Lankapura Dandanatha facts for kids

Lankapura Dandanatha, often called just Lankapura, was a brave general (called a Senapati) in the Sinhala Army. He served during the time of King Parakramabahu I in ancient Sri Lanka. Lankapura led an army to South India to help a king there. He managed to take control of some areas and put a prince back on the throne. He even made sure Sri Lankan money was used in those places!

Lankapura: A Brave General

Who Was Lankapura?

Lankapura was the son of Lankadhinatha Kitti, who was a local ruler. We don't know his real name for sure. "Dandanatha" might have been his actual name, and "Lankapura" could have been a special title.

Some people think "Lankapura" was a place, like the region of Lanka, because "pura" means "place." So he might have been called "Dandanatha of Lankapura." But most old and new writings simply call him Lankapura.

An Expedition to India

In 1167, the Pandyan king, Parakrama Pandya, asked King Parakramabahu I of Sri Lanka for help. There was a big fight happening in his country. King Parakramabahu got an army ready and chose General Lankapura to lead it.

However, by the time Lankapura and his army reached the port of Mahatittha (Mannar) in Sri Lanka, something sad had happened. King Parakrama Pandya had been killed by his enemy, Kulasekhara Pandya.

The War Continues

Even with this bad news, Lankapura decided to go ahead with the invasion. He wanted to remove Kulasekhara Pandya from power. This probably happened around 1173. After sailing for a day and a night, his army landed in South India.

Lankapura attacked Rameswaram and captured it after several battles. He then fought and defeated the Pandyan army in many towns. He built a strong fort at Kundukaal and named it Parakramapura, after the Sri Lankan king.

Kulasekhara Pandya tried to attack this new fort, but Lankapura's army pushed him back. Later, Vira Pandya, who was Parakrama Pandya's son, joined forces with Lankapura. Lankapura's army kept moving forward. They reached a very strong place called Semponmari. Even the powerful Chola Kingdom army couldn't capture Semponmari after two years. But the Sri Lankan forces, led by Lankapura, captured it in about half a day!

King Parakramabahu sent another general, Jagath Vijaya, to help Lankapura. They fought Kulasekhara Pandya again, who had brought more soldiers. They defeated him once more. The throne was then given to Vira Pandya. Lankapura went on to capture more towns, including the city of Madura.

What Happened in the End?

Kulasekhara Pandya later got help from the Chola kingdom and returned to fight Lankapura's army again. But Lankapura defeated them once more. He then ordered that the Sri Lankan money, called Kahapana, be used in the areas his army controlled.

However, historical records from the Chola kingdom tell a different story. They say that Lankapura and Jagath Vijaya were defeated. The Chola records, like the Arapakkam inscription, claim that their heads were put on display at the gates of Madura. After this, Kulasekhara Pandya supposedly took back his throne. This means the war ended with the Cholas winning, sometime in the 1170s.

But ancient Sri Lankan writings say that Lankapura returned to Sri Lanka after his victory. They say King Parakramabahu I welcomed him as a great war hero and rewarded him well. These Sri Lankan stories might not mention any defeats to make the war seem like a complete victory.

The Sri Lankan accounts also say that the prisoners of war captured by Lankapura's army were sent to Sri Lanka. They were used to help repair the Ruwanweli Seya and other buildings. These buildings had been damaged by earlier Chola invasions.