Ruins of Kotte Kingdom in Siri Parakumba Pirivena

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Remains of the rampart of Kotte Kingdom in Siri Parakumba Pirivena

Siri Parakumba Pirivena, a monastic educational institution for Buddhist monks, was founded in 1875 by Hingulwala Sri Janaratana Thero on a plot of land known as Gabadawatte in Kotte. The name Gabadawatte, meaning “Storage Estate,” is believed to indicate the former site of the royal storehouse or treasury of King Parakramabahu VI (1412–1467) of the Kotte Kingdom.

Kotte served as the capital of Sri Lanka from 1411 until 1597 CE—nearly two centuries—until the last ruler, the puppet king Dharmapala, formally ceded the kingdom to the Portuguese through a deed upon his death. Following this, Kotte reverted to marshland and wilderness. It was later during Dutch colonial rule that the area was reconnected through a canal system constructed for the movement of goods. However, it was during the British era that Kotte began to emerge as a major suburb of Colombo, accommodating the city’s growing population.

According to the Portuguese chronicler Couto, the fortified city of Kotte was accessed through seven main passes:

The entrance via the bridge coming from the direction of the ambalama (Welikada)
The pass in front of the river islet, known as the islet of challenges (Kontagantota)
The pass of Mosquito (Angampitiya)
The pass of Andre Ferandez
The pass of Pachas (Veddas)
The pass by the Wall of Pita Kotte (a land approach)
The pass of Mainotos (associated with the community of washers, who likely lived in that vicinity)

With the rapid urbanization and commercial development of Kotte, many of the remains of this once-flourishing kingdom have disappeared. Nevertheless, some traces survive, occasionally found on private properties.

Within the premises of Siri Parakumba Pirivena, part of an ancient rampart of the Kotte Kingdom is still visible and is now preserved as a protected archaeological site. Nearby stands an ancient Ura Keta type well. The inner wall of the well is lined with terracotta rings and features a decorative top ring. Similar well components were discovered during building extensions at the Kotte Telecommunications Center and are currently housed in the Kotte Archaeological Museum.

It is thought that the second pass into the Kotte Kingdom—the one near the river islet known as Kontagantota—was located near this rampart. The presence of the well suggests it may have served to provide water to passing travelers.

This particular pass appears to have been closest to the royal palace, a conclusion drawn from Salalihini Sandesaya (verses 21 and 22), in which the poet directs the Salalihini bird to first pay homage to the king and then depart via Kontagantota. This implies that the pass was situated very near the palace grounds.

According to De Alwis, the Department of Archaeology had restored the foundation of a circular tower at this site. A photograph of this foundation appears in his documentation; however, the structure is no longer visible today. Whether this tower was originally built by Alakesvara is uncertain, particularly since the foundation appears to be made of cabook (laterite). Given its proximity to the palace, a robust bastion likely once stood here. It may have been completely demolished over time, much like other fortifications (Fonseka, 2010).

It is also believed that the eminent scholar Ven. Thotagamuwe Rahula Thero (1408–1491) resided in this area. During excavations conducted in 1971, the Department of Archaeology unearthed two stone pillars believed to have belonged to the arama (monastic complex) of the venerable monk. These pillars have now been relocated and placed within the grounds of Siri Parakumba Pirivena (Manathunga, 2020)

References

Urugodawatte, B. (2022) ‘Church Missionary Society School of Kotte’, Archeo Sri Lanka – Newsletter of the Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka, 2(2), pp. 3–4.
Fonseka, P. (2010) ‘The Ancient City of Kōṭṭe and its Fortification’, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka, 56 (new series), pp. 57–117.
Manathunga, S.B. (2020) පෞරාණික ස්ථාන හා ස්මාරක කොළඹ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය . 3rd edn. Colombo: Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.

Also See

Th e Kingdom of Kotte

Map of Siri Parakumba Pirivena in Kotte

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