Anuradhapura invasion of Pandya

The siege of Madurai in 862 resulted in the seizure and sack of the city of Madurai, capital of the Pandya Empire then ruled by Srimara Sri Vallabha. A part of Sena II's retaliatory campaign against the devastation caused by Pandya incursions during his predecessor, the invasion ended in a decisive victory for the Anuradhapura king, with the death of Srivallabha and the coronation of prince Varaguna II by general Kuttaka.

Background

As the 9th century progressed, Pandyas were drawn into war with the neighbouring Pallavas and Cholas, while Rashtrakuta invasions from the north also had to be kept in check. The Cholas, who had made an alliance with the Hoysalas and Eastern Ganga, constantly assaulted Pandyan territories and weakened their influence north of the Kaveri river. Hence, it can be suggested that earlier Pandya invasions into northern coasts of Sri Lanka was not intended for conquest, but to gather loot and supplies to continue funding their wars in the North. However, by the time of king Sena I of Anuradhapura, Pandya incursions into Rajarata territory had increased in scale, causing much devastation, and an invasion at the time of Sena I had sacked Anuradhapura itself. Although he had entered negotiations with the Pandya king Srimara Srivallabha, who agreed to withdraw his forces, Sena would die having unable to bear the suffering induced on his people by the devastation.^{[citation needed]}It was his successor Sena II who made preparations to pillage and pacify his northern rival as an act of revenge.

Invasion of Pandya

According to the Lankan Sources,By 862, Sena II had formed a powerful naval fleet and a grand coalition, which set upon the Pandyan lands by landing at their southern coasts while the Pandyans were concentrating in the north.^[1] The invading force entered the weakly defended city of Madurai, and sacked it. Sena II requested the commander of the expeditionaries, Kuttaka, to look for treasures and bring back all the treasures of Anuradhapura taken by the Srimara Srīvallabha's forces. The forces of Sena II allied themselves with a Tamil rebel leader named, Varagunavarman. Srimara Srīvallabha was handling a Pallava invasion from the North. Despite this, the invasion from the southern flank caused him to flee to the North, however he died in warfare.^[2]

Varagunavarman II was crowned as king of Pandya by Kuttaka. After touring the Pandya country, Kuttaka returned to Anuradhapura with the treasure of Madurai.^[3]

According to the Pandyan side of the evidence, it says the ruling king Srimara Srivallabha successful in repelling a Maya Pandya and thus keeping his throne to himself at the end of the struggle.^[4]

References