NO. 36, — 1888.] MEDAMAHANUWARA. 



315 



Madugalle Ratemahatmaya, who in his turn resold it about 

 fifteen years ago to the present owner, Migahakotuwe Appu 

 Gurunnehe. It was asweddumised and converted into a 

 paddy field about eight years ago. 



On the left bank of the Guru-oya, below the Maligawa, may 

 be seen a pool stiller and deeper than the rest of the stream. 

 Here was the king's bathing-place, and there yet remains a 

 low stone wall on the bank from which his majesty was 

 wont to feed the fishes. It was forbidden to catch fish here, 

 and the prohibition was enforced by the headmen, and 

 generally observed for many years even after the British 

 occupation of the country. 



The subject of this Paper is of comparatively recent date. 

 Tradition however relates that it was built to replace a still 

 older Maligawa, which stood near the Vidiya of Medamaha- 

 nuwara, and was known as the Kongaha-yata Maligawa; and 

 there are not wanting remains in the neighbourhood which 

 date from a time anterior to the foundation of the Maligawa 

 which I have attempted to describe. Such are the remains 

 existing on the adjacent grounds of the Vihdre-ivatta and 

 Madame-ivatta, the Vidiya,, and last, but not least in impor- 

 tance, the royal city of refuge, Gale-nuwara, on the summit 

 of the neighbouring hill. There is very little precise 

 information to be obtained about these localities, but from 

 such scanty materials as I may be able to collect, I hope to 

 furnish at some future time a second Paper on the antiquities 

 of Medamahanuwara ; and I may here remark in advance 

 that the foundation, both of the Vihare and Gale-nuwara, 

 is attributed to king Senarat, who reigned from A.D. 1627 to 

 1634 ; and as I have been unable to discover any traditions 

 relating to an earlier time, I am inclined to fix this reign as 

 the one in which the locality of Medamahanuwara first 

 derived its name and connection with Sinhalese royalty. 

 The accompanying sketch 1 of the Maligawa as it is 



1 Not reproduced. — B., Hon. S&c. 



49—89 H 



