Question 1

When did King Dutugamunu rule Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Dutugamunu ruled as king of a unified Sri Lanka from approximately 161 to 137 BCE. He reigned from Anuradhapura after defeating the Chola king Elara, who had previously governed the northern region of the island.

Question 2

What is King Dutugamunu famous for?

Accepted Answer

He is best known for uniting the island under a single rule for the first time, defeating King Elara in single combat. He is also renowned for commissioning the Ruwanweliseya Stupa and the Brazen Palace (Lohaprasada) in Anuradhapura, and for his patronage of Theravada Buddhism.

Question 3

Is King Dutugamunu mentioned in the Mahavamsa?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Mahavamsa — the great Pali chronicle of Sri Lankan history — devotes more chapters to Dutugamunu than to almost any other ruler. It was compiled several centuries after his reign and is the primary written source for his life and campaigns.

Question 4

Where is the Ruwanweliseya Stupa located?

Accepted Answer

The Ruwanweliseya (also called Ruvanvelisaya or Mahathupa) is located in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It remains an active place of worship and one of the most important Buddhist monuments on the island.

Question 5

Was Dutugamunu's war against Elara an ethnic conflict?

Accepted Answer

Historians debate this question. The Mahavamsa frames the war partly in religious terms — protecting Buddhism against a non-Buddhist ruler — but Dutugamunu reportedly honoured Elara after his death with a monument. Modern scholars caution against reading ancient events through a purely contemporary ethnic lens.

Question 6

What happened to King Dutugamunu at the end of his life?

Accepted Answer

According to the Mahavamsa, Dutugamunu suffered from illness in his final years and was carried to view the still-unfinished Ruwanweliseya on his deathbed. He died before the stupa was completed; his brother and successor, Saddhatissa, finished the construction.

Question 7

How is King Dutugamunu remembered in Sri Lanka today?

Accepted Answer

Dutugamunu is one of the most celebrated figures in Sri Lankan national memory, taught in schools and depicted in temple murals, novels, and popular drama. Anuradhapura, where his monuments stand, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major Buddhist pilgrimage destination.

Question 8

What is the meaning of the name Dutugamunu?

Accepted Answer

The epithet is traditionally interpreted as a contraction of 'Duta Gamani,' often translated as the disobedient or impetuous Gamani — a reference to his youthful defiance of his father's cautious policy. His birth name was Gamani Abhaya.

King Dutugamunu

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King Elara

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