Isurumuniya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Offerings to the 'Sacred Foot-print'.

Ariel view of the surrounding country side.

Sights at Isurumuniya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

A stone stairway under an overhanging rock.

Holes made in a rock. Pieces of dry sticks were jammed into these holes and the sticks were made to soak up water. This action split the rock in a neat cleavage plane.

An 'Ehela' S - "Konral' T, tree in bloom.

A passageway between rocks.

Isurumuniya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, beginnings 2nd Century BC.

The stories of this site goes back to the 2nd Century BC. A group of 'High caste' aspirants were ordained as Monks at this site during the time of Mahinda Thera.

Environs of Isurumuniya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

The road leading to 'Isurumuniya'.

The lake with lotus and water lily plants in front of 'Isurumuniya'.

A stray feather stuck on a barrel/

'Isurumuniya', Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Isurumuniya temple, Anuradhapura in the 1950s.

The 'Lovers' in their original setting. Now they are inside a museum closeby..

The above photographs were taken by Mr.Jayaratne, ex Colonisation Officer in the 1950s.
Click on link below to see a description of the place:-

http://amazinglanka.com/wp/isurumuniya/

Click on link below to hear the famous song and read the lyrics:-

http://sinhala-lyrics.com/lyric/377/chithra-somapala-isurumuniyehi-pathali-galaga-hida-alaya-leelaya-paa-lyrics.html#sthash.nA3tf68I.dpbs

Sights at Mihinthale, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Mihinthale sights, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

The floor of the 'Alms-hall'.

A brick lined passage-way.

A stone-cistern to contain water into which flowing water was conducted by granite pipes.

The lush greenery around.

The archaeological finds at this site of more than 2300 years of habitation is astounding. Almost all the structures remaining at present were made from granite or baked bricks. It was a stone-cutter who reigned supreme here. The vision of the builder was amazing.

Mihinthale sights, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

This is a new driveway, by-passing the famous stairway taking one to the caves and stairway leading to the 'Ambasthala Chaithya'

mihinthale

BY MANOJ DISSANAYAKE ON MAY 30, 2013UNDER UNCATEGORIZED

it’s  about  16  k.m out of anuradapura  lies  mihintale  remembered  in national   consciousness  as the cradle  of the  sinhala  buddhist  civilisation, it  is here  that  thera  mahinda  , son of  the mauryan   emperor  asoka,  met king  tissa  in the  third  century  BC,  as a  result  of  which  the king  embraced  buddhism…, in  fact the name  mihintale, which  mean’s  the  ” plateau  of mahinda”   is  derived  from  thera’s   name..the  mountain  was also  known as  chetiya   pabbata( the mountain  of stupas).

on the  western  slope  of the mountain  is the main flight of steps  that would  take you  to ambastala  plain  , it is a  wide flight  of  steps.. perhaps the  widest  in sri lanka, and is concidered  symbolic  of the  spiritual ascent  of  man. it has  1840  stone  steps arranged  in three flights, shaded  by temple  trees on either side…..

all so, there are some  of the  important  monuments…..

kantaka  chetiya /  ambastala  stupa / maha thupa / mahinda seya / mihindu guha / aradana gala…………http://tour-lanka.com/blog/?p=50

Stone carvings and the 'Kuttam pokuna' - Twin ponds, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Stone carvings made locally for sale near the 'Samaadhi' statue.

'Kuttam pokuna' - The twin pond.

Watch the water flowing into the pond further away and subsequently into the pond nearer to the camera.

Kuttam Pokuna

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of the best specimen of bathing tanks or pools in ancient Sri Lanka is the pair of pools known as Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Ponds/Pools). The said pair of pools were built by the Sinhalese in the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura. These are considered one of the significant achievements in the field of hydrological engineering and outstanding architectural and artistic creations of the ancient Sinhalese.

