Six Chola Rulers of Anuradhapura [433-459 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Mittasena [432-433 CE]	Chola Invaders [433-459 CE]	King Dhathusena [459-477 CE]
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

Dravidian Pandu [433-438]

Pandu, the leader of the Chola invading force, was responsible for the death of King Mittasena. After Pandu seized control of Anuradhapura, most of the royals and nobles fled the city to Rohana in the south.

During this time, Pandu learned about a boy of royal blood named Dhatusena, who had become a Buddhist monk at Gonisada Viharaya in the capital. Fearing that Dhatusena might challenge his rule, Pandu ordered his arrest. However, the head priest of the temple, who was Dhatusena’s uncle, received word of this plan before the soldiers arrived. He quickly fled with Dhatusena to Rohana, crossing the Gona River to join their family, who owned extensive lands in the region.

Earlier, during the reign of King Subha (59–65 CE)—a gatekeeper who became king—an order was issued to execute all individuals with royal blood to eliminate potential rivals. As a result, many royal families scattered across the island to escape Subha‘s purge. Dhatusena‘s family, part of the Moriya Clan from Nandigama, was one such group that fled to Rohana.

Dhatusena’s father, Dhatanama, had two sons—Dhatusena and Silatissabodhi. Dhatanama‘s brother-in-law (wife’s brother) was a priest at a temple built by Dighasanda. According to Mahavamsa, Dighasanda was a senadhipathi (general) of King Devanampiya Tissa, who had constructed a pirivena in the Maha Vihara monastery at Anuradhapura. Following in his maternal uncle’s footsteps, Dhatusena also became a Buddhist monk and lived in the same temple as his uncle.

When Dhatusena arrived in Rohana, the local populace, recognizing his leadership and royal lineage, hailed him as their king. They saw in him a capable leader who could liberate the country from foreign Chola domination.

Pandu, meanwhile, ruled for five years in Anuradhapura before dying, after which his son Parinda succeeded him.

Dravidian Parinda [438-441]

After the death of his father Pandu, Parinda became the ruler of Anuradhapura. Like his father Pandu, his rule extended only as far as the Mahaweli River. However, Parinda’s reign was brief, lasting only three years before his death.

Dravidian Kuda Parinda [441-456]

Following the death of Parinda, his younger brother Kuda Parinda ascended to the throne of Anuradhapura. By this time, Dhatusena had gained significant support and loyalty from the people. In response, Kuda Parinda began oppressing those who sympathized with Dhatusena.

Despite the oppression, Dhatusena waged a relentless war against the usurper for sixteen years. This prolonged struggle continued until Kuda Parinda’s death.

Dravidian Tiritara [456]

After the death of Kuda Parinda, Tiritara became the ruler of Anuradhapura. However, his reign was short-lived as he faced relentless battles with Dhatusena’s armies. Just two months into his rule, Tiritara was killed in a battle.

Dravidian Datiya [456-459]

After Tiritara was killed in battle, Datiya became to ruler of Anuradhapura. Like his predecessor, he faced constant battles with Dhatusena and his forces. Datiya‘s reign was marked by ongoing conflict, which ultimately culminated in his death. After three years of war, Datiya was slain in battle, further diminishing the Chola control over Anuradhapura.

Dravidian Pithiya [459]

After the death of Datiya, Pithiya became the ruler of Anuradhapura. However, by this time, Dhatusena was nearing the completion of his mission to liberate Anuradhapura from Dravidian rule. It took only seven months for Dhatusena to defeat and kill Pithiya in battle, bringing an end to Dravidian domination in Anuradhapura.

After 27 years of foreign rule, Dhatusena unified the entire island under a single sovereignty and was consecrated as the King of Sri Lanka, marking the beginning of a new era of stability and independence.

Ancient Manuscripts Detailing the Sovereigns of Sri Lanka

Sovereigns of Sri Lanka are chronicled in several ancient manuscripts. These texts not only record the lineages of kings but also the significant events and developments of their reigns. Some of the most significant ancient sources are:

Dipavamsa: compiled between the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, and the earliest known historical chronicle
Mahavamsa: Initially compiled by Mahanama Thero in the 5th or 6th century CE, this chronicle was later expanded upon by other authors who added additional chapters. Covers events up until the reign of King Mahasena of Anuradhapura
Culavamsa: Starts where the Mahavamsa stops and records the history of Sri Lankan rulers from the 4th century to 1815. Mahavamsa and Culavamsa are often seen as one extended chronicle, commonly referred to simply as the Mahavamsa.
Pujavaliya: Written by a monk in or around 1266 during the reign of King Panditha Parakrama Bahu of Dambadeniya Kingdom
Rajavaliya: A 17th-century historical chronicle of Sri Lanka, covering the history of the island from its beginnings up to the accession of King Vimaladharmasurya II in 1687.

References

Blaze, L. E. (2004). History of Ceylon. Asian Educational Services. (Original work published 1933)
Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa: Being The More Recent Part Of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part I–II. Pali Text Society.
Nicholas, C. W., & Paranavitana, S. (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon : From the Earliest Times to the Arrival of the Portuguese in 1505. University of Ceylon.
Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.
Suraweera, A. V. (2014). රාජාවලිය. Education Publication Department of Sri Lanka. (Original book published in 1976 from the original documents from the 17th century)