Polonnaruwa – The Early Medieval Seat of Power

Polonnaruwa The Early Medieval Seat of Power

Down through its 2500 years of recorded history, the story of Sri Lanka comes down as a colourful tapestry of sorts with a lot of interesting twists and turns. Conquests, losses, golden ages and shifting seats of power mark its story, which is quite a profound and intricate for a country of its size. Mighty edifices of bygone days that bear witness to this silent story can be found everywhere you travel in the island nation, and some of the most well preserved and impressive among them can be found at the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa, located in the North Western area of the land.

Even though its history predates the medieval era, the city of Polonnaruwa was declared the capital in 1070 by the Sinhalese king who liberated the land from South Indian Chola invaders, Vijayabahu the First. The heyday of Polonnaruwa came about later during one the reign of King Parakarmabahu, who reunited the kingdom which fell into strife after the death of King Vijayabahu I. After several stable successions on the wake of King Parakramabahu's reign, internal power struggles sent the power of Polonnaruwa to decline, until it was razed by the invading hordes of Magha; a Kalinga lord from Eastern India, in 1214. Today, lying on the outskirts of the present township are the remaining vestiges of old Polonnaruwa, which are among the best preserved ancient ruins that can be found in Sri Lanka.

Many of its greatest buildings, such as the Royal Palace, the Hetadage; which is a temple which housed the tooth relic of the Buddha, and the Royal Audience Hall can be found in a relatively well preserved condition after the destruction which was suffered at the hands of the invaders. The handiworks of the conquerors are often evident; the brickwork of the Royal Palace show signs of vitrification which was caused by the burning of the palace. In the heart of the present day Polonnaruwa, there sprawls the massive man made reservoir known as Parakrama Samudra. There are quite a number of grand Buddhist temples in the city as well; most notable among them being the Gal Viharaya, a temple which is renowned for its majestic Buddha statues hewn from one massive monolith. Some of the best surviving examples of ancient Shiva temples of Sri Lanka are also found at Polonnaruwa; a unique mark left by the Chola rulers of the area.

Many Sri Lanka tourism service providers readily offer tours to Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka throughout the year, so you can enjoy a visit anytime you like to this city of ancient wonders. Check out a good travel site like Truly Sri Lanka to plan ahead with your tour to Polonnaruwa and you will be set for the rest of this historic adventure.

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