Dutugamunu the Great (, , also spelled as ''Dutthagamani''), also known as Dutthagamani Abhaya ("fearless Gamini"), was the greatest king of the
Anuradhapura Kingdom
The Anuradhapura Kingdom (Sinhala language, Sinhala: , translit: Anurādhapura Rājadhāniya, Tamil language, Tamil: ), named for Anuradhapura, its capital city, was the first established monarchy, kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka related to the ...
who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. He is renowned for reuniting the whole island of
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
by defeating and overthrowing
Elara, the usurping
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
prince from the
Chola Kingdom
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE d ...
, who had invaded the Anuradhapura kingdom in 205 BC. Dutugamunu also expanded and beautified the city of Anuradhapura and projected the power of his native
Rajarata
Rajarata ā dja ra tə(Meaning: King's country) ( Sinhala: රජරට) (Tamil: ரஜரட) was one of three historical regions of the island of Sri Lanka for about 1,700 years from the 6th century BCE to the early 13th century CE. Several anci ...
region across the island of Sri Lanka.
Due to his significance as one of the most potent symbols of Sinhalese historical power, Dutugamunu's story is swathed in myth and legend. However, many aspects of the accounts of his life have been verified by contemporary inscriptions, and the basic account of his life is generally accepted as accurate.
Etymology
![KING DUTUGEMUNU (161 BC – 137 BC)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/KING_DUTUGEMUNU_%28161_BC_%E2%80%93_137_BC%29.JPG)
The
Mahavamsa describes how as a youth he mocked his father
Kavantissa, king of
Ruhuna
The Principality of Ruhuna, also referred to as the Kingdom of Ruhuna, is a region of present-day Southern and Eastern Sri Lanka. It was the center of a flourishing civilisation and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka. Magama, Ti ...
, for refusing to wage war against the powerful King Elara who ruled Sri Lanka for 45 years and known and venerated by the Sinhalese as a Just King or Dharmista Elara* , He ruled what was then known as the island of Ratnadiva from Anuradhapura. Duttagamni , the prefix Dutta means terror-inspiring, rustic or rowdy2* stated that "If
isfather were a man he would not speak thus" and sent him a piece of women's jewellery. The resulting fury of the king caused many of his friends to flee to Malaya region and the prince himself being dubbed ''Dutthagamani'', meaning "disobedient". After his death, he was referred to as ''Dharma Gamini'' ("righteous Gamini"), but it is as Duttha Gamini or Dutugemunu that he is known to posterity.
Ancestry and family
The Mahavamsa constitutes the major source on Dutugemunu's reign and dedicates some six chapters (out of 35) to his tale. In chapter 22 he is described as being descended from the ancient royal family of Rajarata through
Devanampiyatissa
Tissa, later Devanampiya Tissa, was one of the earliest kings of Sri Lanka based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 247 BC to 207 BC. His reign was notable for the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka under the aegis of the Maurya ...
's brother
Mahanaga
Mahanaga was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Kingdom of Ruhuna in the southern region of the island. He is the founder of the Ruhuna. The Kingdom of Ruhuna was in some periods a client state loyal to the King of Anuradhapura and in some pe ...
. At the time of his birth Dutugemunu's father was Kavantissa, king of Ruhuna, a small kingdom in south-east Sri Lanka outside of the influence of Rajarata in the north; the border between the two polities was the Mahaganga, or 'Great River', possibly the modern Menik Ganga. Kavantissa is portrayed in the Mahamvamsa as 'devoutly believing in the
three gems,
ndhe provided the
brotherhood
Brotherhood or The Brotherhood may refer to:
Family, relationships, and organizations
* Fraternity (philosophy) or brotherhood, an ethical relationship between people, which is based on love and solidarity
* Fraternity or brotherhood, a mal ...
continually with...needful things'.
Dutugemunu's mother was
Viharamahadevi
Viharamahadevi ( Sinhala:විහාරමහාදේවි) was the mother of King Dutugamunu, Saddhatissa and the Queen consort of King Kavantissa (King of the Ruhuna Sri Lanka). Some scholars suggest that her original name was 'śavera', wh ...
, daughter of Tissa, king of Kalyani. Legend has it that as punishment for Tissa slaying a
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monk, Kalyani had been subject to a series of deluges from the sea. To placate it Tissa placed his daughter Devi in a golden boat with the words 'A King's Daughter' written on the side, and set her out to sea. Miraculously the princess washed ashore, alive and well, in Ruhuna, and married Kavantissa.
During her pregnancy with Dutugemunu, Viharamahadevi had a series of peculiar cravings, including the urge to sleep on a pillow made of honeycombs. In particular her urge to drink the water used to wash a sword that had cleaved the head of a warrior of Elara, whilst standing on that same head, raised the interest of the soothsayers at court, who predicted that 'The queen's son, when he has vanquished the Damilas (
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
) and built up a united kingdom, will make the doctrine to shine forth brightly'. Viharamahadevi gave birth to a son named Gamani Abhaya some time later, and after that to another child, a boy named Tissa.
