POST-PANDEMIC, WITH MANY TRAVEL PLANS IN DISARRAY, AIDHA CADER RETURNS TO HER HOME COUNTRY OF SRI LANKA AND JOURNEYS ACROSS ITS HISTORICAL AND SACRED HEARTLAND, VISITING MANY OF ITS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES. THESE CITES HARK BACK TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE MIGHTY SRI LANKAN KINGS WHO BUILT MONUMENTAL STUPAS, DAMS AND SPARKED A SACRED ARTISTIC TRADITION.
Over the past two years, with constantly changing COVID-19 rules, closed borders, quarantine disruptions, and exorbitant airfares, vacationing overseas has been a distant dream. With COVID-19 infections relatively low in Sri Lanka, we decided to head home for the year-end holidays. Boarding a direct 3-hour flight to Colombo, with our QR-coded double vaccination certificate in hand, we were out of the airport within minutes.
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
A two-hour visit to the Colombo National Museum was a great place to start our cultural tour, and a quick refresher on Sri Lankan history and its artistic heritage. A few days later, we were on the road heading north on the newly built central highway towards Yapahuwa. Situated 140 km outside Colombo, Yapahuwa is one of the best-preserved hidden gems on the historical trail. The 13th-century granite rock fortress that once housed the Sacred Tooth Relic stands magnificently tall at 300 feet high. Framed against the blue sky, it was the picture-perfect start to our tour. However, the dauntingly steep stone staircase leading up to the ancient palace complex is not for the faint-hearted. To begin our climb, I had to abandon my high heels and put on the only pair of flat shoes I own, my gym trainers.
SITUATED 140 KM OUTSIDE COLOMBO, YAPAHUWA IS ONE OF THE BEST-PRESERVED HIDDEN GEMS ON THE HISTORICAL TRAIL. THE 13TH-CENTURY GRANITE ROCK FORTRESS THAT ONCE HOUSED THE SACRED TOOTH RELIC STANDS MAGNIFICENTLY TALL AT 300 FEET HIGH.
Grand and ornate, the royal stairway recreates the glory of medieval Lanka. Beginning at the foot of the rock, leading up to the remains of the king’s palace, this elaborately carved and decorated stairway is flanked on either side by beautiful stone sculptures. Halfway up the stairs, statues of the royal lions stand on guard. The mix of South Indian, Sinhalese and Chinese artistic traditions of the Yapahuwa lions reflects the intermingling of cultures and people, a characteristic of the 13th century. One of the lions appears on the Sri Lankan 10 rupee note. Further up is the mythical elephant-headed beast, carved in captivatingly fine details. At the summit of the stairway, a hundred feet above the plain, is an elaborately carved, pillared doorway, flanked by guard stones on either side. Standing on the rocky ledge atop the fortress, we gazed over the city which looked miniaturised from so far above. Once we were back down, we visited the museum and saw the beautiful pierced-stone windows that were once part of the porches on the stairway.
PAINTED ON STONE
Back on the road, we drove northeast to Dambulla and checked into Jetwing Lake. The hotel is sprawled across a large expanse, overlooking a lush green field and the Siyambala Vewa tank, which at the time was being visited by flocks of migratory birds. After a quick lunch of rice and curry, we headed to the Dambulla cave temples – the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. A 160-metre tall rock towers over the surrounding plains. Dating back over two thousand years, the site consists of more than seventy rock shelters. At the heart lie five great caves, each consisting of an independent shrine. The climb up was not difficult and the stairway, carved into the rockface, led us to the top. I did manage to pull off a Carrier Bradshaw moment by hiking all the way up to the temple wearing my platform heels. However, beyond the ticket counter, visitors are requested to remove all shoes and headgear. After a contemplative moment I pulled down my hijab, but with my mask on, I felt somewhat less exposed. Bare feet, I straddled along the stone walkway. The five caves are adorned with a myriad of mural paintings and statues depicting Buddha and his life story. The Kandyan king, Kirti Sri Rajasinha’s (1747-1782) greatest achievement was the restoration of these cave shrines. Medieval Kandiyan style art, in tones of red, yellow, and white, covers every inch of the rock. The sculptors filled the spaces with brightly painted images of the Buddha. Once the eye adapts to the dimly lit caves, the vividness and vibrance of the art can be witnessed.
THE GAL VIHARA IS A COLOSSAL WORK OF MONUMENTAL STONE CARVINGS. CALM, IMMOVABLE AND MAJESTIC, ITS STATUES EXPRESS THE IMMENSE POWER OF THE THERAVADA FAITH.
THE MEDIEVAL CITY
The following day after a heavy Sri Lankan breakfast of hoppers, pittu, kola kanda and kiribati we drove east towards Polonnaruwa. Along the way, we saw treetop ‘Chena’ huts built by farmers on the lookout for wild elephants that come to feed on their crops. Before long we saw such an elephant by the side of the road, searching for food. Two hours later we were at Polonnaruwa. Founded in the 10th century by the rules of the Chola dynasty, Polonnaruwa was reconquered by King Vijaya Bahu in the year 1070 AD, ending Indian rule on the island for the following two centuries. Establishing his capital amidst the Hindu temples heralded the dawn of a new era. This became the medieval capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to the 13th century. A brief but brilliant flowering was at its peak during the reign of Parakramabahu the Great (1153-1186). During his reign, the city became the jewel that it is known for today with its many monasteries, palaces, parks and ponds – an impressive metropolis where civics, religion and art, were blended into one.
