Dakkhinadesa

A province of Ceylon, the territory west of the mountains and reaching up to the sea. It was so called from the relation of its position to that of Anurādhapura. At one time it was united with the Malayarattha and formed part of the territory governed by the king's second son (E.g., Cv.xli.35; but see Cv.Trs.i.54, n.4). Later, it seems to have become the special province of the heir-apparent (E.g., Cv.xliii.8; xliv.84; lxv.23; lxviii.33; li.12, etc.).

It is also referred to as Dakkhinapassa (E.g., Cv.lviii.41) and Dakkhinabhāga.

Among the strongholds of Dakkhinadesa are mentioned Muhunnaru, Badalatthala, Vāpināgara, Buddhagāma, Tilagulla, Mahāgalla and Mandagalla (Cv.lviii.42), and among its villages, Punkhagāma (Cv.lxi.42) and Bodhisenapabbata (Cv.lxi.33).

Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973), which is available as printed version from