Ellalan ( ta, எல்லாளன், translit=Ellāḷaṉ; si, එළාර, translit=Eḷāra) was a member of the Tamil
Chola dynasty
The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, 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 ...
, also known as "Manu Needhi Cholan", who upon capturing the throne became 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 ...
, in present-day
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 ...
, from 205 BCE to 161 BCE.
Ellalan is traditionally presented as being a just king even by the "'Sinhalese'".
The
Mahavamsa states that he ruled 'with even justice toward friend and foe, on occasions of disputes at law,
and elaborates how he even ordered the execution of his son for killing a calf under his chariot wheels.
Ellalan is a peculiar figure in the history of Sri Lanka and one with particular resonance given the past ethnic strife in the country. Although he was an invader, he is often regarded as one of Sri Lanka's wisest and most just monarchs, as highlighted in the ancient
Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
Pali chronicle, the ''
Mahavamsa''.
According to the chronicle, even Ellalan's nemesis
Dutugamunu
Dutugamunu the Great (, , also spelled as ''Dutthagamani''), also known as Dutthagamani Abhaya ("fearless Gamini"), was the greatest king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. He is renowned for reuniting the whole island ...
had a great respect for him, and ordered a monument be built where Ellalan was cremated after dying in battle. The
Dakkhina Stupa
Dakkhina Stupa (, ) is a 2nd-century BC large brick Stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Earlier thought to be a monument of King Elara, it was later identified as the Stupa of ancient Dakini (Dakkhina) Vihara by Senarath Paranavithana with the help o ...
was believed to be the tomb of Ellalan. Often referred to as 'the Just King', the Tamil name ''Ellāḷaṉ'' means 'the one who rules the boundary".
Birth and early life
Ellalan is described in the ''
Mahavamsa'' as being "A Damila of noble descent . . . from the Chola-country";
In that work, he is mentioned as ''Elara''. Little is known of his early life. Around 205 BCE, Ellalan mounted an invasion of the
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 anc ...
based in Anuradhapura in northern Sri Lanka and defeated the forces of king
Asela of Anuradhapura
Asela was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Kingdom of Anuradhapura, based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 215 BC to 205 BC. He was the youngest of the many sons of Mutasiva and brother of previous monarchs Devanampiya Tissa, U ...
, establishing himself as sole ruler of Rajarata. Ellalan's territory is said to have been to the north of the
Mahaweli River
The Mahaweli River ( si, මහවැලි ගඟ, literally "Great Sandy River"; ta, மகாவலி ஆறு 'mahawali gangai'', is a long river, ranking as the longest river in Sri Lanka. It has a drainage basin of , the largest in the ...
He has been mentioned in the ''
Silappatikaram
''Cilappatikāram'' ( ta, சிலப்பதிகாரம் ml, ചിലപ്പതികാരം,IPA: ʧiləppət̪ikɑːrəm, ''lit.'' "the Tale of an Anklet"), also referred to as ''Silappathikaram'' or ''Silappatikaram'', is the e ...
'' and ''
Periya Puranam
The ''Periya purāṇam'' (Tamil: பெரிய புராணம்), that is, the ''great purana'' or epic, sometimes called ''Tiruttontarpuranam'' ("Tiru-Thondar-Puranam", the Purana of the Holy Devotees), is a Tamil poetic ...
''.
His name has since then been used as a metaphor for fairness and justice in
Tamil literature
Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution. Contributors to the Tamil literature are mainly from T ...
. His capital was
Thiruvarur
Thiruvarur () also spelt as Tiruvarur is a town and municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja temple, weighing and mea ...
.
Defeat and death
Despite Ellalan's famously even-handed rule, resistance to him coalesced around the figure of
Dutugamunu
Dutugamunu the Great (, , also spelled as ''Dutthagamani''), also known as Dutthagamani Abhaya ("fearless Gamini"), was the greatest king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. He is renowned for reuniting the whole island ...
, a young
Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
prince from the kingdom of Mahagama. Towards the end of Ellalan's reign,
Dutugamunu
Dutugamunu the Great (, , also spelled as ''Dutthagamani''), also known as Dutthagamani Abhaya ("fearless Gamini"), was the greatest king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. He is renowned for reuniting the whole island ...
had strengthened his position in the south by defeating his own brother,
Saddha Tissa
Saddha Tissa was the king of Anuradhapura ( Sri Lanka) from 137 BC to 119 BC. Saddha Tissa was the son of Kavan Tissa of Ruhuna and the brother of Dutthagamani. He was the ruler of Digamadulla, the present day eastern province of Sri Lanka.
