The legacy of our powerful ‘Great’ grandmothers
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I have been moved, humbled and simply awed during these past three months as I have borne witness once again to the extraordinary history and beauty of our homeland whilst travelling through Sri Lanka. Our country has long been heralded as a paradise island, with a rich historical past, blessed with so many of nature’s most precious gifts by way of exquisite flora, fauna and animals, and home to some of the most fertile and picturesque locations in the world. What I felt most drawn to on this occasion however, were the flamboyant characters of our past who have been immortalised in the pages of our history and the strength, intelligence and power that many of them wielded. A power that was also sometimes matched, by female monarchs and nobility.
It was with wonder and surprise that I learnt that Sri Lanka was not only the country to give the world its first democratically elected female Prime Minister in 1960, but was also the first country in Asia to have a female Head of State in the form of Queen Anula of Anuradhapura in the year 47 BC. According to Wikipedia, “Queen Anula (reigned 47 BC – 42 BC) was the first queen in Sri Lankan history to have wielded meaningful power and authority. As well as being the first female head of state in Asia. Anula initially rose to power as consort of king Chore Naga (also known as ‘Coranaga’ and ‘Mahanaga’), son of king Valagambahu of Anuradhapura; however in her five-year reign she poisoned her way through at least four other husbands and consorts and eventually governed Rajarata on her own. She should not be confused with the other famous Anula in Sri Lankan history, king Devanampiyatissa’s consort. The primary source for her reign is the Mahavamsa, chapters XXXIV and XXXV.” According to P.N.L. de Silva, writing for the Asian Tribune in 2006 (a publication of the World Institute for Asian Studies), she is probably one of “the worst women in our history. Her name has survived to this date because of the immensity of her cruelty”. Whilst sources vary and local myths and legends have no doubt added colour to the various accounts of her true nature, several sources do seem to corroborate that whilst she may not have been a popular Queen of sound and noble character, she was nevertheless a notable female figure in our history.
The list of rulers and monarchs in Sri Lanka also mentions Queen Lilavati of Polonnaruwa. According to Wikipedia, “Queen Lilavati (reigned 1197–1200, 1209–10, and 1211–12) was the second woman in Sri Lankan history to rule as sovereign in her own right. Lilavati rose to prominence as the wife of Parakramabahu I, king of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa. Being of royal descent herself, she then ruled as sole monarch on three different occasions in the near-anarchy following Parakramabahu’s death, with the backing of various generals. The primary source for her life is the Culavamsa, specifically chapter LXXX….Queen Lilavati’s life and reigns effectively spanned across the final decline and collapse of Sinhalese power in medieval Sri Lanka. The twenty-six years following her husband’s death saw nine separate rulers and at least three invasions from the Chola and Pandya lands of South India…This last stretch in power for the queen lasted a mere seven months before she was dethroned by her Parakrama of Pandya, who established himself as king in Rajarata. Following this invasion Lilavati disappears from the historical record’. Traces of Queen Lilavati’s reign are still apparent amongst the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa and give a strong sense of female dominance at a time when it was relatively rare.
For me however, our fearless and most gracious ‘Great’ grandmother is the brave, wise and compassionate Queen Viharamaha Devi: Daughter of King Kelanitissa, Queen Consort of King Kavantissa and mother of King Dutugamunu – one of the greatest heroes of Sri Lanka – and King Saddhatissa. Her story of spirit, patriotism and courage is the stuff of legends, having volunteered to sacrifice her life for the sins of her father and for the safety of her motherland. A serene and formidable statue in gleaming white stands tall in Kirinda, commemorating the spot where the noble Princess is said to have landed on the Southern coast after being set adrift on the sea in a simple boat bearing the words ‘Daughter of a King’ from Kelaniya. A larger than life noble character who even inspired a famous French classical composer by the name of George Bizet to compose an Opera Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) – and loosely base the lead heroine Leila’s character on her story. A character I was honoured to play and sing as the first Sri Lankan to do so on the international stage.
Having so recently witnessed and been reacquainted with such female greatness from our past it seemed appropriate to take a moment and remember that the blood of these brave, fearless, clever and cunning women runs through our veins. That we are the daughters of strong Queens and fearless leaders, who tempered their rule with compassion and justice. On this day, the 4th of September which would have been my own maternal grandmother’s birthday, it seemed fitting to remember and pay homage not only to my own gentle, independent and loving grandmother, but also to our ancestral ‘Great’ grandmothers, immortalised in the pages of history and etched into our very beings. To remember that these powerful and intelligent women have infused the hearts of our people and shaped the nature of our heritage and history and whose essence every Sri Lankan woman still carries in her soul.
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