Cultural
Identification. The official name of the nation is
the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. In 1972, the national
constitution discarded the name Ceylon and adopted the name of Sri Lanka. In
Sinhala, the language of the majority, Sri means "blessed" and Lanka
is the name of the island.
The island's history of immigration, trade, and
colonial invasion has led to the formation of a variety of ethnic groups, each
with its own language and religious traditions. Besides the majority Sinhala
Buddhists, the nation also includes Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamils of recent Indian
origin, Muslims, semitribal Väddas, and Burghers, descendants of intermarriages
between Sri Lankans and Europeans. Although the members of these groups share
many cultural practices, beliefs, and values, ethnic differences have become
especially marked since the nation's independence in 1948. These differences
and the exclusive policies of the Sinhala-dominated central government have led
to escalating ethnic conflicts, including the current civil war in which Sri
Lankan Tamil rebels are fighting for an independent nation in the northern and
eastern regions of the island to be called Eelam.
History
. Sri Lanka has a documented history of over 2,000
years, mainly due to ancient historic scriptures like Mahawamsa,[2] and with
the first stone objects dating back to 500,000 BC.[3] Several centuries of
intermittent foreign influence has transformed Sri Lankan culture to its
present form. Nevertheless, the ancient traditions and festivals are still
celebrated, mostly by the conservative Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamil people of
the island, together with other minorities that make up the Sri Lankan
identity. The Tamils, primarily Hindus, claimed the northern section of the
island and the Sinhalese, who are predominantly Buddhists, controlled the
south.[4]
One very important aspect that differentiates Sri
Lankan history is its view on women. Women and men in Sri Lanka have been
viewed equal for thousands of years from ruling the country to how they dress.
Both men and women had the chance to rule the land (Which is true for even
today. The world's first female prime minister was from Sri Lanka).
Even though clothing today is very much westernized
and modest dressing has become the norm for everyone, ancient drawings and
carvings such as 'Sigiriya art', Isurumuniya Lovers show how the pre-colonial
Sri Lankans used to dress, which shows identical amount of clothing and status
for men and women.
Indo-Aryan emigration from India in the 5th century
B.C. came to form the largest ethnic group on Sri Lanka today, the Sinhalese.
Tamils, the second-largest ethnic group on the island, were originally from the
Tamil region of India and emigrated between the 3rd century B.C. and A.D. 1200.
Until colonial powers controlled Ceylon (the country's name until 1972),
Sinhalese and Tamil rulers fought for dominance over the island. The Tamils,
primarily Hindus, claimed the northern section of the island and the Sinhalese,
who are predominantly Buddhist, controlled the south. In 1505 the Portuguese
took possession of Ceylon until the Dutch India Company usurped control
(1658–1796). The British took over in 1796, and Ceylon became an English Crown
colony in 1802. The British developed coffee, tea, and rubber plantations. On
Feb. 4, 1948, after pressure from Ceylonese nationalist leaders (which briefly
unified the Tamil and Sinhalese), Ceylon became a self-governing dominion of
the Commonwealth of Nations
.
Anuradhapura
From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
This article is about the city in
Sri Lanka. For the administrative district enclosing it, see Anuradhapura District. For the ancient kingdom it was capital of, see Anuradhapura Kingdom.
Anuradhapura
අනුරාධපුරය அனுராதபுரம் |
|
 |
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Kuttam Pokuna
Anuradhapura
Location
in Sri Lanka
 |
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Country
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Sri Lanka
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Established
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4th century BC
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Government
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• Type
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Area
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• City
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7,179 km2
(2,772 sq mi)
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• Urban
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36 km2
(14 sq mi)
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Elevation
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81 m (266 ft)
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Population (2012)
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• City
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50,595
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• Density
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2,314/km2
(5,990/sq mi)
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Anuradhians
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Postal
code
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50000
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Anuradhapura (Sinhalese: අනුරාධපුරය
; Tamil: அனுராதபுரம்) is a major city in Sri Lanka.
It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka
and the capital of Anuradhapura District. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka,
famous for its well-preserved ruins of an ancient Sri Lankan civilization. It
was the third capital of the Kingdom of Rajarata, following the kingdoms of Tambapanni and Upatissa
Nuwara.
The city, now a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, was the center of Theravada
Buddhism
for many centuries. The city lies 205 km (127 mi) north of the
current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province,
on the banks of the historic Malvathu Oya.
It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.
It is believed that from the fourth
century BC until the beginning of the 11th century AD it was the capital of the
Sinhalese. During this period it remained one of the most stable and
durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient
city, considered sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by
monasteries covering an area of over sixteen square miles (40 km²).
