7D Sri Lanka: Polonnaruwa - Siva Devale No:1.

There are 14 Hindu shrines within the Polonnaruwa citadel, all of which said to have been built during the Chola ruling. Of those Siva Devale No.1, though structurally different from the standard Siva shrines is considered to be one of the finest, with a male lingam and a female yoni.

Siva Devala No 1 is a small building of beautifully fitted stone said to exhibit the characteristics of the most advanced form of Hindu architecture of the Polonnaruwa period.  It is situated south of the Daladamaluwa or quadrangle.   The ancient name and the builder of this Hindu shrine are not known. But according to the style of architecture this may have been built somewhere in 13th century A.D.  

 As it is located between the citadel and the Sacred Quadrangle it may have been regared as an important shrine at the time. The main object of worship is the stone lingam in the inner sanctum. The temple stands within a quadrangle and comprises of the usual components of a Hindu shrine – the courtyard, a vestibule, and the sanctum, which includes the symbol of worship, the linga.

7D Sri Lanka: Polonnaruwa - Royal Palace

Date: 9/6/2013

Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu, this was Sri Lanka's first skyscraper.   The palace is said to be originally seven storeys high and richly decorated but what remains now is only a three storeys brick which were constructed of brick - great holes in the walls indicate where the beams used to be. 
 

The upper storeys were made of wood and I think that they succumbed to a demolishing fire. This palace is said to have had a thousand rooms of which fifty five can be seen today. Some of these would not have had windows and with the very thick walls would have been very dark inside.

A little further on is the royal bath, the Kumara Pokuna. Across the way is the beautiful Council Chamber, embellished with lion, graceful pillars and a moonstone. This was where the king granted audiences to his ministers and officials.

   Ruins of  the Parakramabahu's seven-storey Palace.

Parakrama Bahu's Palace -12th Century with the gigantic lower walls

Staircase to upper levels of Parakrama Bahu's Palace

Pillar

Royal Bath known as the Kumara Pokuna with an intricate geometrical design and fed by means of a network of stone pipes connected to the Parakrama Samudra.

Moonstone

Council Chamber - The three-tiered structure used as Parakramabahu's Council Chamber was rather impressive with its exceptionally sculpted lions, elephants and gnomes moving along them (so as to indicate the enjoyment sculptors had while doing them), as well as the elaborate traditional moonstone and guard stones at the entrance

7D Sri Lanka: Polonnaruwa - Potgul Vihara Complex

Date: 9/6/2013

Polonnaruwa is a town. It's the main town of Polonnaruwa District in the North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Kaduruwela area is the Polonnaruwa New Town and the other part of Polonnaruwa, remains as the royal ancient city of polonnaru kingdom. 

At the World Heritage Site of Polonnaruwa, ruins of an ancient city lay sprawling along the edge of a large lake. King Vijayabahu first made it the capital of a Sinhalese kingdom, relocating here from Anuradhapura in 1055. In the golden age of King Parakramabahu I (1153 -1186) the city was expanded enormously, and gloriously transformed with the addition of palaces, temples, monasteries, ornamental ponds, baths, and a huge tank (reservoir) covering over 2,500 hectares.

Potgul Vihara Monastery lies about a hundred yards to the South of the rock sculpture. It is a unique monastery. It is believed, that this was built by King Parakramabahu. Potgul Vihara is the modern name by which the southern monastery in Polonnaruwa is known, but it's ancient name has not been established. The superb sculpture is also mysterious. It is generally considered to be a representation of Parakramabahu the Great. Other opinions however, identify the figure as that of a sage. Whoever that it may represent, the sculpture is one of the great masterpieces of Sri Lankan art.

Today, if you enter the round room, which is plastered, the acoustics are still excellent, even though the roof has collapsed.

Potgul Vihara statue- a 4m tall statue of a male. Various suggestions have been made regarding who he is supposed to be – possibly King Parakramabahu I

The unusual ruin of a hollow, circular gedige in the dead centre of the reserve; rather than a place of worship or meditation, it is thought to have been instead used to store sacred books. Evidence shows the inner walls contained paintings.

