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85-674: The Sinhalese people ( Sinhala : සිංහල ජනතාව , romanized:  Sinhala Janathāva ), also known as the Sinhalese or Sinhala people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the island of Sri Lanka . They are the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka, constituting about 75% of the Sri Lankan population and number more than 15.2 million. The Sinhalese people speak Sinhala , an insular Indo-Aryan language . Sinhalese people are predominantly Theravada Buddhists , although

170-662: A Dravidian origin for this word. ), dola for pig in Vedda and offering in Sinhala. Other common words are rera for wild duck, and gala for stones (in toponyms used throughout the island, although others have also suggested a Dravidian origin). There are also high frequency words denoting body parts in Sinhala, such as olluva for head, kakula for leg, bella for neck and kalava for thighs, that are derived from pre-Sinhalese languages of Sri Lanka. The oldest Sinhala grammar, Sidatsan̆garavā , written in

255-443: A South Indian style saree. Within the more populated areas, Sinhalese men also wear Western-style clothing — wearing suits while the women wear skirts and blouses. For formal and ceremonial occasions women wear the traditional Kandyan ( Osariya ) style, which consists of a full blouse which covers the midriff completely, and is partially tucked in at the front. However, modern intermingling of styles has led to most wearers baring

340-833: A campaign for better education facilities in the region. Christian missionary groups were at the forefront of this development contributing to a high literacy among Christians. By 1901 schools in the South and the North were well tended. The inner regions lagged behind however. Also, English education facilities presented hurdles for the general populace through fees and lack of access. Traditional Sinhalese villages in early days had at least one chief Medical personnel called Weda Mahaththaya (Doctor). These people practice their clinical activities by inheritance. Sinhalese Medicine resembles some of Ayurvedic practices in contrast for some treatments they use Buddhist Chantings ( Pirith ) in order to strengthen

425-589: A high level of West Eurasian maternal ancestry among the Sinhalese. The analyses show strong gene flow between the Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils, and higher gene flow from South Indian as well as some North and Northwest Indian populations. Among the Indian populations, the Sinhalese are closest genetically to certain South Indian subgroups, but the analyses also reveal deeply rooted common genetic ancestry with

510-551: A major role in the development of Theravada Buddhist literature. Early forms of the Sinhala language are attested as early as the 3rd century BCE. The language of these inscriptions, still retaining long vowels and aspirated consonants, is a Prakrit similar to Magadhi , a regional associate of the Middle Indian Prakrits that had been used during the time of the Buddha . The most closely related languages are

595-507: A major trade hub, it draws influence from colonial powers that were involved in Sri Lanka and by foreign traders. Rice , which is consumed daily, can be found at any occasion, while spicy curries are favourite dishes for lunch and dinner . Some of the Sri Lankan dishes have striking resemblance to Kerala cuisine , which could be due to the similar geographic and agricultural features with Kerala . A well-known rice dish with Sinhalese

680-572: A mural of cave number 17 . Another suggestion on the origin of Sinhala proposes that the descendants of Sinhabahu may have been called "Sinha" or lions, either because they were descended from a lion or because they were brave like a lion, but those who conquered and settled in Sri Lanka were called Sinhala simply as a derivative of "Sinha" for the people of the lion. Likewise, the conquered lands may be called 'Sinhalaya' or 'Sinhalé' (up-country Sri Lanka), or 'Sinhala dvipa', and their language 'Sinhala' or Sinhala-Bhasha'. The early recorded history of

765-722: A period of prior bilingualism: "The earliest type of contact in Sri Lanka, not considering the aboriginal Vedda languages, was that which occurred between South Dravidian and Sinhala. It seems plausible to assume prolonged contact between these two populations as well as a high degree of bilingualism. This explains why Sinhala looks deeply South Dravidian for an Indo-Aryan language. There is corroboration in genetic findings." In addition to many Tamil loanwords , several phonetic and grammatical features also present in neighbouring Dravidian languages set modern spoken Sinhala apart from its Northern Indo-Aryan relatives. These features are evidence of close interactions with Dravidian speakers. Some of

850-565: A possible Western feature in Sinhala is the retention of initial /v/ which developed into /b/ in the Eastern languages (e.g. Sanskrit viṁśati "twenty", Sinhala visi- , Hindi bīs ). This is disputed by Muhammad Shahidullah who says that Sinhala Prakrit branched off from the Eastern Prakrits prior to this change. He cites the edicts of Ashoka , no copy of which shows this sound change. An example of an Eastern feature

