King Nissanka Malla [1187-1196 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Vijayabahu II [1186-1187 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Nissanka Malla [1187-1196 CE] –House of Kalinga–	Virabahu [1196 CE] –House of Kalinga–
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Niśśanka Malla (also known as Nissanka Malla, Niśśankamalla, or Kittiniśśanka), who reigned from 1187 to 1196 CE, stands out as one of the most enigmatic yet materially visible rulers in the history of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. Although his reign lasted only nine years, it is remarkable for the exceptional number of inscriptions and monumental architectural works he left behind.

Royal Lineage and Early Childhood

Niśśanka Malla was born in Siṁhapura, the capital of the Kalinga kingdom. Nicholas and Paranavitana (1961) suggest that this Kalinga did not refer to the Indian region but rather to the Śrīvijaya empire of Malaysia, a vast Buddhist polity encompassing the Malay Peninsula and adjacent islands. He was the son of King Jayagopa and Queen Pārvatī.

His arrival in Sri Lanka followed a formal invitation from his “senior kinsman,” King Parākramabāhu the Great, who aimed to strengthen the Kalinga branch of the royal house. Parākramabāhu himself had a Kalinga mother, and matrimonial alliances between the Sinhalese and Kalinga dynasties had long been used to ensure legitimate succession. Niśśanka Malla is described as a bena of Parākramabāhu, meaning either nephew or son-in-law, with the latter being the more likely relationship.

Rise to Power

During the reign of his predecessor, Vijayabāhu II, known as the “Poet Sovereign,” Niśśanka Malla advanced steadily through the administrative hierarchy, first serving as Ādipāda (Prince or Governor) and later being elevated to the position of Uparāja, effectively the heir apparent.

His accession was precipitated by a violent internal crisis. In 1187 CE, King Vijayabāhu II was assassinated by a noble named Mahinda VI of the Kuliṅga clan. Mahinda’s usurpation lasted only five days, after which Niśśanka Malla, asserting his claim as the lawful successor, killed the usurper and assumed sovereignty over Lanka.

Reign and Ideology of Kingship

As the founder of a new dynasty, Niśśanka Malla felt an urgent need to legitimize his authority and secure the loyalty of his subjects. His reign was marked by a strong emphasis on dynastic legitimacy. In his inscriptions, he firmly declared that the ruler of Ceylon must be a Buddhist and a descendant of the Solar dynasty. He excluded non-Buddhist princes from the Chola, Pandya, and Kerala houses from any claim to the throne and warned that members of the Govi caste should never aspire to kingship, likening such ambition to a crow imitating a swan.

Domestic Reforms and Social Welfare

Niśśanka Malla attempted to win popular support through an unusually liberal domestic policy. He claimed to have remitted taxes for five years and abolished the levy on shifting (chena) cultivation in order to ease the burden on the peasantry. He also removed the pisamburu-vata, a fishing tax, and sought to eliminate disorder and injustice. Believing that theft stemmed from material deprivation, he distributed wealth among the poor as a means of discouraging crime. He travelled extensively across the island to assert royal presence and introduced the Niśśanka-gavuva, standardizing the unit of distance and erecting inscribed milestones along the major highways.

Foreign Policy and Military Expeditions

In his Galpotha inscription, King Niśśaṅka Malla claimed to have invaded the Pandyan kingdom and extracted tribute from its ruler, boasting that submission was achieved without resistance. This claim, however, is historically questioned due to contradictory evidence from contemporary Indian sources. The campaign was led by a general named Tāvuru, a name suggesting a Malay rather than Sinhalese origin. An inscription at Rameśvaram confirms the king’s presence in South India, indicating that he remained there long enough to restore the local temple while his army may have advanced further into Pandyan territory.

This intervention appears to have formed part of a broader policy of supporting Vira Pandya, a displaced Pandyan ruler who had sought refuge in Sri Lanka after being defeated by the Cola-backed Vikrama Pandya at the Battle of Nettur around 1189. By assisting Vira Pandya, Niśśaṅka Malla was likely continuing Parākramabāhu the Great’s foreign policy of countering Cola influence through strategic alliances.

However, Cola sources contradict Niśśaṅka Malla’s narrative of victory, claiming that the Sinhalese-supported forces were defeated at Nettur, prompting the Cola king Kulottunga III to adopt the title “conqueror of Ceylon” as early as 1188. Despite these setbacks, Niśśaṅka Malla used his inscriptions to project an image of triumph over the Cola, Pandya, and Kerala rulers and to reinforce his hereditary right to rule.

