Tivanka Image House

 
















Largest among the brick - built shrines of Polonnaruwa. In the narrow antechamber, beautiful Devas (demigods), and the Bodhisattvas above, beckon the worshipper into the inner sanctum. Here stands the mighty Tivanka image of the Buddha, depicted in the 'thrice curved pose.

The Vatadage

This circular relic house possesses an elegance and beauty that is rare even in ancient Sri Lanka. In line with the outer circle of stone pillars is a tastefully ornamented screen wall patterned with four petaled flowers.
The flights of access stairs at the cardinal points are of stone and are beautifully carved. At the head of each flight is a Buddha statue in stone. The shrine is lavished with moonstones., guard stones and sculptured writings.
The shrine, like all dagobas in Sri Lanka, is oriented towards the cardinal points - north, south, east and west. Four Buddha statues face outwards, with their backs to the dagaba mound.

The Satmahal Prasada

A square pyramidal tower in seven tiers - a Dagaba of novel design. Each side of each tier is ornamented by a figure of a deity in an arched niche. The simple, stepped design is a very ancient form of architecture which occurs in the step pyramids of Egypt, and the ziggurats of Mesopotamia. Another building of this type occurs in Thailand in the monastery of Vat Kukut at Lamphun, and both are probably derived from an earlier Indian prototype.

Siva Shrine - Siva Devale No1.

A Hindu Temple of chaste and restrained line dedicated to God Siva. This temple dates to the later Polonnaruwa period, and was probably built during a period of Indian domination in the thirteenth century. A number of superb bronzes in mature Choler style were found at this temple, and these can be seen at the Colombo Museum.

Siva Devale 2

Past the north gate of the citadel lies the exquisite Hindu temple built entirely of stone. The building dates to the 10th Century AD, and is the oldest identifiable building in Polonnaruwa. The building is in an early and perfectly simple Choler style, and is one of the masterpieces of Indian art to be found at Polonnaruwa.

Royal Palace and Council Chambers

Parakramabahu's Palace must have been an imposing edifice, and the chronicles describe it as "seven stories high, furnished with a thousand chambers". Entering the palace from the south, you come to great hall (31 Metres long and 13 metres wide), which was probably an audience hall.
Across the way is the council chamber of Parakramabahu - embellished with lion portals, graceful pillars and a moonstone (a delicately carved stepping stone). The building is supported by powerful bas-relief elephants around the base. Each one is different from the next.
The structural techniques of this period were the same as those of the Anuradhapura period, but there was a greater use of lime mortar, which enabled the building of brick structures of dimensions never before
A little further on is the handsome royal bath, the Kumara Pokuna. This area was probably a part of the Royal Pleasure Garden of Parakramabahu. Water, which may have been perfumed, flowed into the bath from the sides, and the solid masses of stone ensured that even on the hottest day, the water was cool. Another feature of this garden was a shower bath, which was "like a cloud pouring forth rain by (reason of) the showers of water which flowed constantly from the pipes of the apparatus.

Ran Kot Vehera -The Golden Pinnacle Dagaba

Built by Nissankamalla. This Dagaba is the largest in Polonnaruwa and measures 550-ft. in girth and 180 feet high. Although it was completed by Nissankamalla, the dagaba was probably largely the work of Rupavati, one of Parakramabahu's queens.

Potgul Vihara - The Sage

Potgul Vihara is the modern name by which the southern monastery in Polonnaruwa is known, but it's ancient name has not been established. The superb sculpture, which introduces the art of Polonnaruwa to the visitor, is also mysterious. It is generally considered to be a representation of Parakramabahu the Great. Other opinions however, identify the figure as that of a sage. Whoever that it may represent, the sculpture is one of the great masterpieces of Sri Lankan art.

Potgul Vihara - The Monastery

Potgul Vihara Monastery lies about a hundred yards to the South of the rock sculpture. It is a unique monastery. It is believed, that this was built by King Parakramabahu, as mentioned in the chronicle, " for listening to the birth stories of the Great Sage, which were related by a teacher" . Today, if you enter the round room, which is plastered, the acoustics are still excellent, even though the roof has collapsed.

Parakrama Samudra

One of the most striking features in Polonnaruwa is the vast Parakrama Samudra (Sea of Parakramabahu), an irrigation tank built, as the name indicates by King Parakramabahu the Great. This was his largest irrigation project and covers an area of more than 15 Km2.The dam (or bund, as it is known in Sri Lanka, is almost 14 Km long and 12 metres high.
The Dipuyyana (Island Garden) is on the promontory by the rest house. When King Parakramabahu had built his vast lake, he selected this lovely spot for a royal garden. Later King Nissankamalla liked it so much that he built his palace and council chambers there.

