A park laid out by Parakkamabāhu I. Cv.lxxix.11.
A landing place in Ceylon where Māgha und Jayabāhu set up fortifications. Cv.lxxxiii.17.
Pulatthi nagara( pura). A capital of the Singhalese kings. It is first heard of in the reign of Aggabodhi III., who built in the town the Mahāpānadīpa vihāra (Cv.xliv.122). But it was probably an important centre even earlier, und Vijitapura, wrested from the Tamils by Dutthagāmanī, was probably near by (See Codrington, op. cit., 20). Sena I. first made Pulatthipura the capital (Cv.l.9, 46, 85), though even before his time it seems to have been used as a royal residence - z.B., by Aggabodhi IV. (Cv.xlvi.34), Aggabodhi VII. (Ibid.,xlviii.74), und Udaya I. (Ibid.,xlix.9, 18), who built a hospital there. Kassapa IV. is also erwähnt as building a hospital against an epidemic (Cv.lii.25).
Mahinda II. built in the city the Dāmavihāra parivena und the Sannīratittha vihāra (Cv.xlviii.134). Sena I. reigned in Pulatthipura for zwanzig years und erected there several buildings, including the Senaggabodhi shrine near the Thusavāpī (Ibid.,l.73). The successors of Sena I. found in Pulatthipura a certain amount of protection from the inroads of the Colas und the Pāndiyans; but In der Zeit von Sena V. the town fell into the hands of the Damilas, through the treachery of Sena's Mutter und his commander in chief, Sena. But Sena V. recovered the city by making a treaty mit his commander in chief (Ibid., liv.64, 68). About 1017 A.C. the Colas overran the country, captured Pulatthipura, und made the reigning König, Mahinda V., their prisoner. He died, after twelve years, as a prisoner in India (Ibid.,lv.22ff). During this period many of the Hindu shrines in the city were erected.
For many years the Colas held the sovereignty of the city, though the Singhalese made several vain attempts to drive them out. The Colas named the city Jananāthapura und put down all rebellion mit a strong hand. Finally, a young prince named Kitti, born about 1039 A.C., assumed the title of Vijayabāhu und determined to rescue Pulatthipura. His first attempts failed, partly owing to rebellion among his own people; but finally, civil war broke out in the Cola country itself, und thus, about 1070, he captured Pulatthipura after a great deal of fierce fighting both on sea und land. But, owing to dissensions among his subjects, it was only several years later that he was able to hold his coronation (Cv.lvii.66; lviii.22 ff.; lix.6 ff). He renamed the city Vijayarājapura, und erected there many religious buildings, chief among which was the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Ibid.,lx.2ff). It was not, however, till the time of Parakkamabāhu I. that Palatthipura reached the pinnacle of its greatness. He enlarged it to the size of four gāvutas in length und seven in width und called it Parakkamapura. The city had three suburbs Rāvjavesībhujanga, Rājakulantaka und Vijita - und fourteen gates. Parakkama adorned it mit various parks, chief of which were the Nandanavana und the Dīpuyyāna, und mit ponds und numerous buildings, both secular und religious (for details see chiefly Cv.lxxiii.1ff.; lxxviii.44 ff). Kittinissanka added a stone temple for the Tooth Relic (Ibid., lxxx.19). In the reign of Līlavatī, Lokissara captured the city und ruled there for nine months. He was ousted by the general Parakkama, und later Parakkamapandu ruled as König, till he was deposed about 1215 A.C. by Māgha of the Kalinga race, who, coming mit a large host of Keralas und Malabars, captured the city und mercilessly plundered its possessions (Ibid., lxxxiii.15 ff). From this spoliation the city never completely recovered, und it gradually lost its importance, though Parakkamabāhu II., Vijayabāhu IV. und Parakkamabāhu III. made attempts to restore it to its original splendour. Ibid., lxxxvii.67; lxxxviii.28, 35, 89, 92, 120f.; lxxxix.1.