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all day in the outlying rocks, and the water abounds in crocodiles. There are plenty of lulla in the lake, a fish with firm flesh which makes good eating, also many other species, some quite large.

The wet season at Polonnaruwa is usually from October to the end of December, and at this season it is easier for sportsmen to find deer to shoot, but the roads are also often rendered impassable at the same time, and inquiry must be made beforehand as to whether they can be traversed at all.

The popularity of Polonnaruwa increases yearly, and only the difficulty of reaching it without a motor-car prevents its being inundated with visitors. The beauty of its scenery, the chances of sport, and the fascination of its amazing antiquities present a variety of attractions difficult to resist, and sufficient to ensure great efforts being made to overcome the obstacles to their attainment.

CHAPTER XIII

THE EPIC OF PARAKRAMA

POLONNARUWA differs from the older city in that its extent is accurately known, the line of its walls has been traced, and even in some places the walls themselves laid bare. More interesting still, the building, considered now, without much doubt, to have been the chief or central royal palace, is still standing.

The city ruins lie almost in one straight line running north and south, and are reached either from the road, which passes beside them, or by means of excellent little paths, cut and kept in order by the Archæological Survey. The authorities are not here hampered by the dilatoriness and slackness of the Buddhists, as none of the sacred sites are in their hands, but all under government supervision and control. Their preservation can therefore be carried out in the best possible way without obstacles.

At the south end of the ruins is the Potgul monastery and the great rock-cut statue popularly known as that of Parakrama, and at the other the latest recovered temple, that of Demala-maha-seya. The rest-house itself and some of the ruins near it lie a little outward to the west, as do also the remains dug out of the bed

of the tank itself, and others on its shores supposed to have been a summer palace of the kings. But all the chief buildings are very much in a line and easy to find, though the outlying ones exact a good deal of walking.

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The city rampart runs on the north for over 1,000 yards, to the east 1,800, to south nearly 1,000. On the west side the bund of Topa Wewa served as the city's protection for some distance, the wall being carried on it along the former contour of the bank for 1,100 yards or so. Includ

ing a cross-ramp of 500 yards and the citadel confines, the city ramparts (exclusive of the unwalled tank bund to the west) covered a circuit of about 6,850 yards or little short of four miles." (1906 Report.)

One of the kings called Aggabodhi III (A.D. 623), built a palace at Polonnaruwa and was here smitten with incurable sickness and died. It was not till the time of Aggabodhi VII (A.D. 781) that it really became the capital. Succeeding kings lived and died here, building tanks and hospitals. Then the Tamils conquered Polonnaruwa and established themselves there until the reign of Wijaya Bahu (A.D. 1065), who reconquered the island for his race and again established the Cingalese line there. "It was he who re-built the city to a large extent, including a most beautiful vihara and fine rows of dwellings and a sanctuary for the Tooth-relic; he also made the fortifications secure-in fact, it is said he built the wall surrounding the city" (see p. 29).

But there had evidently been a wall there before,

because, in his assaults on the city when it was held by the Tamils, we are expressly told that the Tamils had retreated into the city on the approach of the king's troops, and, having shut the gates, climbed on the walls and towers to continue their resistance. It was over six weeks before the Cingalese prevailed, and when the news of the Cingalese success reached the King of the Cholyans in India, and he heard how his generals and the governor had been beaten, he made no more attempt to reconquer the island.

Wijaya Bahu celebrated his coronation in Anuradhapura, which shows that the peculiar sacredness of that city was still reckoned above that of the newer capital. The king had to contend with rebellions among his mercenaries, and he built many viharas, and new tanks, and repaired Minneriya, which had run dry. He gave also to the monks numerous benefactions, causing them to be supplied in the winter "with cloaks and fire-pans and divers drugs in abundance." He also presented "bulls for the use of cripples" and rice for ravens, dogs and other beasts." Truly the record lacks nothing in living detail!

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This wonderful king was also a poet, and his poems were quoted from tongue to tongue by his subjects. But on his death his youngest brother attempted to seize the inheritance, joining forces with his nephew, the eldest son of the late king's sister, and these two tried to keep out Wikrama Bahu, the rightful heir according to our notions, who in his father's lifetime had ruled the province of Rohuna. But Wikrama Bahu was too strong for them, and recovered the capital. Unfortun

ately he was a "bad" king, who brought dissension and distress upon the country, because he seized the gems and gold and lands belonging to the temples, and so disgusted his subjects that a whole body of the monks contrived together to escape to Rohuna, carrying the priceless Tooth and Alm's-bowl relics with them.

Meantime the king's three cousins, the sons of his aunt, and their ally his uncle, continued to give him great trouble, but were unable to prevail against him. It was from the eldest of these brothers, Manabharana, who had married a daugher of Wijaya Bahu, that there sprang the great branch of Parakrama, whose name is to Polonnaruwa what those of Tissa or Dutugemunu are to Anuradhapura.

During Wikrama Bahu's reign, these princes kept up the show of a royal house, and bided their time in the outlaw country of Rohuna. Manabharana had been long without a son, though he had two daughters. At last by signs and omens he gathered that a mighty son was to be born to him, which prophecy was duly fulfilled, and the welcome child was called Parakrama. He was more than half a Tamil owing to the intermarriages of his forbears, and it was perhaps from this strain that he derived the vigour and resisting power in his blood. Far from resenting the advent of his young cousin, the old king, Wikrama Bahu, welcomed one of whom such great things had been foretold. In those unsettled days, when personal might was necessary to a successful holding of the kingdom against the forces both from within and without which threat

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