Heiyantuduwa Raja

Heiyantuiduwa Raja

Heiyantuduwa Raja ( Sinhala හෙයියන්තුඩුවේ රාජා , † November 6, 2002 ) was a Sri Lankan elephant who was used to carry the Buddha's tooth relic in the Dalada Perahera procession. Its tusks each measured 2.3 m (7 ft 6 in) during his lifetime and were considered to be the longest tusks of an elephant in Sri Lanka .

Life

The young elephant was caught in the Kattakaduwana jungle in Hambantota District . On March 8, 1945, the bull (tusker) was publicly auctioned by the government of British Ceylon in the Kachcheri of Hambantota. William Gunasekara (Heiyantuduwa Ralahami) from Heiyantuduwa in Biyagama bought it for rupees 10,500. Heiyantuduwa Raja had been used in the Esala Perahera procession in Kandy for several years before he had the honor of carrying the tooth relic after the death of Maligawa Raja in 1989. For this he received permission from Neranjan Wijeyeratne , the then Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa . He fulfilled this task for eleven years, up to the year 2000. Only a few elephants received this honor. Heiyantuduwa Raja was the main shrine with Buddha - relics also in the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara Duruthu Perahera -Prozession, the Bellanwila Perahera -Prozession and Gangaramya Navam Perahera -Prozession addition to the Sri Dalada -Reliquiar. Heiyantuduwa Raja died on November 6, 2002; it is believed that he was 78 years old at the time of his death.

Heiyantuduwa Raja's skeleton in the National Museum of Colombo

owner

Henry Gunasekara, the last owner of Heiyantuduwa Raja

William Gunasekara was a wealthy landowner who already owned 14 elephants at the time. He was later given the nickname Heiyantuduwa Ralahami . His youngest son Henry Gunasekara from Kandy inherited the elephant from him.

National heritage

After the elephant died, Henry Gunasekara received an offer of $ 120,000 from a Japanese company. However, he gave the skeleton to the Government of Sri Lanka in recognition of his contributions to the cultural heritage. The skeleton was prepared and has been on display at the National Museum of Colombo since January 29, 2013 .

See also

• Millangoda Raja
• Nadungamuwa Raja
• Kandula (elephant)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Heiyanthuduwe Raja's tusks, skeleton preserved .
2. ↑ sinhala news ( Memento of the original from March 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .  
3. ↑ sinhala news. ( Memento of the original from February 1, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
4. ↑ sinhala news ( memento of the original from February 1, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .  
5. ↑ landakeepa (sinhala)
6. ↑ sinhala news ( Memento of the original from March 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
7. ↑ Heiyantuduwa Raja's Skeleton Opening Ceremony to public display at National Museum, Colombo Sri Lanka .