Thonigala Rock Inscriptions () are two Elu-language inscriptions engraved on a rock situated in

Anamaduwa Anamaduwa (Sinhala: ආණමඩුව) is a town in Puttalam District, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is located about away from Puttalam. Etymology According to one story, after uniting the country King Dutugemunu had given precious gi ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

, written in

Brahmi alphabet Brahmi ( ; ; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system from ancient India. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as ...

. Each inscription is about 100 feet long and each letter is about one feet in height and engraved about one inch deep in to the rock. Also it is said to be the largest rock inscription found in Sri Lanka.

History

Thonigala rock inscriptions are dated back to the first century BC to the period of King Mahaculi Mahathissa (76-62 BC), who was a son of King Walagamba. The inscriptions reveal details about a grant of a lake and village to a Buddhist Monastery named Achagirika Tissa Pabbata. Today this Monastery is believed to be the

Paramakanda Raja Maha Vihara Paramakanda Raja Maha Vihara () is an ancient Buddhist temple in Puttalam District, Sri Lanka. The temple is located in Paramakanda village approximately distance from the Anamaduwa town. The site has been formally recognised by the Government as ...

, which is located about from Thonigala.

Inscription # 1

Inscription # 2

References

{{coord missing, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka inscriptions Anuradhapura period Tourist attractions in North Western Province, Sri Lanka Archaeological protected monuments in Puttalam District

History

Contents

Inscription # 1

Inscription # 2

See also

References