According to the tale, the king whilst in the amorous company of a courtesan, spied a bee entangled in the petals of a lotus flower, inspired he wrote two poetic lines.

When Kalidasa's dead body was taken to the funeral pyre for cremation, the grieving king unable to control his grief over the death of his beloved friend, threw himself into the burning flames and immolated himself.

The people who led the protection of the tree were merchants, police and buddhist officers on the urban council.

A procession was organised from Kotuwegoda to bring a statue of Buddha, led by Daniel Abeysuriya, a local lawyer, who was also the vice president of Sinhala Maha Sabha.

A. Siman Appuhami and K. P. Karanelis, who are the members of Bodhi Arakshaka Sabha, have committed to protect the Matara Bodhiya.