935-407: A significant minority of Sinhalese follow branches of Christianity and other religions . Since 1815, Sinhalese people were broadly divided into two subgroups: the up-country Sinhalese of the central mountainous regions , and the low-country Sinhalese of the coastal regions. Although both groups speak the same language, they are distinguished as they observe different cultural customs. According to

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1020-469: A slow pace relative to India and other Asian countries. Within Sri Lanka the majority of the Sinhalese reside in the South, Central, Sabaragamuwa and Western parts of the country. This coincides with the largest Sinhalese populations areas in Sri Lanka. Cities with more than 90% Sinhalese population include Hambantota , Galle , Gampaha , Kurunegala , Monaragala , Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa . Sinhalese people have emigrated out to many countries for

1105-563: A variety of reasons. The larger diaspora communities are situated in the United Kingdom, Australia, United States and Canada among others. In addition to this there are many Sinhalese, who reside in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe, temporarily in connection with employment and/or education. They are often employed as guest workers in the Middle East and professionals in the other regions. The largest population centres of

1190-427: Is Kiribath , meaning 'milk rice'. In addition to sambols , Sinhalese eat mallung , chopped leaves mixed with grated coconut and red onions . Coconut milk is found in most Sri Lankan dishes to give the cuisine its unique flavour. Sri Lanka has long been renowned for its spices . The best known is cinnamon which is native to Sri Lanka. In the 15th and 16th centuries, spice and ivory traders from all over

1275-622: Is a Sanskrit term; the corresponding Middle Indo-Aryan ( Eḷu ) word is Sīhala . The name is a derivative of siṁha , the Sanskrit word for 'lion'. The name is sometimes glossed as 'abode of lions', and attributed to a supposed former abundance of lions on the island. According to the chronicle Mahāvaṃsa , written in Pali, Prince Vijaya of the Vanga Kingdom and his entourage merged in Sri Lanka with later settlers from

1360-531: Is a main foreign attraction in modern tourism. Sigirirya is famous for its frescoes. Folk poems were sung by workers to accompany their work and narrate the story of their lives. Ideally these poems consisted of four lines and, in the composition of these poems, special attention had been paid to the rhyming patterns. Buddhist festivals are dotted by unique music using traditionally Sinhalese instruments. More ancient rituals like tovils (devil exorcism) continue to enthrall audiences today and often praised and invoked

1445-777: Is often made colourful with the incorporation of songs and dance adding more uniqueness to the industry. In the recent years high budget films like Aloko Udapadi , Aba (film) and Maharaja Gemunu based on Sinhalese epic historical stories gain huge success. Performing arts of the Sinhalese people can be categorised into few groups: Angampora is the traditional martial art of the Sinhalese people. It combines combat techniques, self-defence , sport , exercise and meditation . Key techniques observed in Angampora are: Angam , which incorporates hand-to-hand fighting, and Illangam , which uses indigenous weapons such as Velayudaya , staves, knives and swords. Its most distinct feature

1530-641: Is represented in many forms such as painting , sculpture , and architecture . One of the most notable aspects of Sri Lankan art are caves and temple paintings, such as the frescoes found at Sigiriya , and religious paintings found in temples in Dambulla and Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy . Other popular forms of art have been influenced by both natives as well as outside settlers. For example, traditional wooden handicrafts and clay pottery are found around

1615-559: Is said to have killed his father, a lion. According to legend, a princess Suppadevi of Vanga was abducted by a lion, with whom she then bore a daughter called Sinhasivali , and a son, Sinhabahu . On the origin of Sinhala, Mahāvaṃsa says: "By whatever means; the monarch Síha Báhu slew the 'Síha' (lion), from that feat his sons and descendants are called 'Síhala' (the lion-slayers)." By this account, Sri Lanka conquered and colonised by his descendants therefore also came to be associated with 'Sinhala'. The first king of Sri Lanka, Vijaya ,

1700-495: Is the coconut sambol , made of ground coconut mixed with chili peppers , dried Maldives fish and lime juice . This is ground to a paste and eaten with rice, as it gives zest to the meal and is believed to increase appetite. Many forms of Sri Lankan arts and crafts take inspiration from the island's long and lasting Buddhist culture which in turn has absorbed and adopted countless regional and local traditions. In most instances Sri Lankan art originates from religious beliefs, and