A garden was landscaped which separates the two ponds which long is 18½ ft. The larger pool of the two is 132 ft by 51 ft, while the smaller pool is 91 ft by 51 ft. The depths of the two pools is 14 ft and 18 ft for the smaller pool and the larger pool respectively.The faces of the pools were cut granite slabs which includes the bottom and the sides of the pool. A wall was also built around the pool which encloses the compound. Flights of steps are seen on both ends of the pool decorated with punkalas, or pots of abundance and scroll design. Embankments were constructed to enable monks to bathe using pots or other utensils. Water to the pools were transferred through underground ducts and filtered before flowing to the pool and in a similar fashion the water was emptied. Dr. Senerath Paranavithana was actively involved in the restoration of the ponds, in which small figures of fish, a conch, a crab and a dancing woman were found in the bottom.

The 'Samaadhi Buddha statue', Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

'Tranquility'

'Happiness'

'Sorrow'

'Samadhi Statue is considered one of the best sculptures in the Anuradhapura era. It is thought to be done during

the 3rd or the 4th century. It is made out of dolomite marble and stands 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 metres) in height. This statue was found in the present location in 1886 fallen to the ground with damages to the nose. It was then erected and the nose was reconstructed. In 1914, it was found damaged by treasure hunters and re constructed again.

The statue’s eyes are hollow indicating they were impressed with crystal or precious stones. It is unclear whether this and the 2nd statue were brought from another vihara or they were originally kept here.

It is said that when you look at the face of the statue from three sides they show 3 different features. Looking at the profile of the face from left and right they show a slight sadness and a slightly smiling face on the other. Looking from the front, the face shows neutral features.

Today this stature is covered by concrete structure which has somewhat destroyed the beauty of this statue. Even the reconstruction of the nose has not been a success which looks very artificial'.

http://amazinglanka.com/wp/anuradhapura-samadhi-statue/

It is said that Pandit Jawarhlal Nehru while in prison during the independence struggle for British India, had a photo of this statue as a constant companion.

Sights at Abheyagiri Dagoba, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Artifacts at Abheyagiri, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Carvings in stone.

A water fountain of granite?

Restoration work in progress.

Abhayagiri Vihara, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Abhayagiri Vihara is the ruins of a monastery on the northern part of the ancient city of Anuradhapura. It was formerly known as Uttaravihara, or Northern Monastery, during the ancient times. Usually known simply as Abhayagiri, the monastery grew to almost became a city of its own rivalling Anuradhapura.

Abhayagiri Vihara is one of the eight sacred sites for Buddhists in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. For about 600 years, it was the largest monastery in Sri Lanka, housing 5000 monks on its grounds which covered over 500 acres (235 hectares). The focalpoint of the Abhayagiri Vihara is the Abhayagiri Dagoba and the Ratna Prasada, or chapter house of the Dhammaruci Order.

The Abhayagiri Dagoba is the second biggest brick structure in the world after the Jetavana Dagoba. It was built by King Gajabahu (114-136AD) and reaches a height of 370 feet (115m).

According to local belief, the Abhayagiri Dagoba was built over the footprint of the Buddha. The Buddha is said to have come to Lanka and by his supernatural powers placed one foot in the north of Anuradhapura with the other on top of Adam's Peak.

Within the Abhayagiri complex is the Samadhi Buddha, which depicts the Buddha in the serene state of samadhi, or deepmeditation. A little further north are the twin ponds or Kuttam Pokuna. Beyond the Samadhi Buddha is one of the most outstanding moonstone in Anuradhapura. This moonstone located at the threshold of the queen's pavilion of King Mahasen's Palace.



http://www.asiaexplorers.com/srilanka/abhayagiri_vihara.htm

'Aeth Pokuna' - Elephant pool, Lankaramaya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

A pool many times the size of an Olympic pool, this water reservoir, more than 2000 years old still retains its water, fed by under-ground channels. The name refers to its size. It was used by the residents of  the Lankaramaya, for their washing etc..