Around the time of Gamani's birth, 'an elephant of the six-tusked race brought his young one thither and left him here and went his way'. Named Kandula, he went on to become Gamani's mount and accompanied him through much of the prince's adventures.
Dutugemunu's sister
"Recent archaeological studies have found evidence proving that King Kavantissa had a daughter who was a sister to King Dutu Gemunu".
New evidence to this appeared in The Island of March 27, 2017.
The battle in the palace and early reign
![Flag of Dutthagamani](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Flag_of_Dutthagamani.png)
By the age of sixteen Gamani was 'vigorous, renowned, intelligent and a hero in majesty and might', if a little wayward. Determined to expel the invading king of Rajarata, Gamani levied an army from around Rohana and declared his intention to regain the north to his father. The king forbade this stating that 'the land on this side of the river is enough'; the resulting exchange between father and son saw Gamani being dubbed 'Duttha Gamani', his friends fleeing to Malaya, and he himself being incarcerated in a royal prison.
Kavantissa is known as a brilliant strategist who recognized early that he needed to make his kingdom powerful before waging a war against the invaders. He assembled armies and made his kingdom prosperous in "rice and betel leaf" - this meaning that the people had a lot of agricultural surplus. The legendary ten "great giants" - men who had great strength – are brought into the army at this time. Kavantissa repeatedly makes Dutugemunu and Tissa swear that they would never fight one another and that they would always respect and listen to the advice of the priests. He also makes the ten giants swear never to pick sides in a war between the brothers.
Upon Kavantissa's death, Dutugemunu found himself having to defend his crown against his younger brother Tissa, who had seized possession of not only the elephant Kandula, but the dowager queen Viharamahadevi as well. The war between the two began with a defeat for Dutugemunu at Culanganiyapitthi, where 'many thousands of the king's (Dutugemunu's) men' perished. Dutugemunu was forced to flee back to Mahagama where he levied another army and engaged Tissa in yet another battle in the vicinity of the city. Legend has it that as Tissa, fought his brother riding the royal elephant "Kandula" against Dutugemunu who rode a mare. Dutugemunu at one point made the mare jump over the elephant causing the elephant to recognize its master and attempt to kill Tissa who hastily dismounts via a tree. Dutugemunu was victorious and Tissa was smuggled off the battlefield disguised as the corpse of a monk. It is said that Dutugemunu recognized the ploy and called out to his brother "Are you not ashamed to be carried on the back of these priests?" Some time afterwards, however, Dutugemunu and Tissa were reconciled through the efforts of Viharamahadevi and the monks, and Tissa became one of the king's foremost generals.
Regaining of Rajarata
Having secured his throne, he then planned his operations to regain the north, which included not only Rajarata but numerous smaller semi-independent polities. The king's army consisted of '
chariots
A chariot is a type of cart driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, dated to c. 2000  ...
, troops and beasts for riders', soldiers and a number of
war elephants
A war elephant was an elephant that was trained and guided by humans for combat. The war elephant's main use was to charge the enemy, break their ranks and instill terror and fear. Elephantry is a term for specific military units using elephant ...
, as well as a number of monks (to advise the King) and a
relic
In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
placed in his spear for luck and blessings. In addition he was accompanied by the famed
Ten Giant Warriors
Much is written of the war of 205 BC to 161 BC between Sinhala King Dutugemunu and Ellalan for the city of Anuradhapura, and the central role played by Dutugemunu's Ten Giant Warriors or Ten Great Giants ( si, දසමහා යෝධයෝ, da ...
who had been recruited from all over the island by his father Kavantissa – Nandhimitra, Suranimala, Mahasona, Theraputtabhya, Gotaimbara, Bharana, Vasabha, Khanjadeva, Velusamanna, and Phussadeva.
The campaign saw Dutugemunu subduing a number of usurping Tamil rulers in the north (as many as 32, according to the Mahavamsa). Of particular interest is the
four-month siege of
Vijitanagara, where the defending Tamil troops are said to have used 'red-hot iron and molten pitch' to panic Dutugemunu's elephants. During this time he also married Ran Etana, the daughter of a chieftain who continued to pay homage to Elara of Anuradhapura. On at least two occasions victory is attributed to the king's 'cunning' and the bravery of Kandhula. The campaign reached a climax at the eastern gate of Anuradhapura, where Dutugemunu, riding Kandhula, finally confronted the aged usurped king Elara, on his own elephant Mahäpabbata, and slew him with a spear; the encounter is one of the most famous in Sri Lankan history.
