Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Mahaculi Mahathissa [76-62 BCE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Vattagamini Abhaya (Walagamba) [104 BCE] [89-76 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Mahaculi Mahathissa [76-62 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Coranaga [62-50 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Mahaculi Mahathissa, also known as Mahasilu Maha Tissa or Chulodara Tissa, was the adopted son of King Vattagamani Abhaya (Valagamba) and the biological son of King Khallata Naga, Vattagamani’s brother. His reign continued the stability restored by his adoptive father after the expulsion of the Tamil invaders from Anuradhapura.

His contributions to religious development are marked by his support for the Maha Vihara, the primary monastic orders in Anuradhapura, and his reinforcement of rituals and celebrations at key Buddhist sites, which had suffered during previous invasions and famines.

Mahaculi Mahathissa’s authority has been recognized across the entire island. He is one of the few kings whom the ancient scripts can be backed up with inscriptions. Rock inscriptions from his rule were discovered in both the northern and southern regions. His fourteen-year reign was primarily devoted to religious endeavors and support of Buddhist activities (Paranavitana, 1959).

Works of King Mahaculi Mahathissa

An Unnamed Viharaya: and donated garments for 60,000 bhikkus and bhikkunis.
Abhayagallaka Viharaya: Location not identified
Vankavattakagalla Viharaya: Location not identified
Dlghabahugallaka Viharaya: Location not identified
Jalagama Viharaya: Location not identified
An inscription at Kusalankanda in Batticaloa District mentions a contribution to the monastery possibly by him. (see here)

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.
Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.

Predecessor		Successor
King Vattagamini Abhaya (Walagamba) [104 BCE] [89-76 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Mahaculi Mahathissa [76-62 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Coranaga [62-50 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

