Sri Lanka Police Mounted Division

 

History

The unit was formed in 1921 at the former premises of the Royal College Colombo in St Sabasitan Hill, Colombo. At its formation the unit was limited to British personal and consisted of eight mounted sergeants and constables, who were later promoted to sub inspector grade. Gazetted Officers were also trained in equestrian. During Royal visits mounted policemen joined in with the Ceylon Mounted Rifles in providing mounted escorts stating in 1925. With the disbandment of the Ceylon Mounted Rifles in 1931 the mounted police took on the role of providing mounted escorts on ceremonial occasions including independence celebrations in 1948. Following independence three Ceylonese was admitted to the unit for the first time.
On the morning of March 22, 1952 Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake was ridding suffered a stroke and fell (dying several hours later) from the Police mare ‘Chitra’ at the Galle Face Green, he was accompanied by Inspector Eddie Grey, who would later become the first Ceylonese head of the mounted police.[1] In 1956, the police mounted division was formed with a Sub-Inspector, two Police Sergeants and 22 Police Constables with 23 thorough bred horses imported from Australia.

Duties

Ceremonial Mounted Escorts for
Heads of states
Visiting Royals and foreign VIPs
Ambassadors and High Commissioners when presenting letter of credence
Ceremonial opening of parliament
Crowd control during;
National day celebrations
Esala Perahera
May Day
Sports events
Demonstrations (disperse unruly crowds)
Patrol
Colombo city
Beach

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Guardstones (Mura Gal)

The guardstones or "muragal" were one of an association of three aspects of sculpture that adorned the entrance to buildings in ancient times, the other two being the moonstone (Sandakada Pahana) and balustrade (Korawak Gala) .

The guardstones, which provided a support to the heavy stone balustrade, were plain in the beginning. Later they came to be sculptured with symbols significant of prosperity and protection.

The cobra was considered the guardian of water and treasure. Zoomorphic sculptures of multi headed cobras have been found at the sluices of reservoirs, and at the four corners of relic chambers enshrined in "dagabas"

The concept of protection could have arisen out of popular belief that when people die they are reincarnated as cobras to protect the treasures they had buried in their previous lives.

This idea of protection could have been incorporated in the third and final stage of development not as a zoomorphic symbol, but as an anthropomorphic one of a cobra-king or naga-raja.

The naga-raja is gracefully carved to indicate movement and poise. In one hand he holds the pot of plenty (punkalasa) and in the other a sprouting branch complete with leaves, buds and flowers.

The body is princely dressed and ornamented. Around the head is a five-hooded, seven-hooded and occasionally a nine-headed cobra hood.

This indicates that the naga-raja has taken the place of the bahirawa as a guardian of wealth and harbinger of prosperity. Sankha and Padma have been diminished to two minorfigures or gana at the feet of the naga-raja. There may be one or two gana on the guardstones.

The very best naga-raja guardstones may be seen at the Ratanaprasada in Anuradhapura and the Vatadage in Polonnaruwa. In the Polonnaruwa guardstone there are two gana and only one at the Ratanaprasada. The headdress and ornaments of the naga-raja figures have been exquisitely moulded.

In the Ratnaprasada guardstone, the arch above the figure is also profusely carved. There is a double "makara" head at the apex, and a "makara" head at each end of the base of the arch. Lions and dancing human forms spill out of the mouths of the "makara".

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