CULUTTHA, Peddawa (Cave of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A cave-shelter under a rock, which is well known in the district around it, but elsewhere even its modern name is not recognised (PARKER 1909: 251-252). SITUATION (PARKER 1909: 251): At a travelling distance of six miles (10 km) from the village of Peddawa (note 1) and at Parana Nuwara, the Old City … on the bank of the Daeduru-oya [note 2], and about a mile [one or two kilometres] from an ancient reservoir at Batalagoda [note 3], near Kurunaegala (note 5). CULTURAL HISTORY - Rock art / epigraphy: Even in the third century A.D. it had lost its first name, and was already ' the Ancient City'. An inscription of this period (see Fig. 153 for facsimile) cut over the entrance to a cave-shelter under a rock at Peddawa, a village six miles away, is as follows: Siddham, Pubaga nakaraka wasike bhojike CulM-taha lene. (Hail! The cave of Culuttha, a headman dwelling at the Ancient City). Incidentally, we may infer from this inscription that there was already in existence another town termed he New City/ that is Alut-Nuwara, at Mahiyangana (PARKER 1909: 252).he New City/ that is Alut-Nuwara, at Mahiyangana (PARKER 1909: 252).