This article is part of a continuing series on the 'Mahavamsa,' the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history

The enemies of Ruhuna

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

1. The Chola armies that came from South India were fierce. From the time they landed in the country, they behaved in a very cruel manner. The houses on either side of the road to Polonnaruwa, were broken down and the innocent civilians were harassed. They reached Polonnaruwa. There the Cholas who were already there, joined the invading army. They jointly ruined the entire Rajarata area. This put a stop to the rebellion that was going on.

2. Then they thought of winning over the Ruhunu-Rata. This was the 11th year of King Vijayabahu's reign and it was around 1066 AD. Vijayabahu was planning to defeat the Cholas. In the upper valley of Ginganga, there was a mountainous area. Palutu-pahana was a village there. The king camped here. That place is identified as the village of 'Tambala' today. King Vijayabahu had two powerful commanders who were against him. They were Ravi and Chala by name.

3. These two commanders met the commanders of the Chola armies that arrived in Ruhuna. The Chola commanders gave them a very warm welcome. These two commanders had their own armies. When they met the Chola commander, the Sinhala commanders sought Chola help to capture Vijayabahu. This was something the Cholas least expected. They readily agreed and praised them for seeking Chola help.

4. The two Sinhala commanders Ravi and Chala joined the Chola commander at a reception. They ate, drank, made merry and dispersed on a happy note. Once they left, the Chola commander began to contemplate. He thought, "We are in a foreign land and in completely new surroundings. There is every possibility of danger from an unknown quarter. But now everything seems alright. The people who came to us know everything about the area. They have promised us help. We will be the masters of Ruhuna, in the near future."

5. So thought the Chola commander. He was very happy about the whole affair. So he summoned the other commanders and told them what luck had befallen them. He told them that it was sheer luck, that they were promised help by the people of the country, when they had arrived in a foreign land. Now he had people who were thorough with the geography of the place. Those Sinhala soldiers would join them very soon.

6. He then announced, "Commanders! This is some unexpected luck. If we make maximum use of this opportunity, it will not be difficult to capture King Vijayabahu. Let us not delay. Let us organize our armies and get ready for the battle." All the commanders listened in silence. Then one got up.

7. "O, Chief Commander, please do pardon me, for asking this question. How can we have trust in these two Sinhala commanders? They may be trying to take us for a ride. I have my doubts about them," he said. The Commander-in-Chief then said, "Yes, you are right. We have to be watchful of these two commanders. However, according to all the secret information that I have gathered so far, they are said to be enemies of Prince Keerti, now Vijayabahu. Therefore, let us use them, without much delay."

8. A few days passed. The armies of Ravi and Chala joined the Chola forces. They ruined the entire Ruhuna. There was no one to oppose them. They were able to roam about the area quite freely. Now, they were going in search of Prince Keerti, who was then called King Vijayabahu. Their attempts ended in failure. Vijayabahu was smarter than they were.