polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa,  second largest city in North central province. And also the second most ancient kingdom in Sri Lanka. Ancient constructions were built by kings in that period was amazing. In today also, some of their ruins can be seen.

Polonnaruwa was first established by the Chola dynasty after the invasion of the capital city of Anuradhapura.  This iconic ancient town has been declared a World Heritage Site.  As a result of the invasion of the Chola Dynasty, the Polonnaruwa kingdom has many Hindu-inspired structures.

King Parakramabahu  is a one of the great king who ruled the kingdom. He also said, “Don’t waste a drop of water falling from the sky”. And built Parakrama sammudraya to collect rain water.  It helped to increase fertility in every field.

The incomparable stone temple, or rock temple, takes the form of a massive Buddha statue carved out of a rock. This temple is a special landmark in the Polonnaruwa district.  Most notable is the 7-meter tall statue.
Next to it is a statue of Lord Buddha lying 14 meters (46 ft). The head rests on the right hand and the left hand extends along the left side of the body. It’s amazing how life has added to the great rock carving work.

There is a Buddha standing figure next to it. According to archaeologist Dr. Senarath Paranavitana, Buddha’s posture and facial expressions seems like his supreme compassion for suffering. The seated buddha statue is on the right.