Dutugemunu

Who is Dutugemunu?

Dutugemunu, also spelled Dutthagamani, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom who reigned in the second century BC, traditionally dated to 161-137 BC. Born in the small southern kingdom of Ruhuna to King Kavantissa, he grew up chafing at his father's refusal to challenge the Tamil ruler Elara, who had governed northern Sri Lanka from Anuradhapura for over four decades and was, according to the Mahavamsa chronicle, respected even by many Sinhalese for his just rule. As a young man Dutugemunu raised an army and, in a campaign later described in the Mahavamsa as subduing dozens of regional rulers, marched north to confront Elara directly. The two kings are said to have met in single combat outside the eastern gate of Anuradhapura, mounted on their respective war elephants, where Dutugemunu killed Elara and reunified the island under one Sinhalese Buddhist crown for the first time in generations. After his victory he undertook major religious construction projects in Anuradhapura, including the Ruwanwelisaya stupa and the Lovamahapaya, works that still stand as major pilgrimage sites today. His reign is remembered in Sri Lankan tradition as a foundational moment of national unity and Buddhist patronage.

Sources: Mahavamsa, "The Great Chronicle of Ceylon" (5th-6th century AD compilation) · Britannica, "Dutthagamani" biography entry · Ceylon History, "King Dutugemunu (161-137 BCE)"