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51-478: Approximately 12.5 km (7.8 mi) east of Anuradhapura , close to the Anuradhapura - Trincomalee Road is situated the "Missaka Pabbata" which is 1,000 feet (300 m) in height and is one of the peaks of a mountainous range. According to Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa , Thera Mahinda came to Sri Lanka from India on the full moon day of the month of Poson (June) and met King Devanampiyatissa and preached

102-406: A bull on one side and an elephant on the other side have been discovered. In India coins with a bull on one side and a lion on the other side have been discovered. Therefore, the animals lion, horse and bull are associated with the very same group of four things. Therefore, the animals lion, horse and bull must symbolize a human who is associated with a group of four things. Thus, one could come to

153-453: A pond named Nagacatuska connected with the information regarding the arrival of Thera Mahinda in Sri Lanka. Also the chronicle records much later that king Aggabodhi I (575-608 AD) built a pond named Nagasondi. From this information, it may be assumed that the natural pond, known as Nagacatusca, was converted to a man made pond by King Aggabodhi. Filled by rainwater, this pond supplies water to

204-578: A systematic and well-planned pipe-borne scheme was provided. Two stone troughs can be seen here, which would have been used to store food close to the refectory. On either side of the entrance to a building, are 2 inscriptions engraved on 2 large slabs of granite known as the Mihintale stone inscriptions. The rules and regulations pertaining to the administrative purposes of the monastery are engraved on these 2 stone slabs. This inscription installed by King Mihindu (956 - 976 AD) contains records of payments made to

255-466: Is a major city located in the north central plain of Sri Lanka . It is the capital city of North Central Province and the capital of Anuradhapura District . The city lies 205 kilometers (127 mi) north of the current capital of Colombo in the North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malwathu Oya . The city is now a World Heritage Site famous for its well-preserved ruins of

306-399: Is precipitous, the steps are on the eastern side of the slope, spacious and in 4 sections. The stairway has 1840 steps made of granite, leading to the summit. At the end of the first set of steps on the right side of the plain, is a small mountain peak. On this is situated the most famous Kantaka Cetiya. Heinz E Müller-Dietz ( Historia Hospitalium 1975 ) describes the hospital as being perhaps

357-452: Is stated that King Devanampiyatissa constructed a vihara and 68 caves for the bhikkhus to reside in. At Mihintale there gradually grew a number of Buddhist monasteries or viharas with all the dependent buildings characteristic of the monasteries of that period. The Mihintale Inscriptions are a collection of inscriptions found in Mihinthale, Sri Lanka, that date back to the third century BCE to

408-603: Is still considered a sacred spot; and is a place of pilgrimage." Various excavations have taken place at the site, beginning in 1884–86 by Stephen Montagu Burrows . Anuradhapura became the centre of administration of the North Central Province and with the building of the Northern Railway line , Anuradhapura became an important railway town with the opening of the Anuradhapura railway station in 1904. The Government of Ceylon tasked Oliver Weerasinghe to develop

459-417: Is the elephant-headed God with two arms. The Saivites call it Ganapati or Ganeesaa . The four vahaalkadas facing the four cardinal points have different animals on the top of the square pillars - the elephant on the east, the lion on the north, the horse on the west and the bull on the south. Most Indian and Sri Lankan archaeologists believe that there is a symbolic relationship between these animals and

510-442: Is traced to the minister named 'Anuradha' in the court of Prince Vijaya (543–505 BCE ), the first Sinhalese king of the island. According to the legends related to Vijaya, his minister named 'Anuradha' established the settlement that later became Anuradhapura. However, the finding of earlier settlements in the citadel area of the old city dating back to until 10 century BCE would doubt this claim. The name 'Anuradhapura' means

561-574: The Wayback Machine - Census 2001 Anuradhapura has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen As ). Anuradhapura is served by railway and highways. The Northern railway line connects Anuradhapura with Colombo , Jaffna , and Kankesanthurai . Anuradhapura railway station is the city's rail gateway, with major services, such as the Yal Devi , Uttara Devi stopping there. There are a number of bus routes passing through Anuradhapura from Colombo to

