By Haris de SilvaSamanalakanda, rising to 2243m or 7362’ is in the Ratnapura District of the Sabaragamuva Province. Perhaps, there is no other mountain in the world, as famous as Sripada, and so extensively referred to, down the ages, in various literatures, as Adam’s Peak.
Traditional belief among Sinhala Buddhists is that the peak holds the footprint of Gautama Buddha. However, various other religious groups too lay claim to it according to their own creeds. Thus, Fa-Hien (413 AD) mentions it to be of Foe, Gnostics of Ieu, Mohammedians [in Soleyman 851 AD] of Adam, Rajatarangini, a work of about 1150 AD, says that about 24 AD a king of Kashmir visited the mountain, Portuguese in the 16th century had believed that it was of St. Thomas or of the Eunuch of Candace, Queen of Ethiopia. (Tennent’s Ceylon (1859, 1977, Vol.II, p.652), and the Hindus believe that it is of Siva. As seen above, these believers had discovered the religious significance of the footprint at different times in history.
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Tennent also said it was the Portuguese who first called it Adam’s Peak, but according to Davy’s Ceylon (1821) it was Moormen who first called it Adam’s Peak.
Since Samanalakanda is a mountain in Sri Lanka, the Buddhists had been the earliest to associate it with religious importance. The traditional history of the country as recorded in the Mahavamsa (Mhv (6TH C. AD), has it that during the third visit of the Buddha’s visit to the island he ‘had left traces of his footsteps plain to sight on Sumanakuta’ (Mhv. I.77-78 Geiger’s translation) It is interesting to note that Geiger’s translation, quoted above, says ‘footsteps’ and not ‘left footstep’ as is generally believed. I have got Geiger’s own Pali edition checked by a Pali scholar to see that Geiger had faulted in saying ‘footsteps’ for the word ‘padam’ is said to be in the singular, and hence the translation should have been ‘footstep’.
Since that tradition is not found in the earlier chronicle the Dipavamsa (4th c. AD), it is reasonable, as C W Nicholas had imputed (JRAS(CB) 1959, p.125), to assign the tradition recorded in the Mhv to a period between the 4th c. AD and the 6th c. AD.
The island had officially embraced Buddhism in the 3rd c. BC, during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC) i.e. almost 9 centuries earlier than the compilation of the Mhv. That significant event had happened when Mahinda Thera, the son of Emperor Asoka of India, had arrived in the Island, and preached the dhamma to the king. With the king embracing Buddhism (Mhv. XIV.23) the country had officially become a Buddhist country.
Although the second reference to the footprint of the Buddha on the Samantakuta is in Cap. 60.64 of the Culavamsa (Cv), i.e. the continuation of the Mhv, during the reign of Vijayabahu I (11th c.) the fame of the mountain as a place of religious significance had spread far and wide much before the 11th century.
Incidentally, on an inquiry from the Sinhala Encylopaedia Office on the antiquity of the popular stanza, ‘Mahiyanganam, Nagadeepam. Kalyanan, Pada Laanchanam’. etc. I was informed by Prof. K N O Dharmadasa, Chief Editor of the Sinhala Encyclopaedia, that it could be dated to around the 18th century.
The list of references to the footprint, given here above, are perhaps some of the earliest available in print, on the religious significance of the mountain, arising out of the footprint. In that list, the earliest foreign reference is that of Fa-hien.
As noted earlier, it is the Cv which refers to kings who had visited Samantakuta or Sumanakuta. In that chronicle the given references are as follows:
Vijayabahu I (1055/1070-1110) granted Gilimalaya [on the Ratnapura route] built ambalams (resting places) pass Kadaligama [Kehelgamuva, north route] and also on the route from Huva [Uva] and granted villages for their maintenance for the benefit of the pilgrims. (Cv.60.64-67)
Additionally, according to his Ambagamuva inscription, he had provided various adornments to the sacred footprint, he had enclosed the first terrace with a great wall with two gateways at the [entry/exit of the] two roads, provided a lower terrace for the low-caste people to worship, instituted the maintenance of repairs, offerings, paintings lighting of lamps on the Peak, suitable food for monks, and along the road from Rajarata established almonries at each of the last five gows (gauvas). [see infra the list of villages given]
Parkramabahu I (1153-1186), visited Samanhela, and caused a Temple to be erected there (Rajavaliya (probably 18th c.; Cv. has no mention of it)
Nissankamalla (1187-1196) went to Samantakuta and performed devotions (Cv
80.24-25)
Parakramabahu II (1211-1214) visited the Sumanakuta, and granted land 10
gavutas (c.20 miles) around it for the benefit of the pilgrims (Cv.85.118-125).
