We traveled north to an area of Sri Lanka known as the “Cultural Triangle” that is host to most of Sri Lanka's World Heritage Sites. It's an area rich in history and cultural significance for Sri Lanka. We used Sigiriya as our home base and made day trips to Dambulla and Polonnaruwa, then spent a few days in Anuradhapura.
In these places the only elephants we saw were either in mural paintings or carved from stone!
Annuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for over a thousand years. We were fortunate to make two new friends while we were there. Alex and Amy are a nice couple who were visiting from New York City. Seeing the ruins by bicycle was ideal, as there were many spread out areas to visit.
One of the most impressive things about Anuradhapura's history is that there were about 15,000 Buddhist monks and nuns living in two large monasteries. We saw a refectory that was used to cook alms food for the monks (that was offered by the king). The trough in the picture was used to hold rice.
This is the Abhyagiri Dagoba that was created in the first or second century and is said to house some of the Buddha's remains. The name Abhyagiri means "fearless hill", which illustrates a key practice of Buddhism: monks meditate alone at night in the jungle to overcome their fears (such as fear of being eaten by a tiger). We saw the jungle growing over the ruins. Here it was clear as the plaster exterior is completely gone and it didn't seem like there was mortar between the bricks.
By contrast this fully restored dagoba practically blinds with its brilliant white paint. Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba is used today as a place of worship by local Buddhists. It was interesting to compare the restored to the unrestored.
This is a moonstone, which is used by worshippers to clean their feet before they enter a temple. This one is exceptionally detailed as it has elephants, horses, lions and bulls, representing the challenges of life: birth, old age, sickness and death.
Polonnaruwa was the capital of Sri Lanka from 1,070-1,196, representing the last period that Sri Lanka was ruled as a single country until modern times. We toured the ruins of palaces of the three Kings who made big advancements. During King Parakramabahu’s reign, he built several large reservoirs and over 1,300 canals for distributing the water to farmlands. He brought malaria under control and ushered in an era of prosperity for Sri Lanka.
The ruins are quite extensive and in good shape for being 17 hundred years old! This is the Vatadage, a round temple with Buddhas in the four cardinal directions.
There were two exceptional Buddha statues at the Gal Vihara. Our favorite was this soulful looking Buddha with his hands in an unusual “mudra” or hand position.
And this Buddha in Parinirvana (death of the physical body without further rebirth) was so natural; We could see an indentation of his head on the stone pillow. Each was carved in situ. We loved how the striations in the granite are like waves through the bodies.
Pete is standing next to a column in the shape of a lotus stalk. Polonnaruwa was the only place we saw these beautiful curves.
The Dambulla caves are known for tempura mural paintings, many of which were painted in the 18th century. But the history of Dambulla goes back to 3rd and 2nd century B.C. when one of the most important and largest Buddhist monasteries was located here.
This is a cave where King Valagambahu hid from south Indians during the first century, while he was in exile for 15 years. Once he returned to power in the ancient capital of Anuradhapura, he had a temple built in this cave, in thanks for the sheltering safety.
Over the years other kings also venerated the caves, including gilding the walls. The caves were quite large, with some beautiful Buddha statues. The colorful circular pattern above the statue was painted on the ceiling.
Sigiriya means "lion rock" in the Sri Lankan language, and is named lion in honor of the Buddha's family name, Shakya, which also means lion. This is a picture of the beautiful rock, which was the plug of an extinct volcano millions of years ago.
These lion paws are the only remainder of what was once an immense statue of a lion, an impressive entrance to the palace.
The King who had his palace at the top of Sigiriya, King Kasyapa, was only in power for 14 years, 477-495. During that time they figured out how to transport water up to the top by using windmills and storing it in ponds and using the water in fountains and gardens.
King Kasyapa didn't appear to be very religious. Instead he had a giant picture gallery created with 500 paintings of women like these. Only a handful are still visible today, but they have become iconic Sri Lankan images.
Our climb up Sigiriya was about one third the elevation gain of Sri Pada, and helped our legs to get over their soreness. We were happy that the steps were uniform and even height, and that the photo on the right was no longer the way to reach the summit!
