A Note on Simhapura—Arya Deva’s Birth-Place
Summary
The article examines the historical location of Simhapura, the birthplace of the Buddhist scholar Arya Deva, challenging Nalinaksha Dutt’s claim that the Simhapura in Kalinga (eastern India) is less historically significant than a hypothetical Simhapura in northwest India. While Dutt argues for multiple SimhapurAs in ancient India, the author emphasizes that Kalinga’s Simhapura is well-documented through epigraphic and literary sources. Ceylonese chronicles, such as the *Mahavamsa*, link Simhapura to the Kalinga dynasty, noting that kings like Nidsanka Malla and Sihasa Malla traced their lineage to Simhapura. The *Manimekalai*, a Tamil classic, references Simhapura as a Kalingan center, further corroborating its prominence. Epigraphic evidence, including inscriptions from Pallava king Candraditya and the Komara plates of Candavarman, reinforces Simhapura’s historical role in Kalinga. The article disputes Dutt’s assertion that Simhapura in Lata (modern Gujarat) is the correct location, citing the Belava copperplate of Bhojavarmanadeva, which associates Simhapura with Kalinga and Bengal’s history. The author concludes that Simhapura in Kalinga is a well-attested historical site, integral to India and Ceylon’s dynastic records, rather than a minor or uncertain location.
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Conclusion
This analysis challenges Dr. Dutt’s hierarchy of Simhapura’s historical significance, demonstrating instead that Kalinga’s Simhapura was a major political and cultural center with well-documented royal lineages and connections to Ceylon’s chronicles. The evidence from epigraphs, Tamil literature, and dynastic records underscores its prominence in ancient India, contradicting the assumption of its secondary status. By highlighting the transregional impact of Simhapura’s rulers on Ceylon’s royal families and the persistence of its legacy in mainland inscriptions, this study reinforces Kalinga’s Simhapura as a historically vital site, central to understanding regional power dynamics and cultural exchange in early medieval South Asia.