The services of King Parakramabahu the Great

by Husna Inayathullah

Parakramabahu was the king of Dakkhinadesa. His objective for Dakkhinadesa was to expand it so that it would surpass the greatness of other kingdoms in a short period of time. He started a huge program of construction and renovation, the remnants of which can still be seen in central Sri Lanka today. It is mentioned of him as having restored an ancient causeway called the Kotabaddha, over the Deduru Oya near modern Kurunegala.

He ordered the construction of canals and dams and cleared a large area of forest around them for new fields. Most notably, he built the Parakrama Samudra, a giant reservoir from which a large swathe of territory derived its water supply. On islands in the middle of the reservoir he built a palace and a dagoba. He transformed the royal court, making it a hub of cultural activity, attracting young nobles skilled in various arts such as riding elephants or horses, swordsmanship, in the use of foreign tongues and in dance and song. He reformed the government of Dakkhinadesa, creating two ministries. They were the military affairs and the internal administration to which he later added a third department which oversaw the management of mines.

The Vatadage in Polonnaruwa.

Trade

Trade was an important component of Dakkhinadesa's income since the island of Sri Lanka, given its geographical position, had always been at the junction of several major trade routes. Chinese silk was a significant import and was used in the consecration of statues and shrines.

Pearls and gems constituted an important part of the island's exports, as did cinnamon. Most trade was carried out through the main seaports of the principality, Kalpitiya, Halaavatha (Chilaw) and Colombo.

Parakramabahu I established himself at Polonnaruwa in 1153 and ruled over the entirety of Sri Lanka for 33years according to Chulavamsa. During this time he undertook much of the work he is best remembered for, most significantly in the areas of religious reform, construction and war.

Following the crushing of Queen Sugala's rebellion in 1157,Parakramabahu had the Tooth Relic and the Alms Bowl Relic brought to Polonnaruwa.

The former was placed inside a jewel in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Polonnaruwa. Such constructions became a hallmark of Parakramabahu's reign; his buildings for the sangha are described in great detail in the Culavamsa and comprise an impressive body of work, often accompanied with inscriptions stating his intentions and accomplishments, such as at the Gal Vihare.

Restoration One of Parakramabahu's first projects was the restoration of Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lankan Kings which had been destroyed by the Chola army, including the restoration of Thuparamaya, Mihintale, and Ruwanweliseya. Then, having founded an administrative centre called Parakramapura, he turned his attention on Polonnaruwa. Due to the near-year sieges, the city had suffered and had reached a state that nothing but its name remained. It is perhaps because of this that so little of pre-12th century Polonnaruwa remains today.The king initially divided the city into four districts or suburbs, each marked with its own alms-giving house for the clergy,containing "vessels of bronze, cushions and pillows, mats,carpets and bedsteads". He ordered the construction of hospitals, which he visited on several occasions.

Gardens

He also expanded Polonnaruwa's city walls, constructing an elaborate three-walled complex featuring turrets for archers and 14gates, none of which has survived till modern times. Beyond the city precinct it is believed he built or renovated three smaller townships, in addition to Parakramapura - Rajavesi Bhujanga, RajaKulantaka (Sinhapura) and Vijitapura. Extensive gardens were also laid down around Polonnaruwa,featuring ponds and bathing-pools, one of which, the Twin Pools,survives to this date. The 'Island Garden', extended into the middle of Thopa Wewa on a promontory.

Much else survives, such as the Gal Vihare, or "Stone Shrine"near Polonnaruwa. The Culavamsa attributes the monument in its entirety to Parakramabahu, though in truth his contribution may have been extensive refurbishment. The Vatadage or "Circular Temple",was built around 1157 following the suppression of Queen Sugala's revolt in Ruhuna, to host the recently recovered Sacred Tooth Relic and Alms Bowl Relic.

The Lankatilaka Temple, Alahena Pirivena, Jetavanarama and the Demala Maha Cetiya were also built during his reign. At the centre of Polonnaruwa Parakramabahu expanded and beatified the royal palace.Little of it remains today, but its soaring walls hint at the grand scale of the king's vision. Gal Vihare features three statues of the Buddha in three different poses carved from the same large rock.

Renovation

Parakramabahu also continued his program of hydraulic works begun in Dakkhinadesa, including the renovation and reconstruction of reservoirs and canals wrecked during the Chola invasion. Inscriptions detailing his work can be found at the Maha Wewa near Uruwela, Padaviya Wewa and Panda Wewa in North-Western Province.

In all, Parakramabahu is said to have restored or built over 216 reservoirs and tanks. Despite their magnificence, Parakramabahu's works exacted a heavy toll on the populace and the treasury. For much of the work in Anuradhapura he utilised Tamil prisoners of war seized during the Pandyan War. Nevertheless, taxation and Rajakariya (a feudal system in which work was owed to the king by commoners) contributed in large part to the projects. An interesting indicator of the burdenof taxation is the disappearance of larger gold coins towards the end of Parakramabahu's reign.

The popularity of Parakramabahu is attested by the fact that no less than seven monarchs adopted his name over the next four centuries, of whom only two or three could lay claim to even a fraction of his successes.