The first time I visited Hambantota district was two years after the tsunami of 2004 and it was a school in Kirinde that brought me here.
- Photo credit: Archie Campbell @Travel Journals
As I stood on the beach, I was told a fascinating legend from a couple of millenia ago. According to my storyteller, the King of Kelaniya, in South-west Sri Lanka, had a beautiful wife. His step-brother was said to have had an affair with his wife, with whom he exchanged letters in secret. The King intercepted one of the letters and was outraged, when he recognized the handwriting, even though the letter was not signed. However, he wrongly assumed that the handwriting was that of his priest and had him put to death. It turned out that the priest, who was the King’s childhood friend, and his brother had studied at the same Buddhist school and ended up with a similar handwriting.
My storyteller continued that nature furious with the wrong done to a Buddhist monk had responded in the form of a tsunami. As people ran to the King for help against the advancing sea, the astrologers and other counsel of the King told him that the only remedy was to sacrifice a human being. No-one stepped forward to volunteer for the sacrifice. The Princess, the daughter of the King, finally said that she would sacrifice herself to save the people. She was put in a boat, with lots of riches, to take with her to her afterlife and sent towards the sea. The tsunami however lifted her boat and landed it on the south eastern shore of Kirinde, in the southern Kingdom of Ruhunu.
The fishermen in the area were astonished and ran to their King to say that a boat had been swept ashore with a beautiful woman on board. King Kawantissa came to the beach to see for himself the strange sight that had caused such commotion and he decided to marry the Princess himself, when he heard her courageous story.
A temple, the Vihara Maha Devi pansala, stands at a high point on Kirinde beach to mark the landing of the Princess. The inner walls of the pansala are painted with stories of the arrival of the Princess in Kirinde, her marriage to King Kawantissa. The stories on the wall continue with the stories of the two sons born to them, Tissa and Dutugemunu, famous Kings in the recorded history of Sri Lanka.
Photo credit: Nancy Yang
As the princes grow up, the country faced inter Kingdom wars and invasions from Tamil Kings from the North. The peace-loving King Kawantissa extracted a promise from his two young sons that they would refrain from getting caught up in inter-Kingdom wars and killing people, when they become Kings. A wall painting then illustrates the famous depiction of young Prince Dutugemunu lying on a huge bed curled in a foetal position. His mother sits beside him and asks him why he sleeps thus. He replies that he has no space to stretch his legs as the sea surrounds him in the south and east and King Ellalan is pressing from the north and so this is the only way he can sleep. His mother understands his frustration but reminds him firmly of his promise to his father.
Photo credit: Nancy Yang
However, after his father dies, Dutugemunu finds himself unable to desist from war. He seeks his mother’s permission to be released from his promise to his father and to be allowed to fight a war with Ellalan, the King of Jaffna, who had expanded his Kingdom to Anuradhapura in the north-central region of the island. He promises her that he will try to minimize the deaths incurred from the war. On that promise, she finally releases him from his promise to his father and he sets off to the north.
Photo credit: Nancy Yang
On the battleground, he requests King Ellalan that only the two of them fight, as it is a fight between the two and that the people needn’t suffer unnecessarily. Ellalan acquiesces and both fight. The younger King slays the older King and Dutugemunu sets up his Kingdom in Anuradhapura. At the site of where King Ellalan was slain, he set up a memorial and enforced the law that each passerby had to offer his or her respect to the slain King.
Photo credit: Nancy Yang
This is the story that is narrated in South Sri Lanka and the story that makes King Dutugemunu one of the most respected and popular Kings among the Sinhalese.
I also happened to hear the story of King Dutugemunu, as narrated in North Sri Lanka and it is the story of a blood thirsty King, in search of power and land, propelled to war by his mother and thereby leading to the death of the just Tamil King Ellalan. Therefore, King Dutugemunu is not such a popular historical figure in Tamil narratives.
For me, it was interesting to listen to the story of the same person, as handed down in history, among two ethnic groups, and see how the angle of view hugely affects the perspective.
Photo credit: Nancy Yang
I find the story houses of pansalas (Buddhist temples) the most interesting part, with tales of local legends painted on the walls. A walk around the walls is akin to reading a book. Yet without a storyteller, the pictures may well be disconnected paintings. I was fortunate to have a knowledgeable story-teller bring to life the paintings on the walls. Perhaps you will be lucky when you ask someone who works or volunteers at the temple. Kirinde’s Vihara Maha Devi pansala is a little gem on the southern coast and is worth visiting.
[I am linking this post to:
*Wanderful Wednesday, hosted by Snow in Tromso, Lauren on Location, The Sunny Side of This and What a Wonderful World]
Perspectives Quilt 
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story and insight into Sri Lankan legends Ahila. Just beautiful. I particularly like the brave princess.
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Thank you, Katy. The brave princess is such a popular historical figure in Sri Lanka that many schools have been named after her. The only large public park in Colombo was renamed Vihara Maha Devi park.
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I think I will tell this story to my daughter so she gets a different perspective on princesses 😃
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I nominated you here! https://anywherewithbrooke.wordpress.com/about/awards/sunshine-blogger-award/
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Many thanks, Brooke. I am delighted that you nominated me 🙂
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what an interesting legend:) #wanderful wednesday
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Thank you, Tanja. Legends are fascinating.
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Hi Ahila,
What a great post. I grew up in Colombo, listening to this story as told by your story teller. You’ve captured it really well here. So interesting to hear about the version from the North. I also find it fascinating to hear the stories from two angles – especially on such a small island.
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Thank you for your comment. I find folk stories and legends fascinating because not only are they great stories but also give an insight into local traditions and beliefs and contrasting perspectives across communities.
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Fascinating story! How long have you been in Sri Lanka? Sounds like you were hosted by the right guide at least! I love hearing stories like that from locals. Gives you so much more insight into the culture than any tourist brochure!
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Thank you, Van. I found the story fascinating as well and the storyteller, who was not a guide but a teammate, told the story very well that I still remember it in detail ten years later. By the way, I have been living and working in Sri Lanka for the past decade (except for my studies abroad and holiday travels).
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What a fascinating story! And I love how the same events change depending on who you listen to.
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Thank you, Mandy. It is indeed fascinating to hear how narratives change across communities and it also gives an improved understanding how certain historical events evolve(d).
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How interesting! It’s always great to hear stories about a place to get to understand it a little better, especially when you can hear different stories, like you did. I always like to listen to Chilean myths as I feel I get to know a place a bit more that way 🙂
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It is indeed wonderful, Marcella, to hear stories about people who once lived in the places you visit. I particularly love it when the lines between recorded history and folk story gets blurry, which is where legends are most often born.
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Fascinating story and a great way to think about a new location (through their stories/history). I know that probably gave you a whole new insight into the place you were visiting! 🙂
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Thank you, Amanda. The story certainly gave me a better understanding of why the princess and her son are considered such important historical figures in many parts of Sri Lanka.
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Wow! Such a fascinating tale!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed it, Courtney.
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It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? Such a great example of how two people looking at the same thing can see it completely differently. “Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not its twin.” -Barbara Kingsolver
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I have always found it fascinating to try to understand the different sources from which perspectives emerge. By the way, I am a fan of Barbara Kingsolver’s earlier books ‘Animal dreams’.
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Cool! I haven’t read her books – just heard that quote on Criminal Minds
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Brilliantly told. Thanks for sharing
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Many thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
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What an interesting story! I love that the Princess was so brave and (tried) to sacrifice herself! Thanks for sharing, legends are a great way to learn about a culture! 😀
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Thank you, Lauren and legends do provide a wonderful insight into a culture and local beliefs.
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What a fascinating legend, Ahila. And to hear from both perspectives is just incredible. #wkendtravelinspiration
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Thank you, Jim. I love to hear stories about people who lived in old places and this one at Kirinde is one of my favourites in Sri Lanka.
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The story is interesting and equally as interesting is that the same king is both revered and reviled depending on which side of the fence you sit.
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Yes, indeed, I find different perspectives fascinating especially when they are polar opposites.
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nice
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