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612-490: The 'city of Anuradha' (Anuradha+pura), where "pura" stand for 'city' in Sinhala , Sanskrit , Pali , and Tamil . However, before Anuradhapura was considered a city, it was called the 'Anuradhagrama,' meaning the 'village of Anuradha,' from "Anuradha" and "grama". This older name was also mentioned in the work of ancient Greek and Roman scholars such as Strabo and Claudius Ptolemy . In Ptolemy's world map from 2 century CE ,

663-417: The 10th century CE. During this time, the kingdom of Anuradhapura was flourishing. After the 10th century, no inscriptions have been found in Mihinthale, possibly due to the migration of the kingdom from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa. A total of 106 Brahmi inscriptions have been found in the Mihinthale area, ranging from the 3rd century BCE to the first century CE. These inscriptions can be found in caves such as

714-417: The 1870s. The contemporary city, much of which was moved during the mid-20th century to preserve the site of the ancient capital, is a major road junction of northern Sri Lanka and lies along a railway line. The city is the headquarters of Sri Lanka's archeological survey, and tourism is a significant factor in its economy. According to historical records such as Mahavamsa , the origin of the name Anuradhapura

765-591: The Anuradhapura Preservation Plan in 1949, aimed at establishing a new planned town east of the existing Anuradhapura town, thereby establishing the Sacred city of Anuradhapura, with the aim of preserving the ancient city. The "New Town" had many of the government offices and law courts moved into it. The Anuradhapura Preservation Board was established with this aim. Nissanka Wijeyeratne was Government Agent of Anuradhapura District from 1958 to 1962. He

816-569: The Buddhist doctrine. The traditional spot where this meeting took place is revered by the Buddhists of Sri Lanka. Therefore, in the month of Poson, Buddhists make their pilgrimage to Anuradhapura and Mihintale. Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka of India. King Ashoka embraced Buddhism after he was inspired by a monk named “Nigrodha.” The King was in great misery after witnessing the devastation caused by expansionist wars. Meeting this peaceful young monk

867-948: The Lion Pond, Alms Hall and for the daily needs of the Mihintala monks. Singha Pokuna means "Lion Pond," the name was derived from the image of the rampant lion. Water was collected here for the use of bikkhus (monks). Water is supplied from the Naga Pokuna through a tunnel. To the side of the Ambasthala Dagoba is a flight of rock-carved steps leading to a large white Buddha statue. 8°21′02.14″N 80°31′01.00″E  /  8.3505944°N 80.5169444°E  / 8.3505944; 80.5169444 [REDACTED] Sri Lanka portal Anuradhapura Anuradhapura ( Sinhala : අනුරාධපුරය , romanized:  Anurādhapuraya ; Tamil : அனுராதபுரம் , romanized:  Aṉurātapuram )

918-626: The Lion on one side, and a group of four dots placed in the form of a square at the centre of a circle on the other side; 2. the Horse on one side and a group of four dots placed in the form of a square at the centre of a circle on the other side; 3. the Bull on one side and a group of four dots placed in the form of a square at the centre of a circle on the other side. Also in Northern and southern Sri Lanka, coins having

969-568: The Mihintala Kanda Rajagiri Cave Kanda, Mihintala Anaikutty Kanda, and Atvehera Kanda. The majority of these inscriptions are written in Brahmi characters, with the Mihintale tablet, written in the 10th century CE, being the longest and best-preserved of all the inscriptions. In addition to these, inscriptions have also been found at Kantaka Chetiya, Sela Chetiya, Atvehera Kanda, and inscriptions on copper plates were uncovered during

1020-590: The Thimbiriya tree, close to the Kaludiya Pokuna, and preached a sermon based on the Kalakarama Sutta. Naga Pokuna means "Serpent Pond." Its name is derived from the figures of snakes with their hoods spread out in the background; it is one of the most famous ponds at the site. Passing Ambasthalaya on the western side is a flight of steps. When descending the steps the Naga Pokuna is visible. Mahavansa mentions

