Watadage

Polonnaruwa is a large city in Sri Lanka that came to fame during its short period of 2 Centuries of Sri Lankan history, second only to the ancient city of Anuradhapura in ancient cultural heritage.

Polonnaruwa situated in 216 kms from Colombo and 122 kms from Kurunegala. The most common way to reach Polonnaruwa is to come to Habarana and then turn off on the A11 Road [Maradankadawala-Tikkandimadu] and continue for about 45 kms to reach Polonnaruwa.

Polonnaruwa today is a showcase of Sri Lanka's ancient architecture dating back to the 12th Century AD, which was lined with many Buddhist monasteries and monuments built by King Parakramabahu I. Later King Nissankamalla (1187 -1196 AD ) also from Kalinga family who devoted to the development of many buildings and monuments in Polonnaruwa.

During the period of the Anuradhapura about the 1st to the 6th Century AD, , there are agricultural developments and irrigation works and constructions such as the Elahera canal, Minneriya tank, Kaudulla tank, Giritale tank and others in Polonnaruwa area. The government of Anuradhapura of the King's army was also organized in Polonnaruwa. King Aggabodhi IV (667-685 AD) was the First King who settled in Polonnaruwa and ruled the Anuradhapura Kingdom. In earlier times this city was called Pulatthinagara, after a famous sage, Pulasti which gives a description of the Hindu existence.

King Parakramabahu I, was the great King who ruled Polonnaruwa during the Polonnaruwa era for 33 years from 1153-86 AD and it was a prosperous time for the entire island. A time and a lot of construction work that one can see even now. He developed the city with architects and technicians brought down from India and the influence of Indian architecture can be seen from many well-preserved places that exist today. Polonnaruwa Architecture, Art and Sculpture are well displayed in Gal Viharaya, Thuparamaya Image House and Lankathilaka Image House. and many other places scattered outside Polonnaruwa ancient city.

Due to attacks from the Cholas of South India, the kingdom of Polonnaruwa was under the control of the Cholas for about 73 years. Polonnaruwa kingdom was abandoned by Sinhala kings in the latter part of the 12th century.

Famous places like Sigiriya, Medirigiriya, Somawathie, Dimbulagala and Buduruwayaya not far from Polonnaruwa can be reached without much difficulty.

What is Vatadage?

Also known as a dage, a cetiyagara, and a thupagara, it is a form of Buddhist architecture built in Sri Lanka. This type of building is not the same as the popular architecture found in Sri Lanka. The purpose of the Vatadage is to protect small stupas that hold an icon of a Buddhist monk or shelter for devotees. It has special characteristics as it should be round in shape, and built of bricks and stones and decorated with unique passions. Usually, it has a wooden roof and is supported by stone pillars, and it has many uses. It is believed that the first Vatadage built in Sri Lanka was the one at the Thuparama temple in Anuradhapura, but the most impressive and best preserved is the Polonnaruwa Vatadage. Unfortunately, only ten Vatadages still remain and they are located in Rajangana, Menikdena, Devundara, and Tiriyaya, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa, Thuparama, Lankarama, Medirigiriya, and Attanagalla.

One of the most unique structures in the entire kingdom, the Polonnaruwa Vatadage has a long and famous history. Thought to be the only structure of its kind in all of Sri Lanka, this complex is believed to be the site of Lord Buddha's Tooth Relic, after the transformation into the capital from Anuradhapura in the 11th century.

The va?ad?ge is a type of Buddhist architecture found in Sri Lanka. Also known as dage, thupagara and cetiyagara. Although it may have had some Indian influence, it is a more or less unique structure in ancient Sri Lankan architecture. Shelves were built around small stupas for their protection, which often housed a memorial or were built on sacred ground. They are round in shape, usually built of stone and brick and decorated with carved stones. There may also have been a wooden roof, supported by several stone pillars arranged in concentric rows.

