The Maya Rata (Principality of), also known as the Kingdom of Dakkinadesa, was a principality or an administrative region of the Sinhalese kingdom. It was located in the Southwestern part of Sri Lanka, bordered the Deduru Oya. Its last capital was Parakramapura. The principality was disbanded following the formation of the second kingdom of Polonnaruwa by Parakramabahu I.[1][2]
A ruins of a Bodhighara (an enclosure constructed around bo-trees) at Kingdom of Dakkinadesa archaeological siteThe so-called Chakrawalaya, foundations of a circular building or tower, and the subject of numerous storiesThe ruins of the palace (12th century)Ruins of Buddhist Panchayathana
While Rajarata was under the direct administration of the King, Maya Rata was governed by a "Mapa" [n. 1](Sinhala: මාපා, [maːpaː]), also referred to as a "Mahaya". The name of the region, "Maya," is derived from this title (Mahaya Rata > Maya Rata).[3]
^The principality of Ruhuna was governed by an "Epa" (Sinhala: ඈපා, [æ:pa:])
References
^De Silva, W.A (1927). SINHALESE VITTIPOT. Sri Lanka: Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka.
^Merlin, Peris (2005). KELANIYA(PDF). Sri Lanka: University of Peradeniya. Archived from the original(PDF) on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
^අපේ මායා රට හා මායා වරු අතර තියන නෑකම මොකක්ද ? - Raj Somadeva - Neth FM - Unlimited History - Episode 34 - 01 - at 20:45, Video on YouTube