Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c22.151

c22.151

A similar *kurulu padakkama* is amongst the beautiful jewels dedicated to the tooth-relic, and kept at the Daḷadā Māligāva, hung upon the outer casket. A story connects this jewel with the father of Piḷima Talāva: Piḷima Talāva in 1815 stated that “In the reign of Kirti Śrī, my father Kapuvatte, Disāva of Saffragam, went as ambassador to Batavia, and received as presents a gold chain and a diamond ring. He died on the passage, and before his death desired that the ornaments might be presented to the king. I myself, then eleven years of age, presented them, and the king observed: ‘I bore great love to the Disāva; that merit may attend him, this diamond shall be set in the forehead of the bird which is now being made for dedication to the Daḷadā Māligāva.’”* This, or a similar