Purification of the Buddhist Order

Niśśanka Malla continued the role of his predecessors as a protector of Buddhism. He conducted an inquiry into the Sangha, expelling monks considered corrupt or undisciplined. Those who chose to leave the monastic order rather than remain as unworthy practitioners were provided with material support in order to preserve the purity of the religion.

Architectural Legacy

Niśśanka Malla is especially remembered for his extensive embellishment of Polonnaruwa, his pilgrimages, and the large number of inscriptions he left across the island. His ambition was to surpass the architectural achievements of Parākramabāhu I.

His most significant monument is the Rankot Vehera, the largest stupa of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. This colossal structure was deliberately intended to emulate the grandeur of the Ruvanväli-sāya at Anurādhapura, thereby reinforcing the king’s claims to dynastic legitimacy and the prestige of the Kalinga line. The height of the stupa is recorded in the Galpota inscription as approximately 80 cubits, equivalent to about 36.6 meters (120 feet), although other historical assessments suggest it may originally have reached nearly 61 meters (200 feet). In architectural terms, the Rankot Vehera marked a return to the monumental stupa forms of the early Anurādhapura and Mihintalē periods, surpassing in size every stupa built in Sri Lanka after the third century.

In addition to this, Niśśanka Malla constructed the Hatadāgē, a stone shrine for the Tooth and Bowl Relics, whose name, meaning “sixty hours,” is traditionally associated with the speed of its construction. He is credited with embellishing the Vaṭadāgē by adding the lower circular terrace and elaborate stone carvings. The Niśśanka-latā-maṇḍapa, distinguished by its lotus-stalk pillars, served as a pavilion where he listened to the chanting of protective texts. He also built a new palace complex with an Audience Hall and a Council Chamber, the latter inscribed with the seating positions of ministers according to rank. At Dambulla, he carried out a major restoration of the rock temple, adorning it with gold and silver and installing seventy-three golden statues of the Buddha, giving rise to the name Rangiri Dambulla, the Golden Rock.

Pilgrimage to Sri Pada

King Niśśaṅka Malla also undertook a remarkable pilgrimage to the perilous summit of Sri Pada, accompanied by his fourfold army comprising elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry. Motivated by pious devotion, he ascended the peak and paid homage to the sacred footprint. He commemorated his visit through inscriptions at Baghawa Lena on the mountain, recording the regrant of the village of Ambagamu for the upkeep of the shrine, a grant originally made by Vijayabāhu I (1055-1110 CE) but later revoked by intervening rulers.

Death and Legacy

King Niśśanka Malla died in 1196 CE, and his death immediately destabilized the kingdom. His son and successor, Vīrabāhu, was assassinated by General Tāvuru only one day after his accession.

Works of King Nissanka Malla

Built Hatadāgē, the stone temple of the Tooth Relic at Dalada Maluwa in Polonnaruwa
Built Rankot Vehera, the 4th largest stupa in the country and the largest stupa built after 3rd century
Built a palace complex near Deepa Uyana
Built an audience hall near his palace
Built Nissanka Latha Mandapaya in the Dalada Maluwa distinguished by its lotus-stalk pillar
Restored the Dambulla Rock Temple, adorning it with gold and silver and installing seventy-three golden statues of the Buddha, giving rise to the name Rangiri Dambulla

Royal Dynasty in Plonnaruwa after Parakaramabahu the Great

References

Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa Being The More Recent Part Of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part II–II. Pali Text Society. (Original work published 1815)
Gunasekara, B. (1895). A Contribution to the History of Ceylon: Translated from Pujavaliya. H.C. Cottle.
Gunasekara, B. (1900). The Rajavaliya, a Historical Narrative of Sinhalese Kings Vijaya to Vimala Dharma Suriya II. George J. A. Skeen.
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.
Obeyesekere, D. (1911). History of Ceylon : Outlines of Ceylon History. The Times of Ceylon Colombo.
Perera, J. (1957). An Examination of the Political Troubles That Followed the Death of King Parakramabāhu I. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume V(Special Number), 173–182.

Predecessor		Successor
Vijayabahu II [1186-1187 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Nissanka Malla [1187-1196 CE] –House of Kalinga–	Virabahu [1196 CE] –House of Kalinga–
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA