Rankoth Vehera

Rankoth Vehera Rankoth Vehera Rankoth Vehera

Rankoth Vehera in Sri Lanka: Stupa with the Golden Pinnacle

Polonnaruwa was the second kingdom of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka, after the kingdom of Anuradhapura. Following the older tradition of the kings of the first kingdom, the Polonnaruwa kings too saw fit to leave their footprints in the form of stupas built during their times of reign. The stupas were usually different from in design from those of the Anuradhapura kings and followed a style unique to Polonnaruwa, but there were a few exceptions.

Rankoth Vehera in Sri Lanka: Resembling Ruwanwelisaya

Ruwanweli is a stupa built by the king Nissanka Malla who ruled Polonnaruwa (AD 1187 – 1196). It was constructed in the style of the original Anuradhaphura Maha Vihara monastery stupas, bearing a close resemblance to one of the most famous stupas of Sri Lanka – ‘Ruwanwelisaya’. The original name of the stupa indicates that perhaps this resemblance was intentional. However the name was changed later on to ‘Rankoth Vehera’. ‘Ran’ means gold, and ‘koth’ is the word used for the pinnacle of a stupa in the Sinhalese language. Hence Rankoth Vehera approximates in English to ‘Stupa with the Golden pinnacle’. Rankoth Vehera is one of the most well-known and revered stupas of the Polonnaruwa era.

Rankoth Vehera in Sri Lanka: 10 Things You Should know about Rankoth Vehera

  • Brick was the only construction material used in the entire stupa.
  • Rankoth Vehera’s circular base has a diameter of approximately 170m (550 feet) and a height of approximately 33m (108 feet) at the tip of the stupa.
  • However, renovation was carried out on the upper portion of Rankoth Vehera by later rulers changing the height of the structure. Research has shown that the original height of the stupa may have been as great as 200 feet (61m).
  • Even after the drastic decrease Rankoth Vehera remains the largest stupa in Polonnaruwa, and the fourth largest in the country.
  • Rankoth Vehera has four Vahalkadas supporting the weight of the stupa, which are also made of brick.
  • The entire stupa lies in the center of a large square terrace that is surrounded by a brick wall.
  • The terrace has four entrances in the directions of the four cardinal points, with sand paths leading up to them.
  • It is inscribed on a stone close to one of the entrance that King Nissanka Malla watched over and supervised the construction of the stupa.
  • The inscription also mentions that he worshiped the stupa from a stone platform.
  • This platform can be found at a corner of the terrace on which the stupa is placed.

Polonnaruwa, along with Anuradhapura, has a literal treasure trove of well-preserved historical places to visit, such as Rankoth Vehera.

Rankoth Vehera Rankoth Vehera Rankoth Vehera

À propos du district de Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa est la deuxième plus grande ville de la province du Centre-Nord du Sri Lanka. Classée au patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO, sa cité antique est riche d'une riche histoire de conquêtes et de luttes, et constitue à juste titre le troisième élément du Triangle culturel. Située à environ 140 km au nord-est de Kandy, Polonnaruwa offre des heures de plaisir sans fin aux amateurs d'histoire et de culture, grâce à ses nombreux sites remarquables.

La plupart des ruines actuelles sont attribuées au roi Parakrama Bahu Ier, qui consacra d'importantes ressources royales à l'urbanisme, notamment à la construction de parcs, d'édifices, de systèmes d'irrigation, etc. Son règne est considéré comme un âge d'or où le royaume prospéra sous la conduite d'un souverain visionnaire. Le Parakrama Samudra, un immense réservoir, porte le nom de son mécène. Le célèbre palais royal, la salle d'audience entourée d'éléphants en pierre magnifiquement sculptés et le bassin de baignade témoignent de l'excellence technique de l'époque.

À propos de la province du Centre-Nord

La province du Centre-Nord, la plus grande du pays, couvre 16 % de la superficie totale du pays. Elle est composée de deux districts : Polonnaruwa et Anuradhapure. Anuradhapura est le plus grand district du Sri Lanka, avec une superficie de 7 128 km².

La province du Centre-Nord offre de nombreuses opportunités d'investissement pour la création d'entreprises, notamment dans les secteurs de l'agriculture, des industries agroalimentaires et de l'élevage. Plus de 65 % de la population de la province dépend de l'agriculture et des industries agroalimentaires de base. La province du Centre-Nord, également appelée « Wew Bendi Rajje », compte plus de 3 000 réservoirs de moyenne et grande taille. Sri Maha Bodiya, Ruwanweli Seya, Thuparama Dageba, le monastère d'Abayagiri, Polonnaruwa Rankot Wehera et Lankathilake sont des sites à surveiller.

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