Funday Times

Colossal Buddha Images dominate the Sacred City
From the sacred quadrangle discussed last week, we move on to study the panel on Buddha Images displayed at the National Museum's Polonnaruwa Gallery. It again depicts the richness of Buddhist art and architecture during the Polonnaruwa era.

Seven significant images seen in the sacred city of Polonnaruwa are featured in the panel with prominence being given to the well-known cave shrine, the Galvihara, which is also known as Uttararama or Northern Monastery. It is the most celebrated site at Polonnaruwa and one of the most famous in the Island. This renowned cave shrine with colossal images of the Buddha in all three postures - seated, standing and recumbent, is unique in that these have been carved out of the living rock. These are in a state of perfect preservation.

The different images have been explained thus: The encaved shrine called the Vijjadhara-Guha (top left) is embellished with the Buddha seated in samadhi (concentration) attended by Brahma and Indra possibly indicating the enlightenment of the Buddha. The magnificently carved colossal Buddha Image in the open (top centre) is a significant icon of the period. The seat is decorated and the back seat is adorned with dhyana (absorption) Buddhas. These miniature Buddhas with the vajira symbols on the pedestal indicate Mahayana influence.

The identity of the standing figure with the unusual posture of hands crossed against the chest possibly depicts the Buddha in samadhi (second row left) during the second week after enlightenment when he performed the animisalocana puja (paying homage to the Bo-tree under which he attained enlightenment, with motionless eyes fixed upon it with veneration). The recumbent image (the single picture at the bottom) evidently shows the Buddha Mahaparinirvana (passing away).

The top right picture depicts one of the four Buddha images at the Vata-da-ge or Circular Stupa House, representing an iconographical type not found elsewhere in Sri Lanka. In these images, as noticed in the one displayed, the hair on the head is not shown as ringlets, as is normally seen in Buddha images, but the Buddha is represented as wearing a close-fitting, skull cap. The robe is close-fitting without folds.

Standing images seen at the Lakatilaka and the Tivanka Image-House are seen in the middle row. The brick-built image house of Lankatilaka with its colossal standing Buddha statue, also of brick, is in the centre. Lankatilaka is the largest and most imposing sanctuary of Polonnaruwa and has been rebuilt by Parakramabahu on the site of an earlier temple. The entrance façade, to the south, is the best conserved and gives an idea of the height to which its walls once rose.

Apart from the Buddha image, the largest cycle of paintings is preserved in the Tivanka Image-House. These date from the late 12th or early 13th century. The walls were originally covered with paintings from top to bottom: a fair proportion of them is still preserved.

The paintings depict religious subjects, Jataka stories and scenes from the life of the Buddha. The colours employed are brick red, yellow and green. Composition is well balanced, says Professor Paranavitana. He adds: "The drawings of human figures in different attitudes show considerable skill. Much attention has been given to careful rendering of the costumes and ornaments worn by kings, princes, nobles and divinities. "

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