Thammanna Nuwara
Upatissa Nuwara
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura Chola
Ruhuna
Polonnaruwa
Dambadeniya
Yapahuwa
Kurunegala
Gampola
Kotte
Sitawaka
Kandy
Portuguese
Dutch
British
Monarch of Ceylon
150
Queen Kalyanawathie
Kingdom of Polonnaruwa
1202 AC - 1208 AC

King Sahasamalla, born in the Okkaka lineage, was removed from the throne, and Queen Kalyanawathi Bisova ascended the throne. However, the Mahavamsa chronicle does not mention that the king was put to death. In the Poojawaliya inscription, it is stated as “the king was removed.” The person who led this initiative was a powerful figure named Ayasmanta Chamunatha. The term “Chamunatha” denotes a minister or general. At that time, the consort’s name Ayasmanta was used. For his identification, the Mahavamsa uses three terms: Rajakulavadana, Sabbalankarajjunasasaka, and Bandhavartve Jata.

Rajakulavadana refers to the fostering, promotion, or establishment of the royal lineage, which applies to him as the person who crowned Queen Kalyanawathi after removing King Sahasamalla. The Mahavamsa also mentions that he constructed a vihara in Walligama (Weligama) under the title Rajakulavadana, which may have been his name.

Sabbalankarajjunasasaka indicates that he managed all royal administrative affairs during the queen’s reign. The adjective clarifies that Ayasmanta Chamunatha belonged to the Kandavuru lineage. From the Polonnaruwa period up to the Kotte period, this lineage is mentioned intermittently in history and literature. During the Polonnaruwa period, a minister named Elalu Abo Senavirath is mentioned as being responsible for crowning kings. Another minister who took initiative to enthrone Prince Sahasamalla was named Lolupelaeku Abona. In the Minpe inscription, a minister is mentioned; the words Abo, Abona, and their variants all have the same meaning: “long-lived.” This is the same meaning as the Pali word Ayasmanta. Thus, all four names refer to the same person.

He was Ayasmanta Chamunatha, who elevated Queen Kalyanawathi to the throne. In some Poojawaliya inscriptions, the queen is referred to as Kalyana Devi. She was the second consort of King Nissankamalla and later became the chief queen after Subhadra Bisova. She was of the Ganga lineage through her connection with Nissankamalla. Queen Kalyanawathi constructed a vihara at her village Pannasalaka, bearing her name, and donated land, soil, and servants, as recorded in the Mahavamsa.

Several inscriptions belong to the period of Queen Kalyanawathi. The first is a fragmentary inscription near the southern gate of Anuradhapura Salpathala Maluwa. It records her second regnal year and mentions, “To Queen Kalyanawathi at Abhayasalemavan, the gifts…” The inscriptions describe offerings made to the Ruwanweli Maha Seiya by three individuals: Pirivathubim Vijayanavan, Sumedha Devi, and Kota Danawa. The first donor, Pirivathubim Vijayanavan, had previously served in the treasury of King Parakramabahu I.

The second inscription, from the fifth year of her reign, documents renovations of the Bathalagoda wewa dam and maintenance of irrigation works, carried out by Lakvijaya Abo Singu Senavinawan. This indicates measures taken for economic development during her reign.

An inscription located on the Minpe rock near Mayyangana records the eighth regnal year of Queen Kalyanawathi. However, according to the Mahavamsa, she officially reigned only six years. The inscription also notes that during her time, a Tamil minister (Ayasmanta) had killed certain forces that threatened the Buddhist order. It describes the restructuring of irrigation works and military actions carried out to secure the kingdom.

Although Queen Kalyanawathi was removed from the throne at one point, local leaders who had partial loyalty to her continued to respect her authority, as the Minpe inscription shows. Apart from internal conflicts, no other disturbances are reported during her reign. Regional leaders administered their territories and oversaw development. Ayasmanta Senapathi held significant administrative power, codified dharma laws, and contributed to governance.

According to the Mahavamsa, Queen Kalyanawathi’s reign lasted six years, but inscriptions suggest it may have exceeded eight years.

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