DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27191#0277
Chap. VIII.
ANURADHAPURA.
239
gradually fell into decay even before the seat of government
was removed to Polonnaruwa. Since that time it has been com-
pletely deserted, and all that now remains are the 1600 pillars
which once supported it. These generally consist of unhewn
blocks of granite about 12 ft. high ; some of the central ones
are sculptured, and many have been split into two, apparently
at the time of the great rebuilding after its destruction by
Mahasena; as it is, they stand about 6 ft. apart from centre to
centre in a compact phalanx, forty on each face, and covering
a space of 250 ft. or 260 ft. each way. Upon the pillars must
have been placed a strong wooden framing from which the
remaining eight storeys rose, as in the modern Burmese
monasteries.
There is only one difficulty in understanding the arrange-
ment of the superstructure of this building, and that is the
assertion of the ‘ Mahawansa ’ that it consisted of nine storeys
—afterwards of five—each containing 100 apartments. For
myself I have no hesitation in rejecting this statement as
impossible, not only from the difficulty of constructing and
roofing such a building, but because its form is so utterly
opposed to all the traditions of Eastern art. If we turn back
to Fah Hian or Hiuen Tsiang’s description of the great
Dakhani monastery (page 171) or to the great rath at Mamalla-
puram (Woodcut No. 89), or, indeed, to any of the 1001 temples
of Southern India, all of which simulate three, five, or nine-
storied residences, we get a distinct idea of what such a build-
ing may have been if erected in the Indian style. It would,
too, be convenient and appropriate to the climate, each storey
having its terrace for walking or sleeping in the open air, and
the whole easily constructed and kept in order. All this will
be clearer in the sequel, but in the meanwhile it hardly appears
doubtful that the Loha Mahapaya was originally of nine, and
subsequently of five storeys, each less in dimension than the
one below it. The top one was surmounted as at Mamallapuram
by a dome, but in this instance composed of bronze—whence
its name ; and, gilt and ornamented as it no doubt was, it must
have been one of the most splendid buildings of the East. It
was as high as the dagabas, and, though not covering quite so
much ground, was equal, in cubical contents, to the largest of
our English cathedrals, and the body of the building was higher
than any of them, omitting of course the spires, which are mere
ornaments.
Besides these there are scattered about the ruins of Anura-
dhapura many groups of pillars and basements that evidently
belonged to viharas, monasteries ancl halls for various
ANURADHAPURA.
239
gradually fell into decay even before the seat of government
was removed to Polonnaruwa. Since that time it has been com-
pletely deserted, and all that now remains are the 1600 pillars
which once supported it. These generally consist of unhewn
blocks of granite about 12 ft. high ; some of the central ones
are sculptured, and many have been split into two, apparently
at the time of the great rebuilding after its destruction by
Mahasena; as it is, they stand about 6 ft. apart from centre to
centre in a compact phalanx, forty on each face, and covering
a space of 250 ft. or 260 ft. each way. Upon the pillars must
have been placed a strong wooden framing from which the
remaining eight storeys rose, as in the modern Burmese
monasteries.
There is only one difficulty in understanding the arrange-
ment of the superstructure of this building, and that is the
assertion of the ‘ Mahawansa ’ that it consisted of nine storeys
—afterwards of five—each containing 100 apartments. For
myself I have no hesitation in rejecting this statement as
impossible, not only from the difficulty of constructing and
roofing such a building, but because its form is so utterly
opposed to all the traditions of Eastern art. If we turn back
to Fah Hian or Hiuen Tsiang’s description of the great
Dakhani monastery (page 171) or to the great rath at Mamalla-
puram (Woodcut No. 89), or, indeed, to any of the 1001 temples
of Southern India, all of which simulate three, five, or nine-
storied residences, we get a distinct idea of what such a build-
ing may have been if erected in the Indian style. It would,
too, be convenient and appropriate to the climate, each storey
having its terrace for walking or sleeping in the open air, and
the whole easily constructed and kept in order. All this will
be clearer in the sequel, but in the meanwhile it hardly appears
doubtful that the Loha Mahapaya was originally of nine, and
subsequently of five storeys, each less in dimension than the
one below it. The top one was surmounted as at Mamallapuram
by a dome, but in this instance composed of bronze—whence
its name ; and, gilt and ornamented as it no doubt was, it must
have been one of the most splendid buildings of the East. It
was as high as the dagabas, and, though not covering quite so
much ground, was equal, in cubical contents, to the largest of
our English cathedrals, and the body of the building was higher
than any of them, omitting of course the spires, which are mere
ornaments.
Besides these there are scattered about the ruins of Anura-
dhapura many groups of pillars and basements that evidently
belonged to viharas, monasteries ancl halls for various