Basavakkulama Rock Inscription of Mahanama

The Basavakkulama Rock Inscription of King Mahanama (Sinhala: මහානාම රජුගේ බසවක්කුලම ගිරි ලිපිය) Basawakkulama is a rock-cut record discovered from Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka. Discovery As mentioned in the Anual Administration report of the Archaeological Survey of Ceylon: 1952, the inscription was discovered incised on a rock in a private land located about a quarter of a mile to the north of the spill of Basavakkuḷama Wewa (Abhaya Wewa) at Anuradhapura (Paranavitana, 1960; Ranawella, 2009). The discovery is said to be made by Rev. Pandit T. Sri Dipananda Thera of Bharatindrasrama, Anuradhapura (Paranavitana, 1960). Readings The inscription was first published in 1960 by Senarath Paranavitana as part of an article dealing with the History of Sri Lanka entitled " New Light on the Buddhist Era in Ceylon and Early Sinhalese Chronology " (Paranavitana, 1960). He had dated the record to the reign of King Upatissa I [(c.370-410 A.D.) Paranavitana, 1960]. However, by pointing out …