Quick Facts
Biography
Sri Mara (Sanskrit: श्री मारा, Thai: ศรีมาระ fl. 137 or 192 AD) was the Hindu founder of the kingdom of Champa.
He is known in Chinese records as Oū Lián (區連), or Zhulian, which in Vietnamese pronunciation is Khu Liên (also 區連). Attempts have also been made to identify Sri Mara with Fan Shih-man of Funan (circa 230 CE). on a stele recorded as Sri Mara (Chinese 释利摩罗).
He was born in Tượng Lâm (Vietnamese pronunciation of Chinese 象林, in what is today Quảng Nam Province of Vietnam) an area of tension between the Han Dynasty and the natives of Lâm Ấp (Vietnamese pronunciation of Chinese Lin Yi 林邑, the precursor to Champa). In 137 or 192 AD, he defeated the Chinese prefect and declared himself king of Lin-yi. This is considered the official founding of Champa, though Cham legend dates the founding to be much earlier.
In 248, he led the Cham in looting and razing Jiaozhi and Cu'u-cho'n. The Cham then defeated the fleet sent to repulse them, at Bay of the Battle.