Works of Art, Works of Wonders - Anuradhapura

In my last post I covered one of the two places we visited in Anuradhapura. Today I'll be posting about the imposing Stupa (chedi) in Anuradhapura, the Ruwanweliseya. It is a much venerated Stupa for Buddhists, rich in history and an amazing architecture. It is also one of the three great stupas in Anuradhapura which can be spotted from great distances.

Lankan stupas mostly follow a predefined shape which would most likely be one of the following 6 shapes.

The primary shapes of Stupas in Lanka
1. Ghantakara (bell)
2. Ghatakara (pot)
3. Bubbulakara (bubble)
4. Dhanyakara (paddy-heap)
5. Padmakara (lotus)
6. Amalakakara (Indian gooseberry / nelli)

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Ruwanweli Stupa

Firstly let's see some stats.

Built in: 2nd century BC (161 - 137 BC)
Built by: King Dutu Gemunu *completed by his brother King Saddhatissa*
Shape: Bubble
Height: 92 m
Circumference: 292 m
Diameter: 90.8 m

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From the figures you can imagine its imposing dimensions, which you will see more clearly with these photos I captured during our pilgrimage last time.

* Click on the images to expand them



pic 1 - 3: Ruwanweli Stupa as seen from a distance, through a canopy of festoon bulbs




pic 1: A korawakgala (type of thick handrail), this one is made of brick and white washed, I think. You could also see a row of elephant relief neatly overlapping, behind the korawakgala.
pic 2: The overlapping elephant relief of 1st pic in a different angle. It is called the 'Eth pawura' (wall of elephants), which is the surrounding wall of Stupa.. and it's embellished with elephant sculptures. You can gauge their size from this pic, as there is a devotee walking past them in the right side corner.

*The ruddy tones in the pics, as usual, came up cause I had tweaked the settings.



pic 1: The hefty base of the Stupa, made of 3 level base (basal rings) going around the circumference
pic 2: 'Sala pathala maluwa' (stone laid compound), is the closest ground to the stupa. The surface is very smooth almost like a tiled floor.
pic 3: Some of the relics excavated at the premises were lined up along the wall. They looked like square stone elephants from a distance.



When we walked close to the Stupa, it was impossible to see its pinnacle, cause of its bubble shape. *took this photo after moving a good distance away from the stupa*

The top portion above the dome has a structure composed of a square, cylinder, spire and finally the crystal at the pinnacle. The crystal ('kotha') is something used since the ancient times, and it might have been used as a lightning-conductor as much as an embellishment.



Pic 1 and 2: When we first arrived, a group of devotees were already engaged in a certain ritual. You can see a big band wrapped around the circumference of the dome, isn't it? This is a lengthy robe made of the 5 colors found in a Buddhist flag.

What these pilgrims were doing is called 'kapruka puja', where a lengthy civara (monk's robe, usually in ruddy orange color) is wrapped around the dome as an offering to the temple.



pic 1: The huge structure set before the dome is known as 'Vahalkada', and there are four of them around the stupa.
pic 2: The base of vahalkada. Doesn't these square elephants at the bottom strip look a bit familiar?
pic 3: Top portion of the vahalkada



pic 1: A devotee paying homage to the small shrine at the foot of vahalkada
pic 2: close up of the sitting Buddha statue enshrined here.



pic 1: Portion of the reclining Buddha statue enshrined at the big shrine hall next to the Stupa.
pic 2: Life size statue of King Dutu Gemunu mounted on his royal war tusker named 'Kandula'.
pic 3: Life size statue of King Elara mounted on his war tusker named 'Mahapabbata'

*tusker is an elephant bearing tusks, while war tuskers (or elephants) were especially trained for battles.

There was a historic war between these 2 kings, it wasn't just a fight for the throne, but a fight to unite our land as one nation. Elara, even though he was an invader, was acclaimed as a great leader who enforced and practiced justice.. to the point of punishing his own son for a crime he committed. *wish our current politicians could take him as an example*

The 2nd and 3rd pics look a lil fuzzy, and I wonder if it was due to the tense ambiance I felt inside the shrine hall! You know.. after seeing 2 of the greatest kings of our history in battle-mode. Ironically.. they were flanking the reclining Buddha statue. And I wonder why they were sculpted that way.

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* Disclaimer: Referred the dimensions and some of the facts from Wikipedia, pdn.ac.lk (pdf), Lakehouse (pdf), Wikipedia-2

Anuradhapura - Once a glorious kingdom, now a sacred city

Today's post will be dedicated to Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura.. that we visited on 1st of August 2009, after returning from Tantirimale.

Most Buddhist devotees who visit Anuradhapura usually cover all Atamasthana (literally 8 sites) which have great religious importance to us. We didn't have time to visit all 8 sites, but we did visit two of them - Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanweli Stupa.

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Sri Maha Bodhi
One of the most sacred objects for Buddhists in Lanka is this Bodhi tree, a gift from India brought by Arhant Sangamitta Thero - the daughter of Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC. This sacred tree was once a sapling of the very Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya which sheltered Bodhisatva Siddartha Gauthama to attain enlightenment and become Lord Gauthama Buddha.

This sacred tree in Anuradhapura is said to be one of the oldest trees in the world.. and as Wiki says, it is the oldest human planted tree in the world with a recorded date.

If I remember right, along with Sangamitta Thero, a large group of artisans arrived from India to Lanka bringing a wealth of knowledge and skills on themes like arts and crafts, dancing, music and even architecture, agriculture among others. These ancient sites in Anuradhapura as well as in Polonnaruwa and other cities reveal traces of these wonderful artistry, preserved for centuries.

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Here's a few snaps I captured at Sri Maha Bodhi premises.

* Click on each photo to expand them



Pic 1: The ornate gateway at the first entrance
Pic 2: A glimpse of Sri Maha Bodhi tree, surrounded by a protective wall. In the center is the stairway and on top of it is the second entranceway.

PS: I was tweaking the white balance *setting of my cam* here too, so some pics have different color schemes!



Pic 1: 'Mura gala' or guardstone straddling the stairway *there's 2 for each stairway*
Pic 2: 'Sandakada Pahana' or Moonstone at the foot of this stairway. *I had another in Lankan Artistry post*
Pic 3: A portion of the Korawakgala, a stone railing, straddling the very stairway. While it adds a simplistic yet charming beauty it also supports the weak, the children and the aged to climb up the stairway while holding it.



And here's the very stairway *as seen from above*



Pic 1: The sacred Bodhi tree, surrounded by two golden railings and flanked by a few Buddhist Flags. Some of the boughs on the right side rest upon huge supporters.. and they are said to be oldest boughs remaining since the 3rd century BC.
Pic 2: Close up of these oldest boughs
Pic 3: Sacred Bodhi tree *as seen from the bigger shrine hall below*



Pic 1: Portion of the second entranceway which houses a small shrine where devotees can offer flowers.
Pic 2: Close up of the deep yellow sculpture. It looks a bit modern and I think this is a guarding deity.



Saw a group of traditional drummers in the 'Maluwa' or grounds, on the other side of the first entrance, playing their drums as a 'shabda puja' (a percussive offering) to the sacred Bodhi tree.

See the tiny drummer out there? He might be around 6 - 8 years. Well this lil one started dancing around while playing his thammettama (a traditional twin drum), after seeing me snapping pics of them! =D



The 'Lova Maha Paya' or the Great Brazen Palace of 2nd century BC, sitting between Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanweli Stupa. In the ancient times it rose about 9 floors and accommodated thousands of monks. Today only these stone pillars of the ground floor remain in tact.