While serving in the Health Department in Kandy, I collected a few legends about Kandy.
The Portuguese, the Dutch and the British suffered quite a few defeats at the hands of the soldiers of the Kandyan Kingdom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandyan_Wars
After surrender of Kandy by a few nobles, the British took to using psychological warfare to cow the native population.
Legends had it that Kandy could never be controlled till three things were accomplished.
1. The Mahaweli Ganga had to have a bridge built across.
Up to that time the crossing was done at ‘Gannoruwa’ – (Ganing’ –bring, ‘Oruwa’ – boat, became ‘Gannoruwa’) by boat.
A satin-wood bridge was built by the British across the Mahaweli Ganga at Peradeniya.
The Portuguese, the Dutch and the British suffered quite a few defeats at the hands of the soldiers of the Kandyan Kingdom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandyan_Wars
After surrender of Kandy by a few nobles, the British took to using psychological warfare to cow the native population.
Legends had it that Kandy could never be controlled till three things were accomplished.
1. The Mahaweli Ganga had to have a bridge built across.
Up to that time the crossing was done at ‘Gannoruwa’ – (Ganing’ –bring, ‘Oruwa’ – boat, became ‘Gannoruwa’) by boat.
A satin-wood bridge was built by the British across the Mahaweli Ganga at Peradeniya.
2. A tunnel had to be dug through a mountain.
This was done by blasting through granite at Anniewaththe. The tunnel is still in use.
3. Possesion of the Sacred Tooth of Lord Buddha.
The British knowing the political importance of the Relic captured it and the effect of the capture was recorded by a British physician John Davy who was here at the time' He says : "When the relic was taken the effect of its capture was astonishing ... for they who possess the relic have a right to govern four kingdoms ; this, for 2,000 years, is the first time the relic was ever taken from us".26 In Kandy in the year 1828 there were the great rains immediately after the sacred Tooth Relic was ..
https://books.google.lk/books…
This was done by blasting through granite at Anniewaththe. The tunnel is still in use.
3. Possesion of the Sacred Tooth of Lord Buddha.
The British knowing the political importance of the Relic captured it and the effect of the capture was recorded by a British physician John Davy who was here at the time' He says : "When the relic was taken the effect of its capture was astonishing ... for they who possess the relic have a right to govern four kingdoms ; this, for 2,000 years, is the first time the relic was ever taken from us".26 In Kandy in the year 1828 there were the great rains immediately after the sacred Tooth Relic was ..
https://books.google.lk/books…
Date Original 1894
Photographer/Artist: Jackson, William Henry, 1843-1942
Photographer/Artist: Jackson, William Henry, 1843-1942
