The last visit for few Sacred sites in Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa

I have visited Anuradhapura sacred sites for about 5 times before and this was my last visit which is done in 2018 with friends. Captured some beautiful sceneries and this was a day trip as we visited another important place for our team.

Sri Maha Bodhi (The sacred Bo-Tree) – ශ්‍රී මහා බෝධිය

After bringing Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Mahinda Thero in 250 BC Emperor Asoka in India sent his daughter There Sanghamitta to the island with a branch of the Sacred Bodhi obtained from the main stem of the bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya under which Buddha attained enlightenment. King Tissa received the sapling and planted it at the present site in 249 BC. Taking this information to account today (in 2013) the Sri Maha Bodhi tree is exactly 2263 years old. Thus this tree is considered the oldest living tree in the world in the recorded history.

Even after the Anuradhapura was deserted as the capital of the country and encroached by the jungle, pious people nevertheless tendered to the tree effortlessly. The villagers lit bonfires to frighten off wild elephants. As time went on the villagers made it a habit to collect firewood for the whole year on one single day. This possession was called “Daramiti Perahara” (Firewood Possession) which continues up to this day.

There are special guards who look after the Bodhi Tree. This again is an age-old custom continued to date by people who live in the neighborhood whose ancestors have received the land for their services. This may be probably one of the oldest surviving religious professions in the world.

The bodhi tree was subjected to a vandalized act by a madman who tried to cut off the tree in 1929. He did manage to cut off a branch of the tree. Then again in 1985, this holy ground faced a ruthless attack by the Tamil terrorists (LTTE) who stormed into premises brutally gunning down 229 innocent civilians including 17monks, 21 nuns, 52 children, 41 women, and 98 men while 385 got wounded.

Early Morning view

Over the lakes

Fresh

Walking towards Jaya Sri maha Bodiya

More to go

Beauty

For wishes

For a better environment

Fresh

There were many

Crowded

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi

Visited after a few years

Nearby lakes

Trees

Sky

Arts	Over the grasslands

Ruwanweli Maha Seya – රුවන්වැලි මහා සෑය

Ruwanweli maha Seya was built by the great king Dutugamunu who reigned from 137BC to 119BC from Anuradhapura. Next to Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanweli Seya temple is the most venerated Buddhist site in Anuradhapura.

After the defeat of Elara, the South Indian invader, and bringing the whole country under one rule by the great warrior king Dutugemunu, the building of Ruwanweli Seya has been given the most prominence in most ancient texts in Sri Lanka.

The original stupa has been about 180 feet (55 meters) in height and had been expanded and renovated by many kings thereafter. The stupa is 350 feet (107 meters) in height and 300 feet (92 meters) in diameter today.

According to Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of Sri Lanka, the preparation for the foundation for the stupa is described as follows;

….The ruler had the site of the stupa dug to the depth of seven cubits (about 17 ½ feet) …….round stones brought by warriors and had them broken by small hammers, then for the sake of firmness of the site he had the crushed stones stamped by elephants with feet covered in leather. He had butter clay laid over the stones and bricks over the clay. …. Rough plaster over it, quarts over that, a network of iron over that, and above that fragrant “marumba”.

The king had crystal spread over that and over the crystal stones. Everywhere in the work was the clay called butter clay with the resin of wood apple mixed with mercury. A bronze plate, eight fingerbreadths thick was laid over the stones. A silver plate seven finger-breadths thick was laid over it with arsenic mixed in the oil of sesame.

King Dutugamunu didn’t live to see the completion of this massive stupa. When the king fell ill, he sent his brother to complete the work of the stupa. On King Dutugamunu’s death bed, he wanted to see this stupa and his brother covered the whole dome in white cloth and constructed the upper portion of the stupa in bamboo and painter it in imitation gold and carried the king to the stupa to show the “competed” stupa. After the king’s death the Saddhatissa finished the remaining work.

Around this stupa, you will also see statues made out of the granite of King Dutugamunu, Queen Vihara Mahadevi (Mother of king Dutugamunu) and King Bhathika Tissa of 2nd Century.

Mahavamsa – The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka

Ruwanweli Maha Seya

Jethawanaramaya

Its so beautiful

Our heritage

Ruwanwelimaha Seya

Some more

Jethawanaramaya seen again

Some ruins

Thuparamaya – ථුපාරාමය

This is the first stupa to be built in the country after the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Built-in the time of king Devamnampiyatissa (250BC – 210BC) this was a stupa as well as an Aramic complex (monastery). Today ruins of this complex cover nearly 3 ½ acres. The stupa was built on the instructions of Mahinda Thero who brought Buddhism to the island to enshrine the right collar-bone of Lord Buddha.

