Poḷonnaruwa, also referred as Pulathisipura and Vijayarajapura in ancient times, is the main town of Polonnaruwa District in North Central Province, Sri Lanka.
Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka and was ruled from the 11th – 13th century. It is considered one of the best-preserved Archeological sites in the world and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982.
The archaeological sites are located within close proximity to each other and as such can be visited on foot or ideally on bicycles.
Pollonnaruwa which is approximately 100 KM away from Anuradhapura is located in the North Central province of the Country with a dry arid weather pattern. It consists of a new Town and another part which remains as the Royal ancient city of Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa has an impressive array of ruined palaces, colossal Buddha statues, temples, stupas, courtyards, pleasure gardens with intricate carvings in a magnificent display of artistry and great vision of the rulers. Second to none is the vast Parakrama Samudraya (sea of Parakramabahu) which is a man-made irrigation tank built by King Parakramabahu as the name suggests.
In 1982 the beauty and serenity of Polonnaruwa was captured in the music video of the band Duran Duran performing the song Save a Prayer.
The amazing feature of this large Buddhist image house is the fact that the walls and the roof have been built completely with brick without using any wood.
This is one of the sites in Polonnaruwa where the roof has been well preserved.
There is evidence to suggest that there was a large seated Buddha image inside the sanctum. However, only the large seat currently remains. The architecture of the exterior walls suggests the South Indian influence.
Built by the Great King Parakramabahu I during the 10th Century, this is considered to be one of the most significant buildings of the Polonnaruwa era, depicting the grandeur of the past . The chronicles describe the structure as an imposing architectural marvel comprising seven stories and 1000 chambers. However today, only 55 of the chambers remain.
At the South entrance of the palace a grand hall which is 31 meters long and 13 meters wide can be seen which is considered to have been an audience hall. Seeing the frieze of elephants and intricate ornate carvings one can imagine the grandeur and luxury of the palace.
It is definitely a must visit for all those travelling to the Royl City of Polonnaruwa.
Most historians believe that the Vatadagaye was built by the Great King Parakramabahu I during the 12th Century to house the Tooth relic of the Buddha.
This circular relic house was built in a bubble shape and only the bottom part of the structure remains at present.
The elegance and the beauty of the relic house is unsurpassed and rare for even those constructed in ancient times.
Four beautifully carved stone Buddha statues are placed inside the relic house in four vantage points facing North, South East and West The statues face outwards with a stupa placed in the center with beautifully carved stairs to access each point. Moon stones and guard stones are visible adjacent to each stairway. The moonstone on the east stairway is considered to be the best in Polonnaruwa. Several stone pillars are visible outside the relic house.
Located opposite the Varadage it is believed to have been built by King Nissanka Malla during the 10th century BC to house the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha.
Some believe that the name Hatadage was derived from the 60 relics whist there is another school of thought that that the name came about as it was built in sixty days (Hata means 60 in the Sinhala language)
The magnificent edifice which was a two story building was built using stone wood and brick, however only parts of the stone and brick walls of the lower storey remain at present with only a stairway leading to the upper floor. Three standing Buddha statues carved out of granite rock are enshrined in the chamber. The shrine is 120 feet in length and 60 feet in width.
The grandeur of ancient Sri Lankan civilization and mastery is visible in all these structures.
Built by King Nissankamalla in the 12th Century, the enormous 8 meter long and 4.3-meter-wide stone slab lies adjacent to the Hatadage and is considered the largest stone inscription discovered to date. It is believed that the stone was brought from Mihintale which is almost 100 kilometers away from Polonnaruwa. The entire top of the stone is inscribed with noble deeds carried out by King Nissankamalla espousing his worthiness as a ruler of the time. The inscriptions which are contained in three sections and 72 lines also mention the Kings brief invasion of India and the great relationship he maintained with neighboring countries.
Both ends of the stone are carved with decorative images of maidens holding flowers and elephants sprinkling water
Built in 386 AD the Prakrama Samudraya or the sea of the great King Parakramabahu I is a massive engineering fete constructed to ensure the people in Polonnaruwa had sufficient water for their use and irrigation purposes.
The King Parakramabahu’s motto was to ensure that “not even a drop of rainwater should reach the sea without being made use of”.
Polonnaruwa being located in a dry and arid area the rain from the monsoons was insufficient to cater to the requirements of the people and paddy cultivation.
It is a shallow reservoir consisting of five separate reservoirs constructed using three rivers. It is believed that the current reservoir is of much smaller proportion compared to the original creation which was referred to as a sea due to its vastness. The Parakarma Samudray also acted as a fortification against invading enemies from neighboring countries.
Today it provides water to approximately 18000 acres of neighboring land and is considered one of the most valuable projects undertaken by the Kings of the bygone era.
The artificial lake is a sight to behold due to its serenity, peaceful surroundings and rustic settings and is highly recommended to be included in your bucket list of places to visit in Polonnaruwa.
Crafted during the reign of King Parakrambahu I in the 12th Century the Gal Viharaya translated as the Rock Temple is a masterpiece consisting of a cluster of carved Buddha images in to the face of a rock. It is believed that the four statues were part of a large monastery and the statues were carved out of one long slab of granite.
Three of the statues depict the Lord Buddha in three unique positions. The seated statue shows the Buddha depicting the Dhyana mudra and in deep meditation while the reclining statue depicts the Parinirvana position with intricate carvings which have the onlookers spellbound. The standing Buddha statue has the Buddha with an unusual gesture leaving archaeologists to believe that the statue may be that of his closest disciple Arahath Anada. Theses statutes with its charm and sublime nature rival the best in the world and are some of the greatest works of stone sculpture carried out in ancient Sri Lanka making it one of the most visited sites in Polonnaruwa.
Kaudulla National Park is a evergreen scrubby forest located in the Polonnaruwa district and about 41 km from the city. It is home to approximately 23 species of mammals including the spotted deer, Sambur endemic to Sri Lanka, wild boar, sloth bear the, elusive leopard and herds of wild Elephants. Spread over 6500 hectares of land the most suitable period to visit Kaudulla is between August to December with the number of Elephants peaking to around 200 during September when the forest is dry and devoid of water.
Elephants gather at the Kaudulla Tank to look for drinking water and bathe. Jeep Safaris could be arranged during the morning and evening with the evening safaris being more productive in terms of viewing Elephants.
This sprawling national park with its vast renovated rainwatirrigation tank is a 50-minute drive from the Dambulla town. The Minneriya park which is a major Elephant corridor connects the Kaudulla and Wagamuwa National parks and is certainly a must visit especially for those who love seeing the largest land mammal the Elephant. Considered one of the best places to witness wild elephants throughout the year, the beautiful park is a nature lovers delight. Jeep safaris through the dense forest are exciting and lead the visitors to the Minneriya water tank where hundreds of elephants gather especially during the dry season (April-October) to drink water. This spectacular site is termed the “Elephant Gathering and is considered one of the largest congregations of Elephants in one location. Early morning safaris are recommended for bird viewings while late afternoon trips are best for elephant sightings
Other interesting places to visit in Polonnaruwa are the Nissanka Lata Mandapaya, Siva Shrine , the Sath Mahal Prasada , Ran Koth Vehera , Kiri Vehera and Lanka Thilake which is highly recommended.
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