Seven kilometers southeast of Kandy’s bustling center lies Kundasale. A former town now a suburb it whispers tales of forgotten royalty. Imagine a time long past. King Vira Parakrama Narendra Sinha the last Sinhalese King of Kandy made a bold decision. In 1710 he moved his palace from Kandy to Kundasale.
He commissioned a magnificent wooden palace atop a hill in the Narikele garden. This wasn’t just any palace. It was a summer retreat a place for royal respite. Devendra a skilled builder created this ephemeral structure. It was a temporary capital a fleeting moment of glory.
Vira Parakrama Narendra Sinha was the first and last king to rule from Kundasale. His reign ended in May 1739. The British arrived in 1804. Captain Arthur Johnson led the troops. They attacked the palace. They plundered its riches. They reduced the wooden structure to ashes.
The remnants of the palace weren’t wasted. They became building blocks for the Sri Narendrasinhe Rajamaha Viharaya. Two stone elephant carvings originally guarding the Kundasale Palace’s entrance found a new home. They were part of the Mahawahalkada at Sri Dalada Maligawa. Sadly they were destroyed in a 1989 attack.
Kundasale today is a suburb a vibrant community of around 150,000 people. It retains echoes of its regal past. It blends history and modernity. It offers a glimpse into Sri Lanka’s rich tapestry. It is a testament to a king’s fleeting ambition and a town’s enduring spirit. The ghosts of the palace may be gone but Kundasale’s story lives on.