Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c6.43

c6.43

Parākrama Bāhu II. undertook the restoration of Polonnaruva, being moved thereto by his own will and the following message from his son Vijaya Bāhu, then governor and afterwards king (A.D. 1275-1271): “There are now in the city of Pulatthi, palaces, image-houses, vihāras, pariveṇas, cētiyas, relic-houses, ramparts, towers, bird-shaped houses† mansions, open halls, preaching-halls, temples of the gods, and such like buildings; whereof some are yet standing, although the trees of the forest have grown over and covered them. Others thereof are fast falling, because the pillars thereof are rotten and cannot support them. Others, alas! are bent down with the weight of huge walls split from the top to the bottom, and are tumbling down, because that there is nothing to support them. Sad, indeed, is it also to see others, unable to stand by reason of decay and weakness, bending down to their fall day by day, like unto old men. Some there are with broken ridge-poles and damaged beam-ends, and some with roofs fallen down and the tiles thereof broken. In some the tiles have slipped through the breaches of the decayed roof, and in others only the walls and pillars remain. Some there are with fallen doors, and door-posts that have been displaced, and others with loose staircases and ruined galleries. Of some buildings there only remain the signs of their foundations, and in others even the sites cannot be distinguished. What need is there of further descrip- The Sinha- tion? This city, which is now so ugly and displeasing to the eye, we purpose to make lese people beautiful and pleasant. Let the king grant us leave thereto, and let the feast of coronation be held in this great city afterwards!" To this end, the chronicler informs us, "he gathered together smelters, turners, basket-makers, blacksmiths, potters, goldsmiths, painters, porters, labourers, slaves, outcasts, skilful bricklayers, masons, carpenters, and divers workers in stone. And again, he gathered together all sorts of blacksmiths' tools, such as bellows, sledges, pincers and anvils; and also numerous sharp saws, adzes, axes, wood-cleavers, stone-cutters' chisels, knives, hammers, spades, mats, baskets and such-like; all these . . . did he send unto his royal son" (Mahāvaṃsa, Ch. LXXXVIII). When the work was completed, he himself went thither to hold a great coronation festival.