Sinhabahu

Sinhabahu depicted of the Flags of Sri Lanka

Sinhabahu (Sinha = Lion, Bahu = Hands) is a legendary king of ancient India, mentioned in Sri Lankan texts. He was father of Vijaya of Sri Lanka and king of Sinhapura. He was the son of Supadevi, a Vanga Kingdom or Kalinga princess. According to the Mahavamsa's folklore (the chronicled history of Sri Lanka), Sinhabahu's father was a lion and his mother a princess of Vanga. His hands and feet were like a lion's paws.

When Sinhabahu was sixteen, he escaped with his mother and sister, Sinhasivali, and arrived in the capital of Vanga. He later killed his father for a reward and was offered the throne of Vanga.

He refused the throne, instead founding the city of Sinhapura, in the country of Lála. He lived there with his sister Sinhasivali, whom he made his consort. They had thirty-two children, of whom Vijaya was the eldest and Sumitta the second.

See also

• Incest in folklore

References

External links

• The Mahavamsa, Sinhabahu
• The story of the Sinhalese