WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka
There can be little doubt that the ancient Sinhalese indulged in some form of sport or other. Hunting and horse-racing, favourite pastimes of the ancient Indo-Aryans would have also found favour in Sri Lanka following the great Aryan invasion of the island around the 5th century BC.
As P.E.P. Deraniyagala (Some Sinhala Combative, Field and Aquatic Sports and Games, 1959) notes `Sri Lanka... received the vanguard of the Aryan invasion down India, who superimposed their North Indian sports upon the semi-religious practices of the aboriginals.'
Read more on Sri Lankan Customs, Rituals & Traditions in: