When the Cholas Conquered Anuradhapura: Sri Lanka's Indian Interlude

In 993 CE, the Chola Empire under Rajaraja I launched a massive invasion of Sri Lanka, sacking the ancient capital Anuradhapura and establishing direct rule over the north for half a century. This episode explores the conquest, the collapse of the Anuradhapura kingdom, and the subsequent Sinhalese resistance led by Vijayabahu I, who eventually expelled the Cholas and founded a new dynasty at Polonnaruwa. We examine the administrative structures the Cholas imposed, the cultural and religious shifts—including the introduction of Shaivism alongside Buddhism—and how this period reshaped the island's political landscape. Drawing on the Culavamsa and Chola inscriptions, we trace the rise of the Chola mandalam in Sri Lanka, the flight of King Mahinda V to Rohana, and the decades-long guerrilla war that culminated in the liberation of the north. This is a story of imperial ambition, resilience, and the transformation of a civilization.

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