Maya Rata

{{Short description|Ancient Sinhalese kingdom}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox Former Country

| native_name =

| conventional_long_name = Principality of Maya Rata

| common_name = Kingdom of Dakkinadesa

| today =

| government_type = Monarchy

| year_start = 504 BC

| year_end = 1153

| p1 = Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara

| s1 = Anuradhapura Kingdom

| flag_s1 = Flag of Dutthagamani.png

| s2 = Kingdom of Polonnaruwa{{!}}1153: Kingdom of Polonnaruwa

| image_flag =

| flag_type =

| image_map = File:Kingdom of Polonnaruwa.svg

| map_caption = {{legend|#AAE869|Principality of Maya Rata}} {{legend|#17C127|Kingdom of Polonnaruwa}} before 1153 {{legend|#5BD891|Principality of Ruhuna}}

| image_map_caption = Map showing the early growth of the Principality of Maya Rata circa 200 BC

| capital = Panduwasnuwara
(504 BC–12 century)
Kelaniya
(3rd century BC)

| common_languages = Sinhala

| religion = Buddhism

| leader1 = Panduwas Deva

| leader2 = Parakramabahu of Dakkhinadesa

| year_leader1 = 504 BC-474 BC

| year_leader2 = 1187–1196

}}

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.{{cite book|last=De Silva|first=W.A|title=SINHALESE VITTIPOT|publisher= Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka|year=1927|location=Sri Lanka}}{{cite book|last=Merlin|first=Peris|url=http://dlib.pdn.ac.lk/bitstream/123456789/2733/1/Merlin%20Peris%20Vol.%20XXXI%20No.1%26%202%2C%202005.pdf|title=KELANIYA|publisher=University of Peradeniya|year=2005|location=Sri Lanka}}File:Panduwasnuwara archaeological site 3.jpg) at Kingdom of Dakkinadesa archaeological site]]

File:Panduwasnuwara Raja Maha Vihara 3.jpg

File:Panduwasnuwara archaeological site 2.jpg

File:Panduwasnuwara archaeological site 1.jpg

While Rajarata was under the direct administration of the King, Maya Rata was governed by a "Mapa" {{refn|group=n.|The principality of Ruhuna was governed by an "Epa" (Sinhala: ඈපා, {{IPA|si|æ:pa:|}})}}(Sinhala: මාපා, {{IPA|si|maːpaː|}}), also referred to as a "Mahaya". The name of the region, "Maya," is derived from this title (Mahaya Rata > Maya Rata).අපේ මායා රට හා මායා වරු අතර තියන නෑකම මොකක්ද ? - Raj Somadeva - Neth FM - Unlimited History - Episode 34 - 01 - at 20:45, {{YouTube|id=EPClKPDCjpw|}}