Viharamahadevi

Who is Viharamahadevi?

Viharamahadevi was the mother of King Dutugamunu, Saddhatissa and the Queen consort of King Kavantissa.In the nowadays her name has been deciphered and says her name might have been "Sharwaree" which means evening.

Queen Viharamahadevi was the daughter of King Kelanitissa who ruled Kelaniya. The King punished an innocent monk once by boiling him alive in a cauldron of oil. It is said that the gods, angered over this cruel deed, made the ocean rush inland and flood the land. Soothsayers said that if a princess is sacrificed to the sea, the raging waves will stop. The young princess sacrificed herself for the sins of her father and for the safety of her motherland. She was placed inside a beautifully decorated boat which bore the letters Daughter of a King and set adrift on the sea.

As soon as she was set off, it is said, the sea suddenly turned calm again and the water receded. However, the King was very upset, the Queen was wailing and the citizens were very angry over the loss of their brave princess. They all started blaming the King.