Located by the busy Lipton Roundabout in Colombo, built in 1883, Cinnamon Gardens Baptist Church is a welcoming and supportive Christian community known for its warm and inclusive atmosphere. The church conducts services in Tamil, Sinhala, and English every Sunday, along with a trilingual Sunday school.
Kiri Amma Ulpatha is a sacred natural spring revered by local communities and associated with ancient Vedda traditions. Today it is also linked to the worship of the goddess Pattini, attracting devotees who seek blessings for health, fertility, and prosperity.
Pussadeva, one of the legendary Dasa Maha Yodhayo of King Dutugemunu (161–137 BCE), was renowned for his extraordinary mastery of archery. Known as Unmada-Pussadeva, he could strike targets by sound or lightning. He famously slew the warrior Bhalluka during the final battles for Anuradhapura.
Khanjadeva, one of the legendary Dasa Maha Yodhayo of King Dutugemunu (161–137 BCE), was renowned for his immense strength despite a slight limp. Famous for whirling wild buffaloes and shattering enemy defenses at Vijitapura, he became a key commander in the campaign that defeated King Elara and unified Anuradhapura.
Velusumana was born in the mid-2nd century BCE in the village of Kutumbiyangana, located in the Giri district. His father, Vasabha, was a respected householder. His child was named after two friends of the father who visited the birth: Vela, a neighbor, and Sumana, the governor of the Giri district.
The Dasa Maha Yodhayo, or Ten Great Giant Warriors, were the elite champions of King Dutugemunu (r. 161–137 BCE). They were chosen for their extraordinary strength and exceptional martial ability to lead the campaign that reclaimed the Anuradhapura Kingdom from King Elara, the Tamil invader who ruled from Anuradhapura for over 50 years.
Labhiya-Vasabha, one of the Dasa Maha Yodhayo who served King Dutugemunu (161–137 BCE), was renowned for his noble physique and immense strength. Famous for building an irrigation tank single-handedly in his youth, he later became a heroic commander who helped defeat Elara and unify the Anuradhapura Kingdom.
Bharaṇa, one of the Dasa Mahā Yodhayo of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇī (161–137 BCE), was famed for his extraordinary speed and endurance. Renowned for hunting animals by outrunning and crushing them with his feet, he later became a key commander in the campaign that defeated Elāra and unified the Anurādhapura Kingdom.
Theraputtabhaya, a giant of King Dutugemunu, wielded a massive club to defeat Elara’s armies in twenty-eight battles. Following the liberation of Anuradhapura, he renounced his military life. Trading his weapon for robes, he became a bhikshu to conquer human passion and achieve spiritual victory through Buddha Dhamma.
Among the ten great warriors of King Dutugemunu, Gothaimbara occupies a distinctive place as a hero whose immense strength stood in sharp contrast to his diminutive stature. His transformation from a ridiculed young man into a formidable commander in the war against the Chola ruler Elara is vividly recorded in the chronicles Mahavamsa and Rajavaliya.
The unification of Sri Lanka under Dutugemunu is one of the most celebrated epics in the island’s history. This achievement was made possible with the assistance of the Dasa Maha Yodhayo, the ten great warrior giants. Among these champions, Mahāsona (also known as Soṇa) was renowned for his immense physical power.
Suranimala was one of the famed Ten Great Warriors of King Dutugemunu. Renowned for his extraordinary strength and courage, he played a crucial role in the campaign against Elāra, becoming celebrated in Sri Lankan chronicles as a symbol of loyalty, bravery, and martial prowess.
In the annals of Sri Lankan history, the reign of King Dutugemunu is inseparable from the bravery of his Dasa Maha Yodhayo, the ten great warrior champions. Foremost among them was Nandhimitta, celebrated for immense strength, who evolved from a lone vigilante in an occupied capital into a principal defender of Dutugemunu
Hidden within the dense jungles of the Padaviya region, Ashwaya Bandi Kanda—literally “the hill where the horse was tied”—is another prominent hill at Padaviya containing extensive monastic ruins. Although its present name stems from British-era folklore, epigraphic evidence confirms the site’s historical identity as Girikantaka Maha Vihara.
This pyramid-shaped, seven storied building called Sathmahal Prasadaya (11th -13th century) is thought to be an unusually shaped stupa.
Constructed by King Parakramabahu, the Council Chamber is located in front of the palace. It stands on three layers of solid rock, each adorned with intricate carvings. The first layer features a border of elephants, each depicted in a unique posture. The second layer showcases carvings of lions, while the third layer is embellished with images of “Wamana.”
The Kumara Pokuna (Prince’s Bath or Prince Pond) is an exceptional granite bathing pool located in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Positioned just outside the Citadel rampart near its southeastern corner, it served the royal household during the 12th-century reign of King Parākramabāhu I (1153-1186 CE) .
The Galabedda Biso Pokuna, or Queen’s Pond, is a masterwork of 12th-century hydraulic engineering located in Monaragala. Primarily associated with the fierce Queen Sugala, the site served as a high-status royal bathing complex. Its sophisticated design features a five-tiered stone structure fed by the Maragala Oya through four artistically carved lion-mouth spouts.
Queen Sugalā Devi was a 12th-century ruler of Ruhuna who led a prolonged rebellion against King Parākramabāhu I. As custodian of the Sacred Tooth and Alms-Bowl Relics, she symbolized legitimate sovereignty and fiercely resisted the unification of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom before her eventual capture.
![King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha [1798-1815 CE]](https://i0.wp.com/amazinglanka.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sriwikrama-rajasinha-01.jpg?fit=300%2C171&ssl=1 "Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha [1798-1815 CE] (ශ්රී වික්රම රාජසිංහ රජතුමා)")
The reign of Śrī Vikrama Rājasinha (r. 1798–1815) represents the final phase of the Kandyan Kingdom and the termination of indigenous monarchical rule in Sri Lanka. Ascending the throne as an unassuming youth, his nearly seventeen-year reign was marked by volatile struggles against both the expanding British Empire and the entrenched Kandyan aristocracy.
