No. 40.— 1890.] 



KURUNEGALA ROCKS. 



395 



gigantic scale, more especially as the toes were almost 

 undefined."* In this respect perhaps the copy is better 

 than the original, for it never needs repairs, and the toes 

 are clearly defined. Moreover, even what looks like 

 the joints of the toes are distinctly marked in the copy 

 footprint.! 



A dagaba stands on a square about 50 feet by 50 feet, 

 surrounded by a stone wall, and is said to have been built 

 about eighteen or twenty years ago by Mile wana Unnanse, the 

 last incumbent. The edifice is seen many miles away from 

 town, and its pinnacle, glistening in the morning sunlight, 

 presents a striking appearance. 



Just in front of the dagaba, and on a slightly higher 

 elevation, is a shrine where alms and oblations are offered. 

 On the stone table are to be seen " temple flowers " 

 (draliya), the offerings of visitors who come to worship by 

 day ; and at night the pilgrims light little earthen saucers, 

 — numbers of which are heaped up by the side of the 

 shrine, — supplied with cocoanut oil, and place them on the 

 stone altar. 



There is no bo-tree in or near the temple precincts, but 

 na-trees (Messua ferrea), which are considered holy by the 

 Buddhists, abound. They produce no fruit, but bear a white 

 flower with four petals and a round yellow centre, a collection 

 of which Campbell likens to " a wreath of everlastings on a 

 French tomb." 



There are two basins formed in the clefts of the rock, in 

 which the rain water collects and is used by the priests for 

 drinking and culinary purposes. The Kurunegala Vistaraya 

 says that the pond so formed was named Vetakeyiyd pokuna , 

 owing to the Pandanus trees growing near it. 



* "Episodes of a Life of Adventure ; or, Moss from a Rolling- Stone." by 

 Lawrence Olipham, 1887, p. 20. 



f These details are omitted in the sketch given by Campbell at pag e 

 182 of his work. These two volumes, by the way, have an outwardly 

 Buddhistic appearance, owing- to a facsimile of the sketch being impresse I 

 in silver on the gray covers ! 



8—93 Gr 



