1001 AD to 1017 AD

Cholas sack Anuradhapura.

The island of Sri Lanka faced a series of Chola invasions during the 11th century. It began with Rajaraja Chola I's conquest of Anuradhapura, the island's capital, in 993 CE. This sparked a long conflict. Decades later, Rajaraja's son, Rajendra Chola I, launched another invasion in 1017, aiming to complete his father's work. This brutal campaign included capturing the Sinhalese king and occupying more territory, including the strategic city of Polonnaruwa. Though the Cholas established a presence for decades, they faced resistance, particularly in the south. The island wouldn't be fully under Chola control, and the Sinhalese would eventually win back their independence.

For over a millennium, Anuradhapura stood as the invincible heart of Sri Lanka. But in 1017 AD, the unthinkable happened. The Chola Empire of South India, under the command of Rajendra Chola I, launched a devastating invasion that would bring the great city to its knees.

The Fall of a Giant

The invasion was swift and brutal. The Chola army, capitalizing on internal strife within the Sinhalese kingdom, swept through the dry zone. They captured King Mahinda V, the last ruler of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, and deported him to India, where he died in captivity.

The Plunder of Paradise

The Mahavamsa describes the sacking of Anuradhapura in heart-wrenching detail. The invaders “broke open the relic chambers… and carried away the eye-jewels of the stone images.” Palaces were burned, monasteries looted, and the intricate irrigation systems that sustained the city were damaged. The destruction was so complete that the city was abandoned to the jungle.

A New Capital

With Anuradhapura in ruins, the Cholas moved the administrative capital to Polonnaruwa, further south. This marked the end of the Anuradhapura Period and the beginning of a new, turbulent chapter in Sri Lankan history, where the island would struggle under foreign rule for over half a century.

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