Dungar Singh of Bikaner vs Kirti Sri Rajasinha

Dungar Singh oversaw the construction of new additions to the Junagarh Fort in Bikaner, including the Anup Mahal and the Karan Mahal. These structures featured intricate mirror work, frescoes, and carved marble, enhancing the fort's architectural grandeur.

Dungar Singh initiated modernization projects in Bikaner, including the construction of roads, a telegraph system, and a water supply network. These improvements connected Bikaner to broader colonial infrastructure and improved urban living conditions.

Dungar Singh founded the Bikaner State Museum within the Junagarh Fort, housing a collection of artifacts, manuscripts, and weapons. The museum preserved the cultural heritage of Bikaner and made it accessible to the public.

Kirti Sri Rajasinha, with the assistance of the Siamese monk Upali, re-established the higher ordination (Upasampada) for Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka. This revived the Buddhist Sangha, which had declined under earlier Nayakkar and Portuguese rule, and restored Buddhism as the state religion of the Kandyan Kingdom.

Kirti Sri Rajasinha commissioned the construction of the current Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy to house the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. This temple became the most important Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka and a symbol of Kandyan sovereignty.

Kirti Sri Rajasinha successfully repelled a Dutch invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) attempted to conquer Kandy but were defeated by the Kandyan army, forcing the Dutch to sign a peace treaty in 1766 that recognized Kandyan independence.

Kirti Sri Rajasinha patronized Sinhalese literature, poetry, and traditional arts. He sponsored the composition of Buddhist texts and the revival of classical Sinhalese poetry, contributing to a cultural renaissance in the Kandyan court during his reign.