Mahasena of Anuradhapura

Mahasena, also known in some records as Mahasen, was a king of Sri Lanka who ruled the country from 277 to 304 CE. He started the construction of large tanks or reservoirs in Sri Lanka, and built sixteen such tanks. After becoming king, Mahasena discriminated the Buddhists belonging to the Theravada-school and destroyed several of their temples including the Mahavihara (the main Theravada temple) before his chief minister led him to realise his mistakes. He mended his ways and built the Jethavana stupa. Mahasena's countrymen regarded him as a god or deity (deva) after the construction of the Minneriya tank, he became known as Minneri Deviyo (God of Minneriya).