Pabulu Vehera

To the east is the softly rounded dagoba. the Pabulu Vehera or Coral Shrine. It is said to have built by Rupavati, one of the queens of Parakramabahu. There are a number of Buddha images to dating from the later Polonnaruwa period to be seen around the dagoba.

Nissanka Lata Mandapaya

A very pretty pavilion, this floral altar in stone has pillars which simulate with rare grace, a lotus on a stalk. This is a sacred hall of unknown purpose, and it was built by Nissankamalla. In the centre of the building is a small model dagaba, with worshippers sculptured around the base.

Lotus Bath

A pretty rook-cut pool shaped like a stylised lotus, constructed in diminishing concentric lamina, built by Nissankamalla.

Lankathilake - The Image House

The walls of the majestic Lankathilake even now stand 55 ft. high. In the 12th century, it was one of the most splendid of Buddhist Shrines in Asia. Lankathilake (the ornament of Lanka), was built by Parakramabahu I. The vast standing Buddha inside the shrine was originally about 41 feet (13 metres) with it's base, but sadly only its torso now stands.
The brickwork of the building is of extraordinary variety, from the massive bricks which support the weight of the building, to the tiny, delicately molded bricks of the architectural details. The building must have been immense, and even today it is the most impressive ruin of the ancient city.

Kiri Vehera

Just ahead of Lankathilake is the 'milk-white shrine' named for its exterior of gleaming white. It is the best preserved of Sri Lanka's un-restored dagobas. Traditionally commemorating Queen Subhadda, one of King Parakramabahu's wives.

Hatadage

The Shrine of Sixty Relics, which stands opposite the Vatadage. It was claimed to have been built by King Nissankamalla to house the Sacred Tooth Relic and is a handsome edifice, whose plain ashlar walls are very artistically relieved by a double border of faintly incised carving. However despite Nissankamalla's claim, it may in fact been built by Parakramabahu.

Gal Vihare - Rock Shrine

The most impressive sculptures at Polonnaruwa are the colossal Buddha images carved on the face of a granite boulder at the Gal Vihare. It includes some of the masterpieces of Sri Lankan Buddhist art, and these were commissioned by Parakramabahu I.
The first sculpture is a seated Buddha image in a deep meditation, on a throne decorated with lions and thunderbolts and behind the Buddha is a halo. The statue is one of the most impressive examples of Sri Lanka's sculpture.
The next sculpture is inside a cave out of solid rock. The seated Buddha is protected by an umbrella. Between the cave and the tall standing figure is a large inscription of Parakramabahu, which records in detail his struggle to unite the Buddhist order, and sets out the reformed rules of conduct.
The standing figure, twenty three feet high (7 metres), with crossed arms is the next sculpture to be seen. The carving of the serene face is extremely sensitive, and the relaxed, elegant execution of the body and drapery distinguishes this figure as one of the masterpieces of Sri Lankan art.
The immense figure of recumbent Buddha measures 46 ft (14 metres). is the last sculpture in the group. The Buddha is lying down, at the final moment of his earthly life, entering Parinibbana, the state of supreme enlightenment. Here too the liquid flow of the robes over the body and the calm expression of the face are beautifully interpreted.

Gal Potha (Stone Book)

A massive 8 metre long and 4.3 metre wide stone slab, which lies by the side of the Hatadage is inscribed with the deeds of King Nissankamalla. The massive inscription, amongst other things, records Nissankamalla's brief invasion of India in glowing terms, and details of his relations with foreign states, as far away as modern Pakistan and Indonesia.

Demala Maha Seya - The Tamil Dagaba

This enormous stupa was built by Tamil prisoner of-war-labour. It is a shrine of novel design, the dome rising from a terraced and molded base is left unfinished at a height of about 50 ft. from the ground. If it was completed, it would have been the largest dagaba in the world, rising to about 600 feet in height.

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is in Mahameuna park in Anuradhapura. It was planted in 249 BC, the regal period of king Devanampiyatissa. This the southern branch of the Sri Maha Bodhi at Boddagaya in India under which Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment. Theri Sangamitta brought Sri Maha Bodhi to Sri lanka. It happened in Esala full moon day in 249 BC.
After that many kings built walls and gateways to protect the Sri Maha Bodhi. And also bodhi terrace and statues of Lord Buddha built by kings. Nowadays there are two golden fences around the Sri Maha Bodhi. This is the oldest surviving historical tree in the world.