1785-495: Is the ending -e for masculine nominative singular (instead of Western -o ) in Sinhalese Prakrit. There are several cases of vocabulary doublets , one example being the words mæssā ("fly") and mækkā ("flea"), which both correspond to Sanskrit makṣikā but stem from two regionally different Prakrit words macchiā (Western Prakrits) and makkhikā (as in Eastern Prakrits like Pali ). In 1815,

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1870-409: Is the use of pressure point attacks to inflict pain or permanently paralyse the opponent. Fighters usually make use of both striking and grappling techniques, and fight until the opponent is caught in a submission lock that they cannot escape. Usage of weapons is discretionary. Perimeters of fighting are defined in advance, and in some of the cases is a pit. Angampora became nearly extinct after

1955-520: The 2011 Canadian Census , 7,220 people identified themselves as of Sinhalese ancestry , out of 139,415 Sri Lankans. There are a small number of Sinhalese people in India , scattered around the country, but mainly living in and around the northern and southern regions. Sri Lankan New Zealanders comprised 3% of the Asian population of New Zealand in 2001. The numbers arriving continued to increase, and at

2040-479: The Hela Atuwa were lost after their translation into Pali . Other significant Sinhala texts include Amāvatura , Kavu Silumina , Jathaka Potha and Sala Liheeniya . Sinhala has also adopted many loanwords of foreign origin , including from many Indian such as Tamil and European languages such as Portuguese, Dutch, and English. Sandesha Kavyas written by Buddhist priests of Sri Lanka are regarded as some of

2125-656: The Mahavamsa , a Pali chronicle compiled by Buddhist monks of the Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya in Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese descend from settlers who immigrated to the island circa 543 BCE , from the legendary kingdom of Sinhapura led by Prince Vijaya , who mixed with later settlers from the Pandya kingdom . Genetic analyses have found genetic affinity between the Sinhalese and South Indian populations, as well as links to other Indian populations such as

2210-533: The Maratha . There are a couple of explanations for the word Sinhala. Sinhala may be considered a combination of sinha (සිංහ) , literally "lion", and la (ල), for "slayer" or "taker", hence Sinhala may mean "lion-slayer". The story of the derivation of Sinhala is told in Mahāvaṃsa , and it is believed to be a reference to the founding legend of Sri Lanka; the island was conquered by a descendant of Sinhabahu , who

2295-490: The Maratha . Some older studies however pointed towards a predominantly Bengali contribution and a minor Tamil influence. Gujarati and Punjabi lineages are also visible. In relation to the former, other studies also show the Sinhalese possess some genetic admixture from Southeast Asian populations , especially from Austroasiatic groups . Certain Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups and genetic markers of immunoglobulin among

2380-505: The Pandya kingdom . In the following centuries, there was substantial immigration from Eastern India, including additional migration from the Vanga Kingdom (Bengal), as well as Kalinga and Magadha . This influx led to an admixture of features of Eastern Prakrits. The development of Sinhala is divided into four epochs: The most important phonetic developments of Sinhala include: According to Wilhelm Geiger , an example of

2465-603: The Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka , who make up the largest ethnic group on the island, numbering about 16 million. Sinhala is also spoken as the first language by other ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, totalling about 2 million speakers as of 2001. It is written using the Sinhala script , which is a Brahmic script closely related to the Grantha script of South India. Sinhala is one of the official and national languages of Sri Lanka, alongside Tamil . Along with Pali , it played

2550-638: The UNESCO National Commission of Ceylon According to Wilhelm Geiger , Sinhala has features that set it apart from other Indo-Aryan languages. Some of the differences can be explained by the substrate influence of the parent stock of the Vedda language . Sinhala has many words that are only found in Sinhala, or shared between Sinhala and Vedda and not etymologically derivable from Middle or Old Indo-Aryan. Possible examples include kola for leaf in Sinhala and Vedda (although others suggest

2635-536: The Vedda language (an endangered, indigenous creole still spoken by a minority of Sri Lankans, mixing Sinhala with an isolate of unknown origin and from which Old Sinhala borrowed various aspects into its main Indo-Aryan substrate), and the Maldivian language . It has two main varieties, written and spoken, and is a conspicuous example of the linguistic phenomenon known as diglossia . Sinhala ( Siṁhala )

