206 



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



His Lordship then read the following Paper : — 



THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE 



SIRIVADDHANAPURA OF " MAHAWAN/SA," 



CHAPTER LXXXV. 



By the Right Rev. R. S. Copleston, d.d., Lord Bishop 

 of Colombo, President. 



The eighty-fifth chapter of the Mahdwansa opens with a 

 very elaborate and gorgeous description of the city called 

 Sirivaddhanapura, and of the festival held by Parakrama the 

 Second at the end of the thirteenth century, when he 

 conveyed the tooth-relic from Dambadeniya to this Sirivad- 

 dhanapura. 



It has been for a long time the received opinion that this 

 city was what now is Kandy, Kandy having been known as 

 Sirivaddhanapura in later times. This opinion has lately been 

 called in question, and evidence has been collected by which 

 it is conclusively proved, as I think, to be erroneous. The 

 Sirivaddhanapura of the thirteenth century was in the low- 

 country, close to Dambadeniya, on the road between Kuru- 

 negala and Negombo, and its exact place and its original 

 name was probably that of Nanbambaraya, now a village 

 six miles from Dambadeniya. 



The history of this question I now propose to sketch, 

 assigning, as justly as I can, to each authority who has 

 touched upon it, his share in the mistake or in its correction. 



But first, that the plausibility of the mistake may be 

 evident — for when a mistake has been found out one is apt 

 to think too hardly of those who made it — I will read the 

 passage from the Mahdwansa, as it stands in Mr. Wijesinha's 

 translation. 



And afterwards the king built the Maha|Vihara in the noble city of 

 Sirivaddhana wherein he was born' — a city that could not be compared 

 for its scenery — and endowed it with great possessions. It consisted 

 of stately houses and open halls, of high walls and gates, and was orna- 

 mented with Bodhis, Cetiyas, groves, and image-houses. The work- 

 manship thereof was diverse and of exceeding beauty, and it was 

 adorned with great splendour. And in the vast space that extended 



