Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c41.71.2

c41.71.2

Apart from the fact that the lake acted as a protection, it also brought cool air and an open view to the palace buildings on its verge, the entire scheme being worked out on a general principle which underlies most imperial city plans Within this enclosure an aggregation of buildings was erected which in number and variety few cities can excel. These comprised palaces, temples, monasteries, audience and council chambers, stupas and bathing places, together with all the miscellaneous structures, large and small, which go to make up an eastern capital of the first class. Polonnaruwa thus in the twelfth century became not only a city of marked architectural grandeur, but it was significant of a movement of great importance in the history of the building art in Ceylon From its remains, now emerging throughout a large area of tangled undergrowth, certain important examples may be here selected which will explain the trends of the art at this period. One of these buildings, although perhaps not specially attractive in its composition, is notable as its conformation is fully expressive of the ideals which motivated Buddhism at this stage of its development. For it represents a change in the structure of the creed which reacted in a marked manner on the religious architecture of the time, as may be seen in such distant places as in the building art of Bihar in India, Burma, Cambodia, and even extending into Java.