Sigiriya was a monastery starting in the 3rd century B.C. and lasting until the 14th century. Here is Pete in between arched boulders, an interesting passageway on the way up to the peak.
In these places the only elephants we saw were either in mural paintings or carved from stone!
Annuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for over a thousand years. We were fortunate to make two new friends while we were there. Alex and Amy are a nice couple who were visiting from New York City. Seeing the ruins by bicycle was ideal, as there were many spread out areas to visit.
One of the most impressive things about Anuradhapura's history is that there were about 15,000 Buddhist monks and nuns living in two large monasteries. We saw a refectory that was used to cook alms food for the monks (that was offered by the king). The trough in the picture was used to hold rice.
This is the Abhyagiri Dagoba that was created in the first or second century and is said to house some of the Buddha's remains. The name Abhyagiri means "fearless hill", which illustrates a key practice of Buddhism: monks meditate alone at night in the jungle to overcome their fears (such as fear of being eaten by a tiger). We saw the jungle growing over the ruins. Here it was clear as the plaster exterior is completely gone and it didn't seem like there was mortar between the bricks.
By contrast this fully restored dagoba practically blinds with its brilliant white paint. Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba is used today as a place of worship by local Buddhists. It was interesting to compare the restored to the unrestored.
This is a moonstone, which is used by worshippers to clean their feet before they enter a temple. This one is exceptionally detailed as it has elephants, horses, lions and bulls, representing the challenges of life: birth, old age, sickness and death.
Polonnaruwa was the capital of Sri Lanka from 1,070-1,196, representing the last period that Sri Lanka was ruled as a single country until modern times. We toured the ruins of palaces of the three Kings who made big advancements. During King Parakramabahu’s reign, he built several large reservoirs and over 1,300 canals for distributing the water to farmlands. He brought malaria under control and ushered in an era of prosperity for Sri Lanka.
The ruins are quite extensive and in good shape for being 17 hundred years old! This is the Vatadage, a round temple with Buddhas in the four cardinal directions.
There were two exceptional Buddha statues at the Gal Vihara. Our favorite was this soulful looking Buddha with his hands in an unusual “mudra” or hand position.
And this Buddha in Parinirvana (death of the physical body without further rebirth) was so natural; We could see an indentation of his head on the stone pillow. Each was carved in situ. We loved how the striations in the granite are like waves through the bodies.
Pete is standing next to a column in the shape of a lotus stalk. Polonnaruwa was the only place we saw these beautiful curves.
The Dambulla caves are known for tempura mural paintings, many of which were painted in the 18th century. But the history of Dambulla goes back to 3rd and 2nd century B.C. when one of the most important and largest Buddhist monasteries was located here.
This is a cave where King Valagambahu hid from south Indians during the first century, while he was in exile for 15 years. Once he returned to power in the ancient capital of Anuradhapura, he had a temple built in this cave, in thanks for the sheltering safety.
Over the years other kings also venerated the caves, including gilding the walls. The caves were quite large, with some beautiful Buddha statues. The colorful circular pattern above the statue was painted on the ceiling.
Sigiriya means "lion rock" in the Sri Lankan language, and is named lion in honor of the Buddha's family name, Shakya, which also means lion. This is a picture of the beautiful rock, which was the plug of an extinct volcano millions of years ago.
These lion paws are the only remainder of what was once an immense statue of a lion, an impressive entrance to the palace.
The King who had his palace at the top of Sigiriya, King Kasyapa, was only in power for 14 years, 477-495. During that time they figured out how to transport water up to the top by using windmills and storing it in ponds and using the water in fountains and gardens.
King Kasyapa didn't appear to be very religious. Instead he had a giant picture gallery created with 500 paintings of women like these. Only a handful are still visible today, but they have become iconic Sri Lankan images.
Our climb up Sigiriya was about one third the elevation gain of Sri Pada, and helped our legs to get over their soreness. We were happy that the steps were uniform and even height, and that the photo on the right was no longer the way to reach the summit!
Sigiriya was a monastery starting in the 3rd century B.C. and lasting until the 14th century. Here is Pete in between arched boulders, an interesting passageway on the way up to the peak.
