Kuveni

Kuveni, (කුවේණි/குவேணி) also known as Sesapati or Kuvanna or Leelavati, was a Yakshini queen in Sri Lanka mentioned in the ancient Pali chronicles Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa of the Sinhalese people. The primary source for her life-story is the Mahavamsa. She is venerated as Maha Loku Kiriammaleththo by the Veddas. Other names for her varying with Veddas habitats are Indigolle Kiriamma, Unapane Kiriamma, Kande Kiriamma, Divas Kiriamma, Wellasse Kiriamma, Kukulapola Kiriamma and Bili Kiriamma.

Kuveni was the wife of Vijaya, Sri Lanka’s first recorded legendary king, and together they had two children: a son, Jeevahatta, and a daughter, Disala. According to the genesis myth of the Sinhalese people, as recorded in the Mahāvaṃsa, the Veddas—the island’s indigenous population—are said to be descended from Kuveni’s children. Kuveni herself is described as a Pandyan princess and a descendant of the rākṣasas mentioned in the Ramayana, including Ravana, who also resided in Lanka.

According to Dayananda Binaragama, another prevalent legend about Kuveni among the Veddas is that she is the elder sister of deity Saman. For the Veddas, Devas too were and are another living tribe.