Sin: සිංහරාජ siṁharāja
‘Lion King’ SBP, SP, Sri Lanka
From Sin: sinha, ‘lion’; and raja, ‘king’.
The Mahavamsa tells the story of the origins of the Sinhalese people from the union of a lion and a princess. Their grandson, Prince Vijaya, founded a new kingdom in Sri Lanka after being exiled.
It is likely that this is the origin of the name of this forest rather than the Disney film which has more biblical and Shakespearean influences.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is Sri Lanka’s last primary tropical rainforest covering a narrow strip of nearly 90 sq km with ridges, valleys and streams . It is home to a wide range of native and rare trees, birds and mammals.