1071-477: The air. He came down and landed on the top of the Aradhana Gala where he met King Devanampiyatissa for the first time. Is one of the famous ponds at Mihintale. The word "Kalu" means black. The word "diya" means water, and the word "pokuna" means pond. The name is derived from the fact that the water in the pond appears to be black in colour. It is believed that on new moon day Kalu Buddha Rakkhita Thera sat under

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1122-581: The ancient Sinhalese civilisation . While Mahāvaṃsa places the founding of the city in 437 BCE , the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it a major human settlement on the island for almost three millennia and one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Asia. It is the cradle of the Hydraulic Sri Lankan civilisation, Theravada Buddhism, and the longest-serving ancient capital of Sri Lanka that has survived for 1500 years. Moreover, It

1173-537: The ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 247 BC to 237 BC. He was a son of Mutasiva and a brother of Devanampiya Tissa , Uttiya , Mahasiva , Asela and Mahanaga . Suratissa was defeated and killed in battle by two South Indian Tamil invaders Sena and Guttika and usurped the Sinhalese throne and held power over Anuradhapura, which was the first historically reported account of Tamil rule in Sri Lanka . Sinhala rule

1224-457: The base of which is 136 ft (41 m) in diameter. The stupa which was in a dilapidated condition was completely restored. Which faces Maha Seya is on a summit of a hill. Even during very windy weather pilgrims do not fail to visit this rock, which has iron railings to help them to climb. In ancient books such as the Mahavamsa it is written that Mahinda came to Sri Lanka by travelling through

1275-450: The capital to Anuradhapura, it was not reestablished as a major population centre of the island until the British colonial era in the 19th century CE . Despite its political decline, Anuradhapura remained a vital pilgrimage site for Buddhists throughout the medieval period and continues to be an important spiritual destination to this day. The revival of the current city began in earnest in

1326-454: The caves close to the stupa. As this stupa was renovated by King Lajjitissa. There is no doubt that this belongs to the 1st century B.C. The Courtyard is situated at the end of the third flight of steps. To the left of the courtyard is the refectory. The quadrangle is 62 feet (19 m) in length and 25 ft (7.6 m) in breadth and is surrounded by the storeroom. Since a part of a pipeline has been discovered here, it can be concluded that

1377-505: The citadel area of the old city puts the date of the human settlement as far back as the 10th century BC. According to these excavations, protohistoric Iron Age of the city spans from 900 - 600 BCE , with the appearance of iron technology, pottery, the horse, domestic cattle and paddy cultivation. In the time period 700-600 BCE, the settlement in Anuradhapura had grown over an area of at least 50 ha. Irrigable and fertile land surround

1428-460: The city with gates and quarters for traders. The city at the time covered an area of one square kilometer, making it one of the largest cities on the continent at the time. The city was largely deserted after the invasion by the Chola Tamil Hindu king Rajaraja 1 in 993 CE and his son Rajendra 1 in 1014 CE . According to Culavamsa (6th century CE -18th century CE ), Anuradhapura

1479-659: The city, strategically situated with major ports northwest and northeast of the island. The city also benefited from dense jungle surroundings, providing a natural defense from invaders. Excavation at Anuradhapura has unearthed Painted Gray Ware (PGW) pottery from the 'Basal early historic' period of Anuradhapura (600 BC-500 BCE) showing connections with North India (during vedic period ). Details of city's development in this early historic period, spanning from 500 to 250 BCE can be found in Sinhalese Chronicles. According to these records, King Pandukabhaya formally planned

1530-541: The conclusion that the four animals lion, horse, elephant and bull symbolize Lord Buddha who is associated with the Four Noble Truths. Further study on coins, sculptures etc. will confirm this conclusion. The Sinhalese archaeologists and historians say that King Suratissa has built this Stupa. The Pesavalalu and the frontispiece have been preserved to a great extent. There are ruins of the stupa which are 40 ft (12 m) in height. The monks would have resided in