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2720-464: The 13th century CE, recognised a category of words that exclusively belonged to early Sinhala. The grammar lists naram̆ba (to see) and koḷom̆ba (fort or harbour) as belonging to an indigenous source. Koḷom̆ba is the source of the name of the commercial capital Colombo . The consistent left branching syntax and the loss of aspirated stops in Sinhala is attributed to a probable South Dravidian substratum effect. This has been explained by

2805-618: The 1970s. Italy was attractive to the Sinhalese due to perceived easier employment opportunities and entry, compared to other European countries. It is estimated that there are 30,000–33,000 Sinhalese in Italy. The major Sinhalese communities in Italy are located in Lombardia (In the districts Loreto and Lazzaretto), Milan , Lazio , Rome , Naples , and Southern Italy (Particularly Palermo , Messina and Catania ). Many countries census list Sri Lankan, which also includes Sri Lankan Tamils, so

2890-649: The 2018 census there were over 16,000 Sri Lankans living in New Zealand among those 9,171 were Sinhalese. In the U.S., the Sinhalese number about 12,000 people. The New York City Metropolitan Area contains the largest Sri Lankan community in the United States, receiving the highest legal permanent resident Sri Lankan immigrant population, followed by Central New Jersey and the Los Angeles metropolitan area . Many Sinhalese have migrated to Italy since

2975-552: The Hindu sage Pulastya . It was renamed under Chola rule as Jananathapuram or Jananathamangalam . The place was later known as Vijayarajapuram as mentioned in the records of Jayabahu I , which probably was derived from the name of Vijayabahu I . Polonnaruwa has a Sinhalese majority. Muslims form the second largest group. There are also small numbers of Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils . Others include Burgher and Malay . Source: statistics.gov.lk Polonnaruwa

3060-579: The Sinhalese by Portuguese, Dutch, and British missionary groups during their respective periods of rule. Most Sinhalese Christians are Roman Catholic ; a minority are Protestant . Their cultural centre is Negombo . Religion is considered very important among the Sinhalese. According to a 2008 Gallup poll , 99% of Sri Lankans considered religion an important aspect of their daily lives. A 2023 genetics study by Singh et al using higher resolution markers than previous studies found strong affinity between Sri Lankan and South Asian maternal gene pools as well as

3145-741: The Sinhalese diaspora are mainly situated in Europe, North America and Australia. The city of Melbourne contains just under half of the Sri Lankan Australians . The 2011 census recorded 86,412 Sri Lanka born in Australia. There are 73,849 Australians (0.4 of the population) who reported having Sinhalese ancestry in 2006. Sinhala was also reported to be the 29th-fastest-growing language in Australia (ranking above Somali but behind Hindi and Belarusian ). Sinhalese Australians have an exceptionally low rate of return migration to Sri Lanka. In

3230-517: The Sinhalese is chronicled in two documents, the Mahavamsa , compiled in Pāli around the fourth century CE, and the later Culavamsa (the first segment probably compiled in the 13th century CE by the Buddhist monk Dhammakitti). These are ancient sources that cover the histories of the powerful ancient Sinhalese kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa which lasted for 1500 years. The Mahavamsa describes

3315-403: The Sinhalese people from northern India who settled on the island in the sixth century BCE. Sinhala developed in a way different from the other Indo-Aryan languages because of the geographic separation from its Indo-Aryan sister languages. It was influenced by many languages, prominently Pali , the sacred language of Southern Buddhism, Telugu and Sanskrit . Many early texts in the language such as

3400-458: The Sinhalese, as a religious community, have a complex worldview as Buddhists. Due to the proximity and on some occasions similarity of certain doctrines, there are many areas where Buddhists and Hindus share religious views and practices. Sinhalese Buddhists have adopted religious elements from Hindu traditions in their religious practices. Some of these practices may relate to ancient indigenous beliefs and traditions on spirits ( folk religion ), and

3485-587: The Sinhalese, for example, show Southeast Asian genetic influences many of which are also found among certain Northeast Indian populations to whom the Sinhalese display increased genetic affinities. Sinhalese culture is a unique one dating as far back as 2600 years and has been nourished by Theravada Buddhism. Its main domains are sculpture, fine arts, literature, dancing, poetry and a wide variety of folk beliefs and rituals traditionally. Ancient Sinhala stone sculpture and inscriptions are known worldwide and

