Pulatthinagara untranslated

Pulatthinagara (Pulatthipura). A capital of the Sinhalese kings. It is first heard of in the reign of Aggabodhi III., who built in the town the Mahā Pānadīpa vihāra (Cv.xliv.122). But it was probably an important centre even earlier, and Vijitapura, wrested from the Tamils by Duṭṭhagāmaṇī, was probably near by (See Codr.20). Sena I. first made Pulatthipura the capital (Cv.l.9, 46, 85), though even before his time it seems to have been used as a royal residence – e.g., by Aggabodhi IV. (Cv.xlvi.34), Aggabodhi VII. (Cv.xlviii.74), and Udaya I. (Cv.xlix.9, 18), who built a hospital there. Kassapa IV. is also mentioned as building a hospital against an epidemic (Cv.lii.25).

Mahinda II. built in the city the Dāmavihāra pariveṇa and the Sannīratittha vihāra (Cv.xlviii.134). Sena I. reigned in Pulatthipura for twenty years and erected there several buildings, including the Senaggabodhi shrine near the Thusavāpī (Cv.l.73). The successors of Sena I. found in Pulatthipura a certain amount of protection from the inroads of the Coḷas and the Pāṇḍiyans; but in the time of Sena V. the town fell into the hands of the Damiḷas, through the treachery of Sena’s mother and his commander-in-chief, Sena. But Sena V. recovered the city by making a treaty with his commander-in-chief (Cv.liv.64, 68). About 1017 CE. the Coḷas overran the country, captured Pulatthipura, and made the reigning king, Mahinda V., their prisoner. He died, after twelve years, as a prisoner in India (Cv.lv.22ff). During this period many of the Hindu shrines in the city were erected.

For many years the Coḷas held the sovereignty of the city, though the Sinhalese made several vain attempts to drive them out. The Coḷas named the city Jananāthapura and put down all rebellion with a strong hand. Finally, a young prince named Kitti, born about 1039 CE., assumed the title of Vijayabāhu and determined to rescue Pulatthipura. His first attempts failed, partly owing to rebellion among his own people; but finally, civil war broke out in the Coḷa country itself, and thus, about 1070, he captured Pulatthipura after a great deal of fierce fighting both on sea and land. But, owing to dissensions among his subjects, it was only several years later that he was able to hold his coronation (Cv.lvii.66; lviii.22 ff.; lix.6 ff). He renamed the city Vijayarājapura, and erected there many religious buildings, chief among which was the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Cv.x.2ff). It was not, however, till the time of Parakkamabāhu I. that Pulatthipura reached the pinnacle of its greatness. He enlarged it to the size of four gāvutas in length and seven in width and called it Parakkamapura. The city had three suburbs Rāvjavesībhujaṅga, Rājakulantaka and Vijita – and fourteen gates. Parakkama adorned it with various parks, chief of which were the Nandanavana and the Dīpuyyāna, and with ponds and numerous buildings, both secular and religious (for details see chiefly Cv.lxxiii.1ff.; lxxviii.44 ff). Kittinissaṅka added a stone temple for the Tooth Relic (Cv.lxxx.19). In the reign of Līlavatī, Lokissara captured the city and ruled there for nine months. He was ousted by the general Parakkama, and later Parakkamapaṇḍu ruled as king, till he was deposed about 1215 CE. by Māgha of the Kaliṅga race, who, coming with a large host of Keralas and Malabars, captured the city and mercilessly plundered its possessions (Cv.lxxxiii.15 ff). From this spoliation the city never completely recovered, and it gradually lost its importance, though Parakkamabāhu II., Vijayabāhu IV. and Parakkamabāhu III. made attempts to restore it to its original splendour. Cv.lxxxvii.67; Cv.lxxxviii.28, 35, 89, 92, 120f.; Cv.lxxxix.1.