Jamhasetu type and is about 6 ft. in width (Vidanapathirana,1912). It is further combined through recent excavation that this is the same route that left towards the east and west running to the west of southern rampart of the city. Main bridge connecting the eastern highway may have been busy as there had been a constant flow of passengers wending their way towards Pacchena Tissababatavihara nestling on the southern bank of Malvatu Oya. When entering the city across Malvatu Oya there had been different routes and bridges to different shrines and temples.
Ruins of cross roads deviating from the eastern highway to reach a road by the Puliyankulama monastery had been cartographies by Hocart in 1929 (Horcart, 1929,pl ixxii).
Information could be gathered from historical chronicles from the 3rdcentury BC regarding a traditional way of decorating roads and streets during festivals. It is stated that at the festival held to celebrate the planting of Sri Mahabodhi the royal highway was covered with white sand and road side was decorated with flowers of five different colours (panchchvarna).Remains of Arahat Mahinda who passed away during the time of king Uttiya were carried in procession from Mihintale to Anuradhapura. Remains placed in a golden bier were carried along the royal highway which was decorated with flags and innumerable flowers. There had been a large congregation by the royal highway to pay homage to Arahat Mahinda (Mv.19.37-38). Till the end of Anuradhapura period it is implied that there had been a tradition of decorating streets during festivals. It is also implied that the streets were sprinkled with pirit-pan to bring solace to masses at the time of famine and plagues (Mv20.36-40).
Apart from decorating streets of Anuradhapura during festivities, there had been the tradition of decorating roads and highways even otherwise according to the slab inscription of queen Kalyanawatie (1202-1208AD) at Ruvanvalisaya compound.(dhaja, pathaka, kadale toranin veedi sarasa) These decorations consisted of flags and pandol, erected with banana trees(Paranavitana, 1944). Although the geographical location of certain roads and streets cannot be exactly identified it is further implied that there had been streets allocated for certain specific purposes.
Thus, according to Mahavamsaarea outside the western rampart had been allocated for commercial activates from the 5th century BC onwards. The streets outside were named velanda veediya (market street) Pandukabhaya settled his trading community who migrated from the West Asia in this area when there had been trading activities (Mv.10.89-90). Excavation conducted in the inner city has proved the presence of foreign traders even before the 5th century BC (Deraniyagala&Abeyratne, 2000; Silva, 2000). According to Basavakkulama rock inscription during the era of king Upatissa (368-410), the area around the western gate of the city had remained a trade centre (Paranavitana, 1960).Comparing historical and archaeological research the main road network running to all four directions of the capital had finally entered the market street which was outside the western gate. Stone bridges of different dimension found in the central city of Anuradhapura are of strong archaeological evidence to say that the streets within the city were constructed according to the constructed principles of Kautilay’s Arthasasthra. It says that certain roads were constructed according to the purpose they served.
Movement by road to significant destinations
From around 4th century AD a road network had spread over the island as a result of activities like pilgrimages to temples and contacts with the harbour. Historical events record from the time of king Pandukabhaya carry information about an overland road network connecting the city of Anuradhapura to thecoastal peripheries. After the advent of Buddhism during the reign of Devanampiyatissa Buddhism was spread throughout the country through the road network which has covered the whole island ( Sv,. 445-446)
Evidence could be found from ancient chronicles and fro