Ten Giant Warriors - Suranimala

Suranimala

According to the Mahãvamsa (chapter 23, verse 16-44), Nimala was the seventh son of a village headman named Samgha, in the village of Khandakavitthika in the Kotthivala district. As a young man, Nimala was sent into the service of prince Dighabaya, King Kavavannatissa’s son from a lesser queen. Dighabaya, who was in charge of Kacchakatittha, sent Nimala on an errand to a Brahman named Kundali, who lived near the Cetiya mountain in the Dvaramandala village. Nimala marched the great distance of more than eighteen yojanas form Kacchakatittha to Dvaramandala, then from there to Anuradhapura to bathe in the Tissa tank, and back to his master the prince at Kacchakatittha, fetching the precious punnavaddhana garments gifted by the Brahmin, in just one day. Nimala was thus named Sura-nimala.

Suranimala once defeated the famous Kandula elephant with his bare hands, and the elephant held a grudge against him for it. During the battle in Wijithapura, the Kandula elephant was used to break into the fortress of Elara. As Kandula was ramming the fortress, a large iron door almost fell on his head, but Suranimala caught it in his hands, saving the elephant. From that day their rivalry ended.