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Badulla Pillar Inscription (Sinhalese: බදුලු ටැම් ලිපිය) is a archaeological stone inscription, which is currently established at the Senarath Paranavithana Memorial Library of Badulla Sri Lanka. The inscription is engraved on a rock surface, with the height of 8 feet and 5 inches. It contains 203 lines and about 2000 of mediaeval Sinhala scripts. The Badulla inscript is considered as the largest pillar inscript found in Sri Lanka with the smallest letters.
Contents
Content
The pillar inscription belongs to the reign of King Udaya IV. It has been recorded that the trade had been practiced in a town of Hopitigama. According to the inscription, the traders and the householders of the market town of Hopitigama had submitted a petition on corruptions and bribes done by in charger of village, to the king Udaya, when he visited the Mahiyangana pagoda. After a probe the stone pillar was erected on the orders of the king, with the published rules of prohibiting these illegal activities.
Additionally the inscription reveals that those days the scales had been used for measure the grain and bulls had been used for the transportation of goods.
Location
Badulla Pillar Inscription was found in 1857 by the Mr. Jone Belli, who was the British deputy agent for Badulla on that time period. It was discovered about three miles away from the North-East of Mahiyangana pagoda and closed to the Sorabora Wewa area. Initially it was placed at the Kachcheri of Badulla, but due to the concern on its conservation the pillar inscription was finally brought to the current location, where the public library of badulla is situated.