House of Lambakarna I
The first Lambakanna Dynasty of Lanka, which commenced with King Vasabha about the year 65 AD. These three Princes were Sanghahatissa I, Sirisamgahabodhi (S. Dahami Sirisanghabo), and Gothabahya (Meghawanna Abhaya S Golu Aba). The second of these brothers, Sirisamghabodhi was King of Lanka between 251 AD and 253 AD. The origin of the Lambakanna Dynasty is supposed to have been in India.
A gotta, mentioned in the Chronicles as being among the inhabitants of Ceylon. The Lambakannas had, probably, certain duties to perform in connection with the consecration of a king. This was perhaps the reason why Parakkamab?hu I. gave them a prominent place in the ceremonies held in honour of the Tooth Relic (Cv.lxxiv.213); see also below, in the text.
We find that Ilan?ga, when be went to take his ceremonial bath in Tissav?pi, was enraged on finding that the Lambakann? were not there. As a punishment, he ordered them to work at the remaking of a road along the bank of the tank, leading to the Mah? Th?pa, and set candalas to supervise them. Full of anger, the Lambakannas rose in revolt and seized the throne. Three years later the king returned from exile, and, having defeated the Lambakannas, made them drag his chariot in triumphal procession. When he proposed to behead them his mother intervened, and he contented himself with having their noses and toes cut off (Mhv.xxxv.18ff).
The Lambakannas were evidently a powerful clan, and several members of the clan ruled as kings of Ceylon - e.g., Vasabha, Sanghatissa, Sanghabodhi and Goth?bhaya, the last three of whom came from Mahiyangana and seized the throne from Vijayakum?ra (Mhv.xxxvi.58ff). Between the reign of Kittisirimegha and the Coliyan conquest in 1017 A.C. i.e., between the third and the eleventh centuries out of thirty six kings who occupied the throne of Ceylon the majority belonged to either the Moriy? or the Lambakann?. A clan of Lambakannas lived also in South India in the twelfth century. When Lank?pura, acting under the orders of Parakkamab?hu I., crowned V?rapandu as king of Pandu, three Lambakanna chiefs were asked to carry out "the duties of the Lambakannas" (Lambakannadhuram) (Cv.lxxvii.27f).
The name may have had a totemistic origin, but according to some Singhalese Chronicles (E.g., the Saddharmaratn?kara and the P?rakumb?-Sirita) the Lambakannas of Ceylon were a branch of the Moriyas. They claimed descent from Sumitta - a prince of the Moriyan clan, who formed one of the escort that brought the Bodhi-tree from India - and Suman?, a princess of the same race, who was at one time a nun, ordained under Sangham?tt?. According to these Chronicles most of the kings of Ceylon down to the time of Parakkamab?hu VI. were scions of this clan.
In Ceylon, the Lambakannas had settlements in Rohana. See, e.g., AA.i.262.