1581-516: The excavation of Idikatu Seya Dagoba. At the foot of the mountain are the ruins of a hospital , medical bath (or stone canoe in which patients were immersed in medicinal oil) a stone inscription and urns belonging to the ancient period have been unearthed. Between the hospital and the steps leading to the rock are the ruins of a large monastery. On the floors of the square building which is 125 feet (38 m) on one side, are beautiful carvings and also are stone balustrades and guard stones. As this side

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1632-524: The four cardinal directions. But, they differ in associating a particular animal with a particular direction. However, in a moonstone of Sri Lanka and the Lion Capital of Saranath, we find these four animals sculptured in the moving position. At the same time, in the coins collected in the Northern mainland of Sri Lanka, the Jaffna peninsula and Akurugoda of Rununa, we find the following symbols marked on them: 1.

1683-553: The initial settlement at the site of the city can be attributed to the second global cycle of historical evolution with the generalised diffusion of iron technology in the Old World through the first millennium BCE , culminating in the emergence of many historical civilizations. The history of Anuradhapura then extends from its traditional founding in the recorded history in the fourth century BCE and its subsequent laying-out by Devanampiya Tissa (250–210 BCE ) to its abandonment by

1734-413: The last of the Anuradhapura kings at the end of the tenth century CE , its brief reoccupation in the eleventh century and the restoration of some of its major monuments, in the late 13th century CE by Vijayabahu IV (1267–1270 CE ). Even though, historical chronicle Mahāvaṃsa (5th century CE ) place founding of the city in the 5th century BC, the archaeological data from the excavation of

1785-616: The local population remained aware of the ruins. In Robert Knox 's 1681 An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon , he wrote: "At this City of Anurodgburro is a Watch kept, beyond which are no more people that yield obedience to the King of Kandy". In 1821, John Davy wrote that: "Anooradapoora, so long the capital of Ceylon, is now a small mean village, in the midst of a desert. A large tank, numerous stone pillars, two or three immense tumuli, (probably old dagobahs,) are its principal remains. It

1836-458: The narrow road, on the slope is the cave known as Mihindu Guhawa or the cave of Arahant Mahinda, where he resided. Out of the caves, the most famous and incidentally the most sacred to Buddhists is this cave with its flattened slab on which Thera Mahinda was accustomed to rest. This large stupa known as the Maha Seya is on the summit of the Mihintale hill, built by King Mahadathika Mahanaga (7-19 AD)

1887-482: The northern province. Some of them are 04, 15, 57, 87 etc. Anuradhapura is a central city in Sri Lanka. It is directly connected by road to a large number of major cities and towns on the island. By road, it is connected to Vavuniya , Dambulla , Matale , Puttalam , Trincomalee , Jaffna , Kurunegala and Kandy . Suratissa Suratissa was an early monarch of Sri Lanka in the Kingdom of Anuradhapura , based at

1938-482: The old were being transferred to the new town. It was a time of some tension and of excitement. He managed this process of change with courage and remarkable political skills. While in Anuradhapura, he unveiled a memorial for H. R. Freeman , a popular British Government Agent who later was elected by the people of the district to represent them in the 1st State Council of Ceylon . Coming events cast their shadows before. A striking feature of Wijeyeratne's Anuradhapura days

1989-549: The oldest in the world. Kantaka Cetiya is a circular stupa having a base circumference of about 425 feet. It has three stepped rims. It has four frontispieces in the four cardinal directions. The frontispiece is called Vaahalkada . All the Vaahalkadas are decorated with sculptures of dwarfs, animals, humans, divine figures and floral motifs. One of the most important of the sculptures on the Kantaka Cethiya Vaahalkada

2040-451: The place was named 'Anourogrammoi.' Thus, It is believed that the expansion of this earlier smaller settlement called Anuradhagrama into a city during the reign of Sinhalese king Pandukabhaya (474–367 BCE ) in 437 BCE caused the change of the name to Anuradhapura. Significant milestones in the development of the name Anuradhapura is the best representation of the beginnings of pre-modern urbanization in Sri Lanka. The development of

