The love story of Saliya Ashokamala.

There are many popular love stories in the history of SriLankan culture. Sāliya Ashokamālā is one of the most adorable couples found among them. Their fascinating love story is clearly elaborated in "Sāli Rāja Wasthuwa" in Sadharamalankara. 

According to the historical records, this love story has woven around the village "Thantrimale". Sāliya was the one and only son of the powerful king Dutugemunu. Ashokamala was the beautiful girl who has fallen in love with prince Sāliya. Though they were attached so much to each other their love affair was not accepted by anybody. The main reason for this was that Ashokamālā was born to a low caste family. During that period if there are any love relationships were found between low caste and high class, those couples were sentenced to death. 

King Dutugemunu strongly showed his disagreement on this affair and he banished his son from the palace. Prince Sāliya took the hand of his lover instead of the throne of the kingship.  He chose to live in Thanthrimale with Ashokamālā. Prince Sāliya is considered a hero of love due to his utmost sacrifice of him. 

Once when king Dutugemunu was travelling in Thantrimale, Ashokamālā sent him a plate of red spinach (Raththampalā) which is rich in medicinal value. When he got to know that it was sent by Ashokamālā he threw it away and the pieces of the red spinach stuck on the wall where he was. 

Once King Dutugemunu had a boil on his leg and couldn't cure it. Red spinach was needed to cure it but couldn't find it anywhere. So, the palace guardians brought the spinach stuck on the wall to cure the wound of king's leg. It worked and king recovered. Later on he got to know that he was cured by the red spinach brought by Ashokamālā. The king felt sorry about his son and his wife. Both were invited to the palace and king was happy to see his pretty daughter-in-law. He gifted her a gold necklace shape of a butterfly and send them back to Thanthrimale.

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