Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c11.23

c11.23

*Et-kanda-lihiniya*. This ‘elephant-seizing-bird’ is a sort of roc, carrying off and devouring its prey; (Fig. 16). It was the device on the flag of the Maha Lekam Department. Davy (‘Travels in Ceylon,’ Pl. 8) reproduces some drawings then to be seen on the walls of the Maha Dēvāle in Kandy, and amongst them is one of these monsters carrying off an elephant. It seems possible that the elephant’s head given to this bird of prey, is a corruption of the original conception. I have seen an Indian brass incense-burner, representing a bird seizing two elephants, and with a head proper to a bird of prey.