On this stupa you can see a unique architectural feature called vatadage, a stupa-house. This building completely housed the stupa. At present four concentric circles of stone pillars are found around the stupa. They diminish in height from the innermost circle and at one time carried the weight of a dome-shaped roof over the stupa. There has been 176 pillars that supported this stupa house and in 1896, 31 complete pillars with capitals have been standing. This vatadage has been built in the 1st century AC.

In the seventh century BC, the stupa was covered with a gold and silver casing and the vatadagê (stupa-house) with golden bricks and golden doors. Then Pandyans (south Indian Tamil) plundered the stupa of it’s all gold, jewels, and treasures.

Again Mahinda IV (956-972) reinstalled the golden casings and the golden doors but again in the late 10th century Colas (south Indian Tamil) completely plundered the complex of its valuables.

The renovation of the present stupa was completed in 1862 which as completely changed the ancient features of this most ancient stupa.

On the left, to the stupa, you can see the conserved remains of an Image house belonging to this stupa complex. This was built by King Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC and six hundred years later this was destined to be the first to house the Tooth Relic of Buddha, to claim the title of first Dalada Maligawa in the island.

The building is adorned by a pair of beautiful guard stones at the entrance. Some of the pillars still hold the lotus-shaped crown and smooth polished surface which has survived over 2 millennia is a rarity in the building in Anuradhapura.

Next to this is the remains of a small building with the two smaller guard stones and a granite doorway. Next to this is an ancient well made of granite blocks. On the opposite side of the walkway to the stupa, you will find a small stupa called Padalanchana Stupa.

On the north-western side of the stupa, you can see the Basawakkulama tank. This is the most ancient monument in Anuradhapura. This was built by king Pandukabhaya in the 4th century BC.

Thuparamaya

Side view

Lankaramaya – ලංකාරාමය

The Lankaramaya stupa was built on the 1st century BC by King Vattagamini Abaya (Walagamba). The ancient name of this temple is “Silasobbha Khandaka Cetiya”

After the defeat by the Tamil invaders on the same year he came to the throne king Walagamba (103 BC) has hidden in a place called “Silasobbha Khandaka” and after defeating the Tamils and regaining the throne he has built this stupa by the same name.

This stupa is similar to Thuparama which is the first stupa built after Buddhism was brought to the country in the 250 BC. This stupa too has had a magnificent vatadage surrounding the stupa. There are indications of 88 stone pillars have supported the roof of the vatadage. Today only a few remain out of these.

The best of this vatadage architecture can bee seen in Madirigiriya.

Lankaramaya

The entrance

Full view

Moonstone – සඳකඩ පහන

Sandakadapahana, also known as the Moonstone, is a unique feature of the Buddhist Sinhalese architecture of ancient Sri Lanka. It is an elaborately carved semi-circular stone slab, usually placed at the bottom of staircases and entrances. First seen in the latter stage of the Anuradhapura period, the sandakada pahana evolved through the Polonnaruwa, Gampola, and Kandy period.

Unknown to many, this moonstone lies at the entrance of a ruined building just behind the Ratnaprasada in Anuradhapura. This site seems to be rarely visited without even a visible footpath. The most popular moonstone among the pilgrims and tourists lies in the building called Biso Maligaya. According to a plaque installed by the Department of Archeology, This moonstone is the most exquisite artistic creation of a moonstone found in Sri Lanka according to Prof. Senarath Paranawithana.

Moonstone

Closer view

Cows

Lions

Horses

Elephants

Guard stones (Ancient Muragala) – මුරගල

The guard stone or “muragala” were one of an association of three aspects of sculpture that adorned the entrance to buildings in ancient times, the other two being the moonstone (Sandakada Pahana) and balustrade (Korawak Gala) .

The guard stones, which provided support to the heavy stone balustrade, were plain in the beginning. Later they came to be sculptured with symbols significant of prosperity and protection.

The cobra was considered the guardian of water and treasure. Zoomorphic sculptures of multi-headed cobras have been found at the sluices of reservoirs, and at the four corners of relic chambers enshrined in “dagabas”

The concept of protection could have arisen out of the popular belief that when people die they are reincarnated as cobras to protect the treasures they had buried in their previous lives.

More sites

Muragala

Jethawanaramaya – ජේතවන විහාරය

During the reign of king Gothabhaya (253-266 AC) a disagreement took place between the monks of Maha Vihara Monastery and the Abhayagiri Monastery regarding a certain doctrine. The king Gothabhaya took the side of the Maha Vihara and took severe measures against the monks of the Abhayagiri Monastery. During this time the monks of this monastery had to seek sanctuary in India.

One of the disciples of the banished monks called Sangamitta thero decided to avenge the bikkus of Mahavihara. He came back to Sri Lanka and gained the favour of king Gothabhaya (253-266 AC) and was entrusted to teach his two sons prince Mahasena and Prince Jetthatissa. After their father’s death, the elder son prince Jetthatissa who was a supporter of the Mahavihara monks became the king and reigned for 10 years (266-276 AC).