Dutugemunu's victory at Anuradhapura put him in the unprecedented position of ruling nearly the entire island of (Sri) Lanka. Despite this however his position was far from problem-free. Elara, despite being an invading Tamil from the Chola empire of south India, was renowned as having been a just and righteous leader, and Dutugemunu went out of his way to ensure the memory of the old king was revered as he cremated Elara and built a tomb for his ashes and made rules for travelers to get off and pay their respects to his tomb. Furthermore, 'looking back upon his glorious victory, great though it was,
eknew no joy, remembering that thereby was wrought the destruction of thousands of both enemies and his soldiers.' This is attested to by the sheer number of religious foundations attributed to him by the chronicles (between 68 and 99), which include magnificent stupas, monasteries, and shrines.
Reign and construction work
![Ruwanwelisaya Stupa 18](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Ruwanwelisaya_Stupa_18.JPG)
Aside from his many construction projects Dutugemunu's reign is memorable for his estrangement from his son, Saliya or Salirajakumara. The Prince fell in love with a girl called Agokamaladevi or Asokamala; unfortunately for all concerned she was of the Scavenger caste, one of the lowest castes in Sinhalese society. Saliya refused to give her up and rejected the throne. Though the Mahavamsa mentions no reconciliation, folk stories have the young couple eventually restored to the king's good graces.
The king's reign also saw extensive contact between Sri Lanka and traders from the west, including Arabs, Persians, and possibly Romans
Following his consolidation of his position Dutugemunu began a series of huge construction projects, many of which still survive in
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...
today. As with nearly everything in Dutugemunu's life, each foundation comes with its own legend, many of which reveal the preoccupations and inclinations of ancient Sinhalese society.
The first foundation mentioned in the Mahavamsa is the Maricavatti vihara, the moder
Mirisavetiya Legend has it that traveling to the shore of the Tank of Tissa with the 'women of the harem' for a water-festival, Dutugemunu planted his spear (which contained a sacred relic) in the soft ground. When preparing to return to the palace, he found that neither he, nor anyone in his retinue, could pull it out. Taking this as a sign he ordered the construction of a stupa over the spear.
Dutugemunu also ordered the construction of the Lohapasada, or Brazen Palace, a nine-story chapter house for monks, which derived its name from its bright copper-tiled roof. Again, legend has it that the design for the palace was based on a building seen in one of the heavens by a group of monks, who drew the design with 'red arsenic on linen' and dispatched it to the king.
Perhaps his most famous creation was the
Ruwanweliseya
The Ruwanweli Maha Seya, also known as the Mahathupa (), is a stupa (a hemispherical structure containing relics) in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Two quarts or one Dona of the Buddha's relics are enshrined in the stupa, making it the largest collecti ...
, also known as the Great Stupa or and Swarnamalee Chetiya, to house the begging bowl of the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
. The construction was started on the full moon day of the month of Vesak (traditionally the date of the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha) with the creation of a foundation of crushed rock. To hammer the stones into place elephants were used with their feet bound in leather. Dutugemunu is said to have overseen the work personally, being present at the construction of the relic chamber and the interring of the bowl itself. The dedication of a stupa is described in Chap. 29 of the Mahavamsa, which lists the visit of delegations from various parts of India, as well as a delegation of 30,000 monks from
Alexandria of the Caucasus
Alexandria in the Caucasus ( grc, Ἀλεξάνδρεια) (medieval Kapisa, modern Bagram) was a colony of Alexander the Great (one of many colonies designated with the name ''Alexandria''). He founded the colony at an important junction of co ...
, led by the
Indo-Greek
The Indo-Greek Kingdom, or Graeco-Indian Kingdom, also known historically as the Yavana Kingdom (Yavanarajya), was a Hellenistic period, Hellenistic-era Ancient Greece, Greek kingdom covering various parts of Afghanistan and the northwestern r ...
monk
Mahadharmaraksita
Mahadhammarakkhita (Sanskrit: ''Mahadharmaraksita'', literally "Great protector of the Dharma") was a Greek (in Pali:"Yona", lit. " Ionian") Buddhist master, who lived during the 2nd century BCE during the reign of the Indo-Greek king Menander ...
.
Other notable works include the construction of a stupa in Mundeshiwari, current day Bihar, India.
Spiritual relationship with god "Kataragama"
Stories relating to some of the king's constructions reflect a spiritual relationship with the
Kataragama deviyo
Kataragama deviyo (also called: Skanda Kumara, Kartikeya, si, කතරගම දෙවියෝ) is a guardian deity of Sri Lanka. A popular deity who is considered to be very powerful, shrines dedicated to Kataragama deviyo are found in many p ...
