{"id":156211,"date":"2026-05-14T15:56:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T22:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=156211"},"modified":"2026-05-14T15:56:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T22:56:58","slug":"palm-leaf-manuscripts-of-sri-lanka-part-3b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2026\/05\/14\/palm-leaf-manuscripts-of-sri-lanka-part-3b\/","title":{"rendered":"PALM LEAF MANUSCRIPTS OF SRI LANKA Part 3b"},"content":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS COMMISSION.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 1930s, palm leaf manuscripts were held by elite families living in the Central Province. They had been handed down from generation to generation. These collections were greatly cherished.  Some manuscripts showed the standing of the family under the Udarata kings, but many manuscripts were looked after simply because they showed that Sri Lanka had been an independent, monarchical state in the near past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Historical Manuscripts Commission (HMC) was set up in the 1930s to see whether any valuable manuscripts could be obtained from these privately owned collections. The Commission toured the Central Province and published three reports of their findings. The Commission stated that they had encountered a number of interesting documents of which a few are of prime historical importance.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historical Manuscripts Commission (1933) found at Balangoda in the large Mahavalatenne collection, copies of Rajavaliya, Lanka kadaimpota, Janawamsa, Manuvamsa (giving the names of the kings of Ceylon and the period they reigned), also another document with a list of kings up to Buvaneka bahu.  [2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historical Manuscripts Commission (1933) found   in the collection owned by T.W. Maralande, Rate mahatmaya of Vauda villi,  Hatpattu, manuscripts containing  the story of king Vijaya, account of Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe,   revolt by Daskon,  as well as Kurunegala vistaraya, a kadaimpota,  and  a manuscript  of 72 leaves on Kira valiya and Bandara valiya.[3]<\/a> The Bandara valiya was the highest ranking group in the Udarata kingdom,  they were  an exclusive elite, close to the king.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A collection at Talgodapitiya, had vittipota, Bandara valiya, Vijaya valiya.[4]<\/a>  The  collection belonging to Jinatissa Madawela had 2 copies of Rajavaliya and 3 copies   of Kurunegala vistaraya.[5]<\/a>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main emphasis in all these collections was on the political history of pre-colonial Sri Lanka. The Commission found a 19th<\/sup> century copy of the Dipawamsa  <\/strong>and  five copies of Mahavamsa.  The HMC also found   a sinhaba asna, a history of Vijaya\u2019s arrival,   a Rajalekhanaya,  which was a chronology of the kings of Ceylon and several copies of    Rajaratnakaraya  ,a  16th<\/sup> century document that gives information on early royal dynasties and the religious history of Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 HMC found a Kadaimpota which gave a historical narrative of the Sinhala kings from Vijaya onwards.   One palm leaf manuscript had a historical narrative of Sinhalese kings from Vijaya to Parakramabahu. It   also contains names of places and their boundaries.[6]<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/a> The Commission found heaps of \u2018Kurunegala vistaraya\u2019. It was repeatedly   listed in the HMC reports for both 1933 and 1951.[7]<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>Kurunegala was the capital of the island in the 13th<\/sup> and 14 th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lanka ithihasaya (1876 ) gave the history of Ceylon to Portuguese time. Parangi hatana  was found in a personal collection at Ratnapura. A manuscript giving the history of a vihara at Gunadahe in Tumpane frorm time of Vikramabahu, also emerged. Two collections had copies of Matale Maha Disava lekam pota   which contained a historical and statistical account of Sri Lanka in time ofRajasinha II .<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a  Vittipota with kings from Vijaya to Kirti sri. It had names of cities in which the ministers of Vijaya had lived. It also had   names of the chiefs who were given grants of village by kings up to Rajasinha I.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commission was shown manuscripts which gave the history of the island to the end of the Udarata kingdom.[8]<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/a> A manuscript giving the exact dates and hours of death of Udarata kings such as Rajadhi Rajasinghe, Wimaladhamasuriya  II and Kirti Sri Ranasinghe was found in a collection in Polgahawela . The manuscript had notes in Sinhala attached to it. In 1951, they found a second manuscript   giving dates of the deaths of Udarata kings, including Kirti Sri Rajasinghe.  [9]<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last Udarata king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe was not forgotten. Two manuscripts describing battles between Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe and British were found in two separate collections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a liking for the monarchy. One private collection had \u2018Kav katura\u2019 a  poem  on the marriage customs of Sinhala royalty. The Commission found at least two manuscripts which contained panegyric songs for various  Udarata kings. A manuscript with Sinhala verses sung at the coronation of Kandyan kings was listed separately. A copy of Sringara alamkaraya (1842)  containing Sinhala verses sung at coronation of Narendrasinha was also listed. Pandama ganna kavi contains 5 verses sung to invoke the blessing of the gods before the dancers approach the road.<\/u><\/strong>[10]<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few documents on Buddhism were listed in the Commission report. The Commission found a leather-bound book of Visuddimagga in Sinhala script on Dutch paper, beautifully illuminated in Andun deli\u201d which was more durable than ordinary ink. After 150 years the writing is still very clear, said the report.  The decorative ornaments are in the best tradition of Kandyan art in line and colour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commission also found a pirit pota written in the black vegetable dye used for frescoes. The letters are as black today as when they written a century ago. The color illuminations of flowers are also in the same vegetable dye, said the report.[11]<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/em><\/a> <\/em><\/strong>The commission also found a copy of Milinda prasnaya and a commentary on the jataka katha.[12]<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/a> <\/u><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commission found just one manuscript which contained   a poem to Kataragama deviyo with stanzas in a very rare meter. The emphasis  was not on literature, it was on Sinhala grammar. The Commission found copies of Sidat sangarava,  Kav mini kondala getapadaya,Kav mini maldama getapadaya,   Kav mutu hara   and Aksara adhikariya .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A copy of Gangarohana Varnanawa was found. This is significant.   This work sparked off the \u2018saw sat dam vadaya\u2019 of the 19 century, a heated popular debate on the use of certain syllables in Sinhala writing. Sinhala scholars were determined to preserve the purity of the Sinhala language during British rule and one elite family, at least  has  had held on to the controversial item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commission found dozens of medical manuscripts in personal collections. They found an ola manuscript which dealt with medicine, astrology, charms. They found \u2018Udarata beheth pota\u2019 with preparation of medicine prevalent in the Udarata kingdom.  They also found a manuscript of medicine compiled in 1817 by Midellava Korale with prescriptions of decoctions for variety of diseases. [13]<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/a>The practitioners of indigenous medicine had prescriptions which were handed down through generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historical Manuscripts Commission also found three copies of  Janavamsaya. Janavamsaya is about  the origin of the universe and the caste system.[14]<\/strong><\/a>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were manuscripts relating to administration. The Commission found dozens of lekam miti. The lekam miti pota of 1.1.1830 has a list of holdings in the eastern part of Nuwarakalaviya.The Commission found at Padiyapelella a 14th<\/sup> century  kadaimpota , dealing with Ruhuna, Maya ,Pihiti , with names of  ratas and subdivisions.  There was also the Maya rata kadimpota  which dealt with 28 districts   in Maya rata. [15]<\/a> ( continued)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

[1]<\/a> First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.1933 SP 9 of 1933 p 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/a> First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.1933 SP 9 of 1933. p 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[3]<\/a> First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.1933 SP 9 of 1933. p 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[4]<\/a> First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.1933 SP 9 of 1933. p 54.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[5]<\/a> First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.1933 SP 9 of 1933. p 54.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[6]<\/a> 3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 85<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[7]<\/a>  <\/strong>First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.1933 SP 9 of 1933. p 53.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/strong>3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 107<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[8]<\/a> . <\/strong>3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 107<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[9]<\/a> 3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 117<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[10]<\/a> 3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 87<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[11]<\/a> 3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[12]<\/a> 3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 85<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[13]<\/a> College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka. History of surgical services in Sri Lanka<\/em>  p   33     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

[14]<\/a> 3rd report of Historical Manuscripts Commission 1951, SP 19 of 1951. Pg 85 ,86<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[15]<\/a>  First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision.(1933 )SP 9 of 1933. p 15, 20, 25, 49, 53, <\/strong>54, 72, 83, 85, 87, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 100, 120, 121<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS COMMISSION. In the 1930s, palm leaf manuscripts were held by elite families living in the Central Province. They had been handed down from generation to generation. These collections were greatly cherished.  Some manuscripts showed the standing of the family under the Udarata kings, but many manuscripts were looked after simply because […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-156211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kamalika-pieris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156211"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":156212,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156211\/revisions\/156212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}