ABSTRACT
The port of Colombo has been a popular destination for several centuries. A typical proverb surrounding it concerning the beginning of colonial rule in Sri Lanka (formerly referred to as Ceylon by colonial historians) is “Parangiya Kotte giya wage” or “As the Parangi went to Kotte.” Simpler English versions of the lore available for children and young readers also translate the same as “How the Portuguese went to Kotte,” as the word “Parangi” signifies the Portuguese, and the proverb follows a popular story which explains the very first visit of the Portuguese merchants and sailors who wanted to visit the monarch of the kingdom of Kotte and the incidents concerning this visit.