After entering the gates of the ancient city, we started our journey by first visiting the Archeological Museum of Polonnaruwa displaying a treasure trove of historical artefacts. From there, the roads are accessible to a certain point, after which it is a relatively easy walk through the ruins, temples and shrines. This was an incredible way to take in the history of the place and ponder upon what it must have been like to live in this ancient city in its heydey. The ruins are well-preserved thanks to countless restoration works carried out by the Archaeological Department and the Central Cultural Fund of Sri Lanka.
MULTICULTURAL MONUMENTS
One of the most beautiful of all is the vatadage. A circled red brick wall upon a grey stone platform, with images of the Buddha looking out from the four gateways, gazing out serenely over the four quarters of the world draws the onlooker in. Each gateway is adorned by sculptured staircases, moonstones, and exquisitely crafted guard stones on either side. The building was surrounded by a circle circumferenced with flowers, lions and dwarves. At the vatadage lies the finest moonstone in Polonnaruwa. It is an iconic symbol of Sri Lankan artistic heritage. Marked as a stepping stone, the ones in Polonnaruwa are heavily ornamented; a nod to the overwhelming richness of the medieval artistic heritage. The bull, sacred to Lord Shiva, is conspicuously absent from the Polonnaruwa moonstones, deemed too sacred to be stepped on.
The enclosed and darkened world of the image house known as Thivanka Pilimage, evokes a solemn atmosphere as one enters through its narrow aisle. The walls are filled with paintings from the stories of the previous lives of the Buddha. It is believed these paintings were the first to use red ochre as a background colour in Sri Lanka. Hues of yellow, red and green evoke a rich and refined world, of God kings, hermits, maidens and animals. At the furthest end of the building, in the inner sanctum, lies a mighty figure of Buddha that looms out of the shadow. His body is bent at the knee, at the waist and at the shoulder. Thrice bent as the name ‘Thivanka’ denotes. The exterior is embellished with sculptures in stucco, of snarling lions and lewd cavorts of dwarves. Like most buildings of Polonnaruwa, this too sums up the essence of the city. The Buddhist spirit, undimmed and unadulterated inside, whilst on the outside it is enriched and with the diversity of Hinduism.
Another iconic site is The Gal Vihara, lined with gigantic figures that are lit by the sun and framed by the sky. The Gal Vihara is a colossal work of monumental stone carvings. Calm, immovable and majestic, its statues express the immense power of the Theravada faith. The shrine has been fashioned from a rocky outcrop 56 yards in length, carved back more than 15 feet to create the four statues. Commissioned by King Parakrama Bahu, these sculptures express the grandeur and achievement of his reign. A few meters away is the Lankatilaka whose entrance is marked by two gigantic columns. The sheer immense size of the soaring walls of Lankatalika catches you off guard as you enter. The long narrow building, now standing at 55 feet high despite half of it collapsing, is dominated by the presence of the Buddha at the far end. At his feet stands the royal lions of Parakrama Bahu, guardian of the legacy of the Buddha. On the walls outside, many-tiered columns and pavilions are gilded with pinnacles – a world of stone sculpted from stucco. A multitude of dancing figures is arranged within framed square niches.
In and around the historical boundary is the Potgul Vihara near which is the statue of a Brahmin priest. Some scholars claim it to be of King Parakrama Bahu. Not to be missed is also the Satmahal Prasada. Originally seven stories high, it was intended to be the highest building within the sacred quadrangle. Rising like a step pyramid in Cambodian style of monastery complexes, it also has elements of South Indian features with its niches that adorn Hindu deities. Built during the reign of King Nissankamalla, it is a reflection of his desire to outdo the legendary Parakrama Bahu which he attempted by creating a ‘dagaba’ that is uniquely different. The Nelum Pokuna, The Royal Palace of Parakramabahu, the Audience Hall, the Hatadage, Atadage, Kumara Pokuna, King Nissankamalla’s Council Chamber, the Latha Mandapaya, Kiri Vihara, Gal Potha, Thupamaram Gedige, Ronkot Vihara, Statue of Bodhisattva, and the Shiva Devalaya, are all essential parts of the tour.
REST AND REFLECTION
After our busy tour, we dropped in at the Polonnaruwa Rest House for a late lunch. A scrumptious spread of Sri Lankan rice and curry with the local favourite, fried ‘vawe malu’ (lake fish), was the perfect ending to an utterly satisfying day of sightseeing. Built in 1870 by the British, the hotel still retains its colonial charm and sits on the panoramic view of Sri Lanka’s largest man-made lake, the ‘Parakrama Samudraya.’ The lake is named after the legendary king who built it and contains multiple channels from where water is carried out to different directions. The channels feed minor tanks, and a host of smaller canals nourish several square miles of paddy and is the source of water for thousands of residents. Water was the lifeblood of this culture. Kings who erected reservoirs to catch the rainfall were worshipped by their subjects. With the passing of time, the tanks have come to resemble great natural lakes and it is worth taking a moment to appreciate that such a vast structure is a man-made achievement. This medieval city had survived for as long as its magnificent reservoirs remained undimmed. When it started to wane, the floodgates opened, and Polonnaruwa collapsed as dramatically as it had arisen.
In next month’s issue – Aidha Cader’s attempts to climb the famous Sigiriya rock and travel to the birthplace of Buddhism.