Page 66 - Soul of India: The Colorful South

the kingdom drew the attention of the king of India, Asoka, who sent emissaries to the court
to promote Buddhism. According to some stories, the emissaries were a son and a daughter of
Asoka himself. Whoever they were, the emissaries successfully converted the Sri Lankan king,
and thus are credited with converting the entire kingdom to Buddhism.

By all accounts, the conversion of the King and the kingdom to Buddhism is one of the most
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outside forces—the Buddhism practiced here is considered the most pure form of Theravada
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For the next six centuries, the kingdom of Anuradhapuran continued to thrive, grow, and
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monastery began in-depth writings on the Theravada teachings, which are still referenced
today by Theravada schools throughout the world. And in 371 AD, a tooth of the Buddha was
brought to Anuradhapuran as a relic; today it is still housed in a temple in Kandy.

The main rivals to Anuradhapuran were the Tamil rulers in South India, and this rivalry
was to deeply mark Sri Lankan history for centuries. The Tamils, who were Hindu, would
often conduct raids or all-out assaults on the capital in an attempt to seize control. After
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once, Anuradhapuran was abandoned some time in the 11th century in favor of a new capital,
Polonnaruwa.

The Middle Ages

The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was a short-lived study of contrasts. Although it was the
capital for only two hundred years or so, the kings of Polonnaruwa represent some of the
strongest and weakest of Sri Lankan royal history. The kingdom began gloriously under King
Vijayabahu I (ruled 1055-1110), who drove out the invaders from Chola (a Tamil dynasty from
southern India). Later under King Parakramabahu I (ruled 1153-1186), the Sinhalese army did
more than just defend against the Chola—they conquered Chola territory and even reached
faraway Myanmar.

Not content to be a warring king only, King Parakramabahu was also known for his vast
building projects, especially the many irrigation systems, canals, and reservoirs (known as
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frequently attributed him.

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intrigues—led to the decline of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. As Polonnaruwa lost control of the
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