The Maha Wamsa ("greater genealogy") is one of the oldest historical chronicles in the world in that it, to gether with the companion volume "Chula Wamsa" ("lesser genealogy"), provides a continuous chronicle of the Kings of Sri Lanka from about 500 BC. to modern times.
As it often refers to the royal dynasties of India, it is a valuable text for historians who wish to date and relate contemporary royal dynasties in the Indian subcontinent. Written by Sinhala buddhist monks, and maintained as a lineage by successive generations of monks, the Maha Wamsa often reads like a "list of meritorious deeds" of the Sinhala kings who followed Buddhism. An English translation by Wilhelm Geiger is available.
The folkloric tale of Vijaya (a Bengali prince) and Kuveni, a Sri Lankan princess, puts the origin of Sinhala into a myth form very similar to that of a Greek myth.
Stone inscriptions, as well as written texts (the MahaWamsa, a history of the kings of Sri Lanka going back to almost the Buddha's time) suggest that Sinhala is a very old language.
A shrine to Alexander (Ishkander), called Kataragama, and associated sinhala folk lore, are found in the southern Sihala heartland of Sri Lanka.
The MahaWamsa ("greater genealogy") is one of the oldest historical chronicles in the world in that it, to gether with the companion volume "Chula Wamsa" ("lesser genealogy"), provides a continuous chronicle of the Kings of Sri Lanka from about 500 BC.
As it often refers to the royal dynasties of India, it is a valuable text for historians who wish to date and relate contemporary royal dynasties in the Indian subcontinent.
Written by Sinhala buddhist monks, and maintained as a lineage by successive generations of monks, the MahaWamsa often reads like a "list of meritorious deeds" of the Sinhalakings who followed Buddhism.
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