According to the Mahavamsa, after King Mahinda VI, who had the fortune to reign for about five days, was killed, a person named Kirti Nissanka ascended the throne. However, although no detailed account is given to learn about him, since the word “Kalingajo” is recorded, it can be understood to mean that King Nissanka was either of Kalinga lineage or born in Kalinga. The account given in the Pujavaliya is clearer than this. There it is stated as “a Malla king named Kirti Nissanka who came from Kalinga.”

According to inscriptions, his name was Sri Veeraraja Nissankamalla Apratimalla Kalinga Lankeshvara Parakramabahu Chakravarti Swamin Vahanse. No king with such a long name had ruled Sri Lanka before this. However, among the people, this king is widely known simply as Nissankamalla.

Inscriptions mention three chief queens of King Nissankamalla. They are Kalinga, Subhadra, and Kalyana (Vati) Chandra of the Ganga lineage. He had a daughter and a son. The daughter was named Sarvanga Sundari, and the son was named Virabahu. Information about this king that cannot be clearly revealed through chronicles can be clarified through the inscriptions established by him. Among these, the Galpotha inscription in Polonnaruwa appears to be the most useful.

This inscription states that King Nissankamalla’s parents were Sri Jayagopa Rajayanan Vahanse and Queen Parvati Mahadevi, who belonged to the Kalinga Chakravarti clan, descended from the lineage of King Vijaya, and residing in Sinhapura of Kalinga. It is also mentioned in the same inscription that he came to Sri Lanka at the request of the senior great king who was ruling Sri Lanka at that time. This makes it clear that he was entirely a foreign prince. It can thus be considered that he came at the invitation of the ruler of this country, served as Yuvaraja (sub-king), and later ascended the throne. It appears that he served as the sub-king of King Vijayabahu II. He was also the king’s son-in-law. After the death of the king, Kirti Nissanka should have become king, but due to power-hungry claimants, this was delayed.

King Nissankamalla stated that he was a Kalingan and a descendant of King Vijaya. It is necessary to examine what is meant by Kalinga here. A lengthy argument is not required; a brief mention of scholarly opinions on this matter is sufficient. Generally, Kalinga is considered the region bounded by the Godavari River to the south, the Mahanadi River to the north, and the Deccan coastline. However, Professor Senarath Paranavitana presented a new theory, stating that the Kalinga understood by the Sinhalese in the medieval period was not this region. According to him, the highly prosperous Sri Vijaya Kingdom of Malaysia during this period was referred to as Kalinga. For this, he used literary sources and several inscriptions identified and interpreted uniquely by him.

The above theory of Paranavitana is completely rejected by the South Indian historian Professor Neelakanta Sastri. He presents archaeological evidence such as the arrival of Vijaya, the bringing of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Chodaganga, and the Arya Chakravarti of Jaffna associated with Kashi. If Paranavitana’s theory is accepted, Sinhapura—the birthplace of King Nissankamalla—would have to be considered as being located in the Malay Peninsula of Southeast Asia. Offering a modification to this view, Professor Mendis Rohanadeera states that Sinhapura may have been Kanchanapura adjacent to Ramannadesa in central Siam (Cambodia) of the twelfth century, or the ancient Sinhapura now known as Phra Nakhon Chaksi, adjacent to the city of Lopburi, further east.

Regardless of these differing views, they do not obstruct the chronicle account that King Nissankamalla came from Kalinga. However, it appears that he had to make a great effort to convince the people of this country of the basis on which he claimed royal legitimacy. He reminded them of the right of the Kalinga Chakravarti dynasty, descending from King Vijaya, to the Sinhala throne. In almost every inscription, he declared himself as Kalinga Chakravarti Swamin Vahanse. He repeatedly emphasized the majesty of kingship, clarified his strength and glory, and wrote that if no suitable royal heir existed, the country should be ruled by placing the Mirisavetiya throne of the king.

After King Nissankamalla ascended the throne, inscriptions reveal that he faced threats from the people of Ruhuna as well as from the Govi caste. In his view, members of the Govi caste should not aspire to kingship. He expressed these views in the form of warnings and threats, particularly admonishing the people of Ruhuna. The Katugahagal inscription states:

“Out of compassion we speak to those of the Ruhuna kingdom…
O people of Ruhuna, do not desire servitude to others,
Do not become arrogant after eating rice and chewing betel;
Know that loyalty to the lord is the path of peace.”

It appears that King Nissankamalla feared the emergence of a military force from Ruhuna against him. He introduced himself to the populace by traveling throughout the island. No other king is seen to have undertaken such extensive journeys. One of his inscriptions states that he inspected all water fortresses, mountain fortresses, forest fortresses, marsh fortresses, and villages. He was not satisfied with travel alone; he erected inscriptions at each location. These inscriptions can be seen in many places, including Sri Pada.