Si ...
, who challenged him. Confrontation between the two monarchs was inevitable and the last years of Ellalan's reign were consumed by the war between the two. Ellalan was near seventy years when the battle with the young Dutugamunu took place.
The ''Mahavamsa'' contains a fairly detailed account of sieges and battles that took place during the conflict.
Particularly interesting is the extensive use of
war elephant
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 ...
s and of flaming
pitch in the battles. Ellalan's own war elephant is said to have been
Maha Pabbatha, or 'Big Rock' and the Dutugamunu's own being '
Kandula'.
The climactic battle is said to have occurred as Dutugamunu drew close to Anuradhapura. On the night before, both King Ellalan and prince Dutugamunu are said to have conferred with their counsellors. The next day both kings rode forwards on war elephants, Ellalan "in full armour . . . with chariots, soldiers and beasts for riders". Dutugamunu's forces are said to have routed those of Ellalan and that "the water in the tank there was dyed red with the blood of the slain'. Dutugamunu, declaring that 'none shall kill Ellalan but myself', closed on him at the south gate of Anuradhapura, where the two engaged in an elephant-back duel and the aged king was finally felled by one of Dutugamunu's darts.
![Dakkhinatupa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Dakkhinatupa.jpg)
Following his death, Dutugamunu ordered that Ellāḷaṉ be cremated where he had fallen, and had a monument constructed over the place. The ''Mahavamsa'' mentions that 'even to this day the princes of Lanka, when they draw near to this place, are wont to silence their music'. The
Dakkhina Stupa
Dakkhina Stupa (, ) is a 2nd-century BC large brick Stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Earlier thought to be a monument of King Elara, it was later identified as the Stupa of ancient Dakini (Dakkhina) Vihara by Senarath Paranavithana with the help o ...
was until the 19th century believed to have been the tomb of Ellalan and was called ''Elara Sohona'', but was renamed later on by the
Sri Lankan Department of Archaeology. The identification and reclassification is considered controversial.
Influence
The ''Mahavamsa'' contains numerous references to the loyal troops of the Chola empire and portrays them as a powerful force. They held various positions including taking custody of temples during the period of
Parakramabahu I
Parākramabāhu I ( Sinhala: මහා පරාක්රමබාහු, 1123–1186), or Parakramabahu the Great, was the king of Polonnaruwa from 1153 to 1186. He oversaw the expansion and beautification of his capital, constructed extensiv ...
and
Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa
Vijayabahu I (born ''Prince Keerthi'') (ruled 1055–1110), also known as Vijayabahu the Great, was a medieval king of Sri Lanka. Born to a royal bloodline, Vijayabahu grew up under Chola occupation. He assumed rulership of the Ruhuna principal ...
.
[''The tooth relic and the crown, page 59''][''Epigraphia Zeylanica: being lithic and other inscriptions of Ceylon, Volume 2, page 250''] There were instances when the Sinhalese kings tried to employ them as mercenaries by renaming a section of the most hardcore fighters as ''Mahatantra''. According to historian
Burton Stein
Burton Stein (1926 – April 26, 1996) was an American historian, whose area of specialization was India.
Life and career
Stein was born and grew up in Chicago, Illinois and served in the Second World War, before commencing tertiary study at the ...
, when these troops were directed against the Chola empire, they rebelled and were suppressed and decommissioned. But they continued to exist in a passive state by taking up various jobs for livelihood.
[''Journal of Tamil studies, Issues 31-32, page 60''] The Valanjayara, a sub-section of the ''Velaikkara'' troops, were one such community, who in the course of time became traders. They were so powerful that the shrine of the tooth-relic was entrusted to their care.
[''The Ceylon historical journal, Volumes 1-2, page 197''][''Culavamsa: Being the More Recent Part of Mahavamsa''] When the ''Velaikkara'' troops took custody of the tooth-relic shrine, they called it as ''Mūnrukai-tiruvēlaikkāran daladāy perumpalli''.
