 "Buddhist devotees offer prayers during Poya, a religious festival to mark the full moon at the Ruwanwelisaya Temple in Anuradhapura on April 5, 2023. File Photo/AFP")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Anuradhapura, the capital of ancient Sri Lanka, this week. The trip to the sacred city is a part of the Indian leader’s scheduled visit to the island nation — his first since 2019 — from April 4 to 6.
Modi will travel to Anuradhapura, along with Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on the last day of his two-day visit. After offering prayers at the Sri Maha Bodhi tree, the two leaders will reach the Anuradhapura Railway station to inaugurate the signal system for the northern railway line, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told The Hindu.
As PM Modi’s visit puts a spotlight on Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura, we take a look at the city’s history.
Rich history of Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, a Unesco World Heritage Site, was the capital of what we now call Sri Lanka for more than a thousand years.
Located in the North Central Province, the ancient city boasts a rich religious and political history. It stands as a testament to the cultural and religious ties between India and Sri Lanka.
Anuradhapura was founded by Anuradha, a minister of King Vijaya, in the 6th Century BC. King Pandukabhaya established his capital in Anuradhapura in 377 BC.
It remained the capital of Lankan rulers from 377 BC to 1017 CE.
The kingdom of Anuradhapura ceased to be the seat of the ruler for a brief period when King Kashyapa I in 473 CE moved his capital to Sigiriya. Anuradhapura became the capital again in 491 CE after Kashyapa’s death.
Anuradhapura hosts some of the most holiest sites for Buddhists.
Buddhism came to Sri Lanka from India in the 3rd century BC. When King Ashoka – who embraced the faith around 250 BC — sent his son, Prince Mahendra, to Sri Lanka, Devanampiya Tissa was the ruler of Anuradhapura.
Tissa, who was reportedly a friend of Asoka, converted to Buddhism at Mihintale. Later, the Indian leader dispatched HIS daughter, Princess Sanghamitra, with a group of bhikkhunis (nuns) to the island, according to Sahapedia.
She is said to have brought a sapling from the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya in today’s Bihar. Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment under this tree in Bodh Gaya. This sapling, planted in Anuradhapura, attracts thousands of devotees even today.
Soon, the Buddhist religion spread across Sri Lanka, influencing the culture and society of the Sinhalese people.
Dotted by ancient stupas, monasteries, and relics, Anuradhapura is home to many famous Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka. The Jetavanaramaya Stupa, originally 122 metres tall, was the world’s tallest stupa when it was constructed in the 3rd century CE.
Built by King Dutugemunu in 140 BC, the Ruwanwelisaya Dagoba (stupa) stands 103 metres tall and has a circumference of 290 metres. While it was a ruin in the 19th Century, the stupa was restored to its former glory in the early 20th century, as per a History Hit article.
The Abhayagiri Dagoba once housed the Tooth of Buddha. The sacred tooth is now kept at a temple in the city of Kandy.
Other important ancient structures in Anuradhapura include the Isurumuniya monastery (known for its famous stone sculptures like the Isurumuniya Lovers), the Theravada school, and Kuttam Pokuna, or twin ponds.
Downfall of Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, which once flourished as Sri Lanka’s capital, was invaded and destroyed by the Indian ruler Rajendra Chola I in 993.
The Cholas captured Mahinda V, the last king of Anuradhapura, and his family, marking the fall of the sacred Lankan city in 1017 CE.
Mahinda was taken to India, where he breathed his last in 1029 CE.
The seat of the ruler was shifted to Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, which was the capital for over 1,300 years, was abandoned.
With inputs from agencies