Knowra Pandukabhaya Pandukabhaya Pandukabhaya was an early king of Anuradhapura in ancient Sri Lanka. The Mahavamsa credits him with establishing the city and organizing its settlements and religious sites.
Mahavamsa : A Pali chronicle of Sri Lankan kings and Buddhist history, compiled around the fifth century CE. Its account is the principal surviving narrative of Pandukabhaya’s life and reign.
Anuradhapura Kingdom : An ancient Sri Lankan kingdom centered on Anuradhapura, lasting from the fourth century BCE to the eleventh century CE. Pandukabhaya’s reign is traditionally treated as the kingdom’s formative political phase.
Abhayagiri Vihara : A major Buddhist monastery in Anuradhapura, founded during the reign of King Valagamba. Later tradition connects its site to Abhayavapi, a reservoir attributed to Pandukabhaya.
Sri Lankan historiography : The study and writing of Sri Lanka’s past through chronicles, inscriptions, archaeology, and modern historical methods. It examines how royal narratives about Pandukabhaya can be tested and interpreted.
Dipavamsa : An early Pali chronicle of Sri Lanka, composed before the Mahavamsa. It preserves an earlier version of the island’s royal and Buddhist traditions.
Ancient irrigation in Sri Lanka : A system of reservoirs, canals, and water management that supported agriculture in ancient Sri Lanka. Chronicles associate Pandukabhaya’s reign with the construction and management of waterworks.
Abhayavapi : An ancient reservoir at Anuradhapura, traditionally attributed to Pandukabhaya. It is one of the clearest named waterworks associated with his reign.
Historical reliability of the Mahavamsa : The assessment of the Mahavamsa’s evidence, chronology, and literary shaping as a historical source. Pandukabhaya’s dates and deeds depend heavily on claims in this chronicle.
Anuradhapura : An ancient Sri Lankan city that served as a major political and religious center for centuries. Tradition identifies Pandukabhaya as the founder who made this city his capital.
Caste system in Sri Lanka : A hereditary social hierarchy shaped by occupation, community, and regional tradition in Sri Lanka. The Mahavamsa describes Pandukabhaya assigning settlements to occupational groups.
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