Early Invasions of Anuradhapura, a Summary

 


Very recently, the high court at Madras erected this new statue of Elara ( https://www.reddit.com/r/TamilNadu/s/hQ87UgqLGv ). The lore of the mother cow ringing his bell, is portrayed here and it's iconic. Anyways, thus got me thinking of the invasions of the early Anuradhapura period, cuz there's not much information about them.

The first is Sena and Gutthika, who were literally 2 horse traders, who usurped the throne from Suratissa, and ruled Anuradhapura for 22 years! Asela, who was Suratissa's nephew got back the throne, but only for 10 years! Elara, a Chola nobleman, took over and ruled for the next 40 years, before Dutugemunu took over. He however must've been very popular, if Dutugemunu had to give Elara his posthumous honours. Note that, all this happened within 150-250 BC period, I was rather surprised by how archaic that was.

50 years after Dutugemunu's takeover, the 5 dravidians, allegedly Pandyan chiefs, took over from Valagamba, who was grand-nephew of Dutugemunu. Valagamba only took back after 14 years of their rule, and ruled for a decade more. I'm not sure but his building of Abhayagiri bibara and the Tripitaka writing must've happened in his second rule, correct me if I'm wrong.

The next invasion was 300 years later, the 6 Dravidians, who were allegedly Pandyan and converted to Buddhism. Dhatusena, founder of House of Moriya, took back over after 30 years. Anuradhapura kingdom was not invaded for the rest of it's 400 years of existence. That was when the Chola invasion started, and they shifted the capital to Polonnaruwa to be closer to Trinco.

It's surprising, how small early Anuradhapura must've been, to have been the target by horse merchants and chieftains early on. And how mercantile in nature these could've been. The Chola invasion, was appraised by merchants ( https://www.reddit.com/r/srilanka/s/JnV8CeBRW9 )and beurocracy. This must've been in great contrast to late Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods. Yet, it is in periods between invasions, that early notable Kings did their greatest works.. tanks, viharas, etc.

The more we may understand these early invasions, and what rlly happened during the reigns of those who took the throne, and their contributions even.. the more we could holistically understand Anuradhapura period.

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