A

B

C

D

E

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

Y

?

Laṅkāpura

1. Laṅkāpura.– See Laṅkānagara.

2. Laṅkāpura Daṇḍanātha.– A general of Parakkamabāhu I. He was probably (Cv.lxx.218; Cv.Trs.305, n.5) the son of the Laṅkādhinātha Kitti. We first hear of him as having parried the attack of Gajabāhu’s forces, at the pass of Khaṇḍigāma. He was later sent in command of the expedition against Kulasekhara, to help the Paṇḍu king, Parakkama of Madhurā. He landed at the Paṇḍu port of Talaḍilla and occupied Rāmissara. From there he advanced to Kuṇḍukāla. The prisoners whom he sent to Sri Lanka were used to help in the restoration of the Ratanavāluka cetiya. At Kuṇḍukāla, Laṅkāpura built the fortress of Parakkamapura. He defeated Kulasekhara and his numerous allies in several battles, and won over some of his allies, such as Iḷaṅkiyarāyara, Mālavarāyara and Coḷagaṅgara, by gifts and honours, and captured, among other places, the fortress of Semponmāri. He was assisted by Laṅkāpura Deva and Laṅkāgiri Sora, the general Gokanna, the Kesadhātus Loka and Kitti, and an officer named Jagadvijaya. He then captured Muṇḍikkāra and several other fortresses and occupied Rājinā. He subdued the Coḷa and Paṇḍū countries, and is said to have issued coins bearing the name of Parakkamabāhu I, while he restored the Paṇḍu kingdom to Vīrapaṇḍu. The village of Paṇḍu-vijaya was founded by the king to commemorate the victory of Laṅkāpura. The account of Laṅkāpura’s exploits is found in Cv.lxxvi.76 ff; lxxvii.1 ff.

It is curious that no mention is made in the Ceylon Chronicles of Laṅkāpura’s return to Sri Lanka, nor of any honours bestowed on him by the king. South Indian inscriptions relate that Laṅkāpura was defeated, and that his head, with those of his officers, was nailed to the gates of Madhurā. Codrington, op.cit., 62, 74; also Smith, Early History of India, p.340.

3. Laṅkāpura.– The name seems to have been used also as a title and was conferred on Kadakkuda (Cv.lxxii.39), Rakkha (Cv.lxxv.70), and Deva (Cv.lxxv.130).