Ritigala

Deep inside the Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve, off the Anuradhapura–Habarana road, are the partially restored ruins of an extensive monastic and cave complex. The ruins lie on a hill, which at 766m isn’t exactly high, but is nevertheless a striking feature in the flat, dry landscape surrounding it. The 24-hectare site is isolated and almost deserted. The site is included in the Cultural Triangle round ticket, or individual tickets cost US$8/4 for an adult/child.
The true meaning of the name Ritigala remains unclear – gala means rock in Sinhala, but riti may come from the Pali arittha, meaning ‘safety’. Thus Ritigala was probably a place of refuge, including for kings as long ago as the 4th century BC.
Ritigala also has a place in mythology. It’s claimed to be the spot from where Hanuman (the monkey king) leapt to India to tell Rama that he had discovered where Sita was being held by the king of Lanka. Mythology also offers an explanation for the abundance of healing herbs and plants found in Ritigala. It’s said that Hanuman, on his way back to Lanka with healing Himalayan herbs for Rama’s wounded brother, dropped some over Ritigala.

Monks found Ritigala’s caves ideal for a ascetic existence, and more than 70 such caves have been discovered. Royals proved generous patrons, especially King Sena I, who in the 9th century made an endowment of a monastery to the pamsukulika (rag robes) monks.
Ritigala was abandoned following the Chola invasions in the 10th and 11th centuries, after which it lay deserted and largely forgotten until it was rediscovered by British surveyors in the 19th century. It was explored and mapped by HCP Bell in 1893.

Jethawana stupa

The Jethawana stupa, the central ritual monument of the Jethawana monastery, had a diameter of 370 feet. Established in the 3rd century A.D., the monastery was the residence of 3,000 monks. Recent excavations confirm that the foundation of the stupa was 28 feet deep and rested on bedrock. This stupa, the tallest brick structure in the world, was built in keeping with engineering principles which are fol¬lowed even today. At the time of the collapse of the Roman Empire, and counting this phase to be the end of the ancient world, this edifice was only sec¬ond to two other taller structures - Pyramids 1 and 2 in Egypt, the taller of which was 483 feet. The Jethawena stupa is the tallest brick structure in the world.

Abhayagiri Dagoba Stupa & Monastery

One of the sites of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, greatest monastic city of the ancient world, 437 BC-845 AD, A World Heritage Site.
A Lost city
Abhayagiri monastery is one of the most interesting & atmospheric quarters of Anuradhapura. The sheer scale of the ruins of the monastery is prodigious; the setting, scattered amidst beautiful light woodland, is magical; a lost city particularly memorable at the crack of dawn or at dusk.

Establishment of the monastery in 88 BC
The third of Anuradhapura's great monasteries, Abhayagiri lie on the northern side of the city. The great monastery was founded by King Vatttagamani Abhaya (Valagambahu) (104-76 BC) in 88 BC. King Valagambahu had lost his throne to an army of marauding Dravidian invaders from South India. Whilst escaping from the city, the king was taunted by a Jain priest of the Giri Monastery, who shouted: "The great black Sinhala lion is fleeing". An Indian Jain monk having a Jain hermitage in then capital of Buddhist Lanka itself, is an outstanding indication of the religious tolerance of ancient Lanka. In spite of the religious tolerance in the island, the contempt of the Jain monk towards the Sinhalese & the Sinhalese king brought nothing but the downfall of Jain monastery. The king even while fleeing, vowed to regain his kingdom & built a Buddhist monastery over the Jain hermitage. Fourteen years later, the lion-hearted king rescued his island from the marauding Dravidian invaders, razed the Jain hermitage to the ground & established a Buddhist monastery.

Creation in destruction
King Vatttagamani Abhaya named the new Buddhist monastery with a combination of the second part of his own name (meaning fearless-as in the Abhaya, or "Have No Fear" as in Buddhist mudra of the Buddhist statues) & name of the demolished Jain monastery itself "Giri". Although the king had the building of the Jain monastery wiped off the earth, he resolved to immortalize the name of Jain monastery in a Buddhist monastery. Even in the destruction, the Sinhalese seemed to have a tolerant aspect in their nature.

Abhayagiriya Dagoba
As at the Mahavihara & Jetavana monasteries, Abhayagiri's most striking feature is its dagoba. In its glorious days, it is believed to have stood around 115m tall, only slightly smaller than Jetavana Dagoba, making it the fourth tallest in the ancient world after Khufru & Khafra at Gizeh, Egypt & Jetavana Dagoba. Following a restoration by King Parakrambahu the great, the dagoba may have stood over 100m high. The loss of its pinnacle has now reduced its height to around 70m tall. The dagoba, built over a footprint of the Buddha is 400 m in circumference & bears some similarities to the earlier Thuparama. Some columns remain of its vatadage.

