Gira, Hansa messenger poetries on the basis of ideological political conflict in the kotte era

Abstract

Gira and Hansa have been categorized as messenger poetries (In Sinhala "Sandesha Kawya") written in Kotte era. When comparing the texts, it seemed Gira was a older than Hansa and latter was a sharpen answer to the former. Both writers selected Parakrmabahu six as a major character of them. Buy their true ambition was to elucidate the greatest leaders of Buddhist monks. Gira poet selected Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula thero and other selected Wanarathna thero of Keragala. Many critic considered the two great Bikkus presented two fractions and the poets paid their attention the ideological battle of them and the fractions were named Wanawasi ( living in the forest) and Gramawasi (living in the village). In this paper seeks the ideological battle as not mere religious one and it reflected political and social battle in the period. There was critical internal crisis among the royal members in the Kotte kingdom. And as a result of it King Parakrmabahu six recommended kingship to his grandson, prince Jayabahu. Prince Sapumal, the son of the king for second queen defeated Arya Chakrawarthi, the Tamil Ruler of Jaffna and the prince Sapumal was respected among the citizens. Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula, attempted to bring Jayabahu as king but other great Bhikkus and civilians, attempted to bring Sapumal for leadership. The Gira poet praised Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula and other for Keragala Wanarathna in this context. In this study, we have taken the Gira and Hansa ideologically conflict that represents a serious political background.