Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription

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Travelling 5.8 km on the road to Jathika Namal Uyana from Madatuwewa on the Dambulla-Kekirawa Road, you will reach the Devrada Ranrada Purana Rajamaha Viharya in Ranawa. Right in front of this temple in the center of the road lies an unmarked ancient stone pillar which only few know the importance of it. This is known as the Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription.

H.C.P. Bell’s account, documented in the Archaeological Survey of Ceylon’s annual report for 1893, details a pillar located at Ranawa on the Madatugama-Andiyagala road. He writes; This pillar bears an inscription and is adorned with a beautifully carved Pot of Plenty (Pun Kalasa) atop it, featuring letters engraved on all sides. Bell observes that due to the small size and worn condition of the letters, he refrained from attempting to decipher them. However, he identifies the inscription as likely belonging to the 12th regnal year of a king named Aba Salamenwan, with strong indications pointing towards King Dappula V (924-935 CE). Additionally, Bell mentions another fragmented pillar inscription discovered nearby, close to an old small stupa, which also references Aba Salamevan and his father Siri Sun Bo (known as Sena II), providing further support for this historical interpretation (Bushana, 2023).

The pillar is 5½ feet high and the width of each side varies from 6 to 6½ inches. All 8 sides of the pillar has been used for the inscription. The Pot of Plenty at the top of the pillar is missing today.

This epigraph as a whole contains 29 lines of writing with over 209 words or about 800 letters and it is in lengthwise second only to the Badulu (Sorabora Wewa) Pillar Inscription of King Udaya IV.

Professor Ranwella carried out a detailed study of this inscription and published it in part 2 of volume 5 of In Inscriptions of Ceylon in 2004.

The script utilized for this inscription aligns with the alphabet prevalent during the first half of the 10th century. Dated to the 12th regnal year of King Abha Sakamewan, whose parents were King Sirisangabo and Queen Sanga-radna, the decree is attributed to a Mapa named Uda (Udaya) serving under the king. Drawing upon historical evidence, Professor Ranwella has asserted that Abha Salamewan corresponds to King Dappula IV.

Translation of the Ranawa Inscription

Let there be good health! On the fifth day of the waxing moon in the month of Poson in the 12th year after the rising of the canopy (of domination) by King Abha Salamevan who was born of the womb of Queen Sanga, Begotten unto most excellent Kig Sirisangabo, who by the fire of His Majesty burning of mountain peaks which are the crowns of the (other) kings of Lanka, and who was descended from the lineage of (King) Suddodhana, the banner of the Sankya race, whose feet were adorned with swarms of bamara-bees, the jewels of the crowns of the Naga, Gurulu, Deva and Brahma Kings who licked (them), and which (dynasty in turn) descended from the lineage of Okavas which was like a pure and charming full moon arisen from the milky ocean.

I, Govaya of Sivipiligama and I, Dapul of Girisa, who both came by commission of Mugalanna Budu, the Commander of the Bodyguard; I, Navinidet Kiling Samana, who came by commission of Kiling Kitdetu; I, Kudasala Det, who came by commission of Mahale Agboya, the Chief Guardian; all of us, who have come as commanded by His Highness, the Mahapa, to set up Attapi Pillars within the twelve payalas (of land) at the village of Rana attached to Demetvala-pirivena in Daras(-vatta) in Abhayatura-peta of the Royal Monastery of Tissarama at the Mahamevna (Park), have accordingly granted and set up these Attani Pillars to the effect that the Perenattu officers shall not enter this village; also the Madiva, Pediva and Mellutti Tax-Collectors, and the officials attached to the royal household shall not enter. The carts, oxen and buffaloes shall not be appropriated; also the milch-cows and domesticated elephants shall not be appropriated.

The Governors of Districts and the Governors of Provinces shall not enter; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . also the officials of the Two Treasuries and of the Two Secretariats shall not enter; those who may come into the village after having committed murder (outside) shall not be arrested (within).

Trees, such as Palmyra-palms and Mi shall not be felled; the Tudiya drums and Soliya drums shall not be beaten within the village; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and military whips shall not be cracked (within the village).

Should anyone enter the village violating these commands, the Park-keepers and the Keepers of farms, who are empowered to arrest and detain such persons, shall produce them before a judge.

Those who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shall be deported; also they will be born as crows and dogs, or as village-pigs or the beasts of the hell; they shall (also) take upon (themselves) the sins and demerit committed by a killer of goats at Mahavutiya. . (Ranawella, 2004)

Interesting Facts arising out of the Inscription

The inscription is a declaration of a sanctuary covering a large area including Namal Uyana. This is not only a sanctuary for animals and trees, but also for humans who have committed crimes. The royal guards are not allowed to enter this area to capture criminals. It’s interesting that even in the 10th century, Sri Lanka had officially declared human sanctuaries. Other inscriptions of the same king have declared other land under monasteries as human sanctuaries as well. Sri Lanka may be the only country which had such officially declared human sanctuaries of this era.

Another noteworthy aspect is the enduring name of the village mentioned in the inscription, “Rana,” which has remained unchanged for over a millennium. Presently, this village is known as Ranawa, maintaining its historical identity despite the passage of time

References

Ranawella, S. (2004) Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol V (part II). Colombo: Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.
Bushana (2023) වසර දහසක් නම වෙනස් නොවූ රණැ ග්‍රාමය සහ දෙමෙට්වල පිරිවෙන පිහිටි නා කැලේ කන්ද. Available at: http://trisinhala.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-post.html (Accessed: 09 April 2024)

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