Ratna Prasada of Abhayagiri Monastery

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Built by King Kanitta Tissa, the Ratna Prasada served as Abhayagiri Vihara’s grand chapter house. Designed to rival Mahavihara’s “Copper Palace,” this “Jewel Palace” features massive 22-foot monolithic pillars. Its exquisitely carved guardstones and historical role as a royal refuge highlight the immense political and religious significance of ancient Anuradhapura.

This is the Uposathagara (chapter house) of the Abhayagiri Vihara Complex built by King Kanitta Tissa (164-192 CE). According to the Mahavamsa, the king, pleased with the Mahanaga Thero of Butarama, constructed this edifice at Abhayagiri Monastery. What Lova Maha Prasada was to Mahavihara Monastery and Diyasen Paya to Jathawana Monastery, Ratna Prasada is to Abhayagiri Monastery.

Competition to be the Biggest

The competition between the Mahavihara and Abhayagiri Viharaya sects of monks can be seen from the size and name of the buildings. Even the names seem to be competing with each other. When the Maha Viharians called their building the Copper Palace, the Abhayagians called theirs the Jewel Palace. The size too seems to be second to none of the Loha Maha Paya. The size of this building can be guessed by the gigantic stone pillars, which are seen even today.

In the 8th century, King Mahinda II rebuilt this on a grand scale with many stories and installed Buddha statues made out of gold. But all these treasures were plundered by South Indian Pandayans in the time of King Sena I (833-853 CE) but were again recovered by King Sena II (853-887 CE). A partial excavation of this site shows that the building has been built over a previous foundation laid down in the 1st century.

Legends of Ratna Prasada

There is an interesting story associated with Ratna Prasada. During the reign of Udaya III (935-938 CE), some officials of the court fled the palace and entered the Thapovanaya (forest hermitage for meditating bhikkhus) for fear of the king. The Tapovana, like all other land belonging to the Buddhist order, is considered as a sanctuary for all beings. But the king and the viceroy had given chase to the officials inside Tapovana, captured them, and had them beheaded.

The ascetic monks in Thapovana, in indignation of the act and the violation of the sacred grounds, left Anuradhapura for Rohana. Then the people and the soldiers became rebellious, climbed Ratna Prasada, threatened the king, beheaded some of the officials who had helped the king in the sacrilegious act at Tapovana, and threw them out of the windows of Ratnaprasada.

The viceroy and his friends fled to Rohana in fear, went to the monks of Tapovana now residing in Rohana, threw themselves at their feet, and begged for forgiveness. The ascetic monks returned, bringing reconciliation between the king, soldiers, and people. This is evidence that the Ratna Prasada has even been a refuge for kings (Seneviratna, 1994).

The slab inscription of King Mahinda IV

The slab inscription (no. 1) of King Mahinda IV (956-972) mentions the name of this edifice as “Ruwan Maha Paya” and as the abode of the head priest of Dammaruci Nikaya.

Lines 8-13 of this inscription states ;

The Abayagiri Vehera which displays the grace of the adobe of Sri at the moment when Mahadami residing in . . . . Arama [experiences the joy of association] with the Dharma, just as Vasudeva enjoys the bliss of union with Srikanta on the couch of [the serpent] Ananta; in which (Vihara) there rises in splendour the Ruvan-maha-paha surrounded by the noble Parivenas, like unto the golden Meru centered by the Kula-gal; where around [the residences of] the four fraternities is shed the effulgence of the shrine of the image of the Lord of Sages, like the lustre of the Ruvan-pav around the abodes of the four regent gods ; where dwell bands of scholars directing their wisdom to great literary works and adorning the Abayatura-maha-sa, just as a flight of garudas hovers with widespread wing over rows of serpents on the Himalayan range; which resounds with the voice of those versed in the scriptures, expounding the Dharma ; which is adorned by virtuous men as by mines of gems; where flourish like unto an assemblage of coral tendrils numbers of Sakya Sramanas (Buddhist monks) endowed with the virtues of temperance, contentment, and religious austerity; whose broad and white ramparts rise aloft like the waves (of the ocean); which waxes with the offerings to the Lord of Sages; where frequent various teachers of eminence, as the great fishes Timi and Timingala” [gambol in the sea]; and over which [Abhayagiri-vihara] presides the Head of the Dammaruci [fraternity], just as the sea-god [over the sea] (Wickremasinghe,1912).

Current Ruins

The current building lies on a stone platform, and gigantic monolithic pillars are probably the largest building pillars of the ancient Anuradhapura kingdom. Until recently, this building was called Elephant Stables due to the massive size of the stone columns. The flight of steps leading to the main platform in the center of the east face was originally flanked by 2 balustrades, 2 guard stones, and a moonstone. Only one balustrade, guard stone, and moonstone now remain.

As per Hocart, the steps have been restored in the same order in which they were found on excavating. The lower five are quite plain and unfinished, with the face of the riser rough, but the topmost step is carved with a floral design around the edge of the riser, within which