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3570-595: The South Indians and regaining control of the kingdom. Other rulers who are notable for military achievements include Gajabahu I , who launched an invasion against the invaders, and Sena II, who sent his armies to assist a Pandyan prince. During the Middle Ages Sri Lanka was well known for its agricultural prosperity under king Parakramabahu in Polonnaruwa during which period the island

3655-417: The ancient world after Great Pyramid of Giza , and Abayagiriya – third tallest brick building in the ancient world. And also with the ancient hydraulic technology which is also unique to Sinhalese people to build ancient tanks, systematic ponds with fountains moats and Irrigational reservoirs such as Parakrama Samudra , Kaudulla and Kandalama . Sigiriya which is considered by many as the eighth wonder of

3740-552: The artistic masterwork Rekava which sought to create a uniquely Sinhalese cinema with artistic integrity. Since then, Peries and other directors like Vasantha Obeysekera , Dharmasena Pathiraja , Mahagama Sekera , W. A. B. de Silva, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake , Sunil Ariyaratne , Siri Gunasinghe , G. D. L. Perera , Piyasiri Gunaratne, Titus Thotawatte , D. B. Nihalsinghe , Ranjith Lal, Dayananda Gunawardena , Mudalinayake Somaratne, Asoka Handagama , and Prasanna Vithanage have developed an artistic Sinhalese cinema. Sinhala cinema

3825-401: The basis of language or ethnicity and all Sri Lankans are classified into one group as Asian British or Asian Other. Sinhalese people speak Sinhala , also known as "Helabasa"; this language has two varieties, spoken and written. Sinhala is an Indo-Aryan language within the broader group of Indo-European languages . The early form of the language was brought to Sri Lanka by the ancestors of

3910-497: The building of reservoirs and canals was passed down from generation to generation through home training and outside craft apprenticeships. The arrival of the Portuguese and Dutch and the subsequent colonisation maintained religion as the centre of education though in certain communities under Catholic and Presbyterian hierarchy. The British in the 1800s initially followed the same course. Following 1870 however they began

3995-477: The capital to Anuradhapura and developed it into a prosperous city. Anuradhapura (Anurapura) was named after the minister who first established the village and after a grandfather of Pandukabhaya who lived there. The name was also derived from the city's establishment on the auspicious asterism called Anura. Anuradhapura was the capital of all the monarchs who ruled from the dynasty. Rulers such as Dutthagamani , Valagamba , and Dhatusena are noted for defeating

4080-720: The coastal areas. Sinhalese people, depending on where they live in Sri Lanka, may also additionally speak English and or Tamil . According to the 2012 Census 23.8% or 3,033,659 Sinhalese people also spoke English and 6.4% or 812,738 Sinhalese people also spoke Tamil. In the Negombo area bilingual fishermen who generally identify themselves as Sinhalese also speak the Negombo Tamil dialect . This dialect has undergone considerable convergence with spoken Sinhala . Folk tales like Mahadana Muttha saha Golayo and Kawate Andare continue to entertain children today. Mahadana Muttha tells

4165-562: The country came under British rule in 1815, but survived in a few families until the country regained independence. The Sinhalese have a long history of literacy and formal learning. Instruction in basic fields like writing and reading by Buddhist Monks pre-date the birth of Christ . This traditional system followed religious rule and was meant to foster Buddhist understanding. Training of officials in such skills as keeping track of revenue and other records for administrative purposes occurred under this institution. Technical education such as

4250-564: The development of all sectors in Polonnaruwa including roads , electricity , agriculture , education , health and environment. The name Polonnaruwa is of unknown origin. Its Tamil form, Pulainari , is mentioned in Tamil inscriptions of the Chola dynasty found at Polonnaruwa. The name was perhaps a contraction of its ancient name Pulastya nagara or Pulatti nakaram meaning city of

4335-409: The effectiveness. Sinhala language Sinhala ( / ˈ s ɪ n h ə l ə , ˈ s ɪ ŋ ə l ə / SIN -hə-lə, SING -ə-lə ; Sinhala: සිංහල , siṁhala , [ˈsiŋɦələ] ), sometimes called Sinhalese ( / ˌ s ɪ n ( h ) ə ˈ l iː z , ˌ s ɪ ŋ ( ɡ ) ə ˈ l iː z / SIN -(h)ə- LEEZ , SING -(g)ə- LEEZ ), is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken by

