the cultural triangle

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thecultural triangleT

he multitude of Sri Lankas cultural attraction is spread all around theisland. However the major concentration of cultural attractions of SriLanka is within a zone called Cultural Triangle in the north central plains.

The Cultural Triangle is the epicentre of Sri Lankas national heritage, dueto consecutive dynasties that built their kingdoms in this area from 377 BCthrough to the colonial period in the 18th century. The triangle is made up ofAnuradhapura in the north, Polonnaruwa in the east and Kandy in the south.

Twenty-two centuries have gone by since the teachings of the Buddha tookroot in Sri Lanka and became an everlasting source of spiritual and aestheticinspiration for its people. As these teaching gave a new cast to philosophi-cal and religious thoughts and stimulated the talents of painters, sculptures,

architects and craftsmen, they opened up new pathways to thinking and art,and fostered the birth of original forms of expression that are still very muchalive today.

Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, was the cradle of Sinha-lese Buddhism from 5th century BC to 9th century AD. Pleasure gardens andimmense artificial lakes were laid out around its monasteries and enormousstupas by King Tissa.

Polonnaruwa remained the capital of Sri Lanka during the medieval pe-riod from 10th to 12th century AD. It was designed like a fairy-tale city, forti-fied with three concentric walls in which splendid sanctuaries, dominated bythe incomparable Gal Vihara, a colossal statue of the Buddha in nirvana, roseup amidst parks watered by a system of reservoirs built by the great KingParakrama Bahu, whose motto was Not a single drop of rain falling on thisisland must be lost in the ocean without serving mankind.

Kandy, was the last of the historic capitals, from 13th to 18th Century AD.It contains the temple which is the focal point of the religious life of the island,in which the Tooth of the Buddha is preserved. Nestled deep in the hollow ofa wooded valley on the edges of a lake of crystal limpidity, the city presentsside by side, in one of the most sumptuous settings in the world, the symbolsof the Buddhist religion and the national culture.

Thus the triangle forms the main centre from which the influence of Thera-vada Buddhism and the Sinhalese genius together spread outwards. At vari-ous periods, it attracted thinkers, creative artists and scholars from all over

the world, and especially from the rest of Asia, who came to give addeddepth to their faith or broaden their knowledge, meditate in its monasteries,learn from its philosophers or work with its artists.

All these places are milestones in the history of Sri Lanka, witnesses to theexceptional spiritual, cultural and technical developments down the ages onthe island, frozen in time. Come witness.

anuradhapura

polonnaruwa

kandy

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Anuradhapura, is the capital of North Central Province. The city, a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site now, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo. It is one of thefew oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Founded around 5th CenturyBC and it is Sri Lankas first capital. The northern vetex of the Cultural Triangle,Anuradhapura is our first destination as, 12 kms east of the modern city lies theCradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Mihintale.

Mihintale is a mountain peak near Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. It is believedby Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda

and King Devanampiyatissa on the Full moon Day of the month of Poson. TheraMahinda was sent by Ashoka from India to spread the message of Dhamma,which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Therefore, in Poson,Buddhists make their pilgrimage to Anuradhapura and Mihintale.

The ancient city of Anuradhapura is called the holy city because it has mostnumber of Dagobas and Stupas. Today, the restored remains of ancient city aredotted amidst peaceful parks to the north-west of the modern city.

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The Sacred City

of Dagobasapura3


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ABHAYAGIRI DAGOBA Abhayagiri Dagoba is known to be one of the largestreligious institutions in the world. Built in 88 B.C byKing Vattagamini Abhayagiri reaches a height of 375feet which accommodated 5,000 monks.

SRI MAHA BODHIIt is a sacred fig (Ficus Religiosa) tree which is alsoknown as The Sacred Bo Tree. It is the oldest histori-cally documented tree on earth which grew from asapling taken over 2,200 years ago from Bodhi Treein Gaya in India, the very same tree under whichLord Buddha gained enlightenment.

