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| Galwihara Temple- Polonnaruwa |
Polonnaruwa is a town. It's the main town of
Polonnaruwa District in the
North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Kaduruwela area is the Polonnaruwa
New Town and the other part of Polonnaruwa, remains as the royal ancient city of polonnaru kingdom.
The second most ancient of
Sri Lanka's kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King
Vijayabahu I, who defeated the
Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader.
The
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site.
History
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| Statue of King Parakramabahu |
While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of kingdoms to the more
strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real "Hero of
Polonnaruwa" of the history books is actually
Parakramabahu I.
It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when
trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the king, who
was so adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be
wasted, and each was to be used toward the development of the land;
hence, irrigation systems that are far superior to those of the
Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign, systems
which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation
during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest
of these systems, is the
Parakrama Samudraya
or the Sea of Parakrama. It is of such a width that it is impossible to
stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main
city like a ribbon, being both a moat against intruders and the
lifeline of the people in times of peace. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was
completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign.
With the exception of his immediate successor, Nissankamalla I, all
other monarchs of Polonnaruwa were slightly weak-willed and rather prone
to picking fights within their own court.
[citation needed] They also went on to form more intimate matrimonial alliances with stronger
South Indian kingdoms, until these matrimonial links superseded the local royal lineage and gave rise to the
Kalinga invasion by King
Kalinga Magha in 1214 and the eventual passing of power into the hands of a Pandyan King following the
Arya Chakrawarthi invasion of
Sri Lanka in 1284. The capital was then moved to
Dambadeniya.
The city of Polonnaruwa was also called
Jananathamangalam during the short Chola reign.
Present day
Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned
archaeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the
discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers. Its beauty was
also used as a backdrop to filmed scenes for the
Duran Duran music video
Save a Prayer in 1982. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a
World Heritage site by
UNESCO.
Near the ancient city, there is a small town with several hotels
(especially for tourists) and some glossy shops, and places to fulfill
day-to-day needs. There are government institutions in a newly built
area called “new town,” about 6 km away from the town and the main road.
The largest school in the district,
Polonnaruwa Royal Central College is situated at new town.
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| Nissanka Latha Mandapaya - Stage of a former king |
Polonnaruwa is the second largest city in
North Central Province,
but it is known as one of the cleanest and more beautiful cities in the
country. The green environment, amazing ancient constructions,
Parakrama Samudraya (a huge lake built in 1200), and attractive tourist hotels and hospitable people, attract tourists.
Climate
One recent scientific observation is that of its climate changes:
historically, Polonnaruwa had a tropical climate most of the year,
although it was occasionally chilly in December and January. But in
recent years the rain and chilliness has been increased noticeably.
Although this is surprising to some people, it is more enjoyable for
tourists. However, there is a setback, as paddy field farmers can suffer
when there is too much rain.
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