Konda Karavas
Encyclopedia
Although Konda brings to one’s mind hair, which is its modern meaning in the Sinhala language, Konda in medieval times signified a group of Karava nobles in Sri Lanka
. Old timers referred to them as Konda Karáva another clan of the Karava similar to the Suriya clans Kurukulasuriya, Warnakulasuriya, Mihindukulasuriya, Bharathakulasuriya, Manukulasuriya, Arasakulasuriya and Kón Karávas. Konda came to mean hair in Sri Lanka
only after the 15th century Kotte
period. Prior to that hair was referred to in the Sinhala language as kes, varalasa, dhammilla or muhulasa.
The name Konda has been preserved to date in Sri Lankan Karava family names such as Vira Konda Árachchige, Vadana Konda Árachchige, Vira Konda Patabendige and other such names. The Kurukula Charithaya (part I 235) reproduces a copper sannasa given by King Vijayabahu, probably Vijayabahu VI, to a Konda Perumal at a time when Perumal denoted a prince. It also lists the Konda Kaurava family names: Konda Perumal Árachchigé from Koggala
and Kuru Vira Kaundan, Periya Kondan, Sina Kondan, Sella Kondan, Vira Kondan, Kuru VIra Kondan, Kondagé, Vira Kondagé, Maha Kondagé, Punchi Kondagé and Sella Kondagé from other parts of Sri Lanka.
The prevalence of the name Konda in various parts of South India suggests that a significant group of Kondas of considerable importance lived in mediaeval South India
. Similar to the other South Indian Kshatriya
clans the Kondas too may have claimed decent ultimately from the Mahabharata
Kauravas.
The name Konda had been widely used in the Pandya kingdom and the Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa
refers to Punkonda, Khuddakancha Kunda and Kanga Konda in connection with the 12th century Pandyan invasion by the General of Parákramabáhu the Great (Mahavamsa 76.94, 76.140, 76.171 & 76.184 ). Parantaka I
, the Chola King who defeated the joint Sri Lankan and Pandyan armies had assumed the victory title Dorai Eelam Kondai on that account and therefore it appears that Kondai meant conqueror.
Chola Adithya
’s victory over Kondai Mandalam shifted the balance of power between the Pallavas and Cholas and was the beginning of the Chola empire. The Pallavas and Cholas were Kshatriyas connected by intermarriage and both dynasties claimed connections to the Mahabharata kings. Konda has also been used in place names such as Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh
and an inscription of the Sri Lankan King Sahasamalla states that he had spent two years in a place called Gangaikondapattana in India (EZ II 225). And, two South Indian inscriptions by a Pandyan ruler named Kónerimel Kondán say that he had a camp at Gangakondapattana (Annual report on South Indian Epigraphy 125 ). The name Gangai in the above two inscriptions from the Ramnad district of India; Codaganga of the Mahavansa account of Sri Lanka’s Pandya invasion referred to above; the word Ganga in the names of Sri Lankan Rulers Codaganga and Gangavasa Kalyanavati etc. point to the highly inter connected nature of mediaeval royal families in India and Sri Lanka.
The Kudumirissa inscription of Sri Lanka refers to a clan known as Kaundinya gothra and the Galgané copper sannasa refers to Parákramabáhu sámi’s ancestry as “ Sakala dig vijayavaliya ransa Konda Parákramabáhu piriven sámi”. Ulakkonda is a village in Gangapalatha, Udunuvara and Muthukeliyáva a hilly site in Ulakkonda, far removed from the pearl producing coast, brings to mind the mutukuda (pearl umbrellas) and other insignia of the Karavas. Maluvawatta lies to the east of Ulakkonda and nearby is an ancient Bo tree with a legend that it was planted by a Brahmin in ancient times. As such Ulakkonda may well have been an abode of Konda nobles in the past (Sahithya 72).
Interestingly two Kaurálas in a village named Kondagama in Tumpané, have signed a deed in AD 1761 as witnesses (Gazetteer I 468), further documenting the Konda and Karáva linkage of the past.
