Indian Antiquary Vol 09

SR No.: 032501
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 398
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 18

12
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JANUARY, 1880.
king, which is not quite legible on the stone, and Raja Abayisa pati Waqamana gama mabama in the second line I believe I have deciphered a bariha sagasa wawi cha. part of the ancient name of the place-Abattha- [Under this is a line of smaller characters, [kola].
which are not so clear.] There are several inscriptions of the same Wadahamâna, the son of king Abaya, age, which all refer to the construction and gave the village . . . . and the tank to the dedication of tanks, a favourite subject also in priesthood.' the North-Central Province and in the district The words left blank may be names, but of Hambantota. Unfortunately we know so little I am not sure about it. Galgamuwa tank was about the ancient geography of Ceylon that we built ty king Mahasena, the son of Meghaonly seldom can identify the names given in wanna Abhaya, according to the Rájaratná kari these inscriptions. Celebrated tanks like the (Upham, Sacred and Historical Books, II. 69, Padiwilkulam and Kantalai tank are not at all III. 237), and to him I think the inscription mentioned in the earlier part of the Mahdwanso, must be ascribed. Whether Waddhamana was which should give us an account of their con- really & name or only a title, must remain unstruction, and so there is little hope to learn from decided at present. (Cf. Journal Ceylon Asiatic thence anything about minor tanks as they exist Society, 1879, p. 7.) in the North-Western Province. Still more Another equally well preserved inscription is difficulty of course prevails about the names of at Dewagiriya wihara, three miles from the paddy fields which are served by these tanks, Galgamuwa and so there remains but very little matter to Sisitawanaka wiharahi nawahagamaketahi discuss in inscriptions like the following from chetahi karihi kubareAlutgalwihara:
In the Sisitawanaka wihara on the NawaSiddha mahârâ jaha bikawawiya chetakarihi hagama field the paddy land (extends) over. . . sagawiye chetakarihi talatarawiketahi cheta- karishas.' karihi
Similar inscriptions concerning tanks are to (2) uliwawiya chetakaribi punagamaka- be found at Yapahu (Subhaparwata), six wawiya chetakaribi wihirakaketahi chetakarihi miles from Balalli, and at Galwe wa near
(3) pariwatakaketahi chetakarihi talawiya- Wariyapola. ketahi chetakarihi.
All the inscriptions mentioned until now are (4) Tisa teraha kalahi likitaka.
not later than the beginning of the 4th century We have here four tanks and four corres. A.D. At this time we notice a change in the ponding paddy-fields :
alphabet; the square character begins to go bikawawiya
talatarawiketa over gradually into the round form, and somesaga wa]wiya wihirakaketa
times we find the same letter in two or three uliwawiya
pariwatakaketa different forms in the same inscription. punagamakawawiya talawiyaketa
I only came across one cave inscription The only word to explain is chetakarihi, of written in this mixed character at Ga nekande which the second part karihi is equal to the Pali wihara near Mahậnikawowa, on the road karisha; cheta is most probably a numeral, which from Kurunegala to Anuradhapura. I give it indicates the extent of paddy-land that was here as it is of some interest :served by each tank, but I cannot trace the Sidawiya pukaņalene chat disika gagasa etymology of the word.
Chuda(?)tisa jetaka Baranake anajiwi. The concluding sentence--" This is written The tank cave of Siddhawiya (?) [is given] at the time of the thera Tisa"-helps us just as to the priesthood in the four quarters. Chudatisa little in finding out the date of the inscription the chief, and Bharana his bondsman.' as the mere title “maharaja" ("great king') Pukana is the old form for the modern in the first line.
pokuna, Sanskrit pushkarini. One of the oldest and best preserved inscrip- There are two short inscriptions of this kind tions is on a rock near Galgamuwa tank at Kadigala near the Kall-oya river, and two on the road from Padeniya to Anuradhapura. long onds at Mediyawa (Ratgallegama wihåra), It runs as follows:
of which one is hopelessly destroyed by burn