Atadage at Polonnaruwa | AmazingLanka.com

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Atadage Dalada Maligaya at the Dalada Maluwa by King Vijayabahu 1

The Atadage Image House, situated within the Dalada Maluwa or Sacred Quadrangle, of the ancient Polonnaruwa Kingdom, represents the earliest surviving temple constructed to house the sacred Tooth Relic in the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa.

Origin and Historical Context

The origins of the Atadage are definitively linked to the reign of King Vijayabahu I (1055–1110 AD). Following his successful campaign to liberate the island from the Chola invaders, King Vijayabahu I established Polonnaruwa as his capital. To solidify his authority and restore the religious traditions of the Sinhalese monarchy, he built this structure to enshrine the Tooth Relic and the Bowl Relic of the Buddha.

The Velaikkara Stone Inscription found at the site indicates that the protection of this temple and its sacred relics was entrusted to the Velaikkara soldiers, a powerful guild of South Indian mercenary guards. This inscription also mentions that the building was utilized for Prathamabhiseka (first anointing), a ritual that may refer either to the consecration of the presiding Buddha image or to the coronation rituals of the monarch himself (Wikramagamage, 2005).

Etymology of the Name

Popular belief suggests the name translates to the house of eight relics, where “Ata” means “eight” and “Ge” means “house.” This implies that, in addition to the Tooth and Bowl relics, the shrine may have once housed six other important relics. Other folklore suggests that the structure was completed in only eight days, leading to the name Atadage.

Architecture and Dimensions

Architecturally, the Atadage was designed as a two-story edifice, which was a common feature of medieval Tooth Relic temples. In such designs, the sacred objects were kept on an upper floor for security, while the ground floor functioned as a public shrine (Prematilleke, 1990).

Structure: The ground floor consists of a square inner sanctum preceded by a hall supported by pillars. The upper story, which originally housed the relics, was constructed primarily of wood and supported by stone pillars; as a result, this level has completely vanished over the centuries.
Measurements: The inner sanctum measures approximately 13.72 meters by 13.72 meters [45 feet by 45 feet] (Prematilleke, 1990). Other assessments of the total structure record its dimensions as approximately 22.5 meters [73.8 feet] in length and 25.5 meters [83.7 feet] in breadth (Wikramagamage, 2005).

Despite its current state of ruin, the Atadage preserves evidence of extensive ornamentation. The hall contains fifty-four pillars, many of which are intricately carved with detailed geometric and floral patterns. The sanctum houses a large standing Buddha image carved from stone. In its original state, this image would have been finished with fine plaster and potentially painted.

Fine carvings on the pillars of Atadage - Polonnaruwa

Finely carved pillars at Atadage - Polonnaruwa

Stone stairway for the second floor in the middle of the building

Buddha Statue inside the building at Atadage - Polonnaruwa

"Velikkara" inscription stone at Atadage - Polonnaruwa

References

Dhammika, B. S. (2018). Sacred Island: A Buddhist Pilgrim’s Guide to Sri Lanka (1st ed.). Buddhist Publication Society. (Original work published 2008)
Paranavitana, S., 1950. Guide to Polonnaruva. Colombo: Government Press.
Prematilleke, P. L. (1990). The Architecture of the Polonnaruwa Period B.C. 800 — 1200 A.D. In N. De Silva (Ed.), Archaeological Department Centenary (1890-1990) : Commemorative Series : Volume Three : Architecture (1st ed., Vols. 3–4, pp. 35–70). Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.
Wikramagamage, C. (2004). Heritage of Rajarata: Major Natural, Cultural and Historic Sites (1st ed.). Rajarata Development Bank and Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Maldeniya, S.G. (2016) පොලොන්නරුව පැරණි ස්මාරකයන්හි චිත්‍රගත සැරසිලි මෝස්‌තර . Kadawatha, Sri Lanka: Sarath Gnanasiri Maldeniya.

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Driving Directions to Polonnaruwa Sacred City (Atadage at Polonnaruwa)

The modern town of Polonnaruwa is also known as New Town, and the other part of Polonnaruwa remains the ancient royal city of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa.

Route from Colombo to Polonnaruwa Sacred City	Route from Kandy to Polonnaruwa Sacred City
Through: Central Highway—Kurunegala—Dambulla Distance from Colombo: 230 km Travel Time: 5 hours Driving Directions: See on Google Maps.	Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time: 2 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa Sacred City	Route from Batticaloa to Polonnaruwa Sacred City
Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time: 2 hours Driving Directions: See on Google Maps.	Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time : 2 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.