Rich History... The name Anuradhapura is eponymous. According to legend , the first settler was Anuradha, a follower of Prince Vijaya the founder of the Sinhala race. Some generations later a second Anuradha, a Sinhala nobleman and relative of the reigning king, was assigned the district round the village as his demesne. Since it had served as the dwelling of two Anuradhas it was called Anuradhapura. ‘Pura’ being the sinhala name for town.
It was first founded as the capital by the King Pandukabhaya about 380 B.C. According to the ‘Mahawansa’ the Sinhala epic, king Pandukabhaya’s city was a model of planning. The precincts were set aside for huntsmen, chandalas or low cast people for heretics as well as foreigners. Among other buildings erected during his reign, are hostels, hospitals and separate cemeteries for high and low cast people. Water supply was assured by the construction of artificial reservoirs of which one called after him exists to this day under the altered name Basawak Kulama.
During the reign of Devanampiya Tissa ( 307 B.C ), Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka by Arahant Mahinda, son of Asoka the Great Buddhist Emperor of India. Arahant Mahinda came with his followers, settled in a hermitage of caves on the hill of Mihintale.
Tissa Wewa, the large Tank, to the west of the sacred city is a Great Irrigational feat by King Devanampiya Tissa.
In later years inspired by the spreading of the new religion king Dutugemun u, erected a number of edifices of great architectural significance. |
email me
add as friend
Comments for Emichelle about Anuradhapura