King Valagamba

                 King Valagamba  (103 BC – 77 BC)  

Background

Other names        :      Vattagamini Abhaya, Valagambahu

Father                  :      King Saddathissa, brother of  

                                    the Great King Dutugemunu

Siblings               :      1. Lajja Tissa (Lanja Tissa)

                                   2. Thullattana

                                   3. Kallata Naga

Queens                :      Anula Devi, Soma Devi

Dynasty               :      House of Vijaya

Kallata Naga’s minister, Kammaharattaka killed him and usurped power.

Prince Valagamba killed Kammaharattaka (Maharattaka) and ascended the throne in 103 BC.

King Valagamba adopted Kallata Naga’s son, Mahaculika as his own and hence was known as “Pitha Raja”, “Pitha Maha Raja”, “Pithu Raja”.

Troubled tenure...

Five months after becoming King, a Brahmin named Tissa (also called Theeya, Theeha from Nakhulu Gama in Ruhunu Rata) rebelled against him and at the same time seven South Indian Tamils invaded the country. King very wisely withdrew asking Tissa to take over power but Tissa was soon defeated by the Tamil invaders.

A Jain named Giri screamed out that “the great dark Sinhalese is fleeing” (“Maha kalu Sinhalaya panayanawo”)! Then King was chased after by the invaders while fleeing in his chariot with Anula Devi (mother of Mahaculika), Soma Devi and Mahaculika. Soma Devi bravely volunteered to get off the chariot to help King flee faster. She and the Sacred Bowl Relic of the Buddha (Pathra Dhathun Wahanse) was taken to India by two invaders.

 

The king was in hiding for 14 long years during which time he tactfully gathered an army to win back the power. He was advised, greatly helped and guided by a monk named Kuppikkala Tissa thero. It is said that the thero had supported the king and the royal retinue with the alms he collected! 

This is one of the uncountable instances where the Mahasangha has protected the King and the country to defeat foreign invasions. 

In 89 BC he regained power and ruled the country for twelve years.

 

 

Great service to Buddhism

 

1.     Inscribing the Thipitka on palm leaves

There was a prolonged drought that lead to a great famine that had lasted for 12 long years called “Maha Beminithiyasaya (also called Maha Baminiyasaya). A lot of monks too died due to this famine. At that time the Thripitaka (The three cannons of the Buddha Dhamma) was passed down by oral tradition. Therefore an urgent need arose to writing it in books.

The Thipitaka was thus inscribed on palm leaves at Aluviharaya in Matale with the patronage of King Valagamba.

 

2.     Construction of Abhayagiriya.

He built Abhayagiriya and offered it in gratitude to Kupikkala Tissa Thero who helped and guided him during his exile. Since the thero accepted it, the other monks in the Maha Vihara expelled him. This led to a disciple of Kuppikala Tissa Thero to leave Mahavihara with five hundred other bhikkus (monks) for Abhayagiriya.

Abhayagiri Viharaya comprised many monastic premises.

Abhayagiriya had been regarded as a prominent international education centre in the past. 

 

 

3.     Converted the Rock caves at Dambulla and conferred to the Maha Sangha

King converted the caves he used to frequent in hiding in Dambulla in to a temple and conferred to the Maha Sangha. There he built “Soma Chethiya” in Dambulla Rock Temple in honour of his brave Queen Soma who got off the chariot to save the King. 

4.     Constructed Lankaramaya in Anuradhapura.

 It is said that Lankarama was built at the place where Soma Devi volunteered off the chariot to save the King. Some believe that it was previously known as Somaramaya. 

 

5.     Hindagala Cave Temple – Galaha (Central hills)

 

6.     Constructed Pirivenas.

 

 

Eth Pokuna – A Pond in Anuradhapura whose underground canals are still working which was said to have been used by the monks residing in Abhayagiriya was a construction of this King

He established stone inscriptions in many places in the island.

 By Kanchana Wickramasinghe

PGDipGIS, MDS (University of Colombo)

                           https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKgK23EVzNR-3GgWxL_CNPQ