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4420-536: The existence of fields of rice and reservoirs , indicating a well-developed agrarian society . According to the Mahavamsa, Prince Vijaya and his 700 followers left Suppāraka , landed on the island at a site believed by historians to be in the district of Puttalam , south of modern-day Mannar , and founded the kingdom of Tambapanni. It is recorded that Vijaya made his landing on the day of Buddha's Parinirvana. Vijaya claimed Tambapanni as his capital and soon

4505-509: The features that may be traced to Dravidian influence are: ඒක ēka it අලුත් aḷut new කියලා kiyalā having-said මම mama I දන්නවා dannavā know ඒක අලුත් කියලා මම දන්නවා ēka aḷut kiyalā mama dannavā it new having-said I know "I know that it is new." ඒක ēka it අලුත් aḷut new ද da Q කියලා kiyalā having-said මම mama I දන්නේ Polonnaruwa The second oldest of all Sri Lanka 's kingdoms, Polonnaruwa

4590-515: The good powers of the Buddha and the gods in order to exorcise the demons. Traditionally during recreation the Sinhalese wear a sarong ( sarama in Sinhala). Men may wear a long-sleeved shirt with a sarong. Clothing varies by region for women. Low country Sinhalese women wear a white Long sleeved jacket, and a tight wrap around skirt, which usually is embedded with a floral or pattern design. As for

4675-434: The hill country while Portuguese-inspired lacework and Indonesian-inspired Batik have become notable. It has many different and beautiful drawings. Developed upon Indo-Aryan architectural skills in the late sixth century BCE Sinhalese people who lived upon greater kingdoms such as Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa have built so many architectural examples such as Ruwanwelisaya , Jetavanaramaya – second tallest brick building in

4760-601: The immensely popular children's novel Madol Duwa . Munadasa Cumaratunga's Hath Pana is also widely known. The form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka is known as Theravada (school of elders). The Pali chronicles (e.g., the Mahavansa) claim that the Sinhalese as an ethnic group are destined to preserve and protect Buddhism. In 1988 almost 93% of the Sinhala-speaking population in Sri Lanka were Buddhist. Observations of current religious beliefs and practices demonstrate that

4845-433: The influence of the Indian cooking methods and food have played a major role in what Sri Lankans eat. The island nation's cuisine mainly consists of boiled or steamed rice served with curry. This usually consists of a main curry of fish or chicken , as well as several other curries made with vegetables , lentils and even fruit curries. Side-dishes include pickles , chutneys and sambols . The most famous of these

4930-550: The island of Ceylon came under British rule . During the career of Christopher Reynolds as a Sinhalese lecturer at the School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London , he extensively researched the Sinhalese language and its pre-1815 literature. The Sri Lankan government awarded him the Sri Lanka Ranjana medal for his work. He wrote the 377-page An anthology of Sinhalese literature up to 1815 , selected by

5015-595: The island. In the 15th century a Kandyan kingdom formed which divided the Sinhalese politically into low-country and up-country. In this period, the Sinhalese caste structure absorbed recent Dravidian Hindu immigrants from South India leading to the emergence of three new Sinhalese caste groups – the Salagama , the Durava and the Karava . The Sinhalese have a stable birth rate and a population that has been growing at

5100-544: The late 1930s/early 1940s. He has been followed by artists of repute such as Sunil Shantha , W. D. Amaradeva , Premasiri Khemadasa , Nanda Malini , Victor Ratnayake , Austin Munasinghe, T. M. Jayaratne , Sanath Nandasiri , Sunil Edirisinghe , Neela Wickremasinghe, Gunadasa Kapuge , Malini Bulathsinghala and Edward Jayakody . Dramatist Ediriweera Sarachchandra revitalised the drama form with Maname in 1956. The same year, film director Lester James Peries created

5185-541: The local royal lineage. This prompted an invasion by the Aryacakravarti dynasty warlord Kalinga Magha in 1214, which saw the complete destruction of the metropolises of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa by burning. Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best-planned archaeological relic cities in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers. Its beauty