Entrusted Minister Devapatiraja to make the way to Samantakuta easier: he [the latter] built bridges on the way from Gampola at Kanamedirioya, at Ulapane, and an ambalama (resting-place) at Ambagamuva; placed stepping-stones, cleared the way of jungle, installed the image of Saman at the summit, erected a mandapa for the sacred footprint and fastened it with chains to iron pillars, and a wall was built around it (Cv. 86.18-36, + inscriptionViravikkama (1542 ?) visited the Peak, poured oil to the lamp and provided the way with 780 stone steps to make the ascent easier. (Cv 92.17-19)
Rajasimha I (Sitavaka) (1581-1593) "…. he adopted a false faith. He placed miscreant ascetics of false faith on the Sumanakuta to take for themselves all the profit accruing therefrom" (Cv 93. 12-13)
Vimaladharmasurya II (1687-1707) ascended the mountain, stayed there for 7 days and had offered an umbrella of silver to protect the footprint. (Cv. 97.17-18)
Kirti Sri Rajasimha (1747-1782) " He commanded the adherents of the false faith from now onwards not to do so, [vide supra 93.12-13] and charged the sons of the Buddha to carry out in the right way the many sacrificial ceremonies which should be performed there. He dedicated the flourishing, populous, large village named Kuttapitiya to the sacred footprint and to shield it from the heat of the sun, he erected above it a mandapa with curtains, adorned with an umbrella on the point, fastened it with iron chains and accumulated much good by the celebration of sacrificial ceremonies. But the income accruing there from he assigned to the order"
(Cv 100.224-227)
According to the Kuttapitiya Sannasa the King had granted the village Kuttapitiya to Saranankara Sangha Raja Thero and his pupilary succession for the maintenance of the Sacred footprint at Sumanakuta. (A computer printout of the Kuttapitiya Sannasa is available at the National Archives, Colombo.)
All the above noted references in the chronicle, apart from the reference to the Buddha’s visit, start from the medieval period. Could it be a pointer to the fact that the mountain/footprint had attracted pilgrims only from that era? However, the fact that Vijayabahu I (1070-1110) had made the way to the Peak easier for the pilgrims, ‘so that they might not become weary’ (Cv.60.65) shows that by that time visits to the Peak, had become a common feature, although we find no reference as to
when such had started. But, Fa-Hien’s reference to the footprint shows that even by then it was a well known and significant place to visit.
A work called Saman Sirita, said to have been composed between the end of the Dambadeniya period (13th c.) and the beginning of Kotte period (15th c.), mentions a tradition that the image of God Saman [see supra Parakramabahu II] was brought from Sripada to the Saman Vehera in Ratnapura. There, it describes the route taken by the perahera (procession) bringing the image from the Maluva (the Peak), passing Kinidama, Diklena, Sitagangula, Maragalpota, Diyabedme, Niliyahela, Dodambevila, Palabaddala, Batapola, Gilimalaya, Malvala, Ratmala ella, Godigamuva, Ratnapura, Galkaduva, Saparagomuva and to Saparagomu Vehera.
[In the given list both Ratnapura and Saparagomuva are villages that had been granted to the Saman Devale, and not the Town or Province as they are known today.] (Deva Puranaya: Saman Devindu haa Saman Devola, Madalagama Vajirabuddhi Himi, 2007, p.147 + Saman Sirita pp.277-313.)
During the early period (3rd c. BC – 10th c. AD) Anuradhapura was the place to visit for religious purposes and sight seeing. There was the kings’ palace, the Sacred Bo-tree, the Tooth Relic temple, the magnificent dagabas, scores of temples, pirivenas, and parks, and the magnificence of a cosmopolitan city, to be seen and admired.
