Arts, craftsand literary services in the Polonnaruwa era

By S. B. Karalliyadda

(August 29, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The State Literary Festival will be celebrated in Polonnaruwa this year. Polonnaruwa or Pulathisipura, so named after Pulasthi, the grandfather of Rawana (2554-2517), whose capital was our second kingdom after the fall of Anuradhapura. If there was an enemy invasion from Rohana to Rajarata, Polonnaruwa provided a natural safeguard as it was surrounded by the Mahaweli.

Similarly, in the event of an invasion from South India, there was enough time for the king in Polonnaruwa to set up his own defence camps along the river to face the enemy. Also, it provided the king easy access to Rohana in the event of an enemy attack. Hence it was like a camp and named "Kandawura Nuwara". Though the Sinhala kings took shelter in Polonnaruwa for about seventy five years during foreign invasions, it was Maha Parackramabahu I (1055-1110) who set up his permanent kingdom in the city of Polonnaruwa.

But the earlier kings, such as Upatissa I (365-406), Aggabodhi III (632), Aggabodhi IV (667-683), Aggabodhi VII (772-777), Mahinda II (777-797), Udaya I (797-801), built tanks, temples, shrines etc, in the area. In the reign of Sena I (833-855), there was an invasion from the South and the king fled to Polonnaruwa. He had built near Thopawewa, a shrine named Senaggabodi and a temple named Mahanethapabbada and also a hospital towards the western boundary of Polonnaruwa.

Establishment

The kingdom inaugurated by Maha Wijayabahu I (1055-1208) lasted about 153 years. After the demise of Maha Wijayabahu his sister Mitta, who was married to a Pandyan prince (todays Andra Pradesh), connived with the ministers and placed her eldest son Jayabahu I (1110-1111) on the throne, but he could rule for only one year. Later Wickramabahu II, son of Maha Vijayabahu, ruled from 1111 to 1132. The son of Wickramabahu and Sundari Devi, Gajabahu II, ruled for 20 years from 1132 to 1153. Dumbara Kadaimpotha calls Gajabahu II Kalalgomuve Vanni Unnehe. This is because he left his home area, Kalalgomuva, during his youth and lived in Kalawewa. The son of Manabarana, Maha Parackramabahu, who ascended the throne in 1153 upto 1186 for 30 three years with the idea of annexing Rajarata to his kingdom, waged a war against Gajabahu. Parackramabahu crossed the Mahaweli and came to the Dumbara land for this war. Mahawansa identifies these places where the war was waged and Parackramabahu engaged the services of hired Welakkara troops from South India. When Parackramabahu’s attempt to win the war failed he gave his youngest sister Badrawathie to Gajabahu and arrived at a settlement. Parackramabahu’s rule for 53 years was the golden era in Ceylon history. The period from 1186, starting from Wijayabahu II with six kings of Pandyan/Sinhala dynasty lasted till the end of the eleventh century. After this the Kalinga dynasty, starting from Nissanka Malla (1187-1196), ends with Queen Leelawathie in 1212 with the rule of seven Kalinga dynasty kings, in Pulathisipura/Polonnaruwa. These kings fled the kingdom when there were foreign invasions and sought refuge in Dumbara Hewaheta areas from time to time, according to the Rekpitiya and Bopitiya inscriptions.

The glory

According to historian C. W. Nicholas, the Parackrama Samudra built by Parackramabahu had the capacity to hold water in an area of 5350 acres and irrigated an extent of eighteen thousand two hundred acres. It had a dam of eight and a half miles in length and forty five feet high from the ground level. The king had repaired 165 water ponds, constructed 3910 channels to convey water for irrigation, built 163 large tanks, 2376 small tanks, 163 stone sluice -gates and repaired 1753 breaches. The advanced technology used in these massive irrigation works and the deployment of manpower for construction work amazed the world even thousands of years after completion of these giant irrigation projects. We can imagine the civilization that existed in the era. The king’s motto was not to allow even a drop of water to flow into the sea without making use of it. The Polonnaruwa kings had close contacts with kings of Pandya Desh (Modern Andra Pradesh) and Solirata (Modern Chennai).

This resulted in matrimonial alliances among the royalty. Parackramabahu, who was a worrier had as his Army Commander General Lankapura. Is the Lankapura Pradeshiya Saba area in Polonnaruwa named after him? The North Indian sculpture, arts and crafts were introduced during this era. The Welakkara army was brought to Ceylon during this period and they provided security to the sacred tooth relic. It was in this period that bribes to the Welakkara soldiers were offered to defeat Gajabahu. The advanced technology used in building storied palaces, high rise dagoba’s etc, are looked upon as wonders even in the present day. The Nissankalatha Mandapaya, Hetadage, Rankoth Vehera, Parackramabahu’s palace, Vyjayanthi, with thousand rooms, are a few examples. The ruins of the Pirivena education complexes, such as, Alahana, Potgul Vihara, Gal Vihara, are examples of the high standard of learning that prevailed at the time. The ruins of Saraswathie Mandapa built by Parackramabahu and the Nissankalatha Mandapa of Nissankamalla, show how the people appreciated drama and music at the time. Their deep sense of enjoyment in music and drama is evident from remains. Thivankapilima arts show how advanced people were in appreciating drawings in this period. But with the Chola invasions started the decline of this era. It is recorded that during the period of Vijayabahu there were no Bhikkhus who attained higher ordination. Hence Bhikkhus from Burma were brought to re- establish Upasampada or higher ordination.

When Parackramabahu came to the throne there was a revival in every field. Dimbulagala Maha Kassapa led the Buddhist revival. His pupils Rev. Attadassi wrote, "Abidharmartha Sangraha Sannasa". Nissankamalla prohibited the catching of fish and killing animals within seven gav (28 miles) from Ruwanveliseya. The Polonnaru kings treated every religion equally so that people of Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Islamic and Christian faiths lived in Polonnaruwa. The advanced Pirivena system of education that prevailed at the time led to the writing of several books. Among the Pali books written were, Adhidharmarta Sangraha Sannasa, Jataka Kata Sannasa, Vesaturu Sannasa and Datavansa Sannasa etc. Mahabodi Vansa Getapada, Jataka Atuwa Getapada written to interpret knotty religious points were chief among them.

Amavature written by Gurulugommi and the Dharmapradipika were literary work of this period. The writings of Rev. Dimbulagala Maha Kassapa, Moggallana, Sariputa Budhagosa enriched Sinhala and Pali language and literature. The Polonnaruwa kingdom which lasted for one and half centuries and three years fell due to the Maga invasion. Maga destroyed all the temples and shrines and burnt the libraries and books in the kingdom and thus came the end of the regime and a new kingdom in Dambadeniya was established by Prince Bodiraja of Galahitiyawa in Dumbara crowned Vijayabahu III.

-Sri Lanka Guardian