Srilankan architecture, history and travel

Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura Kingdom-History Architecture Buddha Statues

Anuradhapura is situated in the North Central province of Sri Lanka. It can be reached from Colombo via Kurunegala -Dambulla -Anuradhapura road, or via Kandy-Dambulla- Anuradhapura road or from Puttalam along Trincomalee road. The driving distance to Anuradhapura from Colombo is 206 Km and it is 138 Km from Kandy. Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa driving distance is 101 Km.

Anuradhapura was founded by a minister of King Vijaya whose name was Anuradha. King Vijaya of an Indo Aryan origin arrived in Sri Lanka on the latter part of the 6th Century BC and started the settlement by the side of Malwathu Oya (River Malwatu) . Anuradhapura remained as a Kingdom for almost 15 centuries and was a prominent political and trade center in South Asia during this period.

It is said that the Sinhala nation has originated from the natives of the island and the Indo aryans like Vijaya and followers, who came and settled in the island from around 6th Century BC and there onwards. The native clans were called as Yakshas and Nagas.

In the 4th century BC, King Pandukabhaya made Anuradhapura the capital of his Kingdom.

Around 250 BC , King Asoka became the Emperor of India and became a Buddhist. His son and the daughter were ordained as a Bhikku and a Bhikkuni (Buddhist priest and a nun named Mahinda and Sangamitta) and became Arhat.[Mahinda is called Mihindu in Sinhalese]

Emperor Asoka sent nine Buddhist delegations to nine countries and due to the close links with the King of Anuradhapura, Devanampiya Tissa , Emperor Asoka sent one of the deligations comprising Arhat Mahinda to Sri Lanka.

Arahath Mihidu met the King Devanampiyatissa at a place called Mihintale Rock about 12 kM from Anuradhapura on a Poson (June) Full Moon day and embraced Buddhism after a dialogue among the two.

Arahath Mahinda spent rest of his life in Sri Lanka and with the patronage of the King, started the Gauthama Buddha Sasanaya ( Buddhist order of the Lord Gauthama Buddha ) in Sri Lanka.

Then started an era of culture interwoven with Buddhist philosophy that created an agricultural based society.

Later Anuradhapura became a ruined city and the architectural remains can still be seen and gives a glimpse of what had been the country at that time.

Use Sinhala Language from Google Translator at Top Left of the Page for Sinhala Word descriptions on Anuradhapura History.

Abhayagiriya Stupa- Anuradhapura

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Abhayagiri Stupa or the Abayagiri Dageba was constructed in 1 Century BC by King Vattagamini Abaya (89-77 BC) and is situated at Abhayagiri complex which covers an area of 200 hectares. Abhayagiri Complex or the Abhayagiri Vihara is a Buddhist Monastery with Image House,Bodhi Tree with Shrine, Dagoba or Stupa (Abhayagiri Stupa),Chapter house,etc. The present hight of the stupa is 235 feet and has a diameter of 310 feet at the base of the dome. It is built on a stone paved platform measuring 587 x 587 feet. It is said to be 350 feet high at that time and the square terrace of the Stupa has an area of around 6 hectares. Near the four entrances to the Stupa there are four ponds to collect rain water of the large Stupa terrace.

The famous Chinese traveller monk Fa-hsien had visted Abhayagiri in the 5th Century AD and had resided two years at Abhayagiri monastery learning Buddhism and copies of several Buddhist texts had been taken back to China. The monks of Abhayagiri vihara has told monk Fa-hsien that the Abhayagiri Stupa had been constructed on a replica of Lord Buddha's foot print.

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Samadhi Buddha Statue - Anuradhapura

The Samadhi Buddha Statue of Anuradhapura which is in deep meditation state is considered to be one of the magnficient Sinhalese sculpture objects found in Sri Lanka.Considering the Samadhi pose of the Buddha statue, it has been dated to 3rd Century AD. The feet of the Buddha statue is seated in virasana attitude- which means one leg placed over the other and displays dhyana mudra. This Samadhi Buddha statue is scuptured in a colossal dolamite marble stone and has a height of 7 feet 3 inches. The treasure hunters had removed the valuble precious stone once placed in the eyes of the Buddha statue. This image had been rediscovered in 1886 and is at the Abhayagiri monastic complex. This statue is considered to be one out of four similar Buddha statues placed around a sacred Bodhi Tree and a Bodhighara.

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....... ......... ........... Buddha statues at various locations......... ......... ........... ............ .............. .................. .............. .............. ............... ................. ................ .......... .............

Samadhi Buddha Statue at Abayagiriya Monastry complex photographed in different angles.

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Eth Pokuna, [Eth Pond] -Anuradhapura

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Eth Pokuna, the largest pond at Anuradhapura, this measures 500 feet x 150 feet and is 30 feet deep. There are steps that lead into the pont from all four sides . Water is supplied by underground pipe system that supplies water from nearby water reservoirs. One such water line is functioning at present even.

...... ............ ............ ............The largest pond at Anuradhapura, this measures 500 feet x 150 feet ............ .............. ............. ...............

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........ ............ .............. ............ ........... Famous Architecture of Anuradhapura............ ............ .............. .............. ............... .................

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......... ........... ........... ............ ............. .............. ......... Remains of Rathnapasada , the Chapter House ........... ............. ................ ................... ................ ...............

............. .............. ............. ...........Stone Bridge at Anuradhapura at Anurad........... ................

