Ceylon & Sri Lanka Stamps Banknotes Coins, King Devanampiyatissa (1)

Collection Stamps for Sri Lanka (& Ceylon before 1972). Collectors items related to King Devanampiyatissa. King Tissa ruled Anuradhapura for forty years from 247-207 B.C. He is considered to be the first consecrated King of Sri Lanka who was also a close friend of the contemporary Indian Emperor Asoka. When Tissa sent envoys to Asoka with costly presents the Emperor in return conferred various honours on the envoys and on Tissa and sent everything that was required for the consecration of a king.

In addition, the envoys were asked to convey to Tissa that he (Asoka) had declared himself a lay disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha and that he would like Tissa himself to seek refuge in the three supreme gems. At this consecration the King took the epithet Devanampiya meaning 'beloved of the Gods' that Asoka himself used, thus becoming Devanampiyatissa.

This was a great festival day in Sri Lanka. King Devanampiyatissa who was the ruling monarch declared a festival of water-sport for the inhabitants of the city and went hunting with his attendants. He ran up to Missaka mountain, and met the Thera there.