Anuradapura kingdom

Anuradapura kingdom Anuradhapura Kingdom was built by King Pandukabhya, son of Princess Unmada chithtra. The city was the first of it's kind with well designed sanitary system, Gardens, Irrigation and Water supply systems, Temples, cemeteries and burial grounds, etc. The city was then became the capital city of Sri lanka and flourished under many subsequent Kings ruled for centuries. Anuradhapura Kingdom was highly vulnerable to invasions from South India and suffered usurp of throne several times, by invading Kings from south India. Singhalese Kings have managed to defeat the invaders after reorganizing the troops, although the invading kings ruled in the mean time. One such historic battle held Between King Dutugamunu and South Indian King, Elara. In that, King Elara was defeated and King Dutugamunu ruled the country in single sovereignty. The Anuradhapura Kingdom was under constant threat from south Indian kingdoms. The King Mahinda V ascended to throne in 982 A.C, and was the last Sinhalese king to rule the country from Glorious city. At this time the South Indian realm Chola, became very powerful under the Great Rajaraja (985- 1018 A.C) and conquered Sri lanka The King Mahinda was captured and imprisoned in South India. The South Indians ruled the country for next 75 years. They shifted the Capital city to Polonnaruwa due to strategic reasons after considering the vulnerably for attacks from both native Sinhalese People and other south Indian Kingdoms. Several centuries before the Jesus Christ, while the Greek empire was at its zenith, many other regions were emerging from the stone age; Anurdhapura was already and advanced civilization. The city was well laid out and well linked.  Irrigated by sophisticated systems of man-made lake s and canals, this city was a world trade center. This is evidenced by the Greek merchant guide book titled "purples of the Erythraen Sea", Ptolemy's first ever map, and further by monk travelers Fa Hien and Buddagosha of, the 5 th century A. D. Anuradhapura was known from Tibet to Yellow Sea. But unlike Greek and Roman ruins, Anuradhapura has only the remains of a monastic architecture. This city's name means the City of Anuradha. Anuradha was the first general of the king Vijaya: the legendary ancestor of the Sinhalese race. The city measured 52 square kilometers' and was maintained by at least 500 scavengers. The city was divided into several quarters. Foreign traders lived in one quarter. Their houses were of 2 or 3 stories. Artisans occupied some avenues.