Polonnaruwa (Sinhalese – පොළොන්නරුව or පුලස්තිපුර Tamil – பொலநறுவை or புளத்தி நகரம் as called by Cholas) is a town. It’s the main town of Polonnaruwa District in the North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Kaduruwela area is the Polonnaruwa New Town and the other part of Polonnaruwa, remains as the royal ancient city of polonnaru kingdom.
The second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader.
The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site.
While Vijayabahu’s victory and shifting of kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real “Hero of Polonnaruwa” of the history books is actually Parakramabahu I. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the king, who was so adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted, and each was to be used toward the development of the land; hence, irrigation systems that are far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu’s reign, systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems, is the Parakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama. It is of such a width that it is impossible to stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main city like a ribbon, being both a moat against intruders and the lifeline of the people in times of peace. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu’s reign.
With the exception of his immediate successor, Nissankamalla I, all other monarchs of Polonnaruwa were slightly weak-willed and rather prone to picking fights within their own court. [citation needed] They also went on to form more intimate matrimonial alliances with stronger South Indian kingdoms, until these matrimonial links superseded the local royal lineage and gave rise to the Kalinga invasion by King Kalinga Magha in 1214 and the eventual passing of power into the hands of a Pandyan King following the Arya Chakrawarthi invasion of Sri Lanka in 1284. The capital was then moved to Dambadeniya.
The city of Polonnaruwa was also called Jananathamangalam during the short Chola reign.
Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned archaeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom’s first rulers. Its beauty was also used as a backdrop to filmed scenes for the Duran Duran music video Save a Prayer in 1982. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Near the ancient city, there is a small town with several hotels (especially for tourists) and some glossy shops, and places to fulfill day-to-day needs. There are government institutions in a newly built area called “new town,” about 6 km away from the town and the main road. The largest school in the district, Polonnaruwa Royal Central College is situated at new town.
Polonnaruwa is the second largest city in North Central Province, but it is known as one of the cleanest and more beautiful cities in the country. The green environment, amazing ancient constructions, Parakrama Samudra (a huge lake built in 1200), and attractive tourist hotels and hospitable people, attract tourists.
Another draw for tourists is the city’s population of toque macaques. The monkeys have been living in the ruins since human occupation and continue to thrive here long after the humans left.
One recent scientific observation is that of its climate changes: historically, Polonnaruwa had a tropical climate most of the year, although it was occasionally chilly in December and January. But in recent years the rain and chilliness has been increased noticeably. Although this is surprising to some people, it is more enjoyable for tourists. However, there is a setback, as paddy field farmers can suffer when there is too much rain.
The Polonnaruwa Vatadage (Sinhala: පොළොන්නරුව වටදාගේ) is an ancient structure dating back to the Polonnaruwa period of Sri Lanka. It is believed to have been built during the reign of Parakramabahu I to hold the tooth relic of the Buddha, or during the reign of Nissanka Malla to hold the alms bowl used by the Buddha. Both these venerated relics would have given the structure a great significance and importance at the time. Located within the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, it is the best preserved example of a vatadage in the country, and has been described as the “ultimate development” of this type of architecture. Abandoned for several centuries, excavation work at the Polonnaruwa Vatadage began in 1903.
Built for the protection of a small stupa, the structure has two stone platforms decorated with elaborate stone carvings. The lower platform is entered through a single entrance facing the north, while the second platform can be accessed through four doorways facing the four cardinal points. The upper platform, surrounded by a brick wall, contains the stupa. Four Buddha statues are seated around it, each facing one of the entrances. Three concentric rows of stone columns had also been positioned here, presumably to support a wooden roof. The entire structure is decorated with stone carvings. Some of the carvings at the Polonnaruwa Vatadage, such as its sandakada pahanas, are considered to be the best examples of such architectural features. Although some archaeologists have suggested that it also had a wooden roof, this theory is disputed by others.
Theories vary among archaeologists and historians regarding who built the Polonnaruwa Vatadage, and when. One such theory suggests that it was built by Parakramabahu I during his reign in the 12th century.The chronicle Chulavamsa mentions that he built a circular stone shrine to hold the tooth relic of the Buddha. Archaeologist H. C. P. Bell believed that this shrine is the Polonnaruwa Vatadage. This is contradicted by several ancient sources of the island, including Rajavaliya and Poojavaliya, which mention that it was built by Nissanka Malla. However, according to the studies of Arthur Maurice Hocart, Nissanka Malla only renovated an already existing building and made some additions such as the entrance and outer porch. Wilhelm Geiger, who translated the ancient chronicle Mahavamsa, and historian H. W. Codrington both agree with this theory. A nearby stone inscription set by Nissanka Malla lists the Vatadage among his constructions. In this, he claims that it was built by one of his generals under his own direction.
