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Maharaja Gemunu Jayamaga Osse

Author: Upali Samarasinghe

by Sureshni Pilapitiya

Upali Samarasinghe's Maharaja Gemunu Jayamaga Osse was launched recently at the Public Library auditorium, Colombo 7. The book has been written after a detailed research into the Dutugemunu era.

The author depicts how he found the ancient stone plaques describing the religious and humanitarian work of Dutugemunu. The book also describes how the king raised an army to fight against the South Indian invaders.

Ven Ellawala Medhananda Thera delivering the keynote address described how king Dutugemunu fought his way to victory. He said the most important era of the Sri Lankan history was king Dutugemunu's period.

According to him it was divided into two segments. One was Arahath Mahinda's visit and the other was the social and political changes of different regimes.

When Dutugemunu became the ruler of Magampura, the rest of the country was ruled by Elara.

Therefore, Dutugemunu wanted to win his rightful, ancestral and traditional leadership. According to the Mahawamsa, before entering Anuradhapura, he cleared a road to enter the place.

This road ran across Malaya Rata. The first person to find out this road was Prof. Senarath Paranavitane. C. W Nicholas also has mentioned about the particular pathway to Anuradhapura.

The Thera said though there is a Nagadeepa in Jaffna, there is also a Nagadeepa in Buththala area. He commended Samarasinghe for writing an authentic account of king Dutugemunu.

The book was presented by Samarasinghe and the publisher Dayawansha Jayakody to Ven. Mataramba Hemarathana Thera, chief incumbent of Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Vihara. Prof. Raj Somadeva explained king Dutugemunu's strategy of defeating Elara. Along with pictures the writer has described the happenings of that era including folklore.

Senior lecturer Aththanayake M. Herath commended Samarasinghe for his hard work going through a difficult journey to find the history of Dutugemunu. He said we have not given our national heroes such as Keppetipola, Puran Appu and Veediya Bandara their due place.

Ven. Mataramba Hemarathana Thera said King Kavantissa did not deserve such a low recognition for his services.

In the whole of history, he was not given any recognition by describing him as a weak monarch. He was a great king who had very clever strategies to defeat Elara, he said.