M o o n s t o n e a t

A b h a y a g

i r i D a g o

b a

I s u r u m u n

i y a

L o v e r s

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WHEN TO COME

Come any time of the year. Weatherin Sri Lanka is pleasant throughoutthe year. April-June is the time whenBuddhists from all over the worldmake pilgrimage, and therefore it isquite crowded and so, accomoda-tion and food may be a little expen-sive.

WHERE TO STAY

Boa Vista is a guesthouse set bythe Tissa Wewa lake in the ancientcity close to the ruins. Top oorrooms have lovely view of the sun-set. Sri Lankan food here shouldnot be missed although westernmeals are available. Hotel arrangesfor bike hire too.

HOW TO TRAVEL

You may y from Colombo on a75 minute chartered ight Air Taxirun by Sri Lankan Airlines. Theseare not very dependable thoughbecause of weather. Any day, drivethrough the tranquil, scenic land-scape for 4.5 hours is smarter.


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RUWANWELI SAYA DAGOBARuwanwelisseya or The Grea Stupa was built by KingDutugemunu and it is regarded as the most importantstupa found in Anuradhapura. It is sacred to mostBuddhist all over the world. The height reaches 300feet and is said to be one of the highest monumentsfound in the world. When the unique RuvanveliSaya was completed as far as the square turret 10,and while ninety-six kois of Arahants were chantingprotective suttas, the great king Dutugemunu whoreigned in Sri Lanka for twenty-four years, had hisrecord of meritorious deeds read and, while lookingat the Great Stupa, he died. His brother, Saddhatissa,completed the remaining work at the Great Stupa.

ISURUMUNIYA ROCK TEMPLEIsurumuniya Rock Temple was built in the 3rd cen-tury B.C by King Devanampiyatissa for five hundredhigh-cast children who were ordained to reside.There is a viharaya connected to a cave and above isa cliff. A small stupa is built on it. It can be seen thatthe constructional work of this stupa belong to thepresent period. Lower down on both sides of a cleft,in a rock that appears to rise out of a pool, havebeen carved the figures of elephants. The carving ofIsurumuniya Lovers on the slab has been broughtfrom somewhere and installed.

MIHINTALEFrom ancient times a large number of large steps wereconstructed to climb Mihintale. King Tissa construct-ed a vihara and 68 caves for the bhikkhus to reside in.

At Mihintale, gradually grew a number of Buddhist viharas with all the dependent buildings characteristicof monasteries of that period. Starting at the foot ofthe mountain are the ruins of a hospital, perhaps theoldest in the world. The stairway, in 4 sections, onthe eastern side of the slope has 1840 steps made ofgranite, leading to the summit, Kantaka Cetiya, therefectory, Ambasthala Dagaba and the Maha Stupa.

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WHERE TO EAT

Casserole is an air-conditionedrestaurant serving Sri Lankan food.Wattalappan served here is a must

try for dessert. It is pudding madewith egg, coconut milk, cardamonand jaggery.Address:279, Main Street,Town Centre

WHERE TO SHOP

Shop on the streets for colourfulhandwoven mats, masks which aremade in traditional methods featur-

ing faces of mythological characters,delicate gurines carved out ofwood. If you love jewellery then yousurely will be appeased with the col-lection of precious stone jewelleries.

WHAT TO PACK

It would be nice to carry sunprotection cream and cap, alongwith umbrella because it can rain

anytime. In Sri Lanka, mosquitoesare in abundance so mosquitorepellant creams are a must dur-ing walks. And dont forget a goodcamera!


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polonnThe eastern corner of the Cultural Triangle, Polonnaruwa was a royal capital ofboth the Chola and Sinhalese kingdoms for three centuries. The colossal worksof art and architecture are stupendous. Under King Parakramabahu (11531186AD), Polonnaruwa reached its zenith. The king erected huge buildings, plannedbeautiful parks and dug tanks. Parakramabahu was followed by Nissanka Malla(11871196 AD), who virtually bankrupted the kingdom through his attempts tomatch his predecessors achievements! Nevertheless, the structures still breathethe classical warmth of the preceding era. The stone carved Buddha icons of theGal Vihara attract thousands of connoisseurs all year around!