After the Cola invasion in 992 AD and the destruction of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruva became their capital (c.992-1070). After Vijayabahu I got rid of the Colas, he too made it his capital. From there, the capital started migrating, first to Dambadeniya (1232-1273) and later to other locations, none of which haqd/have any attractions when compared with Anuradhapura or Polonnaruva.
In any case, in the minds of the Buddhist population, Anuradhapura had always been the supreme city, even when it was in ruins, because it was the place where the sacred Bo-tree was/is, and hence, had continued to draw the pious Buddhist pilgrims right through the ages.
Thus, could it have been the fall of Anuradhapura and its encroachment by the jungle that made Samantakuta a popular place of Buddhist worship? Further, its difficult ascent after a dangerous walk through the wilderness would have also caused in the minds of men the acquisition of greater merit due to the difficult ascent with great danger. Ibn Batuta, the 14th c. traveler, had referred to this notion that those who go on the Baba track, which is difficult to ascend is considered worthier, than those who go on the Mama track which is easier. Ibn Batuta himself had taken the Baba track to go up to the Peak and had come down on the Mama track.
Further, unless the cleared way(s) from around the 11th century, referred to in the chronicle, had been regularly maintained it/they would have soon been overtaken by the jungle, leaving only the beaten-tracks, the narrow pathways, and the steps provided later, to be discovered and trudged by the pious and the faithful.
Still, it should not be forgotten, that even visiting Anuradhapura, from about the 13th century, up to almost the last decades of the 19th century, mainly to attend to the Bo-tree, was a journey undertaken only by persons with great piety and stout hearts, because getting there from whatever part of the country, was equally dangerous as visiting the Peak, although there were no mountains to climb.
Udaya Amitiyagoda Bandara (UAB), in his publication Saparagamuve Vamsa Kathava (Sinhala, 2004) gives in page 9, an interesting list of observations on the measurements of the foot-print made by various visitors since the 10th c. Unfortunately, he does not provide his sources. He had mentioned, Maojutuva, (Chinese) (10th c.) length 7’; Don Marignolli (Dutch)(1290) [Florentine] 2 ½ hands; Ibn Batuta (1347) [Moor] 5 ½’; Sir John Mandeville (14th c.) [English] 8’ [Tennent quotes Cooley to say that he was the author of most unblushing lies.
Vol II, p.596 Muhuvan (Chinese) (15th c.) 2’; Robert Knox (16th c.) [17th c.] [English] 2’; perhaps Knox is putting down what he heard, for he does not mention ascending the Peak] Marshall (German) (1819) 5 ½’; Tennent (1829) 2’; [ The ‘length’ of the footprint attributed by UAB to Tennent is incorrect. The date ‘1829’ may be a typological error for 1859] [What is given within square brackets are my observations]
Tennent ( says "the indentation of the rock is a natural hollow artificially enlarged, exhibiting the rude outline of a foot about five feet long and of proportionate breadth …" (p.658, 1977 Edition, Tisara Prakasakayo)
It is unlikely that the early foreign visitors had gone up the mountain to make scientific observations. All of them would have visited the Peak because of its fame, arising from its religious significance, according to their own beliefs.
The way to the Peak The earliest detailed references are provided in the Cv.Thus, Cv 60.64-67, states that Vijayabahu I (1055/1070-1110) gave the village called Gilimalaya to benefit the pilgrims, and had rests built on the road past Kadaligama (Kehelgamuva) and granted villages on the path from the province of Huva (Uva). The references to Gilimalaya, Kehelgamuva and Uva apparently refer to the three routes to the Peak.
Additionally, his Ambagamuva rock inscription (Epigraphia Zeylanica II , pp 212-218)
says he dedicated villages at Kehelgamuva , Tiniyagal, Soratota , Liyavala, forest
of Badulla, Udu-ho (upper stream) Makulumula, Ambagamuva, Valigampola and Ulapane for the benefit of pilgrims.