. Two such sites are ''Henakaduwa Purana Raja Maha Viharaya'' at
Tangalle
Tangalle ( Sinhala තංගල්ල , ta, தங்கல்லை) (also known as Tangalla) is a large town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. It is one of the largest towns in southern provinc ...
and ''
Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya''.
During the period of preparations for war with King Elara, the Kataragama deity appeared in front of King Dutugemunu and gave him a sword for him to use in the war at the present-day site of ''Henakaduwa'' temple (h''ena'' and ''Kaduna'', meaning thunder and sword respectively in Sinhalese).
After defeating Elara in single combat in the
Battle of Vijithapura
The Battle of Vijithapura was a decisive battle fought in the campaign carried out by Sri Lankan king Dutthagamani against the invading South Indian king Ellalan. The battle is documented in detail in the ancient chronicles of the country. Howe ...
and subsequently regaining power in the country, the Kataragama deity appeared yet again before Dutugemunu while the latter was in meditation at ''
Kiri Vehera
Kiri Vehera is an ancient stupa situated in Kataragama, Sri Lanka. This stupa probably dates back to the 3rd century BC and is believed to have been built by King Mahasena, a regional ruler of Kataragama area. One of the most popular Buddhist pilg ...
,'' Kataragama. The victorious king asked the deity what should be done in return for the deity's help in winning the battle. The god replied by shooting an arrow in the direction of ''Wedihiti Kanda'' from ''Kiri Vehera'' and instructed Dutugemunu to build a shrine where the arrow lands.
Death and succession
King Dutugemunu did not live to see his beloved Ruwanweliseya completed, dying before the plaster work was finished. The Mahavamsa dedicates an entire chapter to his death, which contains a poignant scene where the dying king is taken by palanquin to the vicinity of the incomplete stupa. There he also encounters his old colleague Theraputtbhya, now a monk. After some discussion of the mortality of men, the aged monarch passes away and is immediately reborn in the heavenly realm of Tusita.
A common folk tale surrounding the death of King Dutugemunu is that as he was dying he was told that Ruwanweliseya was completed in order to keep him happy. The well-intentioned plan went awry, however, when Dutugemunu asked to be shown the finished building. His brother Tissa had the entire building draped in white cloth to present the illusion of whitewash, and due to his failing eyesight Dutugemunu did not spot the difference, dying convinced that the building was finished.
Following his death Dutugemunu was succeeded by his brother Saddhatissa, rather than his disinherited son Saliya.
In popular culture
*2015 film
Maharaja Gemunu
''Maharaja Gemunu (King Gemunu)'' ( si, මහරජ ගැමුණු) is a 2015 Sri Lankan Sinhala epic film directed by Jayantha Chandrasiri and produced by Gunapala Rathnasekara for Sipvin Films. It stars Uddika Premarathna and Jackson ...
emphasized the life of Dutugamunu until his fight with King Elara.
Uddika Premarathna
Uddika Premarathna (born 16 September 1980; උද්දික ප්රේමරත්න) is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and television. Apart from acting, he is also a singer, TV announcer and a member of parliament.
Personal life
He i ...
stars as Dutugamunu in the film. The film was directed by Jayantha Chandrasiri.
*The teledrama ''Gemunu Maharaja'' was telecasted on
Hiru TV
Hiru TV (Sinhala: හිරු ටීවී) is No. 1 television channel in Sri Lanka, founded by Rayynor Silva (Chairman) and owned by Asia Broadcasting Corporation. Hiru TV is Sri Lanka's first and only digital television channel which has the ...
. Character was portrayed by Malinda Perera.
See also
*
Gemunu Watch
The Gemunu Watch (GW) ("King Dutugemunu's Own") is a infantry regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, formed with troops from the Sri Lanka Light Infantry, Ceylon Light Infantry and the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment, Ceylon Sinha Regiment in 1962. It has bee ...
*
Mahavamsa
*
Ten Giant Warriors
Much is written of the war of 205 BC to 161 BC between Sinhala King Dutugemunu and Ellalan for the city of Anuradhapura, and the central role played by Dutugemunu's Ten Giant Warriors or Ten Great Giants ( si, දසමහා යෝධයෝ, da ...
*
List of Sri Lankan monarchs
The Sinhalese monarch -- anachronistically referred to as the Kings of Sri Lanka—featured the heads of state of the Sinhala Kingdoms, in what is today Sri Lanka.
The Sinhalese monarchy originates in the settlement of North Indian Indo-Ary ...
*
History of Sri Lanka
The history of Sri Lanka is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Indian Ocean.
The early human remains found on the island of Sri La ...
References
External links
Mirisawetiya StupaThe Brazen PalaceAnuradhapuraThe Mahavamsa Online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dutthagamani
Monarchs of Anuradhapura
Sinhalese kings
137 BC deaths
Year of birth unknown
House of Vijaya
2nd-century BC Sinhalese monarchs