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............. ............... Remains of ancient Stone Bridge over Malwatu Oya ........... ............... .................. .............. ..............

.......... ........... ............ .............. ......... Jetavana Stupa- Anuradhapura............ ............. ............... ............ .............. ................. ...................

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Built by King Mahasen (276-304 AD) , Jethavanarmaya Dageba presently is of 231 feet high. Earlier it is said to be 400 feet high. The diameter of the base of the dome is 370 feet. The dome and the stone paved terrace covers an area of 7 acres and this is the world's largest Dageba or the Stupa.

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............. ............. ............... ............... Ruwanweli Stupa Dagoba - Anuradhapura............ ............... .......... ............. .............. ................ ...

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Ruwanweli Stupa [Dagoba] or the Mahatupa [Great Stupa] is a Bubble shaped dome which covers the Relic Chamber of Lord Gauthama Buddha's bodily remains and is a very sacred place for the Buddhists. It was built during the period of 161-137 BC. It was built by King Dutugemunu and the cronicle Mahawansa describes how the Stupa was built, with minute details.

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......... .............. ............. ................ The magnificent and famous Anuradhapura Moonstone......... ............. ............ ............ ........

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The introduction plaque states that this is one of the exceptionally artistic moonstones found is Sri Lanka belonging in to 8-10th Century AD.The diameter of this famous moonstone is 9 feet and 7 inches.The 'Pala Pethi' design or the inner most design with leave shapes around a half circle denotes the world being on fire. The beings going through Samsara by the quadrupeds, craving by the festoons, pious by the swans,attenuation of craving by small festoons,and the Lotus by the Enlightenment.

The outer most circle of the Moonstone of Anuradhapura indicates fire waves.Next to it indicates images of Elephant,horse,lion and bull one after the other and repeating the pattern to have a procession of 13 animals. The other inner circle shows leaves and creeper. The next inner circle depicts 13 swans having Lotus flowers holding by the beak. The most inner circle is a magnificient Lotus flower image.

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............ ............. .......... Ratnapasada [ The Chapter House] with the Guardstone-Anuradhapura ........... ............ ............. .............. ............ ............ .....

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Ratnapasada was the Uposatagaraya or the Chapter House of the Abayagiriya Viharaya. It was constructed by King Kanittha Tissa (164-192 AC) . the Guardstone at the entrance is an architectural marvel of the Anuradhapura period. A Naga King holding the Pun Kalasa or the Vase of Plenty is sculptured here. A fine example of a Korawakgala or a Balustrade can also be found here.

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Statistics of the Ancient Bricks that were used to build Great Stupas at Anuradhapura

Name of Stupa	Ruwanweli seya	Abhayagiriya	Jetavana
Conjectured height from Foundation	331 feet	339 feet	360 feet
No. of ancient size bricks	30 million	54 million	62 million
Weight	403,908 Tons	571,000 Tons	657,000 Tons
Foundation	on bed rock	on bed rock	on bed rock
Per sq.in. load in Lbs. at lowest course	64 lbs/sq.in	67 lbs/sq.in	72 lbs/sq.in
Average size of Bricks	18"x9"x2"	18"x9"x2"	18"x9"x2"
Motar	clay	clay	clay
Shape of Dome	Bubbulakara	Dhayanakara	Dhayanakara
Date constructed	3rd BC	157 BC	4th AD
Date of final restoration	1939	12th AD	12th AD

Source-Roland Silva- Men and Monuments- D.T. Devendra- A Centennial Tribute

Srilankan architecture, history and travel

Anuradhapura Kingdom-History Architecture Buddha Statues

Abhayagiriya Stupa- Anuradhapura

Samadhi Buddha Statue - Anuradhapura

Eth Pokuna, [Eth Pond] -Anuradhapura

........ ............ .............. ............ ........... Famous Architecture of Anuradhapura............ ............ .............. .............. ............... .................

............. .............. ............. ...........Stone Bridge at Anuradhapura at Anurad........... ................

.......... ........... ............ .............. ......... Jetavana Stupa- Anuradhapura............ ............. ............... ............ .............. ................. ...................

............. ............. ............... ............... Ruwanweli Stupa Dagoba - Anuradhapura............ ............... .......... ............. .............. ................ ...

......... .............. ............. ................ The magnificent and famous Anuradhapura Moonstone......... ............. ............ ............ ........

............ ............. .......... Ratnapasada [ The Chapter House] with the Guardstone-Anuradhapura ........... ............ ............. .............. ............ ............ .....

Statistics of the Ancient Bricks that were used to build Great Stupas at Anuradhapura

Interactive Map of Anuradhapura Ancient City Sri Lanka

Thuparama Dagoba-Anuradhapura

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya Anuradhapura-Sri Lanka's Ancient Bodhi Tree

Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Pond )-Anuradhapura

Bath Oruwa (Rice Boat )- Massive Stone sculpture-Anuradhapura

Tisa Wewa Tank-Anuradhapura

Isurumuniya Temple-Anuradhapura

Isurumuniya Sculpture Anuradhapura- Man and Horse figure

Ranmasu Uyana ( Pleasure Garden )-Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura Weather Now

Interactive Map of Anuradhapura

Abhayagiri Stupa

Samadhi Buddha Statue

Eth Pokuna [Eth Pond]

Famous Architecture

Stone Bridge

Jetavana Stupa

Ruwanweli Stupa

Anuradhapura Moonstone

Guardstone at Ratna Pasada

Facts on Ancient Bricks