Badulla Pillar Inscription
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Badulla Pillar Inscription (Sinhala: බදුලු ටැම් ලිපිය) is an archaeological stone inscription, which is currently located at the Senarath Paranavithana Memorial Library of Badulla, Sri Lanka. The inscription is engraved on a rock surface, with the height of 2.43 m (8.0 ft) and 127 mm (5.0 in). It contains 203 lines and about 2,000 mediaeval Sinhala scripts.[1] The Badulla inscription is considered to be the largest pillar inscription, with the smallest letters, found in the country.
Close to the Sorabora Wewa
| Badulla Pillar Inscription | |
|---|---|
| |
| Material | Stone |
| Writing | Medieval Sinhala |
| Discovered | 1857 Close to the Sorabora Wewa |
| Discovered by | John Bailey[1] |
| Present location | Senarath Paranavithana Memorial Library at Badulla |
 | |
Content
The pillar inscription was created during the reign of King Udaya IV.[1][2] It was recorded that the trade had been practised in the market town of Hopitigama. According to the inscription, the traders and the householders of Hopitigama had submitted a petition outlining corruption and bribes done by the village chief, to King Udaya when he visited the Mahiyangana pagoda. After a probe, the stone pillar was erected on the orders of the king, which published the rules prohibiting these illegal activities.[3][4]
Additionally, the inscription reveals that in those days scales had been used to measure grain and bulls had been used for the transportation of goods.[5]
Location
The Badulla Pillar Inscription was found in 1857 by Jone Belli, the British deputy agent for Badulla. It was discovered about 4.8 km (3.0 mi) to the north-east of the Mahiyangana pagoda and close to the Sorabora Wewa area.[5][2] Initially it was placed at the Kachcheri in Badulla, but due to concerns about its conservation the pillar inscription was relocated to its current position at the Badulla public library.