Ongoing restoration work of Abhayagiriya Dagoba (Stupa)
Restoration work, which took many long years, is nearing its completion at last.

Vahalkadas (entrances)
The dagoba's four entrances are similar in design to those at the Golden Sand Stupa & are in various stages of renovation. The main entrance is flanked by two guardian statues of Padmanidi & Samakanidi, a pair of dwarf attendants of Kubera, the god of wealth. The eastern vahalkada is flanked by low-relief carvings of classical-looking elephants, bulls & lions, all on their hind legs together with two winged figures looking like a pair of angels who've flown straight out of the Italian Renaissance. The western vahalkada is flanked by delicate floral patterns.

The glory of the monastery
Abhayagiri made tremendous strides at a pace to surpass the Mahavihara, the largest & most influential monastery in Lanka; the area almost became a rival capital. By the fifth century it was home to five thousand monks & had become an important source of new Buddhist doctrine & a flourishing centre of artistic activity & philosophical speculation. Stillmore the monastery established wide ranging contacts with Java, India & Burma.

Deviation from orthodox Theravada (Hinayana) tradition
While still remaining within the Theravada tradition, the great monastery adopted some elements of Mahayana Buddhism & Tantric Buddhism much to the displeasure of Mahavihara monastery. The Mahayana doctrine introduced Bodhisattva (the Buddha to be) worship, in which the enlightened withhold his opportunity of entering Nirvana (end of suffering by way of birth & rebirth) in order to help humanity. Worse still Tantric Buddhism involved the worship of a mother goddess.

Reorganization of the monastery complex
Despite their deviation from Theravada tradition, the monks of the Abhayagiri sect reorganized the monastery complex: all buildings were arranged systematically in concentric squares. An outer enclosure contained the monk's living quarters, refectory, bath-house & latrines. An inner precinct, on a raised platform, contained the Bo Tree & the stupa. During the reign of King Mahasena (276-303 AD), the Abhayagiri monks rose to prominence & their precincts sprouted palaces, bathing pools & sculpture of the highest artistic standards. However when the power of this sect declined the monasteries went back to the comfortable informality of their old ways.

Chinese traveler monk Fa Hien
The Chinese traveller Buddhist bhikku (monk) Fa Hien, visitng Lanka in the fifth century AD recorded that there were 5000 monks in residence. Bhikku Fa Hien also refers to a 7-m jade Buddha statue, sparkling with gems.

Mihintale

In 247 B.C. Buddhism was first introduced to Sri Lanka on the mountain of Mihintale. Since then, various kings of Sri Lanka have blessed this rock with magnificent masterpieces of architecture. These include a hospital, a monastic complex, stupas and dagobas. While some of these structures are in an almost perfect state of preservation, some others are in complete ruin. The most spectacular of these is the Kantaka Chaitiya, which displays some of the finest architecture of the early Anuradhapura era.

The climb to the summit consists of almost a thousand steps.

The journey is not as strenuous as it may seem however, as it is sporadically interrupted by the awe-inspiring architectural remnants of the past glory of the hill. If this is not motivation enough for a weary traveler to undertake the task, the superb view at the summit of the great dagobas of Anuradhapura definitely will be.

Ruwanweliseya Stupa

Every monastery has a dagoba. Ruvanveliseya is the dagoba of Maha Vihara. It was built by a Sinhalese hero King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century B.C. The architect ingeniously combined the Buddhist philosophy in the architectural conception. He conceived this as a bubble of milk: representing life, which will burst in no time just like the fragility of our lives. Its dome represents the vastness of the doctrine; the four facets of the box oh top represents the four noble truths. The concentric...

Ruwanweliseya Dagoba is the third largest stupa in Anuradhapura. Also known as the Maha Thupa or Great Stupa. At 300 feet, the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba is the third biggest stupa in Anuradhapura, after the Jetavana Dagoba and the Abhayarigi Dagoba. While the aforementioned are still in ruins, Ruwanweliseya Dagoba is the biggest dagoba that is fully restored and in regular use.

The shape of the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba, as indeed all the other dagobas in Anuradhapura and elsewhere in Sri Lanka, is inspired by a bubble floating on water. Beneath the round white skin, which seems to float weightlessly into the clouds, is tons and tons of masonry.

The Ruwanweliseya Dagoba is surrounded by a wall embellished with full-size sculpted elephants (almost all of these are replacements as the original has been damaged long ago). The elephant walls are symbolic of the Buddhist mythology that they hold up the earth. Four gatehouses punctuated the elephant wall at the four cardinal points.
The massive Ruwanweliseya Dagoba in Anuradhapura.


