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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII. 



here. It was probable at this time that the city was destroyed by the 

 Portuguese ; and it has ever since been deserted.* 



A copy of Ydpahuwa Vistaraya (the poorest speci- 

 men of a Vistaraya I have seen, being especially scanty of 

 information) ascribes the building of the city to King 

 Parakrama Bahu, and gives the following quaint particulars 

 in respect thereof : — 



Eight gows from Anuradhapura, attended by the chief ministers 

 and other officers of State of the three kingdoms, the building of the 

 city of Yapahu Nuwara was begun on the rock called Sundaragiri- 

 paimwata, after which the city was named. 



That same king (Parakrama Bahu) commanded that it should be 

 constructed of stone only, and that the following workmen should be 

 engaged : 120 lacs of masons, 100 chief blacksmiths, 250 hangidi, 3,000 

 painters, 400 carvers. 



The Adigars thereupon commanded some to cut stone pillars, some 

 to carve, some to smooth, some to carve figures, some to paint, some to 

 carve figures of elephants, some figures of lions, some of wolves, some 

 figures of men, some of geese, some of birds, some ndga figures, some 

 figures of gods, some figures of women, some of creepers, some of 

 parrots, some of peacocks, some figures of beaters of tom-toms, some 

 figures of dancers engaged in the act of dancing, some of conch- blowers 

 engaged in blowing, some of figures engaged in wrestling, some to 

 carve representations of beds, some of stone doors, some of stone 

 doorposts, and some of stone steps. These stones were then painted 

 over by the painters. 



In this style four mdligdwal of nine storeys each were built, with 

 stairs leading up to them. Round these 500 smaller houses of inferior 

 workmanship were also built. 



A store eighty cubits high, 500 houses outside the fort, 1,000 double 

 shutters for the houses, a stone wall 7 ft. high, a metal rampart 

 encircling it, 1,000 golden arches, 1,000 silver arches, were also con- 

 structed, and adorned with 1,000 flags with flaps and cloth dolls 

 appended thereto, there being also 1,000 elephants, 1,000 horses, 

 24,000 mercenaries, 2 lacs and 68,000 inhabitants in all. 



Like Sakraya, enjoying health and happiness, and so reigning, the 

 king built and adorned the city, the only material used being stone. 



The great King Parakrama Bahu told his ministers who lived here 

 that it was improper to live in this world without considering the life 

 in this world and the life to come, and published by beat of tom-tom 

 the injunction that all should fulfil the precepts of ata-sil,pan-sil, hear 

 bana, give alms and robes to priests, plant &d-trees, make offerings, 



® Once a Week, Vol. XI., p, 284. 