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Muruthtthanai Buddhist Monastic Archaeological Ruins 3 (මුරුත්තනෙයි පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන් 3)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Monastic Site 3 in Kiran features a small structure with seven stone pillars in a 3×4 arrangement. A Padowanada Gala (foot-washing basin) remains nearby, while an associated Siripatul Gala sits at Mariamman Kovil. […]
Kanandanai Archaeological Ruins at in Muruthtthanai (මුරුත්තනෙයි කානන්දනෛ පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period Kanandanai ruins in Kiran are located in a paddy field near the Maduru Oya. The site features five displaced 2-meter-tall stone pillars from an ancient building, along with scattered fragments of ancient bricks, indicating the former presence of a substantial structure. […]
Archaeological Ruins at Mariamman Kovil in Muruthtthanai (මුරුත්තානෛ මාරිඅම්මාන් කෝවිල් භූමියේ පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period ruins at Mariamman Kovil in Muruthtthanai (Kiran) are situated 50 meters east of a Maduru Oya tributary. The site features the remains of a small building, including four broken, 30-centimeter-tall stone pillars currently intertwined within the roots of a tamarind tree. […]
Archaeological Ruins Behind Amman Kovil in Muruthtthanai (මුරුත්තනෙයි අම්මාන් කෝවිල පිටුපස පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
Located in Muruthtthanai (Kiran), these small ancient ruins sit within a paddy field directly behind the Amman Kovil. The site features stone pillars and slabs scattered across a circular 10-square-meter area, representing a structure of uncertain historical date, origin, and original function due to limited evidence. […]
Archaeological Ruins on the Land of Vairamuttu Nagendran in Muruthtthanai (වෛරමුත්තු නාගේන්ද්‍රන්ගේ ඉඩමේ පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)
The Muruthtthanai ruins on Vairamuttu Nagendran’s land in Kiran are situated within private property. The site contains a small ancient structure of unknown date and origin, constructed from roughly worked stone blocks and including at least four stone pillars that still stand in their original positions. […]
Muruthtthanai Werama Archaeological Site in Kiran (මුරුත්තානෛ වේරම පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Werama site in Kiran features a monastic complex identified by a Siri Pathul Gala (Buddha footprint stone), ancient pottery, roof tiles, and bricks. Architectural characteristics at the location also suggest the site may have previously served as a prehistoric burial ground. […]
Palakkadu Road Archaeological Site in Kiran (පාලක්කාඩු මාර්ගයේ පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Anurādhapura-period Palakkadu Road site in Kiran is split in two by a modern gravel road. It features nineteen surviving 1-meter-tall, roughly dressed stone pillars, which likely formed a 4×7 grid structure before being partially destroyed. […]
Miniminiththaweli Archaeological Site 1 in Kiran (මිනිමිණිත්තවේලි පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The Anurādhapura-era Miniminiththāweli site 1 in Kiran features a historic building complex heavily damaged by forest gravel road construction. This development destroyed the site's archaeological context and displaced ancient artifacts, including a stone-carved flower altar bulldozed to the roadside. […]
Miniminiththaweli Archaeological Site 2 in Kiran (මිනිමිණිත්තවේලි පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය 2)
The Maduru Oya Valley site in Miniminiththāweli features an Anurādhapura-period building complex with stone pillars and brick foundations. Unfortunately, illegal excavations by treasure hunters have severely damaged these structures, though they have also exposed various ancient artifacts and pottery. […]
Akkuranai Buddhist Monastic Ruins 1 in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන් 1)
The Anurādhapura-period Akkuraṇai Monastic Ruins in Kiran feature a central circular stupa surrounded by terraces, multi-sized pillared structures, and drip-ledged caves. Severely damaged by treasure hunters, the site retains a 2-meter carved flower altar, brick foundations with mortised stone doorframes, and shattered sacred chatra fragments. […]
Muruthtthanai Buddhist Stupa Ruins in Kiran (මුරුත්තානෛ බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Stupa in Kiran is a 5-meter-high brick monument hidden on a wooded hillock. Plundered by treasure hunters who dug a deep summit pit, the site also includes an ancient rock quarry used for shaping stone architectural elements. […]
Muruthtthanai Cave with Indigenous Art (මුරුත්තානෛ ආදිවාසී චිත්‍ර සහිත ලෙණ)
Deep in the Kiran jungle, this cave features a Brahmi inscription documenting its donation to the Maha Sangha. It also houses well-preserved animal rock art from a later period, believed to have been created by the region’s indigenous Vedda community. […]
Akkuranai Buddhist Monastic Ruins 2 in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන් 2)
The Buddhist Monastic Ruins Site 2 at Akkuraṇai are located in the village of Akkuraṇai, within the Grāma Niladhāri Division of Muruthtthanai 209-A, in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kōrale Pattu South (Kiran) of Batticaloa District. […]
Akkuranai Archaeological Ruins Site 3 in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන් 3)
An Anurādhapura-period site near Akkuranai sits on a Maduru Oya tributary bank. It features six stone pillars—five upright and one fallen—showing ancient oval quarry marks. The original structure's exact function remains unknown due to insufficient evidence. […]
Akkuranai Megalithic Burial Site in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි මෙගාලිතික සුසාන භූමිය)
The Akkuranai Megalithic Burial Site in Kiran is a 1.2-hectare area surrounded by paddy fields. Though plundered by treasure hunters, it features at least six visible graves constructed from irregular stone slabs and numerous ancient pottery fragments. […]
Muruthtthanai Buddhist Archaeological Site in Kiran (මුරුත්තානෛ බෞද්ධ ආරාමික නටබුන්)
The Anurādhapura-period Muruthtthanai Buddhist site in Kiran features a rock-summit stupa and northern-slope buildings. Plundered by treasure hunters who breached the relic chamber, the ruins still preserve brick paving, stone wall foundations, and scattered pillar bases. […]

Works of King Mahaculi Mahathissa

Ancient Manuscripts Detailing the Sovereigns of Sri Lanka

References

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