Lankaramaya (ලංකාරාමය)

Lankaramaya Lankaramaya Lankaramaya

Lankaramaya in Sri Lanka: A Temple with Over Two Millenia of History

The tale of the temple Lankaramaya in Sri Lanka is the stuff of legend. The year 103 BC was a memorable year for the King Walagamba (also known as Vattagamini Abaya) of Anuraddhapura. As the rightful king he had been attacked by invaders of the kingdom, and during that year he hid out at a place called Silasobha Khandaka and planned their defeat. His plans worked out well and the invaders were destroyed in the same year, enabling him to be enthroned following the failed invasion.

Silasobha Khandaka held a very special place in his memories, as the place that saved his life and from where he started on the road to his reign. Therefore, he built a stupa in its memory and named it Silasobha Khandaka Cetiya. The stupa was similar in architecture to the Thuparama, the first stupa to be built after the establishment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in 250 BC. It was built with 88 pillars supporting the roof of the vatadage which appears to have been 45 feet in diameter. The vatadage was a roofed hall like structure that surrounded the actual stupa in the centre, with the entire structure built at 10 feet above ground level.

Lankaramaya in Sri Lanka: Present day status of the Temple

Today the actual stupa has been renovated, but little remains of the vatadage except the ruins of a few broken pillars in the middle of the large courtyard. The name of the stupa too has been changed from Silasobha Khandaka Cetiya to the simpler Lankaramaya.

Lankaramaya, along with the Elephant pond and the old underground canal network (dating back hundreds of years) are excellent examples of the complex architecture used millenia ago. They are interesting sites for archeology and histoty lovers. Lankaramaya is definitely a great place to visit on your holiday to Sri Lanka’s Ancient Kingdom Anuraddhapura.

Lankaramaya Lankaramaya Lankaramaya
【LK94009817: Text by Lakpura™. Images by Google, copyright(s) reserved by original authors.】

À propos du district d'Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura fait partie de la province du Centre-Nord du Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura est l'une des anciennes capitales du pays, célèbre pour ses ruines bien préservées de l'ancienne civilisation sri-lankaise. Classée au patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO, la ville se situe à 205 km au nord de l'actuelle capitale Colombo. La ville sacrée d'Anuradhapura et ses environs abritent de nombreuses ruines. Elles se composent de trois types de bâtiments : des dagobas, des bâtiments monastiques et des pokuna (étangs). Située dans la zone aride du pays, la ville possédait l'un des systèmes d'irrigation les plus complexes de l'Antiquité. L'administration a construit de nombreux réservoirs pour irriguer les terres. La plupart des habitants sont cinghalais, tandis que le district est habité par des Tamouls et des Maures sri-lankais.

À propos de la province du Centre-Nord

La province du Centre-Nord, qui est la plus grande province du pays, couvre 16 % de la superficie totale du pays. La province du Centre-Nord se compose de deux districts appelés Polonnaruwa et Anuradhapure. Anuradhapura est le plus grand district du Sri Lanka. Sa superficie est de 7 128 km². La province du Centre-Nord offre de nombreux potentiels aux investisseurs pour démarrer leurs entreprises, en particulier dans les secteurs de l'agriculture, des industries agroalimentaires et de l'élevage. Plus de 65 % de la population de la province du Centre-Nord dépend de l'agriculture de base et des industries agroalimentaires. NCP est également appelé « Wew Bendi Rajje » car il y a plus de 3 000 réservoirs de moyenne et grande taille situés dans la province. Sri Maha Bodiya, Ruwanweli Seya, Thuparama Dageba, Abayagiri Monastry, Polonnaruwa Rankot Wehera, Lankathilake sont effrayants.

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