44 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. X. 



too easily imagine as being haunted by gods. In the garden 

 Nera]ugedarawatta, about a hundred fathoms to the east of 

 this devale, there is an oval-shaped well which it is said 

 belonged to the temple. In this well there is said to be a 

 subterraneous passage leading to the site where the devale 

 stood. But no attempt seems to have been made to ascertain 

 the correctness of this report. 



At the edge of this well there is a stone slab formed into a 

 pillar, with a lily engraved on one side near the top. There 

 are also certain gardens in the neighbourhood of this devale 

 called Pinunwela pittaniya, where feats of strength are 

 wont to be practised — Ilangaijwatta, where dancing and 

 beating tom-toms are practised ; Maluwewatta, where pro- 

 cessions are formed and singdram band played ; Kapugedara- 

 watta, place of the residence of Kapuwas ; Kapugodellawatta, 

 a garden where there was a cotton plantation ; Pokunewatta, 

 where there was once a pond ; and Nerajugedarawatta, a 

 garden where there was a cocoanut plantation. All these 

 gardens were, it is said, granted by King Bhuwaneka Bahu for 

 defraying the ordinary expenses of the devale. 



The circumstances under which this grant was made by 

 the king are also a current tradition in the village. It would 

 seem that the queen, being seriously ill, and all efforts at 

 restoring her health having proved unsuccessful, she was 

 warned in a dream to have a Gini-yakum ceremony per- 

 formed by two Kapuralas attached to the Weheragoda devale. 

 The king being apprised by her of this dream, a mission was 

 at once despatched to this devale, and two Kapuralas brought 

 thence in grand procession. No sooner was the ceremony 

 performed by them than the queen wholly recovered from 

 her disease. The king's pleasure and satisfaction at -the 

 successful issue of this marvellous ceremony were so great 

 that he at once made a grant of the gardens referred to for 

 the sole use of the temple. This grant, they say, was on a 

 copperplate sannas, now lying, I am informed, in the 

 archives of the Colombo Kachcheri. 



This devale, and particularly Smigama, are even yet the 