Buddhist symbolism is carried to the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba, where the massive white dome represents heaven. The conical spire of the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba represents the parasols of kingship, or the protuberance on Buddha's head, to signify super enlightenment. Sacred relics of the Buddha are housed within the dome of the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba.

Construction of the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba commenced in 144BC. The foundation was dug to a depth of 15 feet and round stones were laid, stumped into place by elephants wearing leather foot coverings. A form of material called butter clay was used as the cement.

Today the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba has undergone several restorations, and has lost a bit of its original bubble shape. Nevertheless Ruwanweliseya Dagoba continues to be one of the most important places of worship for the Buddhists in Anuradhapura.

Isurumuniya Lovers

The Meghagiri Vihara is now commonly known as Isurumuniya Vihara or Isurumuniya. But the real Isurumuni Vihara is located few hundred metres away is now called Vessagiri Vihara.
Isurumuniya is most famous for the stone carving of a couple located there. This carved stone was found in the royal pleasure garden and brought here. There are many interpretations for this carving.
The most popular is that this carving shows the prince Saliya (the son of the great king Dutugamunu) and his mistress Asokamala. Asokamala was of a lover cast called “Chandala” and the prince Saliya gave up the right to be the king by marrying this girl of a lower cast.
Another belief is that this couple represent the god Siva and goddess Parvathi of Hindu belief.

The vihara also has another stone slab which depicts a court scene which is thought to be the court of king Dutugemunu. Both these stone slabs are thought to be originated in the 8th century.
The vihara itself is built on a rock and the sacred tooth relic of Buddha has been originally kept here when it arrived to the island from India in the 312 AC.
8th century.
The vihara itself is built on a rock and the sacred tooth relic of Buddha has been originally kept here when it arrived to the island from India in the 312 AC.
At the entrance to the rock temple is a large pond. Above the pond there is a carving of bathing elephants and on the top level of the stairs there is another carving of a man seated in a royal pose and a horse head. The top carving is thought to be carving of Agni and Parjanya. Parjanya is the god for rain. The elephants below represent the clouds. With this interpretation it is believed this place was also used by the king to perform ceremonies for rain god.
The stupa and the Buddha image in this temple are of recent origin. But there are some caves which probably were used earlier but now have become a haven for bats.

Thuparama Dagoba

Thera Mahinda, an envoy sent by King Ashoka himself introduced Theravada Buddhism and also chetiya worship to Sri Lanka. At his request King Devanampiyatissa built Thuparamaya in which was enshrined the collarbone of the Buddha. It is considered to be the first dagaba built in Sri Lanka following the introduction of Buddhism. This is considered the earliest monument, the construction of which was chronicled Sri Lanka. The name Thuparamaya comes from “stupa” and “aramaya” which is a residential complex for monks.
This chetiya was built in the shape of a heap of paddy. This dagaba was destroyed from time to time. During the reign of King Agbo II it was completely destroyed and the King restored it. What we have today is the construction of the dagaba, done in 1862 AD. As it is today, after several renovations, in the course of the centuries, the monument has a diameter of 59 ft (18 m), at the base. The dome is 11 feet 4 inches (3.45 m) in height from the ground, 164½ ft (50.1 m) in diameter. The compound is paved with granite and there are 2 rows of stone pillars round the dagaba. During the early period vatadage was built round the

Aukana Buddha Statues

Aukana is one of the largest Buddha statues in Sri lanka (12meters) and one of the best handcraft of ancient Sri lankan Artist.This was built by King Dhathusena(5th centuryAD) the father of King Kashyapa who made the Seegiriya fortress.After the destruction of similar but larger Barmiyan Buddha statues at Afghanistan,this statue has taken the position as the tallest standing Buddha statue in existence today made by a single rock.

King Dathusena has gifted another magnificent product to Sri lanka which was the huge man made water tank to get rain water stocked during dry season to use for cultivating purposes which still nurishes those areas of Anuradhapura district, and is called "Kalaa wewa".Aukana statue is located adjoining to this Kalaa wewaa reminding the greatness of its builder King Dathusena.The statue is in the symbolic gesture (or"Mudra")which describes blessing.

If you watch the Aukana Buddha statue closely,you will be amazed by its expressions which are pure calmness and the steadiness that shows out the supreme power and stability of enlightenment.To build out something this magnificent,from a rough coarse rock merely explains the excellency of the ancient Sri lankan craftsmanship.

The best time to watch East facing Aukana statue would be at the crack of dawn as it will be easier for you to appreciate its fine carved features.