Parakrama Bahu the Great ( 1153-1186)
Great Sinhalese king of Sri Lanka from Polonnaruwa Dinasty
Parakramabahu the Great is considered as the greatest king of Lanka in terms of the massive military campaigns he launched locally to consolidate his power and abroad for prestige, for uniting the whole of Lanka under one chathra, for the stupendous religious edifices and unprecedentedly large irrigation works he constructed, for the advancement of agriculture and generally because of the overall prosperity associated with his reign.
He united the whole island under his rule, and even invaded India and Burma. His name "Parakrama", is derived by the joining of the words "Para"(foreign) "Akrama"(Invader) which illustrates the significant feat of him invading India.
Parakrama was known for the rapid development of hydraulic infrastructure during his reign, builing large amounts of tanks, canals, and artificial lakes. His largest legacy was the Parakrama Samudra or "Sea of Parakrama", a vast lake adjoining his capital at Polonnaruwa.
His most famous quote was "Not one drop of water shall reach the sea without first serving man"
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