The Pattini cult in Sri Lankan history is associated with the Karavas brought back on king Gajabahu I
’s Indian invasion, and as expected an old Pattini Devale is still there in the village known as Kondadeniya (Gazetteer II 528).
The Rajavaliya narrates that a King named Edirimanasuriya ruled from a city in Sri Lanka known as Mundakondapola (Rajavaliya 234). Mundakondapola is situated 8 miles from Kurunegala
on the Puttlam road, in the Hatara Korale , the old ‘Kuru country’ (parana Kuru Rata) of the Karavas.
An old Sinhala verse which sings the praise of a king from Murakondaya who was deified as Irual Bandára says that he was from the Suryawansa, the Kshatriya Solar dynasty(Ceylon the Portuguese Era I 142). A contemporary of this Edirimanasuriya was the Karava King of Jaffna
, Ethirimanasingham (AD 1592 - 1615). Ethirimanasingham was a king of the Singhe Dynasty of Jaffna, from which the Karava families of Tisseveerasinghe, Puvirajasinghe, Puvimanasinghe and Philip descend (Singhe Dynasty of Jaffnapattanam 19). The Karava Patangatim Domingo Corea also known as Edirimanasuriya was appointed by king Dharmapala in the 16th century to rule this region. Therefore King Edirimanasuriya of Mundakondapola too appears to have been a regional Karava King, a Konda Karáva, possibly from the Kshatriya Keerawella family of the Hatara Korale.
As such it appears that Konda in mediaeval India and Sri Lanka was a branch of the interrelated South Indian Kshatriya families which were spread in the Chola, Pandya and Pallava
kingdoms and Sri Lanka
. Over the centuries the Kondas have virtually been forgotten and traces of the Kondas remain only in a few place names and in Karáva family names.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Old timers referred to them as Konda Karáva another clan of the Karava similar to the Suriya clans Kurukulasuriya, Warnakulasuriya, Mihindukulasuriya, Bharathakulasuriya, Manukulasuriya, Arasakulasuriya and Kón Karávas. Konda came to mean hair in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
only after the 15th century Kotte
Kotte
Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte , also known as Sri Jayawardenapura or Kotte කෝට්ටේ, is the administrative capital of Sri Lanka. It is located beyond the eastern suburbs of the commercial capital Colombo and is often called New Capital Territory...
period. Prior to that hair was referred to in the Sinhala language as kes, varalasa, dhammilla or muhulasa.
Koggala Airport
Koggala Airport in Sri Lanka was originally a Royal Air Force Station RAF Koggala. It is now the SLAF Koggala, used for domestic flights and for military purposes.- History :...
and Kuru Vira Kaundan, Periya Kondan, Sina Kondan, Sella Kondan, Vira Kondan, Kuru VIra Kondan, Kondagé, Vira Kondagé, Maha Kondagé, Punchi Kondagé and Sella Kondagé from other parts of Sri Lanka.
The prevalence of the name Konda in various parts of South India suggests that a significant group of Kondas of considerable importance lived in mediaeval South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. Similar to the other South Indian Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
clans the Kondas too may have claimed decent ultimately from the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
Kauravas.
The name Konda had been widely used in the Pandya kingdom and the Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa
Mahavamsa
The Mahavamsa is a historical poem written in the Pali language, of the kings of Sri Lanka...
refers to Punkonda, Khuddakancha Kunda and Kanga Konda in connection with the 12th century Pandyan invasion by the General of Parákramabáhu the Great (Mahavamsa 76.94, 76.140, 76.171 & 76.184 ). Parantaka I
Parantaka I
Parantaka Chola I ruled the Chola kingdom in southern India for forty-eight years. The best part of his reign was marked by increasing success and prosperity.-The Invasion of the Pandya Kingdom:...
, the Chola King who defeated the joint Sri Lankan and Pandyan armies had assumed the victory title Dorai Eelam Kondai on that account and therefore it appears that Kondai meant conqueror.
Aditya I
Aditya I , the son of Vijayalaya, was the first great Chola king of South India who extended the Chola dominions by the conquest of the Pallavas.- Pallava Civil War :...