The ruin of the library shrine gedige - thought to be the oldest library complex in the country

7D Sri Lanka: Mihintale

Date: 8/6/2013 

Mihintale is about 8 km from Anuradhapura and it is the birth place of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Mihintale is famous as the place where in 247 BCE King Devanam Piyatissa met the Buddhist monk Mahinda, the son Emperor Asoka of India on a full moon day on the month of Poson changing the religious orientation of the country forever. Mihintale is a 300 meter peak in a range of four mountain peaks on the Anuradhapura – Trincomalee road.

Alms Hall (Dana Salawa)

Rice Trough, Mihintale

King Mahinda IV's tablet[s]

Steps up to Mihintale

Ambasthala Dagoba, Mihintale

White Budha Statue at Mihintale

Steps up to Aradhana Gala

View from the top of Aradhana Gala

Mahaseya Dagoba at Mihintale

View from the top of Aradhana Gala

7D Sri Lanka: Annuradhapura - Sri Maha Bodhiya

Date: 8/6/2013

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a Sacred Fig tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is said to be the southern branch from the historical Bodhi tree Sri Maha Bodhi at Bodh Gaya in India under which Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment. It was planted in 288 BC, and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the World with a known planting date. Today it is one of the most sacred relics of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka and respected by Buddhists all over the world. The other fig trees that surround the sacred tree protect it from storms and animals such as monkeys, bats, etc.

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and is said to be where Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha) is said to have achieved enlightenment. The term ‘Bodhi Tree’ refers to many trees around the world (in fact any tree under which a Buddha has reached enlightenment) however this one was planted in 288 BC and is the oldest living flowering plant in the world.

7D Sri Lanka: Annuradhapura - Kuttam Pokuna

Date: 8/6/2013

There are lots of ponds scattered throughout the ancient city but without a doubt the most beautiful of them all is the Kuttam Pokuna. The pond gets its name because of the two ponds built adjacent to each other but according to historians they were built in different eras. Dating back to around 7Th - 9th centuries AD, these were built for the use of resident bikkhus of abhayagiri. Out of the two ponds, the 'North' pond measures 91 feet in length and the ' South' 132 feet. The north pond has a depth of 14 while the south has a septh of 17 feet.

The twin Ponds or kuttam pokuna are two breathtakingly beautiful bathing ponds aligned lengthwise exemplifying the artistic achievments in the field of hydraulic engineering in ancient Sri Lanka.  Beautiful carving around the ponds and the snake carved guard stones make is a beautiful site to visit and it is considered a highlight in the advanced irrigation system used in that era. 

7D Sri Lanka: Annuradhapura - Ruwanwelisaya Dagoba

Date: 8/6/2013

Ruwanwelisaya, a popular tourist attraction, is a magnificent Stupa that is one of the world’s tallest monuments, with a height of 92 m and circumference of 292 m. Ruwanwelisaya Dagoba is the third biggest stupa in Anuradhapura, after the Jetavana Dagoba and the Abhayarigi Dagoba. 

Ruwanweliseya Dagoba is the biggest dagoba that is fully restored and in regular use. The shape of the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba, is liked all the other dagobas in Anuradhapura and elsewhere in Sri Lanka, is inspired by a bubble floating on water. Beneath the round white skin, which seems to float weightlessly into the clouds, is tons and tons of masonry. Ruwanwelisaya dagoba of Anuradhapura is believed to have the perfect water bubble shape.

The compound of Ruwanwelisaya is supported by stone elephants, and the surrounding wall is decorated with 1,900 figures of elephants - 475 on each side. There are many statues in the courtyard of Ruwanwelisaya including a life-size statue that is considered to be that of king Dutugemunu. 

King Elara (205 BC to 161 BC)

King Dutugemunu (161 BC – 137 BC)