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Anuradhapura, Abhayagiri Dagoba,

Anuradhapura is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka, and one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization. It was the third capital of the Kingdom of Rajarata after Tambapanni and Upatissa Nuwara.

The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the center of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. The city lies on the banks of the historic Malvathu Oya. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

It is believed that from the 4th century BC, it was the capital of the Sinhalese until the beginning of the 11th century AD. During this period it remained one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient city, considered sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by monasteries covering an area of over 40 km².

Abhayagiri Vihāra was a major monastery site of Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism that was situated in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is one of the most extensive ruins in the world and one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage cities in the nation. Historically it was a great monastic centre as well as a royal capital, with magnificent monasteries rising to many stories, roofed with gilt bronze or tiles of burnt clay glazed in brilliant colors. To the north of the city, encircled by great walls and containing elaborate bathing ponds, carved balustrades and moonstones, stood "Abhayagiri", one of seventeen such religious units in Anuradhapura and the largest of its five major viharas. One of the focal points of the complex is an ancient stupa, the Abhayagiri Dagoba. Surrounding the humped dagoba, Abhayagiri Vihara was a seat of the Northern Monastery, or Uttara Vihara and the original custodian of the Tooth relic in the island.

It is recorded in the chronicle that Abhayagiri Dagoba was established by King Valagamba during the period of his second reign, from 89-77 BC. In 89 BC, Valagamba defeated the Tamil king, Bhatiya. One of his first acts was to build the Abhayagiri Vihara on the site of the Giri monastery. Abhayagiri thereafter became a symbol not only of religious, but also of national, resurgence, as it signaled the end of Brahmin and Jain influence in the country.

Under Gajabahu I, Abhayagiri grew in prestige and importance. The accession of King Mahasena in the 3rd century AD saw the suppression of the Mahavihara monks. The king prohibited the giving of alms to them and went as far as to demolish the buildings of the Mahavihara and re‑use their materials for the construction of new buildings at the Abhayagiri. The accession of Mahasena ushered in the golden age of Abhayagiri. After the Buddha's Tooth Relic was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century, Abhayagiri was selected to house it for public veneration.

Periodic South Indian invasions, especially in the 9th century in the reign of Sena I, almost half a century of Chola rule and the subsequent abandonment of the capital, Anuradhapura, led to the disintegration of the Abhayagiri Vihara. Despite efforts by Vijayabahu I and Parakramabahu I in the 13th century to renovate and resurrect the temple, its gradual destruction in the course of time could not be averted, particularly after the final transfer of the capital from Polonnaruwa in the Rajarata, or King's Country, to an alternative location in 1215 as a result of repeated Maga invasions.

A dark era of eight hundred years engulfed Abhayagiri Vihara until its rediscovery in the 1880s awoke scientific and scholarly interest in the abandoned and vandalized ruins. Mistakenly identified at first as Jetavana Vihara, they were photographed and drawn by specialists in the late 19th century, while the Department of Archaeology, established about the same period, undertook excavation and conservation work of some of the edifices at the beginning of the 20th century.

Abhayagiri Dagoba rises to a height of 75 meters and has a diameter of 106 meters. The outer square terrace is strewn with sand while the inner terrace is paved with stone. The premises of the Abhayagiri stupa encompassing the building and two terraces spread over an area of about 6 hectares. The four ponds at the four entrances set in the four cardinal directions were designed to gather the water falling onto the terrace.

(sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anuradhapura, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhayagiri_vih%C4%81ra, and lakpura.com/abhayagiri-monastery)

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Taken in: Sri Lanka / North Central Province / Nuwaragam Palata Central Division / Pankulama (show map)

Taken on: May 17, 2018

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Anuradhapura

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Theravada Buddhism

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Abhayagiri Vihāra

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Valagamba

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UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Sets appears in: • Public • UNESCO World Heritage more » • UNESCO World Heritage 1998 • Sri Lanka 2018 best • 2018 • Sri Lanka « less

Camera: Nikon D5500, f/10.0, 1/400 sec, 18mm (=27mm), ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D5500
Aperture:	f/10.0
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Focal Length:	18mm (35mm equivalent: 27mm)
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Not Defined
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Ver.1.01
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