’s victory over Kondai Mandalam shifted the balance of power between the Pallavas and Cholas and was the beginning of the Chola empire. The Pallavas and Cholas were Kshatriyas connected by intermarriage and both dynasties claimed connections to the Mahabharata kings. Konda has also been used in place names such as Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
and an inscription of the Sri Lankan King Sahasamalla states that he had spent two years in a place called Gangaikondapattana in India (EZ II 225). And, two South Indian inscriptions by a Pandyan ruler named Kónerimel Kondán say that he had a camp at Gangakondapattana (Annual report on South Indian Epigraphy 125 ). The name Gangai in the above two inscriptions from the Ramnad district of India; Codaganga of the Mahavansa account of Sri Lanka’s Pandya invasion referred to above; the word Ganga in the names of Sri Lankan Rulers Codaganga and Gangavasa Kalyanavati etc. point to the highly inter connected nature of mediaeval royal families in India and Sri Lanka.
The Kudumirissa inscription of Sri Lanka refers to a clan known as Kaundinya gothra and the Galgané copper sannasa refers to Parákramabáhu sámi’s ancestry as “ Sakala dig vijayavaliya ransa Konda Parákramabáhu piriven sámi”. Ulakkonda is a village in Gangapalatha, Udunuvara and Muthukeliyáva a hilly site in Ulakkonda, far removed from the pearl producing coast, brings to mind the mutukuda (pearl umbrellas) and other insignia of the Karavas. Maluvawatta lies to the east of Ulakkonda and nearby is an ancient Bo tree with a legend that it was planted by a Brahmin in ancient times. As such Ulakkonda may well have been an abode of Konda nobles in the past (Sahithya 72).
Interestingly two Kaurálas in a village named Kondagama in Tumpané, have signed a deed in AD 1761 as witnesses (Gazetteer I 468), further documenting the Konda and Karáva linkage of the past.
The Pattini cult in Sri Lankan history is associated with the Karavas brought back on king Gajabahu I
Gajabahu I
Gajabahu I , also known as Gajabahuka Gamani was a Sinhalese king of Rajarata in Sri Lanka. He is renowned for his religious benefactions, extensive involvement in south Indian politics, and for possibly introducing the cult of the goddess Pattini to Sri Lanka...
’s Indian invasion, and as expected an old Pattini Devale is still there in the village known as Kondadeniya (Gazetteer II 528).
The Rajavaliya narrates that a King named Edirimanasuriya ruled from a city in Sri Lanka known as Mundakondapola (Rajavaliya 234). Mundakondapola is situated 8 miles from Kurunegala
Kurunegala
Kurunegala , is the capital of the North Western Province, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka and the Kurunegala District. Kurunegala was also an ancient royal capital for 50 years, from the end of the 13th century to the start of the 13th century. The town itself is a busy commercial and a transport hub...
on the Puttlam road, in the Hatara Korale , the old ‘Kuru country’ (parana Kuru Rata) of the Karavas.
An old Sinhala verse which sings the praise of a king from Murakondaya who was deified as Irual Bandára says that he was from the Suryawansa, the Kshatriya Solar dynasty(Ceylon the Portuguese Era I 142). A contemporary of this Edirimanasuriya was the Karava King of Jaffna
Jaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom , also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India...
, Ethirimanasingham (AD 1592 - 1615). Ethirimanasingham was a king of the Singhe Dynasty of Jaffna, from which the Karava families of Tisseveerasinghe, Puvirajasinghe, Puvimanasinghe and Philip descend (Singhe Dynasty of Jaffnapattanam 19). The Karava Patangatim Domingo Corea also known as Edirimanasuriya was appointed by king Dharmapala in the 16th century to rule this region. Therefore King Edirimanasuriya of Mundakondapola too appears to have been a regional Karava King, a Konda Karáva, possibly from the Kshatriya Keerawella family of the Hatara Korale.
As such it appears that Konda in mediaeval India and Sri Lanka was a branch of the interrelated South Indian Kshatriya families which were spread in the Chola, Pandya and Pallava
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
kingdoms and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Over the centuries the Kondas have virtually been forgotten and traces of the Kondas remain only in a few place names and in Karáva family names.