Right through the centuries, something which had surprised the visitors had been
the iron ladder and the iron chains that had been there to assist those going up to the summit. So incredulous had been the visitors that some had credited them to Adam himself(!) and some to Alexander the Great (!); the latter had come up to northwest India in 325 BC, and from there had come down the river Indus, and gone to Susain 324 BC. He had never visited this Island Our sources do not mention who provided the ladder and the chains, although as seen above kings from Vijayabahu I onwards had improved the way, provided resting places and had constructed a mandapa and other appurtenances at the summit.In fact, as seen above, Minister Devapatiraja of Parakramabahu II, had the mandapa fastened with iron chains, apparently to ensure that it did not get blown off by strong winds. Although it is the first time that the use of iron at the Peak is mentioned, there is no reference to the ladder and the chains. I recall reading in The Island, of some time back, Tissa Devendra referring to inscriptions on the links of the iron chains. Perhaps, as usual, that clue may not have been still pursued by anyone!
The earliest foreign traveler who mentioned the ladder and the chains on the way to the Peak is seen to be Ibn Batuta (1347 AD), although there are many others who had gone there before him. Ibn Batuta’s information comes after the improvements
done by Minister Devapatiraja of Parakramabahu II (13th c.); thus could the ladder and the chains belong to that era? Although UAB mentions Maojutuva 10th c. and Don Marignolli [1349] who had mentioned the length of the footprint, there seems to be no mention of the ladder and the chains. [In any case I have not seen the writings of those visitors]
Modern times
April 27, 1815: Lt. Malcolm
According to an article of Lt Malcolm published in the Asiatic Journal, Vol I, 1816, pp.442-443, he had set off from Batugedara, with one Serjeant and four Malay soldiers, and reached the Peak on the 27th April, 1815.
He had given the area of the summit as 74 x 24 ft, the height of the wall to be 5 ft, and the footprint, a "superficial hollow 5 ft. 3 ¾ in long and between 2 ft 7 in. and 2 ft 5 in wide." [A copy of the Asiatic Journal is available at the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka]
April 19, 1817: Davy
On 15/4/1817 Davy had set off from Colombo with William Granville and Mr Moon. Up to Panadura they had gone on gigs, and from there to Ratnapura on palanqueens carried by people; from there to Palabatula [Palabatgala] on chairs, at which place he says there was a vihara and two ambalams. From Palabatgala they had continued the ascent on foot. Of the summit and of the footprint he provides the same measurements as given by Lt. Malcolm.
He has provided a very interesting account of the trip, the difficulties of getting there, getting drenched on the way up, climbing to the Peak with the aid of chains, but has no mention of the ladder, what the pilgrims, all Sinhalese villagers, who had come there in the early hours of the morning did, such as performing religious observances, greeting the elders by the young, and refers to their absolute devotion. He also mentions that coming down had been more difficult than going up, getting drenched once again, and finally coming to Colombo.
1841
Lt. de Butts in his Ceylon says that the human foot step is 5 ½ ft in length and 30 in. in average breadth
1859
Emerson Tennent: Some of his observations have already been noted here above.
He also provides an interesting account of the route. His reference to the date of Lt. Malcolm’s visit as 27th April, 1827. (Ceylon, Vol.2, p.659) is seen to be wrong, vide the information from the Asiatic Journal article noted here above
Some entries in the Diaries of Government Agents During the colonial era Adam’s Peak and its environments came under the jurisdiction of the Government Agent at Ratnapura. Accordingly, some of the GAA had visited the Peak and had made observations in their official Diaries. The following are some observations which had been extracted from those Diaries by a GA [L.B. Abeyratne] who served there during the period 1958/9-1961.
1867
HSO Russel noted there is a bungalow at Diyabetme built during the
time of Turner, where the tiled roof had been un-roofed for repairs but never
roofed again. [Such neglect of public buildings had not been only during the post-colonial era!] Cave in his description of Adam’s Peak (1895) refers to the
dilapidated bungalow.
1886: H W Wace
17-19/3/1886 had gone from Ratnapura, crossed the Kaluganga at Illukwatta, proceeded to Gilimale, then cross Atureliya ganga and Maskeliys ganga, where
he observes that the edanda’s are ruined, and then to Palebadala. He observes a bazaar there and a dagaba at the place; then crossed the Kaluganga to Niliella (Liyanhella), from where the ascent begins; refers to bazaars and Ambalams at Niliella; then to Sitagangula, Heramitipana -3 miles from the Peak- where there is a large ambalama, like a cattle –gala, then Bena Samanala (False Peak), whereat pilgrims from Eratne joins, then Andiyamala tenna, and then to the Ihala Maluva, He had started from Gilimale at 5.45 p.m, and reached the Peak the next day at 1.00 a.m.
