The Warrior King Dutugemunu [161-137 BCE]

Predecessor		Successor
Elara [205-161 BCE]	King Dutugemunu [161-137 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Saddhatissa [137-119 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Dutugemunu, one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated ancient kings, reigned from 161 to 137 BCE. He is best known for his role in uniting the island under a single ruler by defeating the Chola King Elara, who had ruled Anuradhapura for over four decades. Named Prince Gamini, was the son of King Kavantissa (also referred to as Kakavana Tissa), ruler of the Kingdom of Ruhuna in southern Sri Lanka.

Born into an era of foreign rule over Anuradhapura by the South Indian King Elara, Prince Gamini aspired from a young age to free the island and unify it under a single native ruler. His father, a leader committed to peace, often discouraged war and was reluctant to support his son’s ambitions to confront Elara.

However, Dutugemunu’s resolve only strengthened, and in 161 BCE, he achieved his lifelong dream by successfully defeating Elara in a one-on-one battle, reclaiming Anuradhapura and ending Elara’s 44-year reign. This victory marked the beginning of a unified Sri Lankan kingdom and established Dutugemunu as one of the island’s most celebrated rulers.

Rohana Kingdom

During King Elara’s rule in Anuradhapura, the southern Ruhuna Kingdom was governed by the descendants of Prince Mahanaga, brother of King Devanampiyatissa, who had previously established this prosperous sub-kingdom. After Mahanaga, his son Yatala Tissa ruled Ruhuna, followed by Yatala Tissa’s son, Gotabhaya, and then by Gotabhaya’s son Kakavana Tissa (King Kavantissa).

Kalyani Kingdom and the Tsunami

During King Gotabhaya’s time, the Kalyani sub-kingdom was ruled by King Kelanitissa, whose court faced a scandal when the king discovered his brother’s affair with the queen. Furious, Kelanitissa executed both a messenger disguised as a monk who had been sent to deliver a love letter to the queen and an unfortunate arhat who happened to be near him in the palace.

Soon after, the Kalyani Kingdom faced a destructive tsunami, believed to be divine retribution for the murder of an Arhat. In an effort to calm the wrath of the sea, Kelanitissa sent his daughter Devi in a golden vessel out to sea. She eventually landed on a beach Ruhuna, where King Kavantissa took her as his queen; she was known as Queen Viharamaha Devi. They had two sons, Prince Tissa and Prince Gamini (later Dutugemunu).

Young Prince Gemunu

At sixteen, Prince Gamini sent his father a symbolic challenge in the form of women’s clothing, implying his frustration at his father’s hesitation toward engaging in battle with Elara. He was in hiding in disguise as a helper in Kotmale with a farming family until the death of his father. When Kavantissa passed away, he had two battles with his brother Prince Tissa. The first battle was won by Tissa and the second by Gemunu. However, they reconciled with the intervention of the Buddhist priests. Then Dutugemunu gathered an army, along with his ten elite warriors (Dasa Maha Yodhayo) and his war elephant Kandula, and marched toward Anuradhapura, destroying Elara’s defensive forts along the way.

The Battle between Prince Gemunu and Elara

The final battle between Dutugemunu and Elara was fought at the gates of Anuradhapura, with Dutugemunu on Kandula and Elara on his war elephant. In this dramatic duel, Kandula pierced Elara’s elephant, and Dutugemunu’s arrow ultimately struck down Elara, marking the end of Elara’s reign and the beginning of Dutugemunu’s unified rule over Sri Lanka.

After his victory over Elara, Prince Gemunu, who became King Dutugemunu, ordered a respectful cremation for Elara at the spot where he had fallen. As a mark of honor, he erected a monument there and commanded that it be worshiped, showing respect for his defeated rival’s just rule.

Over time, popular tradition came to identify this monument with the Dakkhina Stupa, and it became widely known as “Elara’s Tomb.” However, it has also been suggested that this association may have been encouraged during the British period. According to this view, the narrative was promoted to discourage Indian coolies working in the vicinity from using the mound for inappropriate purposes, thereby preserving the sanctity of the site.

In 1946, however, historian Professor Paranavitana identified this monument as the Dakkhina Stupa, a structure from the early Anuradhapura period dedicated as a sacred stupa rather than Elara’s resting place.

King Dutugemunu’s family, especially his queen, is sparsely detailed in ancient texts. While there is no mention of his queen in chronicles like the Mahavamsa, the lineage of his son Saliya is well-known. Saliya, Dutugemunu’s only son, fell in love with Ashokamala, a girl from the Chandala caste, which was considered an untouchable caste. Saliya chose to give up his royal status and right to the throne to be with her.

Due to Saliya’s decision, he did not inherit the throne after Dutugemunu’s death. Instead, the throne passed to Dutugemunu’s younger brother, Saddhatissa, who became the next king of Sri Lanka.

Works of King Dutugemunu

A total of 99 Temples : (Mahavamsa)
Ruwanwelisaya Stupa: One of Dutugemunu’s most celebrated accomplishments was the construction of the Ruwanwelisaya, a massive stupa in Anuradhapura. This monument, still revered today, is considered one of the most important religious sites for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, King Dutugemunu didn’t live to see the completion of his greatest work.
Lovamahapaya – The Great Copper Roofed Mansion: The chapter house of Maha Viharaya. This was 9 stories high and each floor had 100 rooms totaling 1000.
Mirisavetiya Stupa: Was built to atone for not offering a part of a chilli meal to the Sangha

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

Mahanama, Geiger, W., & Bode, M. H. (1912). The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon. Translated into English by Wilhelm Geiger. For the Pali Text Society by Henry Frowde.

Predecessor		Successor
Elara [205-161 BCE]	King Dutugemunu [161-137 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Saddhatissa [137-119 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA