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Anuradhapura is a city located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is 250km away from the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo. This is the ancient capital of Sri Lanka that endured for more than 1400 years without a break as the capital of Lanka from where the king ruled. There have been other cities that became the capital of the country from time to time according to the ruler at that time. More than 130 kings ruled the country from this capital from 377 BC to the 11th Century AD.
The city of Anuradhapura is the best place to go to understand what a glorious and prosperous past the country had in terms of architecture, art, society, and political background. The city is full of evidence of refined and intelligent people who were masters in architecture, hydraulic engineering, urban planning, and construction. Anuradhapura is the pinnacle of Sri Lankan culture, the proud heritage of an advanced civilization. The new city of Anuradhapura is adjacent to the ancient city and has all amenities of a big city.
Anuradhapura is considered to be a sacred city with Buddhist monuments spread throughout the city. As you enter the city the ambiance of the religious nature of the city will envelop you. It is the feeling one gets when one enters a church or temple. The ancient city has been declared sacred and recognized by UNESCO in 1982 as a World Heritage Site. It is one of the eight World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka.
The Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura was the first recorded historical capital of Sri Lanka founded in the 5th Century BC. The city is a testament to the people who created and lived in it. It is a well-laid-out luxurious metropolis, to say the least. The main monuments of the city are massive Buddhist shrines, dagabos or stupas, and monasteries. Added to these were parks, ponds, swimming pools, pavilions, and vast reservoirs that had been constructed to cater to the needs of a huge metropolis. The ruins of magnificent palaces, audience halls, streets, pathways, and works of art, engineering, sculpture, and architecture are all rolled into one place. There is nothing rough or crude about these ruins. They are extremely well designed, and beautifully placed with detailed specificity and symmetry. The city itself was reserved for the king and his ministers. The outskirts of the city showed accommodation for ascetic settlements. The Anuradhapura period in the history of Sri Lanka was a golden age of Sinhalese Buddhist civilization. The knowledge and craftsmanship required to build a city like Anuradhapura are amazing.
Atamasthana
The word Atamasthana is used to denote the eight sacred sites within the city of Anuradhapura. Apart from these eight sites, there are numerous other statues, man-made lakes, works of art, and marvels of hydraulic engineering and construction. These eight sites of Buddhist shrines were rediscovered and reclaimed from dense forests that had covered the city. In the mid-1800s the city came under the administration of the Archeological Commission. The eight sacred sites within the city are Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanweliseya, Thuparamaya, Lowamahapaya, Abhayagiriya, Jetavanaramaya, Mirisawetiya, and Lankaramaya. Buddhists have continuously held the Atamasthana with the greatest veneration and go on pilgrimage to pay homage at least once a year. Even when the city of Anuradhapura had been abandoned as the capital of Sri Lanka due to foreign invasions and shifted to Pollonnaruwa, people still visited the Atamasthana and kept the tradition alive. Stupas or dagobas are venerated by people as they have one or many relics of the Buddha and his closest disciples consecrated within.
Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi
Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under a Ficus tree in Buddhagaya, India. This is the southern branch of that Bodhi tree. In 246 BC, King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka made a request from Emperor Dharmasoka of India for a branch of the Shri Maha Bodhi tree in Buddhagaya to be sent to Sri Lanka. Emperor Dharmasoka sent it through his daughter, Sangamitta Theri. Since it has been placed in Anuradhapura, the Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi has been venerated as the living Buddha.
The caretakers of the Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi are the monks who are attached to the temple complex there. Many festivals take place at this venue to felicitate this sacred bo-. tree. Even mundane tasks like cleaning the premises of dead leaves and flowers are done daily. The oblation is accompanied by the sound of hevisi drums.
This is the oldest living tree to have been planted by human hands being, more500 years old. When you visit this site, even amid the thousands of people who gather to pay their respects, a certain calmness pervades and is very soothing to all present.
Ruwanweliseya
This is an awe-inspiring stupa located in Anuradhapura. It is believed to have been built by King Dutugamunu in 140 BC. There are many other names used for this stupa including Ruwanweli Maha Seya, Ratnamali Dagaba, Mahathupa, and Swarnamali Chaitya. The dagoba is painted in white and stands tall in its simplicity and elegance. The circumference of the dagoba is 292 m with a height of 92 m. The dagoba or stupa is shaped like a bubble floating on water. Relics of Buddha are enshrined in the stupa by King Dutugemunu.