1907
R B Hellings noted that pilgrims from Kegalle and the Western province takes the Carney route – a wretched way thro abandoned tea estates, and that about 20,000 pilgrims make their way annually.
1912
E B Alexander noted that at the vihara at Palabaddala, there is an old copper sheet with Buddha’s footprint on it finely wrought. It once had 52 flowers in silver and talc. But only 23 remain, rest having been stolen. [!]
1914
R N Thaine
Eratne route: Eratne thro abandoned tea estates, jungle, continuous ascent for
about 5 hrs, winding track barely 2’ wide to Tuntota, then to Medahinna, where there is a iron frame ambalama, and then to Heramitipana; notes there are only occasional pilgrims.
He had noted ambalams, boutiques etc at Palabaddala, and says is the first halting place before the ascent begins. He also says at Lihiniyahela there is a pipe-water service recently laid.
Also says that the Ratnapura route is too exhausting, and refers to rails and chains before Andiyamalatenne, and to a small ambalama at Ehelakanuva
1929
C H Collins recorded that a Mr Jayasooriya of Kuruvita has an ambalam at Ehelakanuva, and is collecting money to construct concrete steps to the top. He also says the name Andiyamalatenne refers to a place where a Hindu heretic placed by Rajasimha of Sitavaka, had died.
William Skeen’s Adam’ss Peak (1870) is a fairly substantial work on Adam’s Peak In it he gives a detailed description (pp.130-246) of the route from Ratnapura to the Peak, and the way back. Since he has had official backing for his visit, he gives an interesting account of the hospitality he had from a Mudaliyar, and who had also provided him with chairs and bearers to carry him to such place as could be done. [Such facilities had also been provided earlier to Lt Malcolm and Davy] Of course, they were comforts available to persons recognized by the colonial government!
In it he also says at p.115, there was another jungle route to the Peak from Puswella, a place pass Avissawella.The season to visit Sripada commences, as would have been for centuries, on Unduvap Full Moon day i.e Dcember and concludes Vesak Full Moon day i.e. April/May next year. Today’s popular route is via Hatton-Maskeliya to Dalhousie Bazaar, i.e. near Nallatanniya, as it is motorable up to Dalhousie. However, the more adventurous still take the Ratnapura-Kuruvita route, although still infested with leeches, involves a longer walk, but having the benefit of experiencing the difficulties and pleasures of trudging a historic first route.
In more recent times Sir John Kotelawala provided electricity to the Peak, in fulfilling a vow he had taken on 2nd November 1947, that he will light-up Sripada, if no impediments came in the way of progress in the Laxapana hydro-electric scheme which he had inaugurated. Thus, when one stage in the scheme was completed the way and the Peak had been lit up on the 4th of March 1950. (Sri-Pada (Adam’s Peak) by John M Senaveratna, !950)In still more recent times the 4th Sri Lanka Engineering Regiment, since 2004, had provided many thousands of steps on the way to the Peak, making the climb still more easier.
On reaching the summit, the pilgrims/visitors, in keeping with tradition, still ring the bell in the bell-tower, according to the number of times he/she had visited the Peak.
Through the ages, visitors to the Peak had also been enthralled by the amazing view had from the Peak at sun-rise, ira-sevaya, when the shadow of the Peak is thrown across the surrounding country below it. That wonderful view provides a vista up to the western coast line and the horizon beyond it. Those sights have been graphically described in many publications.
To conclude, what ever the religious historicity of the Footprint may be, as is common to many religious places of worship the world over, it is still the desire of every Sri Lankan Buddhist to have worshipped the pada lanchana or the sacred Footprint of the Buddha at Samanalakanda at least once in one’s life time. With the progress of civilization, the way to the Peak has become easier, and no longer poses any danger or difficulty. But what the pious pilgrims of centuries back would have experienced, enjoyed and would have related to their kith and kin, and had been transmitted by word of mouth to generations, is not something the modern pilgrim or visitor will be able to experience. Advances in civilization also denies some inexplicable pleasures and experiences of yore. Whatever that may be visits to Sripada will continue for centuries to come.
The Island