In 276 Mahasena (276-303) succeeded to the throne and the monk Sangamitta immediately came back to the island. He persuaded the king that the Mahaviharians laxed discipline and the monks of Abhayagiri vihara preached the true doctrine of the Buddha. He also persuaded the king to order prohibition of giving arms to the Mahaviharians and they were forced to retreat to the hills and Rohana.

Then Sangamittha thero persuaded the king to razor the Maha Vihara buildings and use the materials to build up a new rival institute within the boundaries of Maha Vihara itself. This became to known as the Jethawana.

Jethawana Stupa is the largest stupa in the Sri Lanka. It was originally 400 feet (122 meters) in height and was the third tallest building in the world at that time. Even today as a brick monument, Jethawanaramaya still remains the tallest of its kind in the world.

Jethawanaramaya was built by King Mahasena of Anuradhapura (276-303) was completed by his son Sirimeghavanna. It is believed that this monument was built upon the enclosure where Mahinda Maha Thero was cremated. A recent excavation in the stupa has unearthed a one-meter thick brick wall adjacent to a layer of ash and charcoal. This is believed to be the chamber where the remains of the great thero rest.

Like all other buildings in Anuradhapura, this too was subjected to destruction by North Indian Invaders. Then when the Anuradhapura was finally abandoned as the capital in the 11th century this stupa with others was covered by the jungle. King Parakramabahu (12th century) in the Polonnaruwa era again tried to renovate this stupa and it was rebuilt to the current height, a reduction from the original height. Today it stands at 232 feet (71 meters) .

Today this stupa is going through painful and slow conservation to bring it to its ancient glory. Even today you can see massive trees that have come up on the stupa itself on the sides where reconstruction has not started.

Jethawanaramaya image house is the largest of its kind found in Anuradhapura or Pollonnaruwa Era. The entrance to this building is a monolithic door which the pillars raise to 27 feet (8.3 meters). There is proof that a massive Buddha statue once filled this image house. The statue is thought to be 37 feet (11.3 meters) high carved in limestone. Based on the calculations the whole building would have been 50 feet (15.25 meters) high.

This is thought to be built by king Sena 1 (831-833) and has been destroyed by North Indian Colas in the 10th Century. It was rebuilt by later kings during the last stages of the kingdom.

Here is it

Samadhi Statue

Side views

Jethawanaramaya

Isurumuniya Viharaya – ඉසුරුමුණිය විහාරය

The Meghagiri Vihara is now commonly known as Isurumuniya Vihara or Isurumuniya. But the real Isurumuni Vihara is located a few hundred meters 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 of 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 represents the god Siva and goddess Parvathi of Hindu belief.

The vihara also has another stone slab which depicts a court scene that 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 at the island from India in the 312 AC.

At the entrance to the rock, the 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.

Entering

Another statue

Around Isurumuniya

Famous couple

At the top of Isurumuniya

Surrounding

Pano view of the area

The Isurumuniya pano view

We spent the time until the evening and we realized that we need to visit Gal Viharaya in the evening as we were at Polonnaruwa our friend’s home. Hence we went to Gal viharaya in the night and saw the beauty which we never have seen. After that, we left there at 9 pm and reached Colombo around 2 am at the dawn of the next day.

Flowers

Evening

Colorful

Over the lakes

Getting dark

Gal Viharaya (Rock Temple) at Polonnaruwa – ගල් විහාරය

his magnificent group of statues was built by King Parakramabahu (1153-1186) which was part of the Uthararama Complex. The first statute you will come across is a seated Buddha in meditation. He is seated on a lotus. The rock behind the statue is decorated with carvings of “vimana”. Four smaller Buddha statues can be seen on these decorations.

Next is a smaller statue of Buddha (about 15 feet high) carved into the rock. On the sides of the statue are two deities. It is believed this carving represents the Buddhas’ visit to heaven called “Thusitha” to preach to his mother. It is said that this statue was painted with pure gold and treasure hunters have burnt logs on the statue and melted the gold.

The third is a standing statue of Buddha. This has been disputed by some and thinks this is the statue of Ananda thero at the site of Lord Buddha’s passing away. This 23 feet tall statue is thought to be done by a later king as the chronicles talk about only two statues in the seating position and one statue on the lying position which was done by King Parakramabahu (1153-1186).

Next and the last is a massive statue of Buddha passing way. This is 80 feet long. The ear lid falling along the body, One foot slightly behind the other (The toes are not positioned equally on the feet) are signs that this is not Lord Buddha resting but at his death.

The site

Calm

Peace

Side view

The other statue

Life to spend

The final statue

Meaning of Vesak

Closer view

Under the darkness

Thank you for reading !

Sobasiri Team ©