NO. 40—1890.] KURUNEGALA ROCKS. 



385 



Moreover, he wrote a book in Sinhalese entitled " The 

 Ceremonial of the Tooth -relic," and enjoined the daily 

 performance of the rites to the relic in accordance with the 

 tenor thereof. 



Major Forbes writes : — 



On the bare rock above are the remains of buildings which must 

 have been intended to contain either penitents or prisoners ; for 

 nothing less than fanaticism or compulsion could have furnished 

 tenants to houses situated where the rock gets so heated during the 

 day that its proper temperature is not regained until long after sunset, 

 and is then succeeded by chill blasts or damp exhalations from the flat 

 country beneath. On the very summit are the remains of the building 

 which contained the Dalada relic during the reigns of the four pious 

 and powerless kings, who held their court at Kurunaigalla, in Pali 

 history called Hastisailapoora : it was the first of these four, Bhu- 

 waneka Bahoo the Second, who removed the Dalada to this place from 

 the more ancient capital of Polonnaroowa, a.d 1319.* 



The Mahdwansa does not support this statement, as will 

 be seen from the extract above quoted. 



Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, who also refers to these ruins, 

 concludes — 



That they must, in former days, have not only been intended for 

 religious purposes, but we may likewise suppose that they might, in 

 times of trouble or danger, have been converted into a place of defence 

 and security, f 



These remains are no longer visible. Square holes cut 

 into the rock indicate that some sort of structure, probably a 

 patirippuwa, or audience hall, once stood on the summit. 



As to the rock being a place of refuge from danger, we 

 have ample testimony even in modern times. During the 

 rebellion of 1848 most of the townsfolk, including some of 

 the officials, took refuge there, while others, who had not the 

 time to make the ascent, took shelter in the cooling waters 

 of the tank, keeping only their heads out of it ! 



On "Elephant rock" there is a stone-built reservoir, 

 about 30 feet by 30 feet. This is known as the " King's 



* Forbes' " Eleven Years in Ceylon," vol. I., 1841, pp. 193-4. 

 f " Excursions, Adventures, and Field Sports in Ceylon," by Lieut.-Col. 

 James Campbell, 1843, pp. 81-2. 