Urban
Area
Protohistoric Iron Age
Although according to historical
records the city was founded in the 5th century BC, the archaeological data put
the date as far back as the 10th century BC.[1]
Very little evidence was available about the period before the 5th century BC
(i.e. the protohistoric period), though excavations have revealed information
about the earlier inhabitants of the city.
Further excavations in Anuradhapura
have uncovered information about the existence of a protohistoric habitation of
humans in the citadel. The protohistoric Iron Age,
which spans from 900 to 600 BC, marked the appearance of iron technology,
pottery, the horse, domestic cattle and paddy cultivation. In the time period
700 to 600 BC, the settlement in Anuradhapura had grown over an area of at
least 50 hectares (120 acres). The city was strategically situated of major
ports northwest and northeast. It was surrounded by irrigable and fertile land.
The city was also buried deep in the jungle providing natural defence from
invaders.
Lower Early Historic period
The Lower Early Historic period,
spanning from 500 to 250 BC, is studied on the lines of the chronicles. During
this time King Pandukabhaya formally planned the city, with gates, quarters for traders
etc. The city at the time would have covered an area of 1 square kilometre
which makes it one of the largest in the continent at the time.
He laid out four suburbs as well as the Abhaya-tank, the
common cemetery, the place of execution, and the chapel of the Queens of the
West, the banyan-tree of Vessavana and the Palmyra-palm of the Demon of
Maladies, the ground set apart for the Yonas and the house of the Great
Sacrifice; all these he laid out near the west gate.[2]
A hermitage was made for many ascetics; eastward of that
same cemetery, the ruler built a house for the Nigantha Jotiya. On the further side
of Jotiya's house and on this side of the Gamani tank, he likewise built a
monastery for wandering mendicant monks, and a dwelling for the Ajivakas and a
residence for the Brahmans, and in this place and that he built a lying-in
shelter and a hall for those recovering from sickness.[2]
It is believed that King Pandukabhaya
made it his capital in the 4th century BC, and that he also laid out the town
and its suburbs according to a well-organized plan. He constructed a reservoir
named Abhayavapi. He established shrines for yakkhas such as Kalawela and
Cittaraja. He housed the Yaksini-Cetiya in the form of a mare within the royal
precincts, and offerings were made to all these demi-gods every year. He chose
the sites for the cemetery and for the place of execution, the Chapel of the
Western Queen, the Pacchimarajini, the Vessavana Banyan Tree, the Palm of the
Vyadhadeva, the Yona Quarter and the House of the Great Sacrifice. The slaves
or Candalas were assigned their duties, and a village was set apart for them.
They build dwellings for Niganthas, for wandering ascetics and for Ajivakas and
Brahmanas. He established, the village boundaries. The tradition that King
Pandukabhaya made Anuradhapura the capital city of Sri Lanka
as early as the 4th century BC had been very important.
The administrative and sanitary
arrangements made for the city and the shrines he provided indicate that over
the years, the city developed according to an original master plan. His son,
Mutasiva, succeeded to the throne. During his reign of sixty years, he
maintained Anuradhapura as his capital and further laid out the Mahameghavana Garden
which was to play an important role in the early history of Buddhism in Sri
Lanka. It was in the period of his successor, his son Devanampiya Tissa,
that Buddhism was first introduced to this island 236 years after the passing
away of the Buddha. Emperor Ashoka
of India
was a contemporary of Devanampiya Tissa.
Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka of India. Ashoka embraced
Buddhism after he was inspired by a very small monk named Nigrodha. The king,
who was in great misery after seeing the loss of life caused by his waging wars
to expand his empire, was struck by the peaceful countenance of such a young monk.
Meeting this young monk made a turning point in his life and he thereafter,
renounced wars. He was determined to spread the message of peace, to neutralize
the effects from the damages caused by him through his warfare. As a result,
both his son and daughter were ordained as Buddha disciples, and became
enlightened as Arahats. In his quest to spread the message of peace instead of
war, he sent his son Mahinda, to the island of Lanka, which was also known as
“Sinhalé”. 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 the people, and preached the doctrine.
Historically this period is believed
to extend from 250 to 210 BC. This is the point at which a kingship began
and a civilization developed based on one of the most significant religions of South Asia,
Buddhism.
Buddhism
and Anuradhapura
With the introduction of Buddhism,
the city gained more prominence and the great building era began. The Mahavansa
states that King Kutakannatissa built the
first city wall to a height of seven cubits with a moat in front of the wall.
