Diyagama “Palunu Gala” Inscription in Kalutara (දියගම “පැලුනු ගල” සෙල් ලිපිය)

RATE THIS LOCATION :1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 3.17 out of 5)
Loading...

This rock inscription known as the “Diyagama Inscription”  is located about 5.5  kilometers above the the Kalu Ganga river mouth in the ancient port of Diyagama. It was also known as the “Pelunu Gala” inscription because the rock on which it was written had been split in the middle. This was first discovered in the late 19th century, by Ven Vaskaduwe Sri Subhuthi Thero and, it gained the attention of archeologists after Prof. Muller read and published his interpretation in 1883 in “Ancient Inscriptions In Ceylon”.

He states
” Diyagama, about four miles east of Kalutara. This is the only instance I have met with of an old and genuine inscription in the maritime district of the Western Province. It is on the surface of a rock close to the river Kalu Ganga, and was discovered by the learned priest Subhuti, whose residence, Waskaduwa, is not far from there. The inscription is, on the whole, very well preserved, but there are about three or four letters missing in each line, which are destroyed by the water running down the rock. About the names mentioned in the inscription I cannot venture to give an opinion, as the ancient geography of this district is totally unknown.”

The inscription has been translated by Muller as follows ;

“Hail I …………………  Mahakadaka spake
A lay devotee …………….  his father spake and Carakas father
Tambucaraka ………….. the ferry and the paddy field one pata
(in circumference) and Tambudaka six karishas and thirteen
paddy fields “

Mullar has placed this inscription in the 5th century but it is being disputed by some who have challenged the reading and believe it to be much older. But still, this inscription is one of the rare proofs that Kalutara had been well established city at least by the 5th century. However, the Archaeology Department places this inscription to the 2nd – 3rd centuries (Urugodawatte, 2022). Diyagama had been a busy ferry port with paddy fields during that era important enough to be its name carved in stone.

References

  1. Mueller, E. (1883) Ancient Inscriptions in Ceylon. Collected and Published for the Government. Trübner & Co.: London.
  2. Urugodawatte, B. (2022) ‘Church Missionary Society School of Kotte’, Archeo Sri Lanka – Newsletter of the Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka, 2(2), p8.

Also See

Map of  Diyagama “Palunu Gala” Inscription

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)
.

The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.

Travel Directions to Diyagama “Palunu Gala” Inscription

Route from Colombo  to Diyagama “Palunu Gala” Inscription
Distance :54 km
Travel time : 1.45 hours
Time to Spend : 15-30 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

© www.amazinglanka.com

Leave a Reply