A park laid out by Parakkamabáhu I. Cv.lxxix.11.
A landing place in Ceylon where Mágha and Jayabáhu 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 Mahápánadípa vihára (Cv.xliv.122). But it was probably an important centre even earlier, and Vijitapura, wrested from the Tamils by Dutthagámaní, 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 - e.g., by Aggabodhi IV. (Cv.xlvi.34), Aggabodhi VII. (Ibid.,xlviii.74), and Udaya I. (Ibid.,xlix.9, 18), who built a hospital there. Kassapa IV. is also mentioned as building a hospital against an epidemic (Cv.lii.25).
Mahinda II. built in the city the Dámavihára parivena and the Sanníratittha vihára (Cv.xlviii.134). Sena I. reigned in Pulatthipura for twenty years and erected there several buildings, including the Senaggabodhi shrine near the Thusavápí (Ibid.,l.73). The successors of Sena I. found in Pulatthipura a certain amount of protection from the inroads of the Colas and the Pándiyans; but in the time of Sena V. the town fell into the hands of the Damilas, through the treachery of Sena's mother and his commander in chief, Sena. But Sena V. recovered the city by making a treaty with his commander in chief (Ibid., liv.64, 68). About 1017 A.C. the Colas overran the country, captured Pulatthipura, and made the reigning king, 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 Jananáthapura and put down all rebellion with a strong hand. Finally, a young prince named Kitti, born about 1039 A.C., assumed the title of Vijayabáhu and 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, and thus, about 1070, he captured Pulatthipura after a great deal of fierce fighting both on sea and 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 Vijayarájapura, and 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 Parakkamabáhu I. that Palatthipura reached the pinnacle of its greatness. He enlarged it to the size of four gávutas in length and seven in width and called it Parakkamapura. The city had three suburbs Rávjavesíbhujanga, Rájakulantaka and Vijita - and fourteen gates. Parakkama adorned it with various parks, chief of which were the Nandanavana and the Dípuyyána, and with ponds and numerous buildings, both secular and 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 Lílavatí, Lokissara captured the city and ruled there for nine months. He was ousted by the general Parakkama, and later Parakkamapandu ruled as king, till he was deposed about 1215 A.C. by Mágha of the Kalinga race, who, coming with a large host of Keralas and Malabars, captured the city and mercilessly plundered its possessions (Ibid., lxxxiii.15 ff). From this spoliation the city never completely recovered, and it gradually lost its importance, though Parakkamabáhu II., Vijayabáhu IV. and Parakkamabáhu III. made attempts to restore it to its original splendour. Ibid., lxxxvii.67; lxxxviii.28, 35, 89, 92, 120f.; lxxxix.1.