Stories Behind Names of Places in Sri Lanka: How “Kadadora” got its Name-by Dr. Nimal Sedera

Source:Brisbane 4EB Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – September 2021

Village “Kadadora” is in Kothmale. We have often observed that the stories behind the names of places of our country are linked to stories
with the Kings of Sri Lanka. Kothmale is famous as the place where the young Prince Dutugemunu went into hiding and prepared the base for his future mission .He disguised himself as an ordinary boy and lived in Kothmale.

He left the Palace without informing his father, King Kavantissa and arrived in Kothmale. The only thing that he brought from the palace
when leaving was a royal sword. He wrapped it to prevent it looking like a sword. When he arrived in Kothmale he wished to hide it in a safe place for future use and was looking for a suitable place. He never wanted the people of Kothmale to see him with the sword. He wanted to live with the village like a farmer boy. He walked alone around the place and observed that it was a suitable village to take shelter and wanted to hide his sword. Then he observed a growing banyan tree with splitting branches and thought it was suitable to hide the sword. He pressed the sword into the tree at a place where two branches were splitting.

With the sword being there though invisible to the people, two branches began to grow creating a wider gap between them. People
passing by observed the difference in the growing two branches and said that they appear like a door and called it ”Kadadora” Thereafter the village around the unique banyan tree was called “KADADORA”

Dr. Nimal Sedera
Dr. Nimal Sedera is a journalist, poet, motivational speaker and an