Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
That Polonnaruwa is close to elephant-packed national parks only adds to its popularity.
And the town itself makes a pleasant base for a day or two, fringed by a huge, beautiful
tank with a relaxed ambience.
NAVIGATING POLONNARUWA
Polonnaruwa has three distinct areas:
Old Town has a small commercial centre, hotels, the main museum and is close to the
archaeological site. It borders the waters of Topa Wewa (Topa Tank) and has a relaxed
tropical vibe.
New Town is south of Old Town and also has hotels but is otherwise not very densely
developed and has little of interest.
Kaduruwela is 4km east of Old Town and is the main commercial strip for the region. It
has the main bus and train stations, banks and services and a lot of traffic and little
beauty.
History
For three centuries Polonnaruwa was a royal capital of both the Chola and Sinhalese king-
doms. Although nearly 1000 years old, it's much younger than Anuradhapura and gener-
ally in better repair (though smaller in scale).
The South Indian Chola dynasty made its capital at Polonnaruwa after conquering
Anuradhapura in the late 10th century: Polonnaruwa was a strategically better place to
guard against any rebellion from the Ruhunu Sinhalese kingdom in the southeast. It also,
apparently, had fewer mosquitoes! When the Sinhalese King Vijayabahu I drove the
Cholas off the island in 1070, he kept Polonnaruwa as his capital.
Under King Parakramabahu I (r 1153-86), Polonnaruwa reached its zenith. The king
erected huge buildings, planned beautiful parks and, as a crowning achievement, created a
25-sq-km tank, which was so large that it was named the Parakrama Samudra (Sea of
Parakrama). The present lake incorporates three older tanks, so it may not be the actual
tank he created.
Parakramabahu I was followed by Nissanka Malla (r 1187-96), who virtually bankrup-
ted the kingdom through his attempts to match his predecessors' achievements. By the
early 13th century Polonnaruwa was beginning to prove as susceptible to Indian invasion
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