Back in Anuradhapura

Dust has just settled. A new civilization sired – after nearly a century of blood and turmoil. Ever since Vijaya set foot in Sri Lanka, life had been far from peaceful. He had to fight for every inch he ruled in his 38-year reign. The situation regressed further after Vijaya. The last 17 years had been the worst.

Vijaya’s successor was Panduvasudeva – a nephew from India. His daughter had a clandestine affair with her mother’s nephew and gave birth to a son, Pandukabhaya – predicted for the crown one day. Beating the greatest odds and fighting a fight of 17 years with his uncles, he did become the head of Vijaya’s clan. He then engineered the union between the old civilizations of the island and his own clan and bridged a new civilization, the Sinhalese.

Pandukabhaya, King of Sri Lanka, created Anuradhapura as the country’s economic pulse. Not many kings forge new civilizations from bitter enemies. Yet, King Pandukabhaya’s greatest achievement is more the creation of Anuradhapura than the Sinhala race. The well-planned city had its sewage purified into the clearest water, reservoirs and canal systems sustained a lush agriculture in the driest spells, shipping routes right into the island promoted international relationships across the ancient world. Here Sinhalese flourished for the next 12 centuries, but not necessarily in peace.

Both Pandukabhaya’s son and grandson maintained close interactions with North Indian Aryan kingdoms. Grandson Tissa and Mauryan Empire’s Ashoka were close friends, though never met. When Tissa crowned, Ashoka bestowed Him the honorific title ‘Devanampiya’. Their friendship was to result in the most epic and unprecedented turn in Sri Lankan history.

An unexpected encounter illuminated Emperor Ashoka’s life with Buddhism, which He introduced to Devanampiyatissa, who also embraced Buddhism with the country by large following. He built Cetiyapabbata monastery at Mihintale, where He first met Ashoka’s envoy and the monastery of all monasteries, Mahavihara at Anuradhapura. After Thuparama stupa, a network of shrines spread throughout the island, each as an agent of Buddhist civilization. The sapling Ashoka’s daughter brought from the very bo-tree under Lord Buddha obtained Nirvana grew to be the oldest tree man knew.

Within decades however, Cola King Elara dashed Anurudhapura’s sovereignty and ruled for 44 years. Sub-kings of Magama and Kelaniya were alone in their Buddhist efforts, but were unwilling to challenge Elara, who they saw as harmless. Prince Gamini – King of Magama’s son; King of Kelaniya’s grandson – being his mother’s son through and through was filled to the core with courage for his country and love for his people. He understood that an indifferent leader contributing none for culture or sustainability is worse than a cruel leader. His continued disobedience to