[''Early South Indian temple architecture: study of Tiruvāliśvaram inscriptions, page 93''] There are also multiple epigraphic records of the ''Velaikkara'' troops. It is their inscriptions, for example the one in Polunnaruwa, that are actually used to fix the length of the reign of Sinhalese kings; in this case, Vijayabahu I (55 years).
[''Ceylon journal of historical and social studies, Volume 2, page 34'']
The
Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
Northern Naval Command base in
Karainagar,
Jaffna
Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...
is named the SLNS ''Elara''
The Legend of Manu Needhi Cholan
![Elara’s bell and cow](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Elara%E2%80%99s_bell_and_cow.jpg)
Ellalan received the title "''Manu Needhi Cholan''" (the Chola who follows justice) because he executed his own son to provide justice to a cow. Legend has it that the king hung a giant bell in front of his courtroom for anyone needing justice to ring. One day, he came out on hearing the ringing of the bell by a cow. Upon enquiry, he found that the calf of that cow had been killed under the wheels of his son's
chariot
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&nbs ...
. In order to provide justice to the cow, Ellalan killed his own son, Veedhividangan, under the chariot as his own punishment i.e. Ellalan made himself suffer as much as the cow.
Impressed by the justice of the king, Lord Shiva blessed him and brought back the calf and his son alive. He has been mentioned in the
Silappatikaram
''Cilappatikāram'' ( ta, சிலப்பதிகாரம் ml, ചിലപ്പതികാരം,IPA: ʧiləppət̪ikɑːrəm, ''lit.'' "the Tale of an Anklet"), also referred to as ''Silappathikaram'' or ''Silappatikaram'', is the e ...
and
Periya Puranam
The ''Periya purāṇam'' (Tamil: பெரிய புராணம்), that is, the ''great purana'' or epic, sometimes called ''Tiruttontarpuranam'' ("Tiru-Thondar-Puranam", the Purana of the Holy Devotees), is a Tamil poetic ...
.
His name has since then been used as a metaphor for fairness and justice in
Tamil literature
Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution. Contributors to the Tamil literature are mainly from T ...
. His capital was
Thiruvarur
Thiruvarur () also spelt as Tiruvarur is a town and municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja temple, weighing and mea ...
.
The Mahavamsa also states that when he was riding his cart he accidentally hit a
Chetiya. After that he ordered his ministers to kill him but the ministers replied that Buddha would not approve such an act. The king asked what he should do to rectify the damage and they said that repairing the structure would be enough which is what he did.
Chronicles such as the ''
Yalpana Vaipava Malai
Yalpana Vaipava Malai ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாண வைபவமாலை) is a book written by a Tamil poet named Mayil Vaakaanar ( ta, மயில் வாகனார்) in 1736. This book contains historical facts of the early Tam ...
'' and stone inscriptions like Konesar Kalvettu recount that
Kulakkottan, an early Chola king and descendant of Manu Needhi Cholan, was the restorer of the ruined
Koneswaram temple and tank at
Trincomalee
Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...
in 438, the
Munneswaram temple
Munneswaram temple ( ta, முன்னேசுவரம் கோயில், si, මුන්නේශ්වරම් කෝවිල) is an important regional Hindu temple complex in Sri Lanka. It has been in existence at least since 1000 ...
of the west coast, and as the royal who settled ancient Vanniyars in the east of the island
Eelam
Eelam ( ta, ஈழம், ''īḻam'', , also spelled Eezham, Ilam or Izham in English) is the native Tamil name for the South Asian island now known as Sri Lanka.
The exact etymology and the original meaning of the word are not clearly know ...
.
See also
*
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 ...
*
List of Tamil monarchs
This is a list of ethnically Tamil and predominantly Tamil speaking monarchs, who ruled in Southern India and parts of Sri Lanka and South East Asia. The ancient Tamil monarchy was largely hereditary and supported by numerous chieftains.
Tam ...
References
External links
Sri Lankan history
*
ttp://www.noolaham.net/project/01/17/17.htm எல்லாளன் சமாதியும் வரலாற்று மோசடியும்
{{Authority control
Usurpers of the Sinhalese throne
Tamil monarchs
Chola dynasty
Monarchs of Anuradhapura
Ellalan (King)
235 BC births
161 BC deaths
3rd-century BC Sinhalese monarchs
2nd-century BC Sinhalese monarchs