Funday Times

The leader, Prince Kashyapa who managed to ride and free himself from the enemy forces rode faster and fled the scene. He stopped at Kodivaya. As there was no leader in Anuradhapura by this time, it was easy for the Pandyan king to occupy the capital city. The Tamil armies rasacked the city. They plundered all the wealth. They even ruined the treasury of King Sena and took away whatever was valuable.

They then went to Abhayagiri Vihara. There was a golden Buddha statue there and they took that. The gems that were embedded as the eyes of the stone image, were also pulled out. Then they went towards Thuparama. They plundered all the valuables from there too. In all the temples in Anuradhpura all the valuable statues were taken away. The entire city looked like one big cemetery. King Sena was residing in the village of Degammuva at this time.

'Degammuva' is the place where the river Mahaweli and Ambanganga meet. The king was there, under tight security. Meanwhile the people had discovered the head of the Yuvaraja Mahinda who committed suicide. They gave this to the Pandyan king. He cremated it and paid last respects too. Now the Pandya king had thoughts of becoming friends with King Sena. He sent two of his ministers to Degammuva, as peace envoys.

King Sena, welcomed them very warmly and was engaged in pleasant conversation. They were treated very well. He accepted their message of peace. As a token of appreciation the king sent two elephants and some jewellery, as gifts to the Pandyan king. This turned the enemy into a friend. The Pandyan king, then sent a message, requesting King Sena to come back and accept the leadership of the country.

The Pandyan king went back, taking with him, all the plundered wealth. King Sena was back in Anuradhapura. He had to struggle to bring the city back to normalcy. All the tanks and canals that were ruined, had to be repaired. He tried his best to renovate all the temples that were ruined in the process of plundering. That was no easy task.

This king conferred the title 'Maha-Adipada' to his younger brother, Prince Udaya and made him the ruler of the South. He went to the south. But before long, he fell ill and died. Prince Kashyapa who had fled to Kodivaya, was also killed by the enemy. Prince Kashyapa however, had four sons.

The eldest of these princes was also named Sena. King Sena 1, made him the 'Mahadipada' a gave him the South to rule. By this time, the ruler of the South, Kitu-Agbo was also dead. He is said to have had four sons and three pretty daughters. Of them, the eldest was named Mahinda.

This prince, by heredity was the ruler of the South. His aunt, the sister of his father, Kitu-Agbo, got this innocent prince killed. She did this, for her to be the ruler of the South. The other brothers, who got scared, and became furious, took the sisters too and went to Anuradhapura.

By Halaliye Karunathilake, Edited and translated by Kamala Silva, Illustrated by Saman Kalubowila.