Dutugamunu

Dutugamunu (Sinhala: දුටුගැමුණු, lit. 'දුටුගැමුණු', Tamil: துட்டகாமினி, lit. 'Tuṭṭakāmiṉi', also spelled as Dutthagamani, also known as Dutthagamani Abhaya "fearless Gamini"), was a Sinhalese king of Sri Lanka who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. He is renowned for defeating and overthrowing Ellalan, the usurping Tamil prince from the Chola Kingdom, who had invaded the Kingdom of Rajarata in 205 BC. Dutugamunu also expanded and beautified the city of Anuradhapura and projected the power of his native Rajarata 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.

        You have already read about Devanampiya Tissa, who was the king of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) when Mahinda came to teach Buddhism to the people. Some years later, when a king named Asela was ruling, a Tamil called Elara came from South India, fought against Asela and won. He took the capital, Anuradhapura, and ruled over the northern kingdom.

        At this time, the south-eastern part of Ceylon, called Ruhuna, was ruled by another Sinhalese king whose name was Kavan Tissa. He lived at Tissamaharama, which at that time was called Magama (the great village). Kavan Tissa had two sons, Dutugamunu and Saddha Tissa. Dutugamunu lator became the leader of the Sinhalese when they tried to turn Elara and the Tamils out of Ceylon. There are many stories about him because people think of him as a hero for having saved Ceylon from the Tamils.

          It is said that when Dutugamunu was twelve years old his father wanted him to promise that he would never fight the Tamils. But he refusad and lay down on his bed, drawing up his feet and hands. His mother went and spoke to him kindly, saying, "My son why do you not lie comfortably with your limbs straight ?" Gamunu answered, "On this side is the ocean ; over there beyond the Mahavali Ganga are the Tamils. How can I stretch out my limbs ?"

           When Dutugamunu was sixteen, he got together ten men who were all great fighters. He wanted to fight the Tamils, but his father did not allow him to do it. So he quarreled with his father and went to the mountainous part of Ceylon, which in those days was called Malaya. 

            While he was there, his father died. Before he could go back to Magama, and make himself king, his brother, Saddha Tissa, had finished the funeral ceremonies and had taken the kingdom for himself. So Dutugamunu fought against his brother and won.   

            After that he got ready to turn the Tamils out of the country. He rode on his favorite elephant, Kandula, and  went with an army to Anuradapura. First he rested at Buttala. From there he went to Mahiyangana, now called Alutnuwara, and fought the Tamils there. He won the battle. Then he went on along the bank of the Mahavali Ganga, driving the Tamils out of the villages on the way.

            When he came to Magantota, he had to cross the river to get to Anuradhapura. For four months the Tamils did not allow him to cross, but in the end, he was able to go across somewhere near Dimbulagala.

            All the Tamils who had not been killed by Dutugamunu's men now came together at Vijitanagara and tried to stop him. Dutugamunu took his army to the place where polonnaruva now stands, and from there he attacked Vijitanagara. It was four months before he could take Vijitanagara. After that, he fought the Tamils again at kahagala and approached Anuradhapura. 

            There, after some fighting, Dutugamunu and Elara decided to settle the way by fighting each other. Dutagamunu won, but he paid all honour to the dead body of Elara. He cremated Elara's body on the spot where he fell. He built a cetaya enclosing his ashes and ordered people to respect it. Even in later times, Sinhalese kings used to stop their music when they passed, the tomb, and people riding on horses were expected to get off and walk past the spot on foot.

            Dutugamunu was also a good Buddhist and spent great deal of his time and wealth on religion. He gave food and clothing to bhikkus and built dagobas and vihares. The most famous buildings said to have been put up by him are the Ruwanwelisaya and the Lovamahapaya. The Lovamahapaya is supposed to have had nine floors. It was the uposatha house or the poyage where on poya days the bhikkus of the Mahavihare met for the uposatha ceremony. The Ruvanvalisaya is the dagoba of the mahavihare. It is one of the largest dagobas in Anuradhapura and is the best known of them all. Dutugamunu's death. It is said that the Lovamahapaya was burnt down after the death of Dutugamunu and that Saddha Tissa rebuilt it, but did not make it so large as the first building. Many more buildinge were put up in later times in the grounds of the Mahavihare. Among these were a library and a small hospital.

Flag of King Dutugamunu

             Dutugamunu is the most famous of  the ancient kings of Ceylon. There is no other king about whom there are so  many stories. Very often when people discovered an ancient vihare or dagoba and could not find out who had built it, they said it must have been the work of Dutugamunu. The Sinhalese admire him because he freed the country from foreign rulers, and the Ceylon Buddhists like him because he did so much for the religion.

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