Ingenious elephant lamp at Dedigama – marvelous craftsmanship of yesteryear
By Arundathie Abeysinghe
Unique elephant lamp discovered from *Dedigama Kota Vehera (Sutighara Stupa) is an ingenious creation based on hydro static principles displayed at the Dedigama Museum. The elephant lamp has been excavated from the upper relic chamber of Sutighara Stupa at Dedigama in 1951. There are three stupas of the Kota Vehera type in Sri Lanka; Sutighara Cetiya at Dedigama, *the stupa at Yudaganawa (largest stupa in the south and east of Sri Lanka) and the Damila thupa at Polonnaruwa which date to the 12th century and are attributed to King Parakramabahu I.
According to scholars, during the Polonnaruwa Era, the oil lamp has been an integral element of art and religion of Sri Lankan society and various artistic elements had been added to adorn the structure of the oil lamp. Oil lamps had often been made with bronze stands of varying heights. The brass lamps had been in two major forms; standing and hanging. The features of these lamps had been enhanced by elaborate carvings of human figurines, flowers and birds including roosters.
Scholars are of the view that the flickering brightness emanating from an oil lamp symbolizes wisdom, hope and new beginnings. Hence, the traditional oil lamp that dispels the surrounding gloom is an integral element of Sri Lankan culture. At present too, the oil lamp is inextricably linked to the key moments of lives of Sri Lankans.
This unique elephant lamp depicts excellent craftsmanship and advanced state of technological expertise of the ancient Sri Lankan craftsmen. The elephant lamp popularly known as “Eth Pahana” (meaning elephant lamp in Sinhala) is a hanging lamp of a unique design with an oil regulating device. A figure of an elephant carrying a rider on its shoulder predominates the oil receptacle. The hollow of the elephant’s stomach serves as a vessel as well as a reservoir for the oil, whereas one of the elephant’s forelegs serves as a funnel for pouring in the oil.
The elephant is 12.6 cm tall and 6.1 cm wide and stands on top of an oil receptacle which has a diameter of 23 cm and a height of 8.5 cm. Height of the entire lamp is approximately 28.5 cm. The chain with which with the lamp is hung is decorated with a female dancer, a male cymbal player as well as a drummer. The end of the chain is decked with an open-hooded cobra forming a hook to hang the lamp, a unique design…
The elephant lamp made by an unknown craftsman is dated to 11th – 12th centuries AD, the era of King Parakramabahu I (1153 to 1186 AD) of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa. The elephant lamp is made out of bronze. According to scholars, bronze had been a common material during this period. During this period, Sri Lankan craftsmen had possessed advanced skills of bronze casting technology.
The mechanism of the elephant lamp is marvelous. The elephant figure stands in the middle of a basin which can filled with oil. When the level of the oil in the basin goes down below the level of the hole in the foreleg of the elephant serves as a funnel. A mechanical devise based on hydrostatic principles causes the oil to flow into the receptacle through the a body part of the elephant and the flow automatically ceases when the oil reaches the level of the elephant’s feet, an ingenious craftsmanship…
The chain of the lamp is also modeled with fine artistic skill and is incorporated with the figures of female dancers and drummers. The “thorana” (the archway) under which the elephant figure stands is of fine work.
According to scholars, the elephant and the rider, the thorana, the chain as well as the lamp are unique excellent craftsmanship and technological expertise with hydro engineering principles are used in the lamp.
Directions: Take the right turn at the Nelundeniya junction (on Colombo – Kandy Road) and travel approximately one kilometer. Towards the right side, the mound of the Sutighara Cetiya, popularly known as the Kota Vehera, at Dedigama can be seen. According to typical architectural style of King Parakramabahu I, the stupa has its hemispherical form truncated on the top, hence named as Kota Vehera (meaning short stupa in Sinhala).
- Anuradhapura Kingdom – A major city in Sri Lanka (former Ceylon), the capital of Anuradhapura District, Anuradhapura was one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka and is famous for its well-preserved ruins of Sri Lankan civilization. Founded in the 4th century, Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka until the beginning of the 11th century. Anuradhapura is considered sacred to Buddhists and there are monasteries, stupas within an area of 40 square kilometers. Situated 205 kilometers north of Colombo, Anuradhapura was declared as the “Sacred City of Anuradhapura” and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982.
- Chola conquest –This was a military invasion of the *Anuradhapura Kingdom by the Chola Empire of Southern India, one of the longest ruling dynasties in world history. Initially, the Anuradhapura Kingdom was invaded in 993 AD and absorbed it into the Chola Empire of Southern India.
- Dedigama – Situated approximately 75 kilometers from Colombo, Dedigma is a hamlet in Nelumdeniya in Kegalle district.
- Dedigama Kota Vehera (Sutighara Stupa) – The name “kotawehera” has being derived from the shape of the stupa as the stupa does not have the usual upper part of stupas (dagobas). This stupa is also known as “Suthigara Chathiya” (“suthigharaya” meaning the place used for a birth in Sinhala). According to chronicles, Queen Rathnavalie had used this location to give the birth to her baby who became King Parakramabahu I (also known as Parakramabahu the Great) who ruled the *Polonnaruwa Kingdom (1153 -1186 AD). According to *Mahawamsa, King Manabharana, father of King Parakramabahu I had used Punkhagama (present Dedigama) as his capital city during his reign. King Parakramabahu I had been born at Dedigama. Dedigama Kota Vehera (Sutighara Stupa) has been built by King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186) as a memorial to the location he was born. According to folklore, the smaller stupa has been built on the exact place the birth (King Parakramabahu I) had taken place and the bigger stupa has been built around it. The bigger stupa is 47 feet high (approximately 14 meters) and the diameter is 256 feet (approximately 78 meters). The top portion of the stupa is flat and covers is around 26,000 square feet (approximately 2415 square meters).
- Mahawamsa – “Great Chronicle” or “Great Dynasty” in Sinhala is the most significant work of Sri Lankan origin written in Pali Language. This Chronicle describes life and times of Sri Lankans from the arrival of Vijaya in 43 BC to the reign of King Mahasena from sixth century BC to fourth century AD. Culavamsa (lesser chronicle) covers the period from fourth century AD to British takeover of Sri Lanka in 1815. Mahavamsa consists of three parts covering a historical record of over two millennia. It is considered as the world’s longest unbroken historical record.
- Makara Thorana – Considered by many Sri Lankans as a traditional decorative archway, Makara Thorana dates to pre-Buddhist era in India. Its symbolism and association with Hinduism has been construed by many scholars and art critics in diverse ways. This type of archway adorns the shrine rooms of many Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka. Considered as guardians of Buddhist Temples, Makara Thorana is erected at entrances.
- Polonnaruwa – The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa or the ancient city of Polonnaruwa (also known as Pulastipura) was the second capital of Sri Lanka for three centuries from 11th to 13th centuries. After the *Chola conquest of Anuradhapura Kingdom, the center of administration was shifted to Polonnaruwa until 1232. Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Image courtesy – SriLanka Classic Art.com
Yudaganawa – largest stupa in the south and east of Sri Lanka
By Arundathie Abeysinghe
