Diyagama Inscription

Diyagama inscription, also known as Pelunu gala inscription (Sinhala: දියගම සෙල්ලිපිය, පැළුණුගල සෙල්ලිපිය) is a rock inscription discovered from Diyagama in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. It is presently placed in a plot of land situated about 8 km distance above the Kalu Ganga River mouth.

Pelunu-gala in Sinhala means "the split rock". This inscription is known by that name because of the split rock that is in the middle of the Kalu Ganga River near the location of this inscription.

The location & the discovery

The inscription has been engraved on the surface of a rock boulder at Diyagama close to the Kalu Ganga River. In ancient times, Diyagama is believed to be a port of the Kalu Ganga River and the area located to the north of it belonged to the old division Kalyani-desa, originally the Kingdom of Kalyani (Katupotha, 2011; Nicholas, 1963).

The inscription was first recorded by E. Muller in the 19th century (Muller, 1883). It had been brought to the attention of Muller by Waskaduwe Sri Subuthi Thera (Katupotha, 2011; Muller, 1883).

Content

The inscription is believed to have been indited in or before the 5th century A.D. (Katupotha, 2011; Muller, 1883). It has four lines of writing. Of them, several letters in the first three lines are missing due to the weathering of the rock. It records a temple named Kalaka Mahavihara, an old Buddhist temple in Kalutara that no longer exists (Nicholas, 1963). The market town of Kaliniya (present Kelaniya) is another name found in the inscription (Abeyawardana, 2002; Nicholas, 1963).

References

1) Abeyawardana, H.A.P., 2002. Heritage of Sabaragamuwa: Major natural, cultural and historic sites. Sabaragamuwa Development Bank and The Central Bank of Sri Lanka. ISBN: 955-575-077-7. pp.104-105.

2) Katupotha, J., 2011. Cultural and Historical Monuments and Protected Resources of Archaeological Significance in the Lower Kalu Ganga Basin, Sri Lanka. Conference Paper. National Archaeological Symposium 2011. pp.197-213.

3) Muller, E., 1883. Ancient Inscriptions in Ceylon. London. pp.48,77,111.

4) Nicholas, C. W., 1963. Historical topography of ancient and medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series (Vol VI). Special Number: Colombo. Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch). p.118. 

Location Map

This page was last updated on 14 May 2023