King Gajabahu I of Anuradhapura Gajabahu I (Sinhala: පළමුවන ගජබාහු රජ; Tamil: முதலாம் கஜபாகு) was the King of Anuradhapura Kingdom , Sri Lanka from 114 A.D. to 136 A.D. Belonging to the First Dynasty of Lambakanna, he ruled the country from his capital at Anuradhapura until he was succeeded by Mahallaka Naga (Ray, 1959). Reign The king of Anuradhapura Gajabahu (personal name Gamani Abhaya) or Gajabahuka Gamani ascended the throne in 114 after his father Vankanasika Tissa (Ray, 1959). He married a daughter of Uttara, one of the brothers of Vankanasika Tissa and sister of Uparaja Naga who later ascended the throne as Mahallaka Naga (Ray, 1959). Gajabahu's appearance in India and the Pattini cult As mentioned in Pujavaliya and Rajavaliya , there was an invasion of an unnamed Cola king during the reign of Vankanasika Tissa (Ray, 1959). According to the details given in them, the Cola forces had captured 12,000 Sinhalese and taken them to Kaveri in South India where they were employed as labourers in some works (Ray, 1959). …
