Badulla Pillar Inscription (Sorabora Wewa Pillar Inscription)

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Badulla Pillar Inscription (Badulu Tam Lipiya) is an archaeological pillar inscription, which is currently established at the Senarath Paranavithana Memorial Library of Badulla Sri Lanka. It was discovered about three miles away from the northeast of Mahiyangana Stupa and close to the Sorabora Wewa area. Initially, it was placed at the Kachcheri of Badulla, but due to the concern on its conservation the pillar inscription was finally brought to the current location, where the public library of Badulla is situated.

John Bailey, the assistant government agent in Badulla who discovered the pillar wrote in 1857, that the pillar has a height of 11 feet and 8 inches and a side width of 9 inches (Parranavitana, 1933). In 1933, Paranavitana recorded the height as 8 feet 5 inches and the capital at 1 foot 2 inches in height. It contains 203 lines and about 2000 medieval Sinhala scripts. The Badulla inscription is considered the largest pillar inscription found in Sri Lanka with the smallest letters.

The inscription was made in the 2nd regnal year of King Siri Sangabo Uda which Paranavitana identifies as King Udaya IV (946-954). It has been recorded that the trade had been practised in the town of Hopitigama. According to the inscription, the traders and the householders of the market town of Hopitigamu had submitted a petition on corruption and bribes done by those in charge of the village, to King Udaya, when he visited the Mahiyangana pagoda. After a probe, the stone pillar was erected on the orders of the king, with the published rules prohibiting these illegal activities.

The object of the record is to publish certain rules enacted for the administration of the village Hopitigamu in the Sorabara division. These are in the nature of a charter granted by the king to some mercantile corporations at the place. These rules contain very interesting data for the students of village institutions and give us some insight into the life of the peasant and the trader in Ceylon during the tenth century. Particular attention may be drawn to the fact that the local mercantile and other corporations were empowered to levy fines, arrest murderers and in other ways, assist the royal officers in the administration of justice (Parranavitana, 1933).

Additionally, the inscription reveals that in those days scales had been used to measure the grain and cattle had been used for the transportation of goods.

Badulla Pillar Inscription was founded in 1857 by Mr Jone Bailey, who was the British deputy agent for Badulla in that period. It was discovered about three miles away from the northeast of Mahiyangana Stupa and close to the Sorabora Wewa area. Initially, it was placed at the junction of Kandy-Bandarawela Road near Kachcheri of Badulla, but due to the concern on its conservation the pillar inscription was finally brought to the current location, where the public library of Badulla is situated.

Full Translation of the Badulla Pillar Inscription

On the fifth day of the waning moon in the month of Nikini (July/August) in the second year after raising the canopy (of dominion) by the Great King Sirisangbo Uda descended from the royal dynasty of Ukavas, the pinnacle of the illustrious Ksatriya family, who inherited by right of descent the earth of the Island of Lamka, the young damsel and who was born of the womb of the anointed Chief Queen of equal birth descended from the same family (as that of the king), who reigned after attaining to sovereignty in regular succession after enjoying the dignities of Adipada and Mahadipada;

Whereas the tenants of the merchants of the Hopitigama bazaar in Sorabora made it known to His Majesty when he came (here) during a visit to the Great Monastery at Miyaguna that the servants (gattan) of the Army General, the recipient of the bazaar, have transgressed against the statute enacted in the days Bone by in the days of the Lord who passed away in the Seventeenth (year of his reign) and have extorted fines illegally, collected non tributes and ousted them from the village; thereafter it was ordered by His Majesty ‘Let a statute be written to this effect that no custom other than the custom followed in the days of His Majesty of seventeen (years) shall be followed, no act contravening aforesaid (statute) shall be committed; this statute of law had been set up by the Executive Officers of the Judicial Secretariat to the effect that when the servants of a recipient of this bazaar at Hopitigama come to the village, they, together with the counsellors (Mandradin), the members of the mercantile guild (vanigraman) and the elders of the village (Mahagramayan) shall sit in session and levy fines in accordance with the statute of the days of the Lord who passed away in the seventeenth (year) and in accordance with former custom; but they shall not do anything illegal.

Apart from receiving fines that have been imposed after investigation, determining and preparation by the subordinate officials of the village headman and the counsellors sitting in session, they shall not surround the village or confine them to ‘their) houses and then demand fines.’ Fines may be demanded from the tenants while they are being in the village; but they shall not be taken away out of the village and then demand fines.

For fines that have not been properly defined, no person shall be kept in restraint (valakma). For fines that have been imposed, the master [of a house] may be taken [in restraint]; but his wife or children shall not be taken in restraint.