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WHERE TO STAY

Polonnaruwa Rest Houseis perched over Topa Wewa andthe best views in town. It was built

in the early 50s speci cally for avisit by Queen Elizabeth II. If youbook ahead you can even reservethe Queens Room. It has a barand a restaurant with a decentselection of food.

HOW TO TRAVEL

Central Transport Board (CTB)buses run every thirty minute to andfrom Colombo, Dambulla, Anurad-

hapura and Kandy from 5:00 amtill 4:00 pm. If youre leaving Polon -naruwa and want to make sure of aseat, its best to start o at Kaduru -wela, the main bus stand.

GOOD TO KNOW

You should note that alcoholicdrinks are not sold at hotels andrestaurants within the bounds of the

sacred city of Anuradhapura, andPolonnaruwa. It would be nice if youcan avoid asking for alcohol as thismight be taken as a disrespect tothe sacred.

GAL-VIHARAGal-Vihara Rock Temple is unparalleled amongancient monastic edifices. A group of colossal Bud-dha statues are carved out of granite boulders. Theamazing relief sculptures of the Buddha in all threepostures, seated, standing and recumbent, is excellent.Most prominent is the standing image, 7m (23ft) tall.Next to it is an enormous 14m (46ft) reclining Bud-dha. The head rest on the right palm, while the lefthand is stretched along the left side of the body. Thedent on the pillow caused by the weight of the headand the slightly drawn in left leg add life to the superbrock carved work of poise and balance.Statue of the seated Buddha is set up with attendantdeities painted on the walls, however, only the tracesof the paintings are visible now.

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RANKOTH VIHARARankoth Vihara (Svarnamali Cetiya) provides agrandeur look very much like the Ruwanvelisaya of

Anuradhapura. Rankot Vihara, the largest stupa inPolonnaruwa at 55m (180 ft) tall, was erected by theever-active Nissankamalla in imitation of the greatstupas at Anuradhapura. The Stupa compound isprovided with a stone paving and gateways openingat the cardinal points and four directional approachpaths. The dome was constructed with a centrel cube

which supported the superstructure, quite a distinc-tive method of Stupa construction. The shape of thedome is quite flattened, compared to other stupas.

VATADAGE Vatadage means circular house of relic. The Vatdagein Polonnaruwa. Although there are numerous vatad-age across Sri Lanka, the Vatadage at Polonnaruwa isthe most famous. As with many other vatadage, it hada stupa in the centre with four Buddha images facingthe cardinal directions. It was built by Vijayabahu inthe 11th century. What remains of Vatadage today are54 stone pillars which once supported a timber upperfloor where the relic was kept.Many of the pillars bear inscriptions. There were alsoinscriptions in Tamil, meant for the Tamil guardians

who came from South India to protect the sacredrelics - the Tamil guards act just like the Swiss guards

who protect the Pope. A big Buddha image, almostthree m high, stands near the end of the temple

COUNCIL OF NISSANKAMALLA

The council Chamber of Nissankamalla is a distinc-tive monument. The Council chamber is 75 feet inlength and 33 feet width. The design was done inthree tires. The first, lowest level was decorated withrow of elephants and the second level with lions.Third an the upper most wall is decorated with

Vamana rupa. The respective seats of the council of-ficers are inscribed on the pillars on either side. Themassive lion figure at the end was throne of the Kingas shown by the inscription under its belly.

WHERE TO EAT

New Araliya Sinhala Hotelis located on the Habarna Roadand is a popular local eatery that

serves Sri Lankan meals for break-fast, lunch and dinner. Kotthu rotti(rotti chopped up and mixed withmeat and vegetables) is the bestitem on the menu and a must try.

WHERE TO SHOP

Polonnaruwas Nissanka streethas interesting array of items forshoppers like gems, tea, batiks,

handloom fabric materials, furniture,replicated antiques, jewellery andceramic.

HAT TO PACK

The monuments are arranged in acompact setting and their chrono-logical development is easier to

follow. You might love to appreci-ate all that in writing so carrying a journal seems like a good idea.