A unique feature of ancient Buddhist architecture,vatadages were built for the protection of small stupas that had an important relic enshrined in them or were built on hallowed ground. If the Polonnaruwa Vatadage is the shrine built by Parakramabahu I, the tooth relic of the Buddha would have been enshrined within it. Another possibility is that the alms bowl used by the Buddha may have been enshrined here.Both these relics were important objects in ancient Sri Lankan culture, and would have made the Polonnaruwa Vatadage one of the most significant and venerated buildings in the country.
The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa ended in 1215 with an invasion from South India.The Polonnaruwa Vatadage appears to have been abandoned with the fall of the kingdom, and there is no mention of it in the chronicles in later periods. It was not until 1903 that the Department of Archaeology began excavation work at the site under Bell, who noted that it was “only a mound of earth” at the time.
The Polonnaruwa Vatadage is located in a quadrangular area known as the Dalada Maluva in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. The Dalada Maluva contains some of the oldest and most sacred monuments of the city.The Polonnaruwa Vatadage, which occupies most of the south western area of it, is a prominent structure among them.It is the best preserved example of a Vatadage in the country,and is somewhat similar in design to those belonging to the Anuradhapura period, especially Thuparamaya and Lankaramaya.
The building has been built around a small stupa with a base diameter of 27 feet 8 inches (8.43 m). The Vatadage has two levels; the lower platform and the raised upper platform that contains the stupa. The upper platform is 80 feet (24 m) in diameter, and the lower one 120 feet (37 m). The lower platform is 4 feet 3 inches (1.30 m) from ground level, and the upper platform is 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) from the lower.
The circular lower platform is entered through a single entrance on the northern side. Four elaborately constructed doorways lead from it to the upper platform, which is surrounded by a brick wall on its edge. These entrances are oriented to the four cardinal directions. The center of this platform is occupied by the stupa, which has four Buddha statues seated around it, each facing one of the entrances.Each of these statues are 5 feet (1.5 m) high, and are seated on stone seats with a height of 2 feet 10 inches (0.86 m) each.Three concentric rows of stone columns had existed on the upper platform. Two of these rows, of which nothing remain, were within the brick wall, while the third row is just outside it. The inner row had consisted of 16 columns, the middle row of 20, and the outer row of 32. The existing stone columns of the outer ring are about 8 feet (2.4 m) in height.
Employing citizens in construction and repairing works was done in ancient Sri Lanka as a form of tax payment. Such labour may also have been used in the construction of the Polonnaruwa Vatadage. However, the quality of the works indicate that most of the task may have been carried out by skilled craftsmen.Architecture of vatadage type structures was at its peak during the Polonnaruwa period, and the Polonnaruwa Vatadage is considered to be its “ultimate development”. Some of the most striking features of the structure are its elaborate stone carvings. The sandakada pahana (moonstone) at the northern entrance and the two muragalas (guard stone) at the eastern entrance are considered to be the best examples of such architectural features belonging to the Polonnaruwa period.These decorational elements were commonly placed at entrances to monastic buildings of ancient Sri Lanka,and historians believe that sandakada pahanas depict the cycle of Saṃsāra in Buddhism.According to Bell, the carvings on the sides of the upper platform are “unrivalled, whether at Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa, and probably in any other Buddhist shrine of Ceylon”.
The straight, symmetrical stone columns found in the Polonnaruwa Vatadage are quite similar to those seen in buildings of the Anuradhapura period. The foot of each column is carved in the shape of a lotus flower. Archaeologist Senarath Paranavithana has suggested that these stone columns had supported a wooden roof. This is widely accepted, and nails and roof tiles found in excavations seem to support this.However, another theory is that the Vatadage did not have a roof, and the stone columns were used to hang lamps, curtains or Buddhist symbols.
The brick wall around the platform is in a considerably preserved state as well, although parts of it have broken off. It is quite thick—2 feet 6 inches (0.76 m)—and was presumably constructed to protect the stupa from the sides. There is evidence that inner surface of the wall had been adorned with paintings. Its lower portion is covered by stone panels with carvings of a flower design.Below the wall, the side of the upper platform itself is decorated with carvings, as is the side of the lower platform.
