The Sri Lankan version...

A SHORT HISTORY OF HELADIVA

In the world map Sri Lanka (Heladiva) is in latitude 5.55 to 9.51 east. It’s in length and breadth is 432 and 224 kilometres respectively and in area is 65,525 square kilometres. The southwest monsoon starts in May and ends in September and the northwest start in October, and ends in November. The huge volume of rainwater that falls into the wet zone meets the sea in East, West, and South through a network of perennial streams and tributaries numbering to twenty major rivers. The tropical forests’ bearing tall trees interspersed with thick under growth provides protection for birds and beasts.

Sri Lanka was then called Heladiva, Heladvipa, Helanka, Seylan, Taprobane, Heladiva, and Lanka and was internationally famous, as Dhammadvipa. Ptolemy called it ‘Salike’ and the people ‘Salai’. It was also, called the Island of Teaching, as the Ionian Greeks and the Chinese came to learn The Teachings of the Buddha. In this Island Dhamma was documented, at Aluthvihare, presently known as Aluvihare, a Rock Temple in Matale District in the Central hills, during the reign of King Valagambhahu 103 BC.

Millenniums back our ancestors roamed the jungles for food and lived in rock caves in rainy weather. From the excavations in Sabaragamuwa province bones of pre-historic elephants, hippopotamus, and rhinoceros and from its gem pits hand axes, geometrical utensils, grinding stones, mortars, and pestles were found. It, in assessment to the ones found in the Indian sub-continent dates back 125,000 years and is established by the findings of Bundala and Iranamaduwa. A recent study proves that human occupation in this Island goes back to a very early period and confirms that its inhabitants were civilised, cultured, and developed in agriculture.

Incidents of the past and its unending flow are called history. It’s divided into two, as oral and recorded history. The former is based on legends and folklores and the latter on historical facts. The history of Heladiva extends to millenniums prior to recorded history and it is quite frivolous to accept that our origins began with the advent of Vijaya but forced to admit this position, as our historian’s have not done a broad based research to the pre Vijaya era. Our history is recorded in our historical chronicles such as Dipawansa, Mahawansa and many more. The Dipawansa compiled much earlier than the Mahawansa, projects more historical data on Lord Buddha’s visit to Heladiva. However, the compilers have not taken an interest in exactness of the origins of the clans that lived in Heladiva then viz, the Yakshas, Nagas, Rakshas, and the Devas.

According to the Uttara kanda Ramayana Malyavantha, Sumali and Sukesha of the Raksha (Rakus is not daemon but farmers) clan governed Lanka but according to Vishnu Purana and Buddhavansha it was Iraniya (Hiran) who governed Lanka.

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