2091-445: The plain close to the peak of the mountain, and is said to have been built by King Makalantissa. The ruins show that there has been a house built encircling the stupa. The Dagoba itself is said to enshrine the relics of the great Apostle Mahinda. It is here that King Devanampiyatissa first met Arahant Mahinda. The traditional spot where this meeting took place is marked by the Ambasthala Dagoba. When proceeding from Ambastala dagoba along

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2142-480: The royal family and nobility of Sri Lanka strongly supported Buddhism. As such, they frequently commissioned works of art and donated these items to Buddhist temples. In return, the temple and local Buddhist community supported the king's rule. Artworks featuring depictions of Avalokitesvara , the Bodhisattva of Mercy and Compassion, became increasingly popular. The area was sparsely inhabited for many centuries, but

2193-581: The service staff. In the vicinity of another plain is the meeting hall of the monks. Here the monks met, to discuss the Dhamma and the Vinaya. This is an open building which is 62 feet (19 m) square and was constructed on 48 stone pillars. In the middle of the hall is a platform with 4 entrances. To the East of the refectory is a stupa, 88 feet (27 m) in circumference. It has not been identified so far. Is situated on

2244-590: The world and that is believed to have originally been a branch of the sacred fig tree at Bodh Gaya (Bihar, India), under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. These vast networks of ancient temples and monasteries now cover over 100 square kilometers (40 sq mi) of area of the city today. The city was mostly destroyed and largely deserted after 993 CE , with the Chola invasion from South India. Although several attempts were made by later Sinhalese kings to return

2295-454: Was "utterly destroyed in every way by the Chola army. Still, the place was continuously inhabited after this event as indicated by records of visitors to the island such as Robert Knox and others. Thus, the city was the longest-serving Sinhalese capital of Sri Lanka from the 5th century BCE (437 BCE ) until the 11th century CE (1017 CE) flourishing for around 1,500 years. Anuradhapura

2346-535: Was a major intellectual centre for early Theravada Buddhism, home to revered Buddhist philosophers including Buddhaghosa . During the reign of Dhatusena (455-473) a redaction of the Theravada Buddhist canon took place while at the same time 18 new vihara (temple complexes) were built and a statue erected for Mahinda, the Indian prince-monk who introduced Buddhism to the island. During the late Anuradhapura period,

2397-447: Was a turning point in his life, thereafter, he renounced war. He was determined to spread the message of peace. As a result, both his son and daughter were ordained as Buddhist monastics and became enlightened Arahats. In his quest to spread the message of peace instead of war, Ashoka sent his son Mahinda, to the island of Lanka, which was also known as “Sinhalé”. This island was ruled by his friend King Devanampiyatissa . Thus, “Mahinda”

2448-530: Was arguably the best known of all government agents of his time. His stature ensured that the voice of Anuradhapura was heard at the highest levels in Colombo. Apart from being Government Agent, he was Chairman of the Anuradhapura Preservation Board. This was the time when the city of Anuradhapura was in a period of historic transition. The new town of Anuradhapura was being built, and the residents of

2499-468: Was his great ability to see the bigger picture and focus on the key issues, and delegate responsibilities to his staff officers. He was never one to be enmeshed in detail. He also set up the Sacred City of Anuradhapura shifted the urban city to the newly created Anuradhapura town and is responsible for the establishment of Anuradhapura Airport . Source: www.statistics.gov.lk Archived 13 July 2017 at

2550-513: Was the Indian name, which in Sinhalé, became “Mihindu.” In Sinhala Mihin-Thalé literally means the “plateau of Mihindu”. This plateau is on top of a hill from where Arahat Mihindu was supposed to have called King Devanampiyatissa , by the King's name to stop him from shooting a deer. Hence, “Mihin Thalé” is a specifically Sinhala term. From ancient times, large steps were constructed to climb Mihintale. It

2601-540: Was the first capital of the Sinhala Kingdom of Rajarata , following the kingdoms of Tambapanni and Upatissa Nuwara . Anuradhapura was also the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries and has been a major Buddhist pilgrimage site with ruins of many ancient Buddhist temples, including the famous Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya and the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi , the oldest still-living, documented, planted tree in

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