Mayura Sandeshaya

Mayura Sandeshaya or the Peacock's Message (Sinhala: මයුර සංදේශය) is a Sri Lankan Sandesha Kavya (a standard Sinhalese poem) consisting of 168 stanzas composed after the model of Meghaduta of Kalidasa (Wikramasinghe, 1900). Written during the reign of King Buvanekabahu IV (1341-1351 A.D.) of Gampola, the author of this 14th-century work is a grandson of Gurulugomi (Liyanarachchi, 2007; Wikramasinghe, 1900). This is considered one of the firstborn two message-poems in the country (Liyanarachchi, 2007).

The message contains a prayer for a blessing on Alagakkonara and his powerful army as well as on Dhammakitti Thera and others who rendered service in the purification of the Buddhist Church (Wikramasinghe, 1900). It is addressed from Gangasiripura (present Gampola) to God Upulvan at Devinuwara (Liyanarachchi, 2007; Wikramasinghe, 1900). More than three-fourths of the verses of the poem are devoted to a description of the towns and villages such as Ambuluvakada, Dippitiya, Alapalavala, Gurugoda, Arandara, Doravaka, Opath Ella, Webada, Attanagalla, Kelaniya, Vattala, Kotte, Vidagama, Kalutara, Galle and Matara, over which the imaginary peacock-messenger had to fly on its way to Devinuwara in southern Sri Lanka (Liyanarachchi, 2007; Wikramasinghe, 1900).

Sandesha Kavya: In Sri Lanka, Sandesha Kavyas were written to send a message from one place to another place via a messenger such as a bird.

1) Liyanarachchi, R. A., 2007. Mayura Sandeshaya Padagatharatha Sahitha (In Sinhala) Samayawardhana. ISBN: 955-570-427-9. pp.iii-iv.
2) Wikramasinghe, D. M. D. Z., 1900. Catalogue of the Sinhalese Manuscripts in the British Museum: London. p.103-104.