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kandy The southern corner of the Cultural Triangle, Kandy served as the capital ofthe last Sinhalese kingdom, which fell to the British in 1815 after defying thePortuguese and Dutch for three centuries. It took the British 11 years to builda road linking Kandy with Colombo, a task they finally completed in 1831.The town, and the countryside around it, is lush and green. The town centre, closeto Kandys picturesque lake set in a bowl of hills, is a delightful jumble of old shops,antique and gemstone specialists. As night falls the city becomes eerily quiet.

Kandy is a UNESCO world heritage site and it has enough attractions to justify avisit at any time of year.

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ASGIRI MAHA VIHARYAThe Asgiri Maha Viharaya is northwest of the towncentre in the city of Kandy. It has a large recliningBuddha image. It is one of the two monastic centreof the Siam Nikaya. Owing to Asgiriya Talpata thistemple is concerned to be older than the Malwatu

Viharaya.All the rulers of the Kandyan Kingdomhave contributed to the development of Asgiri Maha

Viharaya. Monks of this Chapter safeguarded theTooth Relic, during troublesome times of monarch.

The viharaya has three maluwas or terraces, Uda(upper) maluwa, Meda (centre) Maluwa, Palle (lower)Maluwa. Meda Maluwa was the place where thecremation of the Royal family members used to bedone. The Viharaya also plays a significant role in theKandys Esala Perahara Festivel. On the final nightthe Relic Casket of the Sacred Tooth is depositedhere until the commencement of the last day Perahara

which begins from this site.

MALWATU MAHA VIHARYANear the shore of Kandy lake one of the great centresof the Buddhist monks, monastic centre of the SiamNikaya, Malwatu Maha Viharaya is situated. Thisgreat monastery consists of two sections. The first isthe Uposatha Viharaya (Ordination Hall) on theright, and the other Pushparama Viharaya whichis the newly built octagon with a beautiful image of aseating Buddha installed therein. High priests onlythose who are in the executive council of monksreside here. The Maha Nayake is the chief incumbentof the monastery and he is one of the three guardiansof the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha lives here.

WHERE TO EAT

Down the street from Devon WhiteHouse Restaurant. It is tacky butcheap. It has snacks, drinks, ice

cream and you can fill up on mealssuch as mixed fried rice, chickenfried noodles and sweet-and-sourchicken.Address:Dalada Vidiya Town Centre

WHERE TO SHOP

The Kandyan Art Association andCultural Centre has a good selectionof locakl lacquerwork, brassware

and other crafts item in a colonial-era showroom covvered in apatina of age. Or you can check outoriginal batik fabric material at UpaliJayakody.

GOOD TO KNOW

Wear clothes that cover your legsand the shoulders when you go tothe Temple of the Sacred Tooth

Relic. Besides, you have to removeyour shoes before entering thetemple.(Dont worry about losing yourshoes. There are shoe mindersnear the entrance!).

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Check out the other books in the series: virgin forests,ultimate escapes, elevation.

For more information log on towww.srilankatraversed.com

TRAVEL $ 22.45 U.S.

the cultural triangle is the first book in the sri lanka traversedseries. The book disambiguates the concept of cultural triangleand brings alive the historical capitals of the island so close thatyou want to get lost in them. Sri Lankas Cultural Triangle is madeof Anuradhapura in the north, Polonnaruwa in the east and Kandyin the south. Cultural Triangle is not merely an attempt to mark acluster of cultural attractions just to create another tour package.The origin of the concept of Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle lies in

the UNESCO sponsored project launched to preserve the majorhistorical and archaeological Buddhist sites of Sri Lanka locatedwithin the North Central region. All three cities of the triangle havebeen the capital of island during the ancient, the medieval andthe pre-colonial period respectively. These cities still breathe thesame old grandeur and seeing these places is like travelling intime. The hand book will help you to plan everything from whento go to what not to do.

This book is compiled and edited by Oshin Vipra Sagar. Oshin isa student of communication design at D.J. Academy of Design,Coimbatore, India.

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