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Rajarata [ra dja rǽ tə] (Sinhala: රජරට) (Tamil: ரஜரட) was one of the three historical regions in the island of Sri Lanka. When the region was functioning as a separate country, It was called the Kingdom of Rajarata.

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 [[Image:1000pxancien trisinhalaya-locator-map svg.png|thumb|right|250px|Thun Sinhale (Three Divisions of the island)]]
+'''Rajarata''' [ra dja rǽ tə] (Sinhala: '''රජරට''') (Tamil: ரஜரட) was one of the three historical regions in the island of [[Sri Lanka]]. When the region was functioning as a separate country, It was called the [[Kingdom of Rajarata]].
-[[File:Important locations of Anuradhapura Kingdom.png|frame|thumbnail|50px|alt=Administration centers of Sri Lanka before the 13th century]]
-'''Rajarata''' [ra dja rǽ tə] (Sinhala: '''රජරට''') (Tamil: ரஜரட) was one of the three historical regions in the island country of [[Sri Lanka]] for about 1,700 years from the 6th century BCE to the early 13th century CE.<ref>{{cite web|title=A series by Gaveshaka in association with Studio Times|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040725/funday/2.html|publisher=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|accessdate=27 May 2014}}</ref> Several ancient cities, including Tambapanni, Upatissa Nuwara, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa were established as capitals within the area by successive rulers.<ref>http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040725/funday/2.html
-</ref> While Rajarata was under the direct administration of the King (raja/king, rata/country), two other areas, Malayarata and Ruhunurata, were ruled by the King's two brothers, "Mapa" and "Epa"{{Citation needed|date=February 2015}} . The Magha invasion in the 13th century brought about the end of the Rajarata kingdom.<ref>[http://www.island.lk/2002/01/27/featur01.html The Island]</ref><ref>[http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/07/16/fea03.asp Padaviya: the Eastern Capital of the Rajarata Kingdom]</ref>
-== History and Kingdoms ==
-The first kingdom in Rajarata was established by [[Prince Vijaya]] in 543 BCE.<ref name="Sunday Times">[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040725/funday/2.html Sunday Times]</ref> He settled near the delta of the Malvathu River between [[Chilaw]] and [[Mannar, Sri Lanka|Mannar]]. A local myth claims that Prince Vijaya married a local princess, [[Kuveni]], to gain control of Rajarata. With her help, he betrayed and killed all of the regional leaders.<ref>[http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/07/13/jun02]</ref> After his death, the administrative center was moved to the countryside along the Malvathu Oya. The river was ideal for agriculture. The first three administrative centers: Tambapanni, Upatissa Nuwara, and Anuradhapura, were situated close to the Malvathu Oya.
-King [[Pandukabhaya]], once a prince descended from local Yaksha and Sinha tribes, was able to form a stable kingdom in Anuradhapura. He garnered support from tribes in different areas of the island.<ref>[http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=502 A tale of two nation]</ref>
-Administrative centers in Rajarata:
-# [[Kingdom of Tambapanni|Tambapanni]] - [[Prince Vijaya]] - Founded in 543 BCE<ref name="Sunday Times"/>
-# [[Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara|Upatissa Nuwara]] - Founded by King [[Upatissa of Sri Lanka|Upatissa]] in 505 BCE<ref>{{cite book|title=The Mahávansi, the Rájá-ratnácari, and the Rájá-vali|year=1833|publisher=Parbury, Allen, and Co.|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=l6zG7t_xQVcC&pg=PA176&lpg=PA176&dq=Upatissa+Nuwara&source=bl&ots=RNsZJvJSYI&sig=Qn3bh7RHyz7ah7a-GHQyLdMUafY&hl=en&ei=6NRYS_H9GpLo7AOI-ISkCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCAQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Upatissa%20Nuwara&f=false}}</ref>
-# [[Anuradhapura Kingdom|Anuradhapura]] - Founded by King [[Pandukabhaya]] in 377 BCE{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-# [[Sigiriya]] - Built by King Kashyapa (477 – 495 CE), but after the death of the king center moved to Anuradhapura{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-# [[Kingdom of Polonnaruwa|Polonnaruwa]] - Founded by King [[Vijayabahu I]]{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-== Settlements ==
-Prince Vijaya and his clan settled in Tambapanni, near the Malvatu Oya delta. [[Mahavamsa]] reveals how various groups came from [[India]] in the period between Prince Vijaya and King Pandukabhaya's reign, quite often settling along the Malvathu Oya. In 377 BCE, King Pandukabhaya moved the administrative center to [[Anuradhapura]]. Most of the settlements were located near rivers and reservoirs, with the water being used for agricultural purposes.
-The Yodha wewa area in [[Mannar District]] by King Dhatusena,<ref>[http://amazinglanka.com/tanks/yoda-mannar/index.php Yoda Wewa - Mannar District] amazinglanka.com</ref> Eropathana in [[Vavuniya District]], Padawiya area in [[Anuradhapura District]] and [[Mullaitivu District]]
-by King Moggallana II<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=Kj_aWm4DeFEC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=Moggallana+II+padaviya&source=bl&ots=F-w3Y8zasC&sig=OvCpLJvtQGLhfOoSulqobhxSa58&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fRu6T57fPNHciQKnoviGAg&ved=0CEkQ6AEwAw The Sri Lanka Reader History, Culture, Politics] by John Clifford Holt, Robin Kirk, Orin Starn page 55</ref> says that the extent of Sri Lanka's golden civilization spread all the way to the southern boundary of the [[Vanni forest]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}} The thick [[Vanni forest]] acted as a huge barrier to colonizers above the southern border of the forest. Tanks built during the Anuradhapura era (Giant's, Padaviya, Minneriya, Kantale, Mahavillachchiya, Thabbowa,Kala) are proof of the early settlements in Rajarata area.
