Lankapura Dandanatha

Lankapura Dandanatha, more commonly referred to as simply Lankapura, was a Senapati of the Sinhala Army during the reign of King Parakramabahu I. He led an expeditionary force to South India in support of the Pandyan king Parakrama Pandyan I, made Vira Pandyan to get the throne.

Name Lankapura was the son of Lankadhinatha Kitti, a regional ruler. His real name is unclear. Dandanatha may have been his real name, and Lankapura a title. However, some sources refer to him as Dandanatha of Lankapura, indicating that Lankapura was in fact a place name, likely referring to the region of Lanka, wheres pura means place. It is also possible that Lankapura was the actual given name, and Dandanatha was a title. However, most sources, both modern and ancient, refer to him commonly as Lankapura.

Invasion The Pandyan king Parakrama Pandya sought assistance from cousin Parakramabahu I in 1167 to face an internal strife in his country. Parakramabahu prepared an army, and appointed Senapati (General) Lankapura as its commander. However, by the time Lankapura and his army reached the port of Mahatittha (Mannar) in the north west of Sri Lanka, Parakrama Pandya had been killed by his rival Kulasekhara Pandya. Lankapura fought with and defeated the Pandyan army in several towns and villages after this, and established a fortress at Kundukaal and named it Parakramapura after the king of Sri Lanka.

A counterattack by Kulasekhara Pandya on this fortress was repelled back, and Vira Pandya, Parakrama Pandya's son later joined up with Lankapura. The army of Lankapura continued to march forward and came to a stronghold named Semponmari. Parakramabahu sent another General named Jagath Vijaya to assist Lankapura in another battle against Kulasekhara Pandya who had returned with reinforcements, and they defeated him again.

Then the Cholas decided to fight Lankapura's army again, but news son arrived from Pilai Pallavarayar that the pradhunis, including Jayadratha and Lankapura dandanayakas, and the entire army from Ceylon, had been defeated.

Chola king Rajadhiraja II then responded by sending his commander Thiruchitrambalamudaiyan Perumanambi along with a strong army with specific instructions to kill Lankapura and Jagad Vijaya of the Polonnaruwa Army and hang their heads from the gates of the palace of Madurai and conquer the Pandyan Kingdom.

Pallavarayar, also known as Tirucirrambalamudaiyan Perumanambi, who was entrusted with these tasks, entertained Kulasekhara suitably during his stay in the Cola country, and having with his army, resources and zeal, brought about the reconquest of the Pandiyan kingdom, he carried out his master’s orders to the letter by nailing the heads of Lankapuri-dandanayaka and others(other Soldiers) to the gates of Madura. But there can be no doubt,that in the report of Parakkamabahu I's campaigns in Southern India, Dhammakitti suppresses the fact of the failure which overtook the expedition after its first success.The fact itself however is confirmed by South Indian inscriptions. The narrative in the Culavamsa ends abruptly. But we learn from South Indian inscriptions that Parakkamabahu's general was finally defeated and his head with those of his officers was nailed to the gates of Madhura. The Ceylon account is certainly one sided, and describes the war in true epic fashion. The victory is all in favour of the Ceylonese generals, and yet we find ultimately Vira Pandya does not find himself settled upon his throne firmly, ruling over the country subjugated to his authority. ) state that he was defeated and the heads of Lankapura , Jagath Vijaya and other soldiers were nailed to the gates of Madurai. Annan Pallavarayan invaded Polonnaruwa and destroyed Parakramabahu's preparations for the invasion. The Cholas also provided support to Sinhalese Prince Sri Vallabha, nephew of Parakramabahu and a rival claimant to the Polonnaruwa throne.

The expedition that was sent with Srivallabha at its head captured and destroyed several places in Ceylon, including Pulaiccēri and Mātōţţam, where Parākramabāhu was gathering his forces; it seized many elephants and set fire to a considerable area extending over twenty kādams from east to west and seventy kādams from north to south, killing some of the Singalese chieftains and soldiers of the locality and taking others(soldiers) captive as prisoners of war. The booty captured in the course of the expedition was then duly presented to the Cōla king by Annan Pallavarāyan, who thus successfully counteracted all the machinations of the Ceylonese ruler.