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5270-432: The midriff. The Kandyan style is considered as the national dress of Sinhalese women. In many occasions and functions, even the saree plays an important role in women's clothing and has become the de facto clothing for female office workers especially in government sector. An example of its use is the uniform of air hostesses of Sri Lankan Airlines . Sinhalese cuisine is one of the most complex cuisines of South Asia . As

5355-494: The most sophisticated and versatile works of literature in the world. The Sinhala language was mainly inspired by Sanskrit and Pali, and many words of the Sinhala language derive from these languages. Today some English words too have come in as a result of the British occupation during colonial times, and the exposure to foreign cultures through television and foreign films. Additionally many Dutch and Portuguese words can be seen in

5440-468: The need to establish Buddhist schools for educating Buddhist youth and organising Buddhists with new organisations such as the Young Men's Buddhist Association, as well as printing pamphlets to encourage people to participate in debates and religious controversies to defend Buddhism. There is a significant Sinhalese Christian community, in the maritime provinces of Sri Lanka. Christianity was brought to

5525-456: The numbers of just Sinhalese are not as accurate when the census states Sri Lankan and not Sinhalese. Though Sinhalese people in particular and Sri Lankans in general have migrated to the UK over the centuries beginning from the colonial times, the number of Sinhalese people in the UK cannot be estimated accurately due to inadequacies of census in the UK. The UK government does not record statistics on

5610-510: The original gods. Prominent Sri Lankan anthropologists Gananath Obeyesekere and Kitsiri Malalgoda used the term "Protestant Buddhism" to describe a type of Buddhism that appeared among the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka as a response to Protestant Christian missionaries and their evangelical activities during the British colonial period. This kind of Buddhism involved emulating the Protestant strategies of organising religious practices. They saw

5695-605: The tale of a fool cum Pundit who travels around the country with his followers ( Golayo ) creating mischief through his ignorance. Kawate Andare tells the tale of a witty court jester and his interactions with the royal court and his son. In the modern period, Sinhala writers such as Martin Wickremasinghe and G. B. Senanayake have drawn widespread acclaim. Other writers of repute include Mahagama Sekera and Madewela S. Ratnayake. Martin Wickramasinghe wrote

5780-771: The throne. However, Vijaya had died before the letter had reached its destination, so the elected minister of the people Upatissa , the Chief government minister and leading chief among the Sinhalese became regent and acted as regent for a year. After his coronation (in 505 BC), which was held in Tambapanni, he left it, building another city Upatissa Nuwara , named after himself, 11–13 km (7–8 miles) further north of Tambapanni. When Vijaya's letter finally arrived, Sumitta had already succeeded his father as king of his country, and so he sent his son Panduvasdeva to rule Upatissa Nuwara. In 377 BC, King Pandukabhaya (437–367 BC) moved

5865-517: The town and the main road. The largest school in the district, Polonnaruwa Royal Central College is situated in the new town. Polonnaruwa is the second largest city in North Central Province , but it is known as one of the cleanest and more beautiful cities in the country. The green environment, amazing ancient constructions, Parakrama Samudra (a huge lake built in 1200), and attractive tourist hotels and hospitable people, make it

5950-509: The up country Sinhalese, women wear a similar outfit, but with a puffed up shoulder jacket, and a tucked in frill that lines the top of the skirt (Reda and Hatte in Sinhala). Traditionally, high caste Kandyan women wear a Kandyan style sari , which is similar to the Maharashtrian sari , with the drape but with a frill lining the bottom half and sometimes puffed up sleeves. It is also called an Osariya. The low country high caste women wear

6035-502: The whole island went under this name. Tambapanni was originally inhabited and governed by Yakkhas , having their capital at Sirīsavatthu and their queen Kuveni . According to the Samyutta Commentary, Tambapanni was one hundred leagues in extent. At the end of his reign, Vijaya, having trouble choosing a successor, sent a letter to the city of his ancestors, Sinhapura , in order to invite his brother Sumitta to take over

6120-459: The world who came to Sri Lanka brought their native cuisines to the island, resulting in a rich diversity of cooking styles and techniques. Lamprais , rice boiled in stock with a special curry , accompanied by frikkadels ( meatballs ), all of which is then wrapped in a banana leaf and baked as a Dutch-influenced Sri Lankan dish. Dutch and Portuguese sweets also continue to be popular. British influences include roast beef and roast chicken . Also,