The four Buddha statues, which depict the Dhyana mudra, are also carved from solid rock. Two of them are more or less intact today, while only parts of the other two remain.The stupa in the middle appears to have been of the Bubbulakara (bubble shaped) design commonly seen in Sri Lanka. The upper part has been destroyed, and only the dome shaped lower part now remains.However, it has only two Pesavas (the rings found at the base of stupas) rather than the traditional three.
Hatadage (Sinhala: හැටදාගේ) is an ancient relic shrine in the city of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. It was built by Nissanka Malla, and had been used to keep the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha. The Hatadage had been built using stone, brick and wood, although only parts of the brick and stone walls now remain. It appears to have been a two-storey structure, but the upper storey has now been destroyed. Three Buddha statues carved out of granite rock are located within a chamber of the shrine.
The Hatadage is located in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, in the North Central province of Sri Lanka. It is close to the northern edge of the Dalada Maluva there, the quadrangular area which contains some of the oldest and most sacred monuments of the city. Its entrance, which is oriented to the south, directly faces the entrance of the Polonnaruwa Vatadage. The Galpotha stone inscription is near its eastern side, while the Atadage lies to its west.
The Hatadage was built by King Nissanka Malla (1187–1196), as a shrine to house the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha.Several historical sources including the Rajavaliya, Poojavaliya and the Galpotha inscription itself mention that it was built in sixty hours. Since the Sinhalese word Hata means sixty and Dage means relic shrine, it is possible that the structure was named Hatadage to commemorate this feat. Another theory is that it is so named because it held sixty relics.The tooth relic was presumably kept in the upper storey.
The shrine is surrounded by a stone wall, 120 feet (37 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide. On its southern side is a doorway decorated with stone carvings, leading to a stone paved terrace. The main entrance to the shrine, which is also decorated with stone carvings and a sandakada pahana, is directly in front of it. Another smaller doorway is placed on the eastern side of the shrine.
The shrine has had a wooden superstructure with a tiled roof.However, only the walls now remain. The walls of the shrine are made of brick, and the outer walls are covered with stone plates. The main entrance leads to a small chamber, 27 feet (8.2 m) in length and 21 feet (6.4 m) in width. The base of its walls are decorated with designs of lotus flowers and lions. This chamber contains six stone columns and a staircase that had led to the upper floor. The square shaped main chamber is located to the rear of this outer chamber. Each of its sides are 35 feet (11 m) in length and contains four windows. The chamber had contained sixteen stone columns, although only three now remain. At the center of this chamber are three standing Buddha statues carved from granite. These are also partially destroyed. The statue in the middle is 9 feet (2.7 m) in height, while the other two are 7.5 feet (2.3 m) each.
Rankoth Vehera (Sinhala: රන්කොත් වෙහෙර) is a stupa located in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. The stupa was built by Nissanka Malla, who ruled the country from 1187 to 1196. The Rankoth Vehera has been built according to the tradition of the stupas of Mahavihara of the Anuradhapura period, and bears a close resemblance to the Ruwanweli Seya stupa.In fact, a stone inscription situated close to the stupa even identifies it by the name “Ruwanweli”. However, it has later come to be known by the currently used name, Rankoth Vehera.In Sinhalese, ran means gold, kotha is the name given to the pinnacle of a stupa, and vehera means stupa or temple. Thus, the name Rankoth Vehera can be roughly translated to English as “Gold Pinnacled Stupa”.Along with the Kiri Vehera, it is one of the most revered stupas in Polonnaruwa.
Rankoth Vehera is structure made entirely of brick, and has a base diameter of 550 feet (170 m) and a height of 108 feet (33 m). However, the original shape of the stupa, particularly its upper portion, has been changed during renovation work carried out by later rulers and it is estimated that the original height of Rankoth Vehera may have been almost 200 feet (61 m).Despite this, it remains the largest stupa in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, and the fourth largest stupa in the country.The stupa has four large Vahalkadas, a structure used for offering flowers and also to support the weight of a stupa. These are also made of brick. The stupa is located in the center of a large square terrace, which is also surrounded by a brick wall. The terrace has four entrances oriented to the four cardinal points, with sand paths leading to them.A stone inscription near one of the entrances mention that King Nissanka Malla observed and supervised the construction of the stupa from there. It is also mentioned that he worshiped the stupa from a small platform, which is located in a corner of the terrace.
