Ancient Times
The Sinhalese are believed to be people of Indo-Aryna origin, first coming to the island of Sri Lanka about 500 BC, as recorded in the Mahavamsa, with the story later continued in its sequel the Culavamsa, compiled by Buddhist monks as far back as the 6th Century A.D. The legendary founding of the father of the Sinhalese, Prince Vijaya, with 700 followers, arrived on this land at the time of the parinibbana, the passing away of Lord Buddha, which proximity of events emphasizes the country's historical role as the bulwark of Buddhist civilization. more...

Colonial Times
Lorenzo d’Almeida and his band of Portuguese arrived on the shores of Sri Lanka in 1505 to change the face of history forever. The newcomers were most interested in controlling the island’s commerce than in its territory, but the process led to an intrusion of affairs in the coastal region. more...

Modern Times
Although the country had a dominance by Sinhalese Buddhists making up nearly 67% of the population, D S Senanayake’s mature statecraft refused to mix state power and politics with religion and instead concentrated on a process of nation building and national regeneration. By the 1950s, Sri Lanka had regained some of its economic buoyancy, with tea fetching premium prices and massive redevelopment of the irrigation systems. more...