Polonnaruwa Srilanka

Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka’s splendid medieval capital was established as the first city of the land in the 11th Century, A.D. It replaced Anuradhapura, which was plundered, made desolate and laid hopelessly bare to the invading armies from South India.Three Kings dominate the chronicles of the city and the period. The city reached a dazzling but pitifully brief zenith in the 12th century and though ravaged by invasion in the centuries that followed, much evidence remains of the old grandeur and glory.The ruins of the ancient city stand on the east shore of a large artificial lake, the Topa Wewa Lake, or Parakrama Samudraya (the Sea of Parakrama), built by King Parakramabahu I (1153-86), whose reign was Polonnaruwa‘s golden age. Within a rectangle of city walls stand palace buildings and clusters of dozens of dagobas, temples and various other religious buildings.A scattering of other historic buildings can be found to the north of the main complex, outside the city walls and close to the main road to Habarana and Dambulla.

To see many of the relics excavated from the site such as the stone lion which once guarded the palace of King Nissanka Malla, or the fine Hindu bronzes unearthed from the ruins of the Siva Devale Temple – you may have to visit the National Museum in Colombo, where they are kept. However, with the opening of the new Polonnaruwa Visitor Information Centre and its museum in 1998/9 some of the key exhibits were scheduled to return to the place where they were discovered.

Polonnaruwa has been in the limelight recently with the release of the Disney documentary movie “Monkey Kingdom” in over 12,000 US Cinemas in April 2015. The film documents the life of a troop of wild toque-macaque monkeys locally known as “Rilaw” while the entire set was based around the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa.According to our current minister of Tourism, the documentary movie portrays the island as an exotic destination that is filled with natural beauty and highlighted by heritage sites such as Polonnaruwa. The film also gives proper attention to these types of monkeys and it shows their association with Polonnaruwa and their behavioural patterns which is a perfect way to educate locals and tourists alike about conserving these animals.The kingdom’s grandeur and structural masterpieces are a true treasure to the country while the amalgamation of nature and animals adds the fine touch to the boosting tourism industry that the country has always hoped for.

Filmed around Polonnaruwa the movie “Monkey Kingdom” was directed by Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill who were also well known for their blockbusters such as “Earth” which grossed more than 100 million dollars at the box office and their wildlife documentary “Chimpanzee” which grossed almost 35 million. The documentary portrays these monkeys as a fascinating species that also requires conservation. Most locals however, don’t pay much attention since they are seen quite commonly roaming around. The main aim of the film is to create awareness among locals and promote these monkeys as animals that we should safeguard.

It was said that a part of box office receipts will be donated to Conservation International which is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protect nature. Dr. Wolfgang Dittus who is a scientific consultant has been studying these macaque monkeys of Sri Lanka for nearly half a century. His studies are considered as one of the longest running studies which is connected to wild primates. When creating the documentary, Dr. Dittus had assisted in selecting the monkey characters and interpreting their behavioural patterns. The film is narrated by the Emmy award winning actress Tina Fey while it was released internationally to coincide with Earth Day.With the popularity of the documentary, we believe that Sri Lanka, especially Polonnaruwa will be a well known tourist destination that will attract many tourists from around the world, especially from the US.

Gal Viharaya or the Rock Temple, which is unparallel among such ancient monastic edifices, takes the form of a group of colossal Buddha statues carved out of a granite boulder. Most prominent is the standing image, 7m (23ft) tall.Next to it is an enormous 14m (46ft) reclining Buddha. The head rests on the right palm, while the left hand is stretched along the left side of the body. The dent on the pillow caused by the weight of the head and the slightly drawn angle in the left leg adds life to the superb rock carved work of poise and balance.Next to the reclining Buddha statue is the standing figure of Buddha. According to archaeologist Dr. Senerath Paranavitana, the pose and the facial expression of Buddha shows his supreme compassion towards the suffering.The seated Buddha statue on the southern end with a backrest decorated in an arch is carved in front of the seat.

Tivanka image house, located 400m north of the Lotus Pond, is so named following the thrice bend yet towering The Buddha Statue therein. The head and neck of the Buddha statue have now come off. Tivanka means three bends in Sinhalese. The Buddha statue is bent at three places: at the knees, at the waist and at the shoulders. The inner walls as well as the outer walls of the image house are exquisitely decorated.The paintings on the outer walls are purely decorative with figures of lions, gansas and dwarfs. The murals on the inner walls are masterpieces. Yet those 12th century frescoes depicting scenes from tales of previous lives of Buddha have now faded. According to the scholars these paintings depict a blend of popular and classical styles.

Kiri Vehera is just ahead of Lankatilaka. The milk-white shrine was named Kiri Vehera (Sinhala: Milk coloured stupa) for its exterior of gleaming white, built by Queen Subhadra, a consort of King Parakramabahu. Noted for its perfect proportions, Kiri Vehera is the best preserved of Sri Lanka’s dagobas. A three-chambered relic bloc that was found while excavating a large mound to the east of Kiri Vehera reveals the structure and composition of relic chambers during the Polonnaruwa period. In addition to that, the excavations have unearthed many mounds which were originally minor stupas containing the corporeal remains of the royal family and the prelates of the monastery.On the lower terrace towards the west of Kiri Vehera are ruins of a chapter-house or a assembly hall for the Buddhist monks.