Asian Current

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa - UNESCO Heritage Center

Like a large teardrop fallen from southern end of the Indian peninsula, Sri Lanka or Ceylon or Sinhal is a small island country that has witnessed many crucial battles with the powerful South Indian kingdoms over the centuries. After the fall of Anuradhapura, the erstwhile capital of Sri Lanka, Pollonnaruwa was first declared as the capital city of the country in 1070 CE by King Vijayabahu-I who defeated the Chola invaders and reunited the country once again.

Surrounded by a vast water-body called Parakrama Samudrya that provided protection and also served as a perennial source of water, the ancient city of Pollonarrua or Polonarrua thrived well under the able king Parakrama Bahu-I (1164-97). By then, Buddhism had reached Sri Lanka and Buddha’s images and edicts were widely displayed all over the country.

Being himself a devotee of Lord Buddha, King Parkrama Bahu adorned the capital with splendid architectural monuments and monoliths including those of the founder of Buddhism. Apart from the colossal statue of the recumbent Buddha, the gifted king also erected numerous temples, vihars, chaittyas and stupas throughout Polonnaruwa that invites people from all over the world for their magnificence and glory even today. What strikes the tourist most is the architectural splendor that has been so painstakingly preserved even after decades of exposure to the elements. In fact, the ruined city of Polonarrua is one of the few wonders left of the bygone days, when sovereigns not only ruled over their subjects but also cared for them.

To promote eco tourism in Polonnarua, the ancient city has been divided into two parts - new and old, and the ruins into five principal areas that include the famous ‘terrace of tooth relic’, Northern city group, the Rest House group (the royal palace enclosure) and others. Besides, the world Heritage Site has been so carefully laid out now that you can visit all the monuments and edifices on foot or may be, on a hired cycle if a car is not readily available.

Some of the relics are indeed superb like the Gal Vihara that consist of a group of four Buddha images situated in a place called the “Cave of the spirits of knowledge”. Here, each image is carved into stand-alone granite pieces of which, the 7 meter tall image of standing Buddha is the most impressive. No less imposing is the 14 meter long reclining Buddha that is beautifully carved out of a single granite piece, while the rest are of minor importance.

The ruins of the Pollonaruwa Council Chamber or Audience Hall are another great place of attraction in this ancient city. The structure was the King’s formal center for government where day-to-day affairs of the state were carried out, and the King also met his foreign dignitaries. Sitting pretty on a three-tiered granite platform due east of the King’s palace, the Council Chamber was once connected to the royal palace through a covered colonnade.

The ancient city of Polonnaruwa was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982. Tourists have been visiting the ruins of a great city ever since.