-Initial settlements based near rivers:{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-* Malvathu oya - Anuradhapura, Upatissa nuwara, Tambapanni{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-* Mahaweli river - Pollonnaruwa{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-* Deduru oya - Sigiriya, Yapahuwa{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-== Boundaries of Rajarata ==
-Boundaries of the three divisions (Rata):<ref name="book1">[http://books.google.lk/books?id=tqpdlaPiOyEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Short+History+of+Ceylon&hl=en&sa=X&ei=z7DET_e7II-yrAfS3f2xCQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAA Short History of Ceylon] By Humphrey William Codrington page 2</ref>
-* Raja rata - Area between Deduru oya and the Mahaweli river
-* Ruhunu rata - Area between the Mahaweli river and Kalu gaga
-* Malaya rata - Area between Deduru oya and Kalu gaga
-== Fall of Rajarata ==
-In 1215, [[Kalinga Magha]] invaded Rajarata with an army of 24,000 soldiers {{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}. After the conquest of Rajarata, Magha established his capital in Pollonnaruwa.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}} Then the Kalinga forces extended their power to the Malaya Rata. During the rise of the [[Kingdom of Dambadeniya]] under the king Vijayabahu III (1220-1224 CE), Magha lost the control of Malaya Rata.
-There was resistance among the native Sinhalese to the Magha's administration at Pollonnaruwa. The Sinhalese gathered around a series of inaccessible towns, fortresses, mountains like Yapahuwa and Gangadoni under army generals (Subha, Sankha etc.). Due to the rising threat, [[Pandyan]] troops established an administration center in [[Jaffna Peninsula]] which was more secured and isolated by the impenetrable [[Vanni forest]]. Later Rajarata was annexed by king Parakramabahu II(1236–70).{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}} His power extended over Rohana, the central hills, Rajarata and the Vanni.<ref>[http://books.google.no/books?id=dByI_qil26YC&pg=PA82&dq=%22central+hills+and+the+vanni%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8JfET_OpOorzrQfdx-3LCQ&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22central%20hills%20and%20the%20vanni%22&f=false A history of Sri Lanka] by K. M. De Silva Page 82</ref> The Sinhalese tried to re-establish the administrative center in Rajarata. But this never happened due to the constant battles with the invading from south India under different leaders. The administration center was moved away from Rajarata by the Sinhalese.
-The defeat of [[Pandyan]] in South India bin the rising Mogul empires weakened the Tamil power in Sri Lanka. The last Pandyan ruler of Madurai, was defeated and expelled in 1323 by [[Malik Kafur]], the army general of the Muslim empire [[Delhi Sultanate]].<ref>[http://books.google.lk/books?id=SxO0eISluqEC&pg=PA31&dq=History+of+Sri+Lanka+malik+kafur&hl=en&sa=X&ei=O33DT4XwJMPorQeBmcy3CQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAA The History of Sri Lanka] By Patrick Peebles page 31</ref> The falling of Pandyan was a historical event that had a big impact for Sri Lanka.
-It leads to following events:
-* Military rulers "Aryacakravarti" - who was appointed as minister of Pandyan empire - made the Jaffna administrative center independent from Pandyans and established the [[Jaffna kingdom]] and [[Arya Chakrawarthi]] dynasty.
-* The Tamil lost power in the Vanni and they withdrew from Vanni to the Jaffna Peninsula.<ref>[http://books.google.lk/books?id=dByI_qil26YC&pg=PA64&dq=Tamils+too+withdraw+from+the+Vanni&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ybrET6mUEMbprAe0sOG3CQ&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Tamils%20too%20withdraw%20from%20the%20Vanni&f=false A History of Sri Lanka] K.M. De Silva, p. 64.</ref> The population was very low in this area until the British started the Tamil Colonization south to Parantan.
-* Area below [[Vanni forest]] stabilized under Sinhala Kingdom
-Also, ancient Rajarata (before the 13th century) was divided into three parts:{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-* [[Jaffna kingdom]] - [[Jaffna peninsula]]. This was ruled by the [[Arya Chakrawarthi]] dynasty.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-* Rajarata - Area below the Vanni. This area was ruled by the Sinhalese kingdoms.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
-* Vanni Area  - Area which covers the [[Vanni forest]], abandoned area between Sinhala Kingdom and [[Jaffna Kingdom]]{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
 ==See also==
-* [[Rajarata]]
+* [[Kingdom of Rajarata]]
-==References==
-{{Reflist}}
-{{Coord missing|Sri Lanka}}
-[[Category:History of Sri Lanka]]
-[[Category:North Central Province, Sri Lanka]]
-[[Category:Kingdom of Polonnaruwa]]
-[[Category:Kingdoms of Sri Lanka]]
 [[Category:Rajarata]]