Lankapura

Polonnaruwa Gal Vihara seated Buddha Statue, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1880-1890 #IMG540

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One of the finest collections of Buddhist sculpture can be seen at Galvihara (Rock Monastery) in Polonnaruwa, the capital of ancient Sri Lanka from the 11th century. There are 4 Buddha statues at Gal Vihara, each carved out of a single piece of granite, they depict the Buddha seated, standing and reclining; meditative, sorrowful and serene. Gal Vihara is part of a monastery built in the 12th century during the reign of the great King Parakramabahu.

Pollonnaruwa is in north-central Sri Lanka. Between 781-1290 CE it was the capital for the indigenous Sinhalese kings, who had to abandon the old capital, Anaradhapura, due to South Indian Tamil invasions.

This image of a sitting Buddha is over 20 feet tall and with various deities.

These statues are all that remain of the vihara (monastery) at ancient city of Polonnaruwa, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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