Only ten vatadages are now left in Sri Lanka. The people who built most of these monuments are unknown, as well as when they were created. The oldest building is believed to be the one surrounding the Thuparamaya. The best example of vatadage is generally believed to be the Polonnaruwa Vatadage. With him, the vatadages in Medirigiriya and Thiriyaya are more or less the same.

Vatages are round in shape. Small stupas were built nearby for their protection, as well as shelters for worshippers. The stupa stands in the center of a raised circular platform, usually paved with stone. The vatadage in Polonnaruwa has two levels, one above the other. This level has several concentric rows of stone pillars. The columns on the inner row were the tallest, but the height of the columns on the outer rows gradually decreased as they spread farther from the center. The number of stone columns and rows varies from structure to structure, with the vatadage at Lankarama originally having as many as 88 columns.

Central rows of stone pillars were used to support a wooden roof. However, it is controversial when building a roof in some vatadages. If there was a roof, the area above the stupa itself may have been covered. However, the arrangement of the stone pillars suggests that the rest of the roof may have been conical in shape. A brick wall usually surrounds this position, and there is evidence that the interior of this wall was decorated with paintings.

Vatadages usually have four gates, usually facing the four cardinal directions. However, not everything was built according to this tradition, and vatadages like the Thuparama have only one door. These doors were well decorated. The stairs leading to the upper level were decorated with pictures, like koravakgalas. A sandakada pahana (moonstone) was placed at the foot of the stairs, opposite the two mualaals.

History

Oldest vatadage in Sri Lanka is defended to be the one at the Thuparama temple in Anuradhapura. It was built by Vasabha around an existing stupa, during his reign from 67 to 111 AD Although many vatadages were built later, in many cases it is not certain whether who built it and when. There are only ten vatadages left in the country. They are currently located in Thuparama, Lankarama, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa, Medirigiriya, Attanagalla, Rajangana, Menikdena, Devundara, and Tiriyaya. Of these, the vatadages at Polonnaruwa, Medirigiriya, and Tiriyaya are well preserved, and provide a good insight into the early appearance of this type of structure. The vatadages at Mihintale and Attanagalla were probably built by Gothabhaya, who ruled in the 3rd century.

The Rajangane Vatadage, probably built in the 7th or 8th century, differs from the others because it has a square shape instead of a round one. Vatadage at Tiriyaya was created in the 8th century. The Polonnaruwa Vatadage, considered the "masterpiece" of vatadage architecture, was built in the 12th century.

Vatadages are usually built on stupas built on sacred ground or containing an icon of the Buddha or something used by him. The Polonnaruwa Vatadage may have had the tooth tooth of the Buddha enshrined in it. Similarly, it is believed that a hair of the Buddha is enshrined in Tiriyaya, and his bones in Thuparama. Both the Attanagalla and Mihintale vatadages are believed to have been built on sacred soil.

The Construction

The Medirigiriya Watadageya in Sri Lanka was built on a rocky outcrop. There is one door facing north. The entrance is a large carved stone frame built at the bottom of a staircase. The frame measures 9.75 feet tall and 4.75 feet wide. The next door was a climb of 27 stone steps to a large resting place. There are four steps from the rest area to the actual Stupa. The Stupa Hall had a low stone wall, about a meter high, that ran around it. They sat against the wall facing the four cardinal directions of the four beautiful Buddha statues. There was a huge sleeping Buddha 33 feet long inside the Stupa House. The Stupa dominated the center.

The stupa was surrounded by stone pillars in three concentric rings. The outer ring has 32 pillars standing at nine feet, the middle ring has 20 pillars at 16 feet, and finally, the inner ring has 16 pillars standing at 17 feet. Some archaeologists argue that there was no roof at all, while others say that the pillars left in the ruins are still standing to prove that they supported a roof. The height of the rings of pillars refers to a roof that is very high in the middle to accommodate the top of the Stupa, while it tapers down in a dome-like pattern to a low point on the outer edges.

The ruined but still beautiful Medirigiriya Vatadage is a great example of the high quality stone work that Ceylon artisans have done over the years.