This fortification was further enlarged by raising the wall a further 11 cubits
to 18 cubits by King Vasabha. The king also added fortified gatehouses at the entrances
of which the ruins can be seen to date. The Mahavamsa also states that
soothsayers and architects were consulted in the construction.
During the late Anuradhapura period,
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. Art works featuring depictions of Avalokitesvara, the
Bodhisattva of Mercy and Compassion, became increasing popular.
Great
Building Era
The
city grows
The city's popularity grew both as a
ritual centre and as the administrative centre, a large population was
attracted to the city for permanent settlement. Thus the living facilities were
improved to accommodate the expanding population. King Vasabha
constructed many ponds which were fed by a network of subterranean channels
which were constructed to supply water to the city. The Tissa and Abhayavapi
tanks were built, the Nuwara weva was built and the Malwatu Oya was dammed to
build the Nachchaduwa wewa which was 4,408 acres (17.84 km2) in
size.
Parks were also provided in the
city. The Ranmasu Uyana below the bund of Tissavapi or Tissa
weva was one such, but it was strictly
reserved for the members of the royal family. Health care and education were
two other aspects to which the authorities paid attention. There were several
hospitals in the city. In the 4th century King Upatissa II provided quarters
and homes for the crippled and the blind. King Buddhadasa
(337-365 AD), himself a physician of great repute, appointed a physician
to be in charge of every ten villages. For the maintenance of these physicians,
one tenth of the income from the fields was set apart. He also set up refuges
for the sick in every village. Physicians were also appointed to look after the
animals. Kassapa V (914-923 AD) founded a hospital close to the southern
gate of Anuradhapura. General Sena in the 10th century is believed to have
built a hospital close to the ceremonial street (Managala Veediya). The history
of medical care began early, for in the 4th century BC King Pandukhabaya, in the course of sanitizing the town constructed a
hospital. A large workforce was entrusted with the task of keeping the city
clean.
Large lakes were also constructed by
the city's rulers to irrigate paddy lands and also to supply water to the city.
Nuwara wewa and Tissa
wewa are among the best known lakes in
the city.
The
Great City
Anuradhapura attained its highest
magnificence about the commencement of the common era.
The city had some of the most complex irrigation systems of the ancient world,
situated in the dry zone of the country the administration built many tanks to
irrigate the land. Most of these tanks still survive.
Modern
era
European
discovery
The area was uninhabited for many
centuries, but 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
Candy"[ 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 is still considered a sacred spot; and is a place
of pilgrimage."[
Excavations
Various excavations have taken place
at the site, beginning in 1884-86 by Stephen Montagu Burrows[
According to carbon dating, the
ruins excavated were from the 10th century BC.
Ruins
1890 map of Anuradhapura by Harry
Charles Purvis Bell
The ruins consist of three classes
of buildings, dagobas, monastic buildings, and pokunas. The dagobas
are bell-shaped masses of masonry, varying from a few feet to over 1100 ft
(340 m) in circumference. Some of them contain enough masonry to build a
town for twenty-five thousand inhabitants. Remains of the monastic buildings
are to be found in every direction in the shape of raised stone platforms,
foundations and stone pillars. The most famous is the Brazen Palace erected by
King Dutugamunu about 164 BC. The pokunas are bathing-tanks or tanks
for the supply of drinking water, which are scattered everywhere through the jungle.
The city also contains a sacred Bo-Tree,
which is said to date back to the year 245 BC.
Eight
Great Places of Veneration in Anuradhapura - Atamasthana
 |
Main article: Atamasthana
- Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
- Ruwanwelisaya
- Thuparamaya
- Lovamahapaya
- Abhayagiri Dagaba
- Jetavanarama
- Mirisaveti Stupa
- Lankarama
Other
structures
- Isurumuniya
- Magul Uyana
- Vessagiri
- Rathna Prasadaya
- Queen's Palace
- Dakkhina Stupa
- Sela Cetiya
- Naka Vihara
- Kiribath Vehera
- Kuttam Pokuna
- Samadhi Statue
- Toluwila Statue
- Ranmasu Uyana
Transportation
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,
calling there. Anuradhapura is a central city of Sri Lanka. It is directly
connected to a large number of major cities and towns of the island. By road,
it is connected to Vavuniya, Dambulla, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Kurunegala and Kandy. Due to its status as a crossroads city, the city is a good
base for exploring many important ancient landmarks a short distance away.
Picture
gallery
Anuradhapura
is famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization
Jaya Sri
Maha Bodhi Anuradhapura
A
Moonstone from Anuradhapura
A vamana
sculpture from Anuradhapura
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