It appears that he followed a righteous policy extensively to maintain peace in the country. The Ruwanweliseya Padara inscription states that, pointing out the harsh discipline of King Parakramabahu who ruled about a year before him, he provided gold, silver, pearls, gems, garments, ornaments, land, and villages to people who had resorted to theft out of desperation, granting them protection. Although these inscriptions present his actions as comforting the people, it can be determined that they also served as a method to silence those dissatisfied with his royal legitimacy.

He refrained from collecting taxes for several years and partially abolished kati-ada or chena tax throughout the country. He performed tulabhara donations for his brother Prince Vijayabahu, his chief queen Kalinga Subhadra Devi, and himself adorned with royal regalia. On royal streets, he conducted festivals where seven kinds of jewels were showered like rain. He removed the fears of poverty, hardship, and sorrow. He provided gold, clothing, iron, rice, and provisions to unemployed monks. In the fourth year of his reign, he came to Ruwanweliseya, descended from his chariot at a visible distance, scattered pearls like sand, offered gold, silver, flowers, and seven kinds of jewels, and made offerings worth forty million kahapanas. He also granted protection to animals.

The Hathadagaya inscription of Polonnaruwa states that Queen Subhadra, Queen Kalyana (Vati), Mahadhipada (Virabahu) Vikramabahu (the king’s brother), Queen Chandra, Parvati Vahanse, Sarvanga Sundari, and the king—eight persons in total—performed tulabhara and gave alms annually. According to this inscription, the king had another queen named Chandra. Since Parvati is referred to as Vahanse, she may not have been a queen but rather the king’s mother. If his mother came to Sri Lanka after he became king, that would be a significant event. This likely explains the special honorific used for her.

From the above, it becomes clear that King Nissankamalla maintained peace through such measures. Some inscriptions also claim that he fought and defeated Chola and Pandya kings of India. The name of a commander named Singu Senevi Thavurunavan appears in inscriptions as supporting him in these campaigns. During this expedition, he performed tulabhara at Rameshwaram and erected an inscription there.

Some inscriptions mention that he worked to secure the country and promote development by repairing tanks and canals. One inscription states that Nissanka Samudraya was a tank built by King Nissankamalla. However, such a tank has not been identified. Some believe it was actually Parakrama Samudraya, built by King Parakramabahu, which Nissankamalla renovated and claimed as his own. The inscriptions of both kings on the embankment of this tank support this view.

Another inscription found on the embankment of Galmetiyana tank names another tank built by this king, called Pandi Vijaya Kulama. It appears that this tank was constructed to commemorate his Pandya campaign. He claims it was completed in a single day, which raises doubt. Clearly, these records indicate that all tanks attributed to Nissankamalla were renovations, not new constructions. The prosperity of the country at the time is evident from his extensive donations and ceremonies, showing that King Parakramabahu’s development work was still flourishing.

The religious status of King Nissankamalla is portrayed as exalted in his inscriptions. He repeatedly expressed reverence for the Triple Gem. He dismounted from his chariot and walked when approaching Ruwanweliseya. He sought to establish the protection of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as the duty of its kings. One Polonnaruwa inscription states:

“Foreign non-Buddhist kings such as the Cholas and Keralas must not be tolerated in the land belonging to the Buddha Sasana.”

It is stated that he unified monastic fraternities and strengthened the Sasana. However, it is unlikely that the purification carried out by King Parakramabahu deteriorated so quickly; thus, many of these statements may be exaggerations or boasts. Many claims in his inscriptions must therefore be carefully evaluated.

Although inscriptions claim he built many monasteries, they appear to have been earlier sacred sites restored by him. According to the Mahavamsa, the Dalada Maligaya built of black stone in Polonnaruwa was his work. He also built the Ratnavali Chaitya with a golden pinnacle, now known as the Ruwanweliseya of Polonnaruwa. He constructed a great monastery with a hundred mansions and built Jambukola Vihara, installing seventy-three golden Buddha statues, though it cannot now be identified. The Hathadagaya is also his work. The Nissankalata Mandapaya, seen today among the ruins of Polonnaruwa, is where he worshipped the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Though not a religious structure, his royal audience hall also deserves mention. Only a pillar with a lion remains, inscribed as the throne where Sri Virindu Raja Veera Veshya Bhujanga Nissanka Lankeshvara Kalinga Chakravarti Swamin Vahanse sat. Ministers sat on designated seats along the pillars. This structure is valuable for studying the form of an ancient royal court.

It is evident that this king wished to show the people that he acted on par with King Parakramabahu. Numerous inscriptions established by him are found throughout the island, likely due to his extensive travels. Some inscriptions report that he made the land free of thieves and enemies. As stated earlier, many of these praises are clearly exaggerations.