|
|
|
  |
| Sunday, 14 November 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
The great king of Sri Lanka
The superb four-metre high bearded sculpture is holding what seems to be ola leaf scriptures in his hands. The statue is generally considered to be of King Parakramabahu I although some believe it to be of a sage. Who is this King Parakramabahu I? Known also as Parakramabahu the Great, he was one of the greatest kings of Sri Lanka and is synonymous with the Polonnaruwa kingdom. When Parakramabahu was born, Sri Lanka was divided into several parts and was ruled by several kings. The young prince, who was the son of the Dakkhina-desa ruler King Weerabahu and Queen Ratnawali, harboured ambitions of once again bringing the whole country under one ruler. After becoming the ruler of Dakkhina-desa, he expanded his administration and launched a long campaign to conquer the whole island. He gradually captured Polonnaruwa and took control of the entire country in 1153. He was the 142nd king of Sri Lanka. Parakramabahu I is known as one of the greatest developers of the country, laying the foundation for the modern Sri Lanka. He created massive irrigation systems under the belief that not a single drop of water should flow to the sea without being made use of. Vast areas were cultivated with rice, resulting in Sri Lanka becoming well known in the world as the 'granary of the east'. Coconut cultivation also received a boost during this period. The king's contribution to Buddhism was immense. The religion had fallen into decay around this time; monasteries had been taken over by crooked 'monks' while the real monks were divided into the Mahavihara, Jetawana and Abhayagiri orders and following different doctrines and rules of conduct. Parakramabahu united the three orders with the help of Maha Kassapa, the chief monk of the Dimbulagala monastery, and drove away hundreds of crooked monks from the sasana. He provided all facilities for the monks while laying down disciplinary rules for them as well. These rules are inscribed in stone at the Gal Vihara in what is known as the 'Polonnaru Kathikawatha'. The Jetawana monastery, Gal Vihara, Potgul Vihara and Alahena Vihara are also thought to be his creations. The Mihintale monastery, the birthplace of Buddhism in the island, was restored by him. His actions ensured the survival of Buddhism for many years. Parakramabahu is also reported to have set up a hospital with all facilities and checked on its functions regularly. A man with a keen sense of aesthetic beauty, he constructed many palaces, theatres, ponds and parks to beautify Polonnaruwa; the remains of some of these structures are still seen today. His influence was not confined to Sri Lanka; he waged wars against Burma and the Cholas of India. The great king died in 1186. Eight other kings later ascended the throne under the name Parakramabahu, probably trying to emulate the great king, but none had been able to achieve the feats accomplished by Parakramabahu the Great. ############### A weva as large as the sea
Parakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama in Polonnaruwa is one of the biggest man-made tanks (weva) in Sri Lanka. It is said to resemble the sea as it has waves like the sea and as it is very breezy around the area. The massive tank, which extends to the south and west of the ancient city, covered more than 5,350 acres. Its dam or bund was over eight and a half miles long and 40 feet high. It supplied water for the people who lived in the area and irrigated paddy fields stretching over 18,200 acres. The tank was created by King Parakramabahu I by joining three smaller existing tanks - Thopa Weva, Dumbuthulu Weva and Angamedilla Weva. Though this was the king's largest irrigation project, he restored and rebuilt the whole irrigation network in the island. According to the chronicle Chulawansa, King Parakramabahu constructed and restored 163 major tanks, more than 2,350 minor tanks and 3,910 irrigation channels. During the earlier days, the tank had 11 channels taking water off in different directions, feeding smaller tanks and smaller irrigation canals. The weva was fed by a canal from the Amban Ganga; extra water, when necessary, was channelled from the Giritale Weva.Some of the sluices and canals of Parakrama Samudra have now been restored. The walls of the tank have been restored in their original form. The sloping walls of the tanks are made of blocks of stone laid lengthwise in a design which was known as 'wave-comb'. The design was said to absorb and break up the waves, thereby preserving the walls and reducing water evaporation. The weva continues to serve the populace of the area to this day by providing them with drinking and irrigation water and fish. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Politics | Produced by Lake House |
A great masterpiece of Sri Lankan art is the statue carved of rock
which stands to the north of Potgul Vihara in Polonnaruwa. The life-like
human representation is located close to the Parakrama Samudra.
