A bit about Sri Lanka
The per-historic era of Ceylon is mythical and legendary, and yet there can
be a few countries in the world having such a long and continuous
history and civilization. The journey towards civilization was a long
process and it has taken thousands of years. The earliest stage is known
as the stone age because only stone implements were used by the ancient
man.
Vijaya Legend
Dipavamsa
and Mahavamsa two of the oldest chronicles in Sri Lanka mention the
coming of Vijaya. Vijaya was the son of king Sinhabahu who reigned
from Sinhapura in the country of Latha and was the heir to the throne in India.
But Vijaya got into bad company and became a gang leader who looted and
plundered the people. They complained to the king about the misdeeds of
his son. But still Vijaya was incorrigible and there was no end to the
suffering of the people at his hands and finally they demanded that
prince Vijaya be executed. The king arrested Vijaya and his seven
hundred gangsters, had their heads half shaven, put them on board a ship
and deported. Then they eventually landed in Lanka. Here they were so happy and they grasped the earth with their
hands which became red by contact with the soil. They therefore named
the place Thambapanni (copper-colored hand). This name later extended to
the district and to the whole island. It is said that lord Buddha saw
that Vijaya would make this land habitable and that Buddhism would
flourish here in future. Lord Buddha requested Indra the king of Gods to
protect Vijaya and his followeres. Vijaya had the opportunity of
meeting a pretty young woman named Kuweni of the Yaksha tribe and took
her as his wife. According to legend Kuweni was the daughter of king
Bamba and with her help Vijya was able to kill the Yaksha ruler of the
region along with his people and become the king. He established his
kingdom in Thammanna. Kuweni bore him two children. A son and a
daughter. Still
Vijaya did not go through his coronation ceremony for he insisted that
he should have a royal princess from India. Vijaya was able to marry a
princess from India and Kuweni was banished along with her two children.
The children grew up and established the hunter gatherer community in
Sri Lanka. Thus began the origin of the Sinhalese people.