Much is written of the great war between Sinhala

Sinhalese people

The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...

 King Dutugemunu and a South Indian Invader, Tamil

Ancient Tamil country

The Sangam period is the classical period in the history of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other parts of South India, spanning about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE...

 King Elara

Elara

Elara may refer to one of the following:*Elara , a moon of Jupiter*Elara , the mother of Tityas in Greek mythology*Elara , an ancient Sri Lankan king...

 for the City of Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...

, and the central role played by Dutugemunu’s Ten Giant Warriors or the great warriors (dasa maha yodhayo in sinhalese)– the dasa maha yodha. Yodha must have come from the word Yohod meaning Grand Master of Angampora, this makes more sense as all these Warriors were great fighters and from the way they were discovered and from the way they managed to raise an army. According to the chronicle Mahavamsa

Mahavamsa

The Mahavamsa is a historical poem written in the Pali language, of the kings of Sri Lanka...

 the men were drafted into Royal service during the reign of Dutugemunu’s father King Kavantissa, and levied to serve the young prince in due course.

The Rajavaliya claims the ten champions had remained impartial throughout Dutugemunu’s battles with his younger brother Tissa

Tissa

Tissa may refer to:*Tissa, a Sri Lankan King that ruled from 454 to 437 BC*Tissa Balasuriya, a Sri Lankan Roman Catholic priest and theologian*Tissa Wijeyeratne, a former Sri Lankan barrister, diplomat and businessman....

, as they had promised King Kavantissa that they would remain impartial in the vent of a dispute between the two brothers.

At the decisive battle

Battle of Vijithapura

The Battle of Vijithapura was a decisive and major battle in the campaign carried out by Sri Lankan king Dutthagamani against the invading South Indian king Elara. The battle is documented in detail in the ancient chronicles of the country...

 between the two kings at Vijithapura

Vijithapura

Vijithapura , also known as Vijitha Nagara or Vijithagama, was a fortress–city in ancient Sri Lanka. When Vijaya, the first recorded ruler of the country arrived from India, he brought a large retinue of his followers with him. These followers spread throughout the country, and established...

, Nandhimitra with Nirmalaya (Suranimala) are said to have fought to secure the south gate to the city. Mahasona (sena), Gothaimbara and Theraputtabhya are said to have secured the east gate, while the remaining champions fought for the north and west gates (Rajavaliya p39).

Nandimithra

Nandhimitra perhaps the most well known of the ten giant warriors, was the nephew of Mitta, a well known strong great general in King Dutugemunu’s army – and was named after his uncle.It is said that he had the strength of ten tuskers and was the most skilled mahout of the war elephants,in King Dutugemunu's army. As a young child Mitta was tied to a mill-stone to stop him from wandering off, but endowed with great strength the young boy was able to drag the heavy mill-stone behind him – thus earning the name Nandhimitra. The Mahãvamsa narrative suggests Nandhimitra had subsequently travelled to Rohana to serve a king who worshipped the noble triple gem (Mahãvamsa, chapter 23, verse 4-15)– a supposition that has been questioned by scholars, who argued Elera himself, despite his Tamil heritage, had been a patron of the Buddhist temples (De Silva , 2005).

Suranimala

According to the Mahãvamsa (chapter 23, verse 16-44) Nimala was the seventh son of a village headman named Samgha, in the village of Khandakavitthika in the Kotthivala district. As a young man Nimala was sent to the service of prince Dighabaya – King Kavavannatissa’s son from a lesser queen. Dighabaya who was in charge of Kacchakatittha send Nimala on an errand to a Brahman named Kundali, who lived near the Cetiya mountain in the Dvaramandala village. Nimala marched the great distance of more than eighteen yojanas form Kacchakatittha to Dvaramandala, then from there to Anuradhapura to bath in the Tissa tank and back to his master the prince at Kacchakatittha, fetching the precious punnavaddhana garments gifted by the Brahmin, in just one day. Nimala was thus named Sura-nimala.

Mahasona

According to the Mahãvamsa (chapter 23, verse 45-48) the giant warrior Mahasona was born, the eighth son of Tissa, in the village of Hundarivãpi in the Kulumbari district. At the age of ten the young boy, then named Sona is said to have been strong enough to up-root ‘great palm-trees’, and in time gain the strength of ten elephants.

Gotayimbara

According to the Mahãvamsa (chapter 23, verse 49-54) Gotaimbara was born, the seventh son of Mahanaga, in the village of Nitthulavitthika in the Giri region. The chronicle says the young boy, Gothaka, named for his ‘dwarfish’ stature had single-handedly torn up a forest of Imbara trees and leveled the ground, thus earning the name Gotha-imbara.

Theraputthabhya

Born the son of a householder named Rohana, the headman of the village Kitti near the Kota mountain, Gothabhaya as a child of ten or twelve, was able to throw rocks that could only be lifted by four or five grown men. Gothabhaya’s father Rohana, was supporter of the thera (buddhist monk) Mahasumma, and on hearing a discourse of the thera at the pabbata-vihara, attained the first stage of enlightenment – sothapanna. Rohana subsequently ordained as a monk and in time an arahath – thus Gothabhaya became known as Thera-putt-abhya, abalya the son (putta) of the Thera (Mahãvamsa, chapter 23, verse 55-63).

Mahabharana

According to the Mahãvamsa (chapter 23, verse 64-67) Bharana was born in the village of Kappakandara, to a man named Kumara. As a young boy of ten or twelve Bharana was said to be able to chase after hares in the forest and crush them under his feet, and later aged sixteen he was said to out run and hunt antelope, elk and boar, thus being recognized great warrior.

Velusumanna

The warrior Velusumanna was born the son of a house holder named Vasabha, in the Kutumbiyangana in the Giri district, and was named after his friends Vela and Sumana – who was the governor of Giri.He was the most skilled mounted warrior in king Dutugemunu's army. Young Velusumanna was able to ride a Sindhu (Saindhava – form the Indus country) horse belonging to the governor, a beast that would not let any man ride him. Velusamanna not only broke the beast but galloped in circles so fast that he made it appear a chain of riders (Mahãvamsa, chapter 23, verse 68-77).

Khanjadeva

According to the Mahãvamsa (chapter 23, verse 78-81), he was born Deva, the youngest son of Abhaya of the Mahisadonika village in the Nakulanaga district. He was later dubbed Khanjadeva as he limped a little. The young man was able to chase great buffaloes, grasp them by their legs, whirl them over his head and dash them on the ground.

Phussadeva

According to the Mahãvamsa (chapter 23, verse 82-89) Phussadeva was born the son of Uppala in a village named Gavita near the Cittalapabbata temple. As a young boy visiting the temple Phussadeva is said to have been able to blow conch shells so loud they sounded like thunder, thus being named Ummadaphussadeva. Subsequently Phussadeva became a renowned archer who never missed his mark.

Labhiyavasabha

Vasabha was born, the son of the house holder Matta, in the village of Viharavapi, near the Tuladhara mountain, and was named Labhiyavasabha – vasabha the gifted, on account of his noble physique. At the age of twenty it is said Vasabha had single-handedly moved such masses of earth that could only be moved by a dozen men to build the Vasabha tank with relative ease (Mahãvamsa, chapter 23, verse 90-95).