Nissanka Latha Mandapaya (Sinhala: නිස්සංක ලතා මණ්ඩපය) is a unique structure in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. Built by King Nissanka Malla (1187 1196) and named after him, it is located near the western entrance of the Dalada Maluva, the area that contains the oldest and most sacred monuments in the city. A nearby stone inscription identifies this as the building used by Nissanka Malla to listen to pirith (chanting of Buddhist scriptures).
The structure is an elevated stone platform with a number of stone columns and surrounded by a low stone wall. These stone columns are the unique feature about the Nissanka Latha Manadapaya, since they are carved in a manner that is found nowhere else in the country. The eight granite columns are arranged in two rows, with four in each row.Presumably used to support a roof,each of them is approximately 8 feet 4 inches (2.54 m) in height. In each of these columns, the crown is carved in the shape of a blossoming lotus bud. The rest of the column is elaborately carved to resemble the stem of the flower.Unlike stone columns commonly seen in the architecture of this period, these are not straight, but are curved in three places. According to archaeologist Senarath Paranavithana, the stone columns at the Nissanka Latha Mandapaya are the best examples of this feature of ancient Sri Lankan architecture.
At the center of the platform, flanked by the stone columns, is a small stupa. This is also made from stone, but the top part of it has been destroyed. Its base is decorated with a carved design. The platform is surrounded by a stone railing, and the structure is entered through a single stone doorway. In contrast to the elaborately carved stone pillars, these have an undecorated and plain finish.
The Gal Vihara (Sinhala: ගල් විහාරය), also known as Gal Viharaya, is a rock temple of the Buddha situated in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in north-central Sri Lanka. It was fashioned in the 12th century by Parakramabahu I. The central feature of the temple is four images of the Buddha, which have been carved into the face of a large granite rock. The images consist of a large seated figure, another smaller seated figure inside an artificial cavern, a standing figure and a reclining figure. These are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient Sinhalese sculpting and carving arts, and have made the Gal Vihara the most visited monument at Polonnaruwa.
The images of Gal Vihara follow a different style from the images of the previous Anuradhapura period, and show some significant differences. The identity of the standing image is subject to a certain amount of dispute among historians and archaeologists, some of whom argue that it depicts the monk Ananda rather than the Buddha. Each of the images have been carved in a way that uses a maximum possible area of the rock, and their heights seem to have been decided based on the height of the rock itself. Each statue appears to have had its own image house, as indicated by the remains of brick walls at the site. The Gal Vihara, or Uttararama as it was known during that period, was where Parakramabahu I held a congregation of monks to purify the Buddhist priesthood, and later drew up a code of conduct for them. This code of conduct has been recorded in an inscription on the same rock face containing the images of the Buddha.
The Gal Vihara, or rock temple (so named after the large rock face where the four images of the Buddha were carved), was originally named Uttararama (the northern monastery), in the city of Polonnaruwa, and according to the chronicle Chulavamsa was one of the more prominent of the 100 temples built throughout ancient Sri Lanka by King Parakramabahu I (1153 – 1186).[1] The chronicle mentions that Parakramabahu I had his workmen build three caves in the rock after finishing the temple: the Vijjadhara Guha (cave of the spirits of knowledge), the Nissina Patima Lena (cave of the sitting image), and the Nipanna Patima Guha (cave of the sleeping image).Although they are described as “caves”, only the Vijjadhara Guha is a cave, while the others were image houses similar to the Thivanka and Lankathilaka, with their walls connected to the rock face. These walls, which were evidently decorated with frescoes, have since been destroyed and only their bases now remain,
By the time Parakramabahu I ascended to the throne, the Buddhist priesthood in the country was divided into three fraternities: Abhayagiri, Jetavana and Mahavihara. He held a congregation of monks to reconcile the three fraternities, and “purified the order” by expelling corrupt monks. With the help of the elders of each fraternity, he later drew up a katikavata (code of conduct) for Buddhist monks and recorded this in an inscription at Uttararama. The area in front of the images, which now resembles a terrace, is believed to be the location of the assembly hall where this congregation was held.The inscription recording the code has been carved on the flat, polished rock face between the Vijjadhara Guha and the standing image. The Uttararama was abandoned during the fall of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. It had functioned as an educational establishment from its inception to its abandonment, being a centre of Buddhist education in the country.