6205-440: The world, it is a combination of natural and man made fortress, which consists so many architectural aspects. There are extensive folk poems relating to specific jobs of the ancient society. These poems were communal songs which had a rhythm that were sung when performing day-to-day tasks like harvesting and sowing. Concerning popular music, Ananda Samarakoon developed the reflective and poignant Sarala gee style with his work in

6290-436: The worship of Hindu deities . Some of these figures are used in healing rituals and may be native to the island. Gods and goddess derived from Hindu deities are worshiped by Sinhalese. Kataragama Deviyo from Kartikeya , Upulvan from Vishnu and Ayyanayake from Aiyanar can be named as examples. Though these gods take the same place as their Hindu counterparts in mythology, some of their aspects are different compared to

6375-479: Was also used as a backdrop to film scenes for the Duran Duran music video Save a Prayer in 1982. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO . Near the ancient city, there is a small town with several hotels and some glossy shops, and places to fulfil day-to-day needs. There are government institutions in a newly built area called “New Town,” about 6 km away from

6460-549: Was also used as a large sea-going ship anchorage via the Mahaweli River. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign. With the exception of his immediate successor, Nissankamalla I , the other monarchs of Polonnaruwa were not as strong-willed and were prone to picking fights within their own court. They also went on to form more matrimonial alliances with stronger South Indian kingdoms until these matrimonial links superseded

6545-472: Was besieged for seven months before king Vijayabahu's forces entered the city. In 1070, Vijayabahu became the ruler of Polonnaruwa. At that time Sri Lanka was known as Thambapanni. Trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the famous grandson of King Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa, king Prakramabahu the Great, who was so adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted and each

6630-540: Was famous around the world as the rice mill of the east. Later in the 13th century the country's administrative provinces were divided into independent kingdoms and chieftaincies: kingdom of Sitawaka , kingdom of Kotte , Jaffna kingdom and the Kandyan kingdom . The invasion by the Hindu king Magha in the 13th century led to migrations by the Buddhists (mostly Sinhalese) to areas not under his control. This migration

6715-460: Was first established as a military post by the Sinhalese kingdom. And, it was renamed Jananathamangalam by the Chola dynasty after their successful invasion of the country in the 10th century. Raja Raja Chola I built Vanavan Mahadevisvaram, a Shiva temple at Polonnaruwa named after his queen, which presently is known as Siva Devale . The temple among other contained Ganesha and Parvati statues of bronze . north and central parts of Sri Lanka

6800-469: Was first established as a military post by the Sinhalese kingdom. It was renamed Jananathamangalam by the Chola dynasty after their successful invasion of the country's then capital, Anuradhapura, in the 10th century. The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site. Modern Polonnaruwa is undergoing a major development project known as the "Awakening of Polonnaruwa," championed by former President Maithripala Sirisena . It envisions

6885-454: Was followed by a period of conflict among the Sinhalese chiefs who tried to exert political supremacy. Parakramabahu VI , a Sinhalese king invaded the Jaffna kingdom and conquered it, bringing the entire country back under the Sinhalese kingdom for 17 years. Trade also increased during this period, as Sri Lanka began to trade cinnamon and a large number of Muslim traders were bought into

6970-427: Was sent along the western shore of the country to the port of Mahathittha to deal with any reinforcements arriving from South India. Afterwards, part of this army moved towards Polonnaruwa and attacked from the northwest. A second army was sent from the east across Magama to attack Polonnaruwa from the east. The third and main force advanced across the country, led by the king. Surrounded by these three armies, Polonnaruwa

7055-457: Was the son of Sinhabahu, the ruler of Sinhapura . Some versions suggest Vijaya was the grandson of Sinhabahu. According to the Mahavamsa and other historical sources , King Vijaya arrived on the island of Tambapanni (Sri Lanka) and gave rise to the Sinhalese. The story of the arrival of Prince Vijaya in Sri Lanka and the origin of the Sinhalese people is also depicted in the Ajanta caves, in

7140-586: Was to be used toward the development of the land. Hence, irrigation systems that are far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign – systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems is the Parakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama which

7225-507: Was under this period ruled under Rajendra Chola I directly as a Chola province. However, following the year 1070 AD ended the Chola rule in the island, and Polonnaruwa was captured by Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa also known as Vijayabahu the great. Starting from Mahanagakula on the south of the Walawe river , Vijayabahu dispatched three armies to attack Polonnaruwa from three fronts. One army

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