Polonnaruwa: Of royals, ruins and religion

The towering trees shelter us from the intense heat and dapple the streets with intricate shadows. Everywhere we look there’s an awe-inspiring ruin to marvel at, and oh, if these walls can talk… People are meandering round in little groups and snatches of foreign languages whiz past us.

It’s mid-day, and we (M and I) are at the city of Polonnaruwa, an ancient kingdom of Sri Lanka, located in the north central province. There’s much to discover, to learn and to explore. Clearly, we can’t be everywhere, so we pick a few places. Lucky for us, we find a well-informed guide at the entrance.

Polonnaruwa first gained prominence under the rule of King Vijayabhahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD and declared Polonnaruwa the capital city – it was both a strategic move and a symbol of unification under one leader. The city saw a succession of rulers from then on, chief being King Parakramabhahu I, whose reign marked the Golden Age of the city and the country too.

There was no lack of strife either, with bitter struggles for power and political intrigue eroding at the core of this once self-sufficient city. The end came with an east Indian invasion led by Kalinga Magha in 1214. Today, Polonnaruwa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, drawing in visitors from around the world.

A lion makes its presence felt - King Nissanka Malla's throne

It’s easy to visualise those long-gone people going about their daily lives, whether they are kings and queens, monks, soldiers or ordinary people. I feel a sense of melancholy for this past – their way of life is long gone, and what we have left is a story put together with inscriptions, bricks, art, carvings and statues.

There’s a delicate sense of beauty in the ruins of Polonnaruwa that reveal the desires, ambitions and sensitivities of the people who lived here. I feel dwarfed by the sheer scale of some of the structures and statues, and deeply moved by what they stand for – the piety and the respect they inspire are calm the senses.

Rankoth Vehera marks a distinct shape against the evening sky

It’s a proper day’s journey. Our journey begins at the ruins of King Nissanka Malla’s palace, takes us along the Parakrama Samudra, a massive reservoir built by King Parakramabhahu I,  and leads us into the heart of the heritage city. Here, we begin with the Polonnaruwa Site Museum. It’s filled with priceless artifacts, reproductions and models. It’s best to start here, so that you get a feel for the ancient times you’re stepping back into.

We walk through

• the burnt out palace of King Parakramabhahu I that had seven storeys and 1,000 rooms, 
• a variety of elegantly engraved moonstones, known as Sandakada Pahana, that adorned the entrance ways of palaces and temples alike, 
• Nissanka Lata Mandapaya, a beautiful pavilion built by and for King Nissanka Malla to listen to Buddhist pirith chanting, 
• Kumara Pokuna, a royal bathing pond,  
• the Sacred Quadrangle (among the structures belonging to this are the vaulted shrine called Thuparama; the Sathmahal Prasada, a square pyramid tower with seven tiers; Gal Potha, a large stone slab of carved inscriptions, about 27-feet in length and about 4.5feet in width; and the Vatadage, a circular relic house),  
• Pabalu Vehera that contains limestone statues of the Buddha in different postures, 
• Shiva Devala No.2 with its stone-carved phallus, a symbol of the Hindu god Shiva and where devotees still come to worship,
• Rankoth Vehera, the largest dagaba in Polonnaruwa,
• the Lankathilaka temple with its 14m (46ft) standing statue of a headless Buddha, 
• Kiri Vehera, which derives its name from its milk-white exterior as built by Queen Subhadra, a consort of King Parakranmbahu, and
• Gal Vihara, which contains a group of collosal statues carved out of a granite boulder – a meditating Buddha in a seated posture, a 7m tall standing Buddha statue, a 14-m reclining Buddha statue, and another standing Buddha statue.

It’s breathtaking. And it’s only a taste of the marvels of this ancient city.

The unknown sculptor has even captured the indentation of the pillow...
this statue of the Buddha at Gal Vihara is surreal

The questions is how did they manage all this? One of the key inventions of the Polonnaruwa age is the use of fired bricks for building material, hence the large number of buildings built in a short period of time. There are carvings, sculptures and paintings everywhere, although some are fading with the passing of time. What is clear is the religious fervor that shaped the era.

Our visit is not without its challenges. Finding on-the-ground reliable information can be hard, the museums seem rather somber and navigating through all the street hawkers can be daunting. Everyone’s trying to make a living, and keeping this in mind can give a sense of perspective to what you may feel.

The words of a golden age... a stone inscription at Polonnaruwa

The feelings I will carry away will last forever. It’s only a matter of closing my eyes and letting my mind’s images take over. A few days after we leave, there is a tremendous downpour that brings out pockets of flooding and leaves a dark chocolate-like coat of mud everywhere – it seems, we had left just in time. Would I be back? In a heartbeat.