The dagoba sits on a foundation of stone that is spacious and paved perfectly. The outer perimeter has a wall with sculpted elephants. With the passing of time and changing of kings this complex fell into a state of disrepair and ruin. It was in 1873 that restoration efforts gained momentum. The top-most pinnacle of this stupa was a gift from the Buddhists of Burma and ceremonially opened in 1940.
Thuparamaya
This is considered to be the first dagoba built in Sri Lanka dating back to the 1st Century BC. This stupa is small in size in comparison to the others in Anuradhapura. The bell-shaped structure had endured many renovations as each king made sure that this was protected. Two rows of stone pillars stand around the dagoba, some standing and others lying on the ground. These pillars are part of the vatadage or canopy that had been erected to protect the stupa from the elements. Historical descriptions state that it had a copper roof. The dagoba is set on an elevated foundation. The compound at the base of the dagoba is finished in granite. The diameter of the dagoba is 59ft and the height of the dome is 11.4ft.
Lowamahapaya
The Lowamahapaya also known as Lohaprasadaya or the Brazen Palace because of the bronze tiles of its roof is an imposing building. It was the building at which Buddhist monks gathered regularly to chant pirith or sutra. Originally, it is said to have had nine stories and was supported by 1600 stone pillars. These pillars consist of 40 rows and the remnants can be seen today. It was the tallest building for more than a millennium standing above the height of other tall structures such as Jetavanaramaya, Ruwanweliseya, and Abhayagiriya. The current building is a new one that had been constructed recently to be used as the Chapter House of the Maha Vihara.
Abhayagiriya
The religious complex known as Abhayagiriya also called Uttara Viharaya is located on the northern side of Anuradhapura city. As you approach the Abhagiriya stupa you will see a massive structure rising to the sky in a pleasing rusty brown hue. The stupa is in its rustic state and not painted as other stupas are and stand out for that reason. The honey-colored sand in the forecourt accentuates the lines of the dagoba in a visually pleasing manner. The soothing vista of the dagoba is surrounded by the ruins of the rest of the complex. This complex consisted of an institution of higher learning and was known internationally within the region. The Dagoba is erected on a specially constructed courtyard about 587 square feet in size and 6 feet high. This again is set on another foundation. Many architectural designs are interesting within the area including the famous moonstone. The moonstone is carved out of rock and is set at the foot of the steps with intricate carvings of animals and leaf designs that denote the endless cycle of life.
Jetavanaramaya
Jethavanaramaya is the tallest stupa in Sri Lanka and the world. It was constructed by King Mahasen in the area known as Jetawana Park. The dagoba is 400 feet in height and 367 feet in diameter. The gravel foundation on which the dagoba stands extends 20 feet below the surface. The massive stupa is constructed entirely from bricks and stands in an 8-acre courtyard that is surrounded by an ivory-colored wall with a gateway. Intricate carvings and sculptures bring this to life and afford us a glimpse of the life of those times. The aura of this site is noteworthy and people keep returning to the tranquility and serenity that is a hallmark of this sacred monument.
Mirisawetiya
King Dutugemunu (161 BC – 137 BC) built the Mirisavetiya stupa after he won the war with King Elara. This monument contains Buddhist relics and was venerated by all those who visited it. With the decline of Anuradhapura as the capital city, all these large monuments fell into disrepair. This was the result of the Chola invasion during the 11th Century AD. Many of the kings who ruled Lanka subsequently renovated the dagoba and in the process managed to enlarge it. After King Nissankamalla, the dagoba was not maintained, and for the next 700 years was claimed by the jungle. Restorations were started again in the 19th Century AD and after many attempts, the present-day edifice was built in place of the old dagoba. The present Mirisavetiya dagoba is 192 feet high and 141 feet in diameter.
Lankaramaya
The ancient ruins of the Lankaramaya were restored in the 20th Century AD. This stupa believed to have been constructed by King Valagamba has rows of stone pillars. The stone pillars are probably what is left of a canopy that had been erected over the stupa. The stupa stands on a circular raised courtyard that is 10ft above the ground level. This stupa is small in comparison to others in Anuradhapura. One remarkable feature of the temple complex here is the Eth Pokuna or the man-made pond nearby. The water of this pond comes from Periyakulama Tank via a network of underground canals. Even after hundreds of years, these canals are in working order.
