The genre began appearing in newspapers during the mid-19th century, with one of the first known creative pieces published in the Lakminipahana in 1866. The first official collection of Sinhala short stories is widely considered to be Vahallu by Martin Wickramasinghe. Master Writers and Iconic Works
The term translates directly to "short stories." However, in the Sri Lankan context, the term carries a dual meaning. sinhala keti katha