Ancient Sri Lanka - Medieval Eras

Stamp Bulletin No. 865 Commemorative Issue

July 08^th, 2015

Ancient Sri Lanka - Medieval Eras

MNH Block of 4s

First Day Cover

 

Sheetlets

 

Miniature Sheet

Various facets of the Sri Lankan history beginning from the pre-historic era until the Polonnaru period were depicted by these series of stamps on the theme of Sri Lanka in the past consisting of 21 stamps with first of the series depicting the Pre-Historic Era, the second series depicting the Early Historic Period and the Early Anuradhapura Period, the third series depicting the Post-Anuradhapura Period and the fourth series depicting the Polonnaru Period. The end of the Polonnary period started with the invasion of Kalinga Magha and with that the Sri Lankan kingdom which was centered round the Raja Rata till then began to shift towards the south-western region. The kingdoms that existed thereafter as that of Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala and Gampola respectively did not last long and due to that very reason the archaeological evidence left from those periods too is very scanty. The Dambadeniya Period Dembadeniya was the first centre of administration after the shifting of the kingdom towards the south-western region. It was king Vijayabaju III “1232 AD-1272 AD” who made Dambadeniya his kingdom and after him his elder son Parakramabahu II “1236 AD-1270 AD” ascended the throne. Being a poet of great repute, he was awarded the honorary title of Kalikala- Sahitya- Sarvajna- Pandita. His successor Vijayabahu IV “1271 AD-1272 AD” could not retain the throne for long. There are two slabs of stone known as Vira Gal fixed to the front wall of the Tempita image house of Dambadeniya Vijayasundararama Raja Maha Vihara where there are several bas-relief carvings. The stamp depicts one of those carvings.    The Yapahuwa Period Before the emergence of the Yapahuwa kingdom, the area around the rock of Yapahu existed as an administrative centre and the Kingdom of Yapahuwa was established by king Buvanekabahu I (1272 AD-1284 AD). After this death there was a short period of unsettlement in the country and his son Buvanekabahu II became the king of Yapahuwa in 1292 AD. After ruling from Yapahuwa for about seven years he shifted the centre of administration to Kurunegala. The entrance with an attractive flight of steps leading to the building known as the palace of Yapahuwa consists of extremely beautiful carvings. In the guard-stone in a niche of the front wall on both sides of the place where this flight begins there are two female figures carved resembling the figure of Nagaraja.    The female figure which is in the three-bent (Tribhanga) posture carrying a filled-pot (Pun Kalasa) in one had is an attractive carving. The features of the figure carved in bas-relief are well presented and it is the opinion of scholars that these creations are influenced by the Tamil architecture as well as the Indo-Chinese art. The Kurunegala Period King Buvanekabahu II who became king at Yapahuwa in 1292 AD shifted the kingdom to Kurunegala around 1300 AD. In 1302 AD, the son of king Buvanekabahu, Pandita Parakramabahu IV “1302 AD-1326 AD” became king of Kurunegala. Thereafter the two kings, Vanni Buvanekabahu III and Savulu Vijayabahu V are said to have reigned till about 1341 AD from 1326 AD. Archaeological remains belonging to the Kurunegala period are very few. Remains of a stone door-post frame supposed to be a part of the Temple of the tooth relic (Dalada Maligava) are to be found there. It consists of beautiful carvings. In the four-sided holes divided into two parts on the lower parts of the door jambs there is a carving depicting two Nagarajinis. Although small in size, it contains minute carvings.    The Gampola Period The Gampola kingdom begins with the reign of king Buvanekabahu IV from Gampola. Buvanekabahu IV, son of king Savulu Vijayabahu, became the provincial ruler of Apa at Gampola and Parakramabahu V at Dedigama. Thereafter Vickramabahu III, Buvanekabahu V and Virabahu became kings of Gampola. The Gampola line of kings ends with Dedigama Parakramabahu who became king in 1415 AD. Gadaladeni Viharaya can be identified as the most excellent architectural construction built during the Gampola period. Influenced to a great extent by the Hindu Architecture, it is supposed to have been constructed during the reign of king Buvanekabahu IV by a Buddhist priest named Sheelawansa Dharmakirthi as mentioned in the rock inscription near the Temple.    There are two pillars each on the two sides of the front part of the entrance to the hall finished in the form of combination of three pillars. In a carving in the centre of a four sided pillar the figure of Siva the dance (Siva Nataraja) is carved in bas-relief depicting in a dancing posture.

* Date of Issue : 03rd September, 2015 * Denomination : Rs. 10.00, Rs. 25.00, Rs. 35.00, Rs. 50.00 * Stamp Designer : Rs. 10, Rs. 15, Rs. 40 Pulasthi                   Ediriweera, Rs. 25 Sanath Rohana Wickramasinghe * First Day Cover Designer : Sudath Jayawardena * Stamp Size : 30mm * 41mm * Format : Vertical * Printing Process : Offset Lithography * Sheet Composition : 20 stamps per sheet * Perforation : 14 * 13 1/2

* Printers : Department of Government Printing, Sri Lanka * Color : 4 Process Colors with gold or silver(Five) * Paper : 102 gsm security stamp paper with fiber * Gum : PVA * Quantity Printed : 1,000,000 each                   Souvernir Sheets : 10,000 * Catalogue No : Rs. 10 - CSL 2116, Rs. 25 -CSL 2117,                   Rs. 35 - CSL 2118, Rs. 50 - CSL 2119 * Last Date of Sale : 07th July, 2016

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