Fig. 7.1. Thuparama Stupa in a ruined and overgrown state. After the downfall of the Anuradhapura kingdom, all of such
monuments were ruined. This photograph was taken before the reconstructions of the recent time.
Southern China were annexed to it. After the
9 th century A.D., the trade in the Indian Ocean
was centering on the Eastern part of the Indian
Ocean. Our farsighted rulers had understood the
needs of activating the ports in the Eastern coast,
administering the income which came into the
country through those ports, preventing the
threats to the security of the country from different
people who entered the country through those
places and basing a city very close to the coastal
area for ruling if Sri Lanka wanted to obtain
the benefits provided by this transformation. It
seems that this situation had influenced directly
King Vijayabahu I to select Polonnaruwa as his
ruling centre.
When we examine the social background and
the international relations existed during the
time of king Parakramabahu I, who succeeded
king Vijayabahu I, it is clear to what extent the
South-eastern Asian trade relations had affected
the political, religious and economic affairs
of Sri Lanka during that time. As Mahawamsa
mentions, several kings,who succeeded King
Vijayabahu I, had married royal women from
Asian countries such as, Burma and Cambodia.
The South- East Asian characteristics could
prominently be seen in some of the art works
created in this country during the period
considered as the Polonnaruwa era, for example
in some architectural creations and Buddha
statues. The Buddha statues in Polonnaruwa
Gal Viharaya and the building introduced as the
Polonnaruwa Sathmahal Prasada are two best
examples for it.