is an impressive rock temple complex of great atmosphere, dating back to 1st century B.C. It is also closely associated with legends of heroic and saintly King Sri Sangabo, built at the foot of huge rock outcrop, excavations have revealed a group of four handsome shrines and a curious rotund, probably an image house with pavement and foundations intact.
A similar 8th century complex is found at Rajangane, also near Galgamuwa, A handsome circular pillared shrine with four entrances, raised on a terraced platform, many other notable structures, cave shrines, ponds and 1st to 9th century A.D. rock inscriptions make this an ancient site of much interest.nother.



Ridi Viharaya

The Silver Temple of Kurunegala contain Kandyan style 14th & 18th century wall paintings, and exquisite medieval doorway with intricate carvings of ivory inlay, a curious pavement inside the main sanctuary, of Delft tiles of Biblical themes.
The Gift of 18th century Dutch Consul and a beautifully curved moonstone of the pre-8th century classically period.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Kingdom of Dambadeniya

Dambadeniya Kingdom


King Vijayabahu III- From 1232 AD - 1236 AD

King Vijayabahu III is the first king of Dambadeniya kingdom. Native Sinhalese began to move to the south or Maya rata because of the hard Tamil ruler Kalinga Magha as mentioned in Polonnaruwa kingdom. While he was the king of Polonnaruwa, king Vijayabahu III (a descendant of king Sirisangabo) became the king of Dambadeniya.

He conveyed tooth relic and Lord Buddha's alms bowl to Dambadeniya from it's hiding place Kotmale. His reign was largely spent reconstructing the shattered Buddhist infrastructure of the Sinhalese.

The picture shown below is Vijayasundararama temple at Dambadeniya which was used as the tooth relic shrine in Dambadeniya era.

King Parakramabahu II- From 1236 AD - 1271AD

Then his elder son Parakramabahu became the king of Dambadeniya and he recovered Polonnaruwa from Kalinga people by 1244 AD.
His nick name was "Kalikala Sahithya Sarvagnana Panditha Parakramabahu" because he was a great poet and experienced in literature. Kav Silumina is one of his creations.

Then he abdicated in favor of his eldest son VijayaBahu and he was sent for the completion of recovery of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura areas.


King Vijayabahu IV - From 1271 AD to 1273 AD

King Vijayabahu IV became the sole king after king Panditha Parakramabahu's death. He could bare the crown only for 2 years because he was assassinated by his general Mitta.

Next king of the country was king Vijayabahu's younger brother Buwanekabahu and he moved the capital from Dambadeniya to Yapahuwa.

The coins used in Dambadeniya era are shown below. Those are used in the reigns of king Parakramabahu II, king Vijayabahu IV and king Buwanekabahu respectively.


The name of relevant king is appears on each coin and those are written using brahmee letters.