No. 63. — 1910.] AGE OP SRT PARAKRAMA BAHU VI. 
15 
wave in the gentle breeze strings of smooth pearls upon the 
eaves of roofs glittering with the solid golden spire around 
which dart the sheen of gems." ^ 
The site of the palace on an eminence overlooking the 
ancient royal street now disused is stiU kno\^Ti as Pasmalpeya- 
watta, " the garden of the five-storied palace," but scarce one 
stone is left on another where the mighty Parakrama held 
court. 2 " The new temples of Devils and of the Idols that he 
worshipped " clearly refer to the Hindu Devalas in the capital. 
Alakesvara had raised shrines for Vishnu, Lakshmana, and 
Kartikeya on the four corners of the city wall,^ and the king 
maintained them arid perhaps added to them. 
StiU in two places in the ancient town, called to this day 
funa lin , granite columns sunk into the ground mark the spot 
where the sacred vessel {pundva) of the god had been deposited. 
One of the most magnificent of these shrines was the Mahasen 
Maha Pay a, the great palace of Mahasen, described as having 
risen on the southern side of the city flstshing like " a blazing 
orb." * Dedicated to the god of war, the presiding genius of 
1 In Ancient Ceylon pinnacles of royal and ecclesiastical edifices were 
usually wrought of gold or silver and surmounted with precious stones. 
According to Hiuen Tsiang (Buddhist Records of the Western World 
(Beal), vol. II., p. 248), a large ruby crowned the spire of the Dalada 
Maligava at Anuradhapura. 
* Possibly this was the former site of the Seneviraja-vasala, Alakes- 
vara's residence.— Journ. , R.A.S. (C.B.), vol. XVIII., p. 389. 
Here also stands, or rather stood till very recently, the granite corona- 
tion platform of the kings of K6tt6, overlooking the tank where Ala- 
kesvara was assassinated. — Journ., R.A.S. (O.B.),vol. XVIII., No. 55, 
p. 305, App. G. 
3 Journ., R.A.S. (C.B.), vol. XVIII., No. 55, p. 285. App. A. 
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" The palace of the god-king Mahasen, variously adorned, you will 
behold on the southern side, within the city of our king, appearing like a 
shining ball from thousand rays, flashing with solid gems, with banners 
of the lord of fowls {i.e., the cock, sacred to the god) rising on golden 
handles," — Selalihini Sandesa. v. 25. 