The main feature of Gal Vihara is the four images of the Buddha that have been carved on a single, large granite rock face,considered to be among the best examples of the rock carving and sculpting arts of the ancient Sinhalese.The rock has been cut almost 15 feet (4.6 m) deep to create a rock face to accommodate the statues, and is the only example in the country where a natural rock has been excavated to this extent for such a purpose.The images position the temple alongside some of the most significant monuments which survive from the ancient kingdoms of Sri Lanka, and make it the most celebrated and visited temple in Polonnaruwa. Three of the images are quite large; the smallest of them is more than 15 feet (4.6 m) tall, and the largest is more than 46 feet (14 m) long. However, the fourth image is just over 4 feet (1.2 m) and located inside an artificial cavern carved into the rock. A seated image is on the left side of the rock, and to the right is a cavern and another seated image. Further to the right are a standing image, and then a reclining image. Unlike other statues of the same period (such as the one found in the Lankathilaka image house), they are all well preserved, and therefore provide a good indication about less well-preserved examples.The size of each image seems to have been decided based on the height of the rock at that point, so that the maximum possible area could be used for it. According to the archaeologist Senarath Paranavithana, the images were evidently coated in gold in their early years. The style of the images differs somewhat from that of statues from the earlier Anuradhapura period. The most notable changes are the broader forehead in the Gal Vihara images. The robe is carved with two parallel lines, rather than the single line seen in the Anuradhapura period, influenced by the Amaravati school of art.
The large seated image is 15 feet 2.5 inches (4.636 m) tall, and depicts the dhyana mudra.The seat was carved in the shape of a lotus flower, its base decorated with carvings of flowers and lions. The statue sits on a carved throne, decorated with makara images, with four small images of the Buddha (identical to the larger image) carved inside small chambers. This is an unusual feature in ancient Sinhalese sculpture, and is presumably the result of Mahayana influence.
A small statue only 4 feet 7 inches (1.40 m) in height, but similar in appearance to its larger neighbour, is located inside the artificial cave named the Vidyhadhara Guha. The cave was created by carving 4.5 feet (1.4 m) into the rock, leaving four square shafted stone columns at the sides of the 26-foot (7.9 m) wide and 12-foot-9-inch (3.89 m) high opening. The base of the lotus shaped seat of the Buddha image here is also decorated with designs of lions. A throne and a parasol are carved behind it, more elaborate in design than the larger image. A prabhamandala, or halo, is carved behind the head of the statue, which rests between two four-armed deities. According to archaeologist H. C. P. Bell, the god on the right is Brahma, and the god on the left is Vishnu. The walls of the cave were once decorated with frescoes, traces of which remain in the two corners at the back of the cave.
The standing image is the focus of much discussion among historians and archaeologists, since there is a general belief that it is not a statue of the Buddha.The image is 22 feet 9 inches (6.93 m) tall, and stands on a low pedestal shaped like a lotus. It leans back in a relaxed manner, its arms folded across its chest. The statue’s face carries a sorrowful expression and the reclining image—which depicts the Buddha’s parinirvana—lies next to it, which has led some to believe that it is the monk Ānanda, who is lamenting the Buddha’s demise at his deathbed. The remains of the walls, however, indicate that the two images were once in separate chambers, rather than next to each other. Paranavithana believes that the statue is of the Buddha, which depicts the para dukkha dukkhitha mudra or “sorrow for the sorrow of others”.However, this is a rarely used gesture in Sinhalese sculpture, and is seen at only a few locations in the country.Another possibility is that the image shows the Buddha during his second week after enlightenment,which he spent gazing at the Bodhi Tree in gratitude for providing him shelter. The image is not mentioned in the Chulavamsa, which only mentions the other three. While this may be an indication that it is not an image of the Buddha, it is also possible that it may have been made at an earlier period than the others.
At 46 feet 4 inches (14.12 m) in length, the reclining image is the largest statue in Gal Vihara,and also one of the largest sculptures in Southeast Asia.It depicts the parinirvana of the Buddha, who is lying on his right side with the right arm supporting the head on a bolster, while the left arm lies along the body and thigh. The palm of the right hand and the soles of the feet have a single lotus flower carved on them.Charles Godakumbure, a former Commissioner of the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka, has stated that the bolster upon which the Buddha rests his head has been so well carved that it looks like a cotton stuffed pillow rather than one carved from rock. The upper foot—the left foot of the image—is slightly withdrawn to indicate that the image depicts that the Buddha has attained parinirvana, and is not merely lying down. Unlike the other images, the reclining image does not have a decorated pedestal, and lies on levelled bare rock. On the wall behind the image, several sockets have been carved into the rock, as well as the remains of two stone columns, suggesting that its now missing image house had a wooden roof.
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