Mihintale ancient Hospital – the oldest in the world? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Established by King Sena II (853-887 AC) at *Mihintale around 853 A.D., the ancient hospital in the location is considered as the oldest in the world, although, consulting and healing have taken place in the location centuries before. According to inscriptions, Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced at Mihintale and the hospital has been maintained by Buddhist monks. The layout of the building (of the hospital) and discovery of a medical trough are also evidence that a hospital had existed at the site. The oldest archeological evidence of a hospital in Sri Lanka is within the ruins of Mihintale. The identification was based on a 10th century inscription at the site. According to the plan of the hospital, there had been 31 rooms and these rooms were arranged on a high platform. The consulting room, rooms for hot ...
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Hanguranketha – refuge of Kandyan Kings By Arundathie Abeysinghe Situated off the beaten track and rarely visited by local as well as foreign tourists, charm, beauty and solitude pervade Hanguranketha, the spectacular tiny hamlet in the Central Highlands. According to scholars, Hanguranketha is derived from “Sangaruwan ketha” (meaning thriving paddy fields in Sinhala). Steeped in history and legend and situated approximately 29 kilometers southeast of Kandy City, kings had used Hanguranketha during the Kandyan Kngdom as a refuge when the hill capital (Kandy) was attacked by invading foreign troops. According to legends, King Senarath (1604 – 1635) had constructed the first Royal Palace in Hanguranketha. According to *Robert Knox’s records, the Palace had been surrounded by a white washed giant wall during the Kandyan Kingdom and the entrance of the Palace had intricately carved doors and door panels. An inscription by Queen Leelawathi of *Polonnaruwa Era had been found in ...
The origin of the Sinhala race and landing of Prince Vijaya discussed – By Harold Gunatillake Transcript: This video discusses the origin of ther Sinhala race. Prince Vijaya (Sinhala: විජය කුමරු) was the traditional first Sinhalese king of Sri Lanka, mentioned in the Pali chronicles, including Mahavamsa. According to these chronicles, he is the first recorded King of Sri Lanka. His reign is traditionally dated to 543–505 BCE. According to the legends, he and several hundred of his followers came to Lanka after being expelled from an Indian kingdom. In Lanka, they displaced the island’s original inhabitants (Yakkhas), established a kingdom and became ancestors of the modern Sinhalese people. Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and whilst the author will endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, eLanka makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or ...
