POLONNARUWA

The history of early Sri Lanka was very carefully recorded and written down by monks.

The Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle) records the earlier period of the Sri Lankan, and Chulavamsa (lesser Chronicle), gives an accurate picture of the 'Polonnaruwa' period.

King Aggabodhi IV

From this chronicle we learn that Aggabodhi IV (667 - 685) AD was the first Sri Lankan King who lived in Polonnaruwa, and the town came gradually to become the 'Country Residence' of royalty. Anuradhapura, the formal and administrative capital, was already a thousand years old, and kings increasingly favoured the new city of Polonnaruwa, and developed it. However it was the Cholas of South India who made Polonnaruwa the capital after looting and burning Anuradhapura in 993 AD.

King Vijayabahu I

In 1070 AD the Sinhala King Vijayabahu I liberated the country by defeating the Cholas, and kept Polonnaruwa as his capital. Vijayabahu succeeded in repairing much of the irrigation system in the island, encouraged trade and brought some prosperity back to the country.

King Parakramabahu I

King Parakramabahu I (1153-86) raised Polonnaruwa to its heights. He erected huge buildings, drained swamps and planted vast areas with crops, planned beautiful parks, created wildlife sanctuaries, restored earlier monuments & even undertook military expeditions against Burma and India.

However his crowning achievements were the creation of the 2400 hectare tank (about 15 Km2), so large it was named the Parakrama Samudra (Sea of Parakrama); and the unification of the three orders of monks, the Maha vihara, Jetavana and Abhayagiri into one Sangha or 'Supreme Order of Monks'. The greatness of his achievement was to ensure the survival of Buddhism in the dark centuries ahead.

Parakramabahu was the last great king of Sri Lanka.

King Nissankamalla

King Nissankamalla (1187 - 96), although claimed himself to be a great builder, was not. And squandered most of the country's wealth trying to match his predecessor's deeds.

The decline of Polonnaruwa

After Nissankamalla's death, Polonnaruwa went to decline, civil war, lawlessness and constant invasions from the South Indian Chola Empire, and Malay barbarians who sacked the city several times, virtually destroyed the social structure and religious order of the country. A whole century after this were the 'Dark Ages' of Sri Lanka, a century from which few historical records survive.

The capital was shifted to Kurunegala, and Polonnaruwa returned to the jungle; it's great reservoirs survived as a series of swampy lakes, and its large brick buildings became lost under thick tropical forest. The Portuguese are said to have raided and looted Polonnaruwa, but by the early nineteenth century the site was completely lost.

In the early years of this century the main monuments of the ancient city were uncovered. Today, conservation and excavations continue, as part of the work of the Cultural Triangle.

ANURADHAPURA

  (3rd BC - 10th AD)

Several centuries before the Jesus Christ, while the Greek empire was at its zenith, many other regions were emerging from the stone age; Anurdhapura was already and advanced civilization. The city was well laid out and well linked.  Irrigated by sophisticated systems of man-made lake s and canals, this city was a world trade center. This is evidenced by the Greek merchant guide book titled "purples of the Erythraen Sea", Ptolemy's first ever map, and further by monk travelers Fa Hien and Buddagosha of, the 5th century A. D.

DALADA MALIGAWA

Kandy (Ancient Senkadagala) is the last capital of the Sinhala Monarchy the History of which goes back to at least five centuries before the beginning of the Common Era. The city is surrounded by a ring of mountain ranges and Sri Lanka’s largest river Mahaweli Ganga.Kandy enjoys a salubrious climate and still breathes the ancient lifestyle of the people.The heritage of Kandy, Architecture, Sculpture, painting, Dance and Music, all such cultural traditions are endemic to Sri Lanka.Kandy remains the home for all denominations of major world religions....

standedstands

KIRIWEHERA

Kataragama is one of the 16 principal places of Buddhist pilgrimage to be visited in sri Lanka. According to the chronicle of Sri Lankan history the Mahawamsa, when the Bo sapling of Bodhi Tree, under which Gotama Buddha attained enlightenment in North India was brought to the city of Anuradhapura 2,300 years ago, the warriors or Kshatriyas from Kataragama were present on the occasion to pay homage and respect.

The Bo tree situated behind the Kataragama Temple is one of the eight saplings (Ashta Phala Ruhu Bodhi) of Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradapura, Sri Lanka. This tree has been planted in the 3rd century BC.

The Buddhist Kiri Vehera Dagoba which stands in close proximity to the Hindu temple was built by the King Mahasena. According to the legend, Lord Buddha, on his third and the last visit to Sri Lanka, was believed to have met the King Mahasena who ruled over the Kataragama area in 580 BC. Thus the local Sinhalese Buddhists believe that Kataragama was sanctified by Lord Buddha. The King met the Lord Buddha and to the Buddha's discourse and as a token of gratitude, the Dagoba was built on that exact spot where it now stands.

God kataragama

Skanda, the Hindu god of war, aka Karthika Kumara, Shuba, Mahasena, Devasena, Kadira, Agnibhuwa, Shanmukha, Kartikama, Murugan & Subramanya. The god is said to have come to the island to fight an enemy of the gods & having defeated the demon Tharaka at Velapura, today's Kalutara, settled down at katharagama. The Hindu war god in spite of six-faces & 12 arms doesn't look dusky & ferocious at all. If anything, he is fair & handsome. And he is pleasant to the boot. It is said he is bit of a Romeo too, a hero to the damsels in distress. Once he got his brother God Ganesh himself to create a distress to the damsel Valli, so that he could emerge at the nick of the time in grand style & save her with great valour & become her one & only hero. But then, to give the devil, sorry, god his due credit, we must hasten to add, the handsome god married both the girls, Walli & Pulli. Since monogamy is nothing but dull monotony (not let her hear!), the god seemed to have opted for bigamy. Polygamy is bound to become a hell of a headache even with a single head, not to mention six heads as of God Kataragama. But then, how would you know of divine endowments & faculties? They say divine ways are behind the means of mortals.

RUWANWELI SAYA

Ruwanwelisaya(also called Swarnamali saaya) is one of the most renowned"stupa"(a construction made for to be worshiped with sacred relics deposited inside)in Sri lanka.It's considered a wonder due to the splendid architecture it bears and the great sanctitiy which has made it sacred to the Buddhists all over the world.This great structure was built by the King"Dutugemunu",one of the few kings who were able to fight for the countries freedom when it was in danger and brought the country under one flag.

As mentioned in an early post this stupa is another one of the most sacred 8 places (atamasthana)a budhist visits at anuradhapura(see the post on Samadhi buddha statue,another one of "atamasthana").Of all the sacred places in the country,16 places are categorized("solosmasthana" or 16 places of veneration)as the most sacred and,a Buddhist considers its their great fortune to visit all these places and to worship them.Ruwanwelisaya is one of the top places in that list.




THE WATER CUTTING - END OF THE FESTIVAL, KATHARAGAMA PERAHERA.

It is said king Dutugemunu started to build this wonder on a Wesak full moon day which is the most sacred day for the Buddhists and as you can see if you visit the stupa,it was such massive(the pinnacle of the stupa is 24 meters high and its circumference is 950ft!!)that most say he was not been able to finish the work till his death and it was finished by his brother king Saddhathissa who followed him after.There are a lot of reasons why Ruwanwelisaya is very sacred to Buddhists and some reasons would be that it has Lord Buddha's sacred relics deposited inside,made by the great king Dutugemunu and made on a Wesak full moon day.