Officers of the royal household who visit the village shall not procure liquor, meat, curd and oil; also they shall not enter landed properties and procure liquor; also (they) shall not engage in illicit trade. From one who has traded on Pohoya days a padda of oil for the offering of lamps shall be levied; and the offering of lamps shall be made at the Great Monastery of Miyaguna. From a person from whom oil has not been received for the offering of lamps, fines in accordance with former custom shall be exacted for the offering of lamps.

The pack bulls that have come to the village carrying goods shall not be seized. Rat-daga shall not be exacted while being in the Village. The accountants of the Ulvadu officers who are in the neighbourhood (of this) village shall not create disturbances that will affect (this) village; their servants shall not seize liquor, meat, curd and oil brought into the village. The goods coming into the bazaar shall not be purchased having gone to the road ahead.

One’s own share (of produce) accrued from religious endowments among the allotments of leased holdings shall be taken only after paying the rent due to be paid to the religious establishment concerned in accordance with the former custom; other than this (practice) nothing contrary to custom shall be done.

Measuring shall not be done with any lahasu measures other than with the lahassa used for measuring goods (badu-minu lahassa); toll dues shall not be levied on goods which are transported through the village unless they are sold within. In the case of selling undeclared goods, double toll dues shall be levied without causing disturbances; weighing shall not be done illegally with scales and maddiya weights that have not been stamped. Goods that are liable to toll dues shall not be sold by being at unauthorized places. Goods shall not be weighed at places where they are not meant to be sold. Those who should not engage in trading shall not weigh (goods). When black beans are being measured those beans which fall on the ground shall not be withheld. Betel and areca nuts shall be sold keeping them in the pavilion; if it be seen that they are sold at unauthorized places (those traders) shall be made to move away (from there) by the officers of the royal household. ;

The timber in the forest belonging to the two fraternities (of monks) shall not be cut down, and no disturbance shall be caused to the workmen (there). Lodging shall not be taken in the houses of [the members of the committee] of Eight of this village. When His Majesty comes or when the heir presumptive (Apa-rad-daruvan) come to the village, tributes according to former custom Shall be given to them.

Whereas when the tenants made a protest and caused it to be known to His Majesty that when a Chief who has received the village comes to the bazaar, (they) illegally exact five hundred (kalandas of gold) instead of the twenty five (kalandas of gold) which was customary in the days of the Lord who passed away in the seventeenth (year of his reign), it is thereby decreed by (His Majesty) “Let twenty five (kalandas of gold) be taken as tribute”. (Hence only) twenty-five (kalandas of gold) shall be taken as tribute.

If a person while being in the village commits murder and then attempts to leave (the village) he shall be bound and detained when encountered. No lodgings or outhouses shall be given to the Damilas. After having procured the minor taxes, Alumada and river-tax from Mavutiya, they shall be remitted (to the Treasury).

In the case of disturbances created by the tenants (among themselves) those disturbances shall be settled by having obtained (the services) of the officers of the royal household. Should there be an (offending) tenant who has not been detected by the royal officers, he shall be sent out of the village without giving him the lahassa and goladadu,” and should not be given any food at the Customs Office,

It is not an offence for those who are not (presently) engaged in agriculture or trade to cultivate paddy fields while remaining outside the village but without crossing the secondary boundaries. After making the members of the Tax-Penalty (committee of) Eight (kara-dada atadena) and Pirivahanna, (the Warden of the village) sit in session, the Village (Committee) of Eight shall make an investigation in respect of those persons who had been penalized by the forfeiture of their land. For offences connected with land, water shall be sprinkled and the ninda land (of the offenders) shall be forfeited. st

After having duly notified the Council, this decree was granted; I, Udahi of Tallara. I, Sena of Manavatta, (both) attached to the Court of Justice, I, Mekappar Taruma of Manitila, I, Manu of Palla, I, Niladet of Golabagama, I, Kudasala Vatkami Devu who-came by commission” of Mahale Samanna, the Chief Guardian; We the aforementioned royal officers who-came to – – set up this stone (pillar) have set up the said stone edict.

(Ranawella, 2004)

A smalll granite sorowwa also re located from Sorabowra Wewa
Photo courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

References

Paranavitana, S. (1933) ‘BADULLA PILLAR INSCRIPTION’, in Epigraphia Zeylanica : Being Lithic and Other Inscriptions of Ceylon – Volume III. London: The Government of Ceylon, pp. 71–100.
Ranawella, S. (2004) Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol V (part II). Colombo: Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka, pp 161-173,

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