While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real Polonnaruwa Hero of the history books is actually his grandson, Parakramabahu I. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the King, who was adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted, and each be used toward the development of the land; hence, irrigation systems far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign, systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems, of course is the Parakrama Samudraya or the Sea of Parakrama, a tank so vast that it is often mistaken for the ocean. It is of such a width that it is impossible to stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main city like a ribbon, being both a defensive border against intruders and the lifeline of the people in times of peace. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign.

Gal Vihare

Gal Vihare

The Gal Vihare is a rock temple of the Buddha situated in north-central Sri Lanka. It was constructed in Polonnaruwa in the 12th century by Parakramabahu the Great. His architects excavated the shrine and left an inscription describing their work.

The central attraction of the shrine are four large statues of the Buddha, which were carved into the face of a granite boulder by Parakramabahu's architects. These include a recumbent statue of the Buddha measuring 46 ft. and a standing statue which is 23 ft. in height.

There is also a standing figure on a lotus throne inside the shrine which has been identified by some historians to be that of Ananda, the Buddha's chief disciple, weeping over the recumbent figure of the Buddha who has just attained Nirvana. However some, including Dr. Andreas Nell disagree, suggesting the figure is that of the Buddha, and the expression of sorrow is due to wear caused by the elements