Folklore
Folklore is unwritten literature concerning myths, fairy tales, traditional beliefs, fables, and cultural practises among peoples that is passed down between generations through telling stories aloud to one another. Folklore is often vocally transmitted from generation to generation.
Sri Lanka is a nation with extensive historical records, a flourishing civilisation, and a vibrant culture that extends back thousands of years. It so had access to both excellent oral and written literature. This historical significance has been illustrated in several of Sri Lanka’s folktales. Some Sri Lankan folktales that are popular may be found below.
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Maha Sona (The Demon / Ritigala Jayasena)
Maha Sona is a terrifying demon in Sinhalese legend, the most powerful demon second to none, who is said to haunt the afterlife, particularly graveyards surrounded by human corpses, enormous rocks and hills, and junctions where three roads intersect. The demon kills its human prey by squeezing their shoulders and inflicting ailments on them. When challenged alone at night or dusk, he usually murders victims and leaves his mark of a hand imprinted on the skin of the body. He is also capable of possessing humans. Exorcism rites are done by Kattadiya (exorcist specialist) in such instances to repel the demon.
Ritigala Jayasena, also known as Maha Sona, is a human warrior giant who served in King Dutugemunu’s army as one of the ten great Giants. After the triumph over the invading King Elara and King Dutugemunu, there was a celebration. This event was also attended by ten Great Giants and their families.
In a drunken haze, Jayasena insulted another brave warrior’s gorgeous wife. Gotaimbara challenges him to a fight and sets a day and time for the battle at an open graveyard. The combat began with a magnificent ceremony on the planned day. They battled each other, displaying their might. Gotaimbara decapitates Jayasena with a single flying kick to the skull. This is how Maha Sona came into being.
Queen Vihara Maha Devi
Kelaniya was governed by a King called Kalantissa. According to folklore, King Kalantissa killed a monk’s high priest and dumped his body into the sea. This heinous act enraged the sea gods, who cast great spells causing the ocean to pour in and drown the land. People were terrified and sought assistance from the King. Astrologers advised him to offer his most beautiful daughter Devi to the sea. It was the only option for saving the land.
Princess Devi was sacrificed to the sea on a Golden Boat. The sea became calm all of a sudden. The boat headed south toward Kirinda. The people of Kirinda noticed the boat and told King Kawantissa. He went to see this lovely seaside lady. He brought Devi to his palace. He eventually fell in love with her, and she became his queen, and they lived happily ever after.
Andare (the Royal Comedian)
There was a jester called Andare in a palace in ancient times. Andare’s job was to deliver hilarious stories to keep the monarch entertained. During that time, there was a paddy field competition to choose the best farmer. One day, a farmer came to the palace to speak with the King and inform him about a difficulty he was having. He couldn’t cultivate paddy for the occasion since there was a large stone in the centre of his paddy field. The men were ordered to remove it by the King. Nobody could get it moving. But Andare consented to remove it under certain conditions. He requested to live as affluent and healthy as a King for one month. Thus the king approved his request and provided him with the lavish lifestyle he desired for one month.
After one month, a large crowd came to see his incredible achievement. While everyone was watching, he requested the King’s four strong men to lift the stone and place it on his back so he could piggyback it to another area. The king then demands, “You promised to move the stone! and why aren’t you doing it yourself? “Andare said, “indeed, your highness, I promised to move the stone, and I would happily do it provided someone lifts the stone and places it on my back.” Everyone laughs, but the king is irritated by his infamous deed but forgives him because he did not contradict what he said earlier.
Sinhabahu
Long ago in India, the King of Vanga had a lovely daughter who fortunetellers said would be kidnapped by a lion. A lion ambushed and grabbed the princess one day as she was travelling in a carriage near Lala country, carrying her to a cave that he closed with a massive boulder. Years passed, and all efforts to locate the princess were futile. She ultimately accepted her life with the Lion and gave birth to twins, a male, Sinhabahu, who had hands that resembled lion paws, and a girl, Sinhasivali, a few years later.
Sinhabahu questioned his mother why they were confined in the cave like captives as they got older, and his mother told him what had occurred to her so many years before. Sinhabahu, saddened by her destiny, was resolved to shatter the cave door. When the Lion went out to hunt one day, Sinhabahu moved away the rock and fled with his mother and sister. The homecoming of the long-lost princess delighted the King of Lala kingdom. When the Lion returned, he was angry to see that his family had gone away and set out to hunt them, ravaging towns and frightening the people of Lala along the way. The King of Lala land requested that Sinhabahu halt the Lion. The encounter did not go well, as Sinhabahu accidently killed his own father by piercing his heart with a bow.
The King of Lala nation erected a city for Sinhabahu, called it Sinhapura, and anointed him King of the city in recognition of his noble feat. Sinhabahu later married and had a son called Vijaya. Prince Vijaya was a naughty young guy who hung out with the wrong crowd. People frequently complained to Sinhabahu about his son’s behaviour and the problems he caused them, forcing Sinhabahu to expel Prince Vijaya from Sinhapura. The Prince and 700 of his companions were given a ship and told to go. They arrived at Sri Lanka after sailing for several days.
When Prince Vijaya arrived on the island of Lanka, he encountered a female demon named Kuveni, with whom he made friends after a rocky start. Later, Prince Vijaya and Kuveni married and had a son and a daughter. Years later, with the assistance of Kuveni, Prince Vijaya was able to vanquish all of the demons in the nation. He became King of Lanka, gave up his early carefree life, became exceedingly serious, and justly controlled the land.
