The Vatadage - Polonnaruwa

The Vatadage

This circular relic house possesses an elegance and beauty that is rare even in ancient Sri Lanka. In line with the outer circle of stone pillars is a tastefully ornamented screen wall patterned with four petaled flowers.
The flights of access stairs at the cardinal points are of stone and are beautifully carved. At the head of each flight is a Buddha statue in stone. The shrine is lavished with moonstones., guard stones and sculptured writings.
The shrine, like all dagobas in Sri Lanka, is oriented towards the cardinal points - north, south, east and west. Four Buddha statues face outwards, with their backs to the dagaba mound.

 Il Vatadage

Questa casa circolare reliquia possiede un eleganza e la bellezza che è raro anche nelle antiche Sri Lanka. In linea con il cerchio esterno di pilastri di pietra è un muro di schermo gusto ornato modellato con quattro fiori petali.

Le rampe delle scale di accesso ai punti cardinali sono di pietra e sono ben scolpiti. A capo di ogni volo è una statua di Buddha in pietra. Il santuario è prodigato con pietre di luna. pietre guardia e scritti scolpiti.

Il santuario, come tutte le dagobas in Sri Lanka, è orientato verso i punti cardinali - nord, sud, est e ovest. Quattro statue di Buddha viso verso l'esterno, con le spalle al tumulo dagaba.

The Thuparama - Polonnaruwa

The Thuparama

This oblong brick image house occupies the southwest corner of the adjoining quadrangle. The Thuparama, is a large Buddhist image house.
Inside the building, in the inner sanctum, is a ruined brick and plaster pile, that was once a seated image of the Buddha. The original vaulted roof of the building is still intact. Tropical rains run down the curve of the roof, and like the gargoyles of medieval Europe, Makara (dragon) spouts drain the water to the ground.

 Il Thuparama

Questa immagine oblungo casa di mattoni occupa l'angolo sud-ovest del quadrilatero adiacente. Il Thuparama, è una grande casa un'immagine buddista.

All'interno dell'edificio, nel sancta sanctorum, è un mattone rovinato e palo di gesso, che era una volta una immagine del Buddha seduto. Il tetto a volta del palazzo è ancora intatta. Piogge tropicali scorrere lungo la curva del tetto, e come il doccioni dell'Europa medievale, Makara (drago), getti lo scarico dell'acqua a terra.

Parakrama Samudra - Polonnaruwa

Parakrama Samudra

One of the most striking features in Polonnaruwa is the vast Parakrama Samudra (Sea of Parakramabahu), an irrigation tank built, as the name indicates by King Parakramabahu the Great.  This was his largest irrigation project and covers an area of more than 15 Km2.The dam (or bund, as it is known in Sri Lanka, is almost 14 Km long and 12 metres high.
The Dipuyyana (Island Garden) is on the promontory by the rest house. When King Parakramabahu had built his vast lake, he selected this lovely spot for a royal garden. Later King Nissankamalla liked it so much that he built his palace and council chambers there.

Polonnaruwa

History

While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real Polonnaruwa Hero of the history books is actually his grandson, Parakramabahu I. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the King, who was adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted, and each be used toward the development of the land; hence, irrigation systems far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign, systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems, of course is the Parakrama Samudraya or the Sea of Parakrama, a tank so vast that it is often mistaken for the ocean. It is of such a width that it is impossible to stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main city like a ribbon, being both a defensive border against intruders and the lifeline of the people in times of peace. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign.
However, with the exception of his immediate successor, Nissankamalla I, all other monarchs of Polonnaruwa, were slightly weak-willed and rather prone to picking fights within their own court. They also went on to form more intimiate matrimonial alliances with stronger South Indian Kingdoms, until these matrimonial links superseded the local royal lineage and gave rise to the Kalinga invasion by King Kalinga Magha in 1214 and the eventual passing of power into the hands of a Pandyan King following the Arya Chakrawarthi invasion of Sri Lanka in 1284. The capital was then shifted to Dambadeniya.
The city Polonnaruwa was also called as Jananathamangalam during the short Chola reign.

 For more photos and detail please check Polonnaruwa in Blog Lables.