The origin of Anuradhapura as an organized city.

The Anuradhapura city was created and developed as an organized city during the reign of king Pandukabhaya who was born to Deegagamini and Unmadhanie Chiththa. The king should be bestowed honor for his great service of building a city which came to be called Anuradhapura the reasons being the Anura Nekatha which was the chosen auspicious time to start the construction coupled with the fact that it was the residence for two important people named Anuradha. (the minister of king Vijaya and the brother of queen Baddrakachchayana. Only after having built the city that he claimed kingship establishing Swarnapali Devi as his chief consort. Therefore, the king also holds an important place being the first monarch in the history of Sri Lanka. He placed the soldiers in due positions and spared the life of king Abhaya considering the help offered by him both to Pandukabhaya and his mother and assigned him with the task of safe guarding the city. From then onwards a position called Nagara Guththika came in to being within the city. The emergence of the so-called position point to the beginning of the official positions in the city. He built many waters of which one was named Jaya Wewa for the reason that the king bathed there after obtaining victories. To the east of the city he built the Kalawelayaku Devalaya

Read More

The nature of the foreign invasions during the Anuradhapura period.

Sri Lanka has met with foreign invasions in the Anuradhapura  kingdom which either resulted in the death of the native king or causing the ruler to withdraw from the capital seeking for refuge. However, both had equally disastrous outcomes such as the instability of the kingdom and the ill-fated condition of the Buddha Sasana in the face of foreign occupations. Besides the arrival of Vijaya in Sri Lanka, which cannot be entirely assumed to be an invasion but more likely a migration as Vijaya grasped the throne thanks to the aid of the local queen Kuweni which is a feature absent in the cases of later foreign occupations. King Surathissa’s reign was marked by the invasion of the two horse traders named Sena and Guththika who were said to be pious rulers and adopted Buddhism. Sena and Guththika marked an end to the ten year rule of Surathissa. The Mahavamsa mentions them as in possession of a great power whose reign lasted for twenty-two years.

Read More

The history of the annual Dalanda Perahara in Sri Lanka.

The annual Dalanda Perahara (Esala Perahara) held in honor of the tooth relic of lord Buddha traces its origins back to the period of king kithsirimewan who was also known by the name of Kirthi Siri Meghawarna. He succeeded his father Mahasen to the Anuradhapura kingdom and can be fairly given credit to as the one who brought to light the areas kept in darkness by his father. His reign was of much significance especially due to the fact that the sacred tooth relic of the lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka during his time. To elaborate, in honor of the sacred tooth relic, an annual procession called a Dalanda Perahara had begun by the king. It is said in the Mahavamsa that in the ninth year from his advancement to the throne, a Brahmin woman brought the tooth relic of the lord Buddha to Sri Lanka from Kalingu rata and king Kithsirimevan, having it handed over to him, made offerings to it with high respect which was afterwards placed by him in a golden reliquary and installed in the house called Damsak built by king Dewanampiyatissa within Rajaramaya. By then onwards, that house was known by the name of Datadathugara. From that time, the king, by spending nine lakhs started the grand Dalanda procession. He ordered to carry the tooth relic to the Abayagiriya every once a year and to continue with such processions.

Read More

"Kalikala Sahitya Sarvagna Pandita", king Parakramabahu II of ancient Dambadeniya.

Literature and education is not something distinctive for professional artists or writers. In this regard, the well-read, king Parakramabahu II of Dambadeniya is the best affirmation, who was bestowed the honorary title of "Kalikala Sahitya Sarvagna Pandita". Inevitably, the term ‘panditha’ implies that king Parakramabahu was well learned while the term ‘sahithya’ bring in to light his inclination to literature.  He succeeded his father Vijayabahu III to Dambadeniya kingdom and was succeeded by his son Vijayabahu IV. The reign of Parakramabahu II lasted from 1234-1269AD. He is a king who was noted both to his determination to fight the Magha invaders who had captured Polonnaruwa and to his devotion to carryon processions in honor of the Sarvagna Dathu. As the Mahavamsa mentions, accompanied by great processions, the Buddha relics were brought to Jambudroni. The king’s high concern and respect for the Buddha relics, prompted him to build a mansion near his palace to house the relics so that he can worship them whenever needed. Once the king arranged a splendor procession and he placed the tooth relic in his hand and in the presence of the Sangha, performed a passive resistance. His yearning was to defeat the Tamil invader Magha who was occupied in destroying Buddha Sasana and after having overthrown the enemy, to nourish the Loka Sasana. Therefore, his priority was given to the protection of Buddha sasana which was followed by his resolution to put an end to the Magha rule.

Read More