The History of Polonnaruwa

Sri Lanka has a long and interesting past of kings coming into power and with them a number of great monarchies rising and falling. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa ranks second in this long line of Kingdoms. First established in the 10th century under the name Jananathapuram by the Cholas, Polonnaruwa was used as the capital for the South Indian invaders when they conquered Sri Lanka. During this period, both Hinduism and Chola culture flourished, and the telltale signs of their influence are present to date. The most famous among them is the Shiva Shrine built by the Chola King RajaRaja who named it after his queen.

The Cholas continued to rule for about fifty-three years before they were defeated by King Vijayabahu I in 1070 AD. History records that after reconquering the island the Sinhalese king made Polonnaruwa his capital and succeeded in repairing most of the country’s irrigation system. He also encouraged trade and brought back some of the lost prosperity to the country. The next great king to precede him was Parakramabahu I.

King Parakramabahu I ruled from 1123 – 1186 AD and was one of the most powerful kings in Sri Lanka. During his reign trade and agriculture thrived and the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa entered a self-sufficient era. Owing to King Parakramabahu adamant will to never waste water, an irrigation system far superior to the Anuradhapura era was built. The greatest among these is the Parakrama Samudra (The Sea of Parakrama) which is well worth a visit. King Parakramabahu was also known for the expansion and beautification of Polonnaruwa and the reforming of Buddhist practices in Sri Lanka and went down in history as Parakramabahu the Great. His irrigation system is in use even to date to supply water during the dry season.

The next famous king of Polonnaruwa was King Parakramabahu’s immediate successor. King Nissankamalla I was a self-acclaimed builder and is best known for his architectural constructions like the Nissanka Lata Mandapaya, Hatadage and Rankot Vihara. However, in his desire to match his predecessor’s deeds he ended up squandering most of the monarchy’s wealth. The kings that came after him were weak willed and gave into the lawlessness and the constant South Indian attacks. Many of them entered into marriage relationships with the invaders and as a result the royal lineage gradually declined. The invasions and the failed social and religious structure finally brought the Polonnaruwa era to its end and left the country in a dark age.




Written By: Kavisha Perera