Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Thonigala, on the Putthalam to Kurunegala road, Sri Lanka.

The massive rock formation at Thonigala.

A water resrvoir at Thonigala.
One of the largest and longest Brahmi inscriptions on the rock facing the water reservoir at Thonigala.
The contents of the rock inscription made in the first century AD.
According to local legends 'Thonigala' got its name from the fact that Kuweni the mythical Yakka princess, wailed her heart out ('Lathoni dunne thaena') at this place. Kuweni who espoused Kuweni in his early days in Sri Lanka, got her help to massacre her kith and kin. She had a son and daughter by Vijaya. Vijaya later got a princess from the royal household from Southern Madhura and threw out Kuweni and her children. Kuweni was left helpless to face her wrathful Yaka tribe and was killed by them. The children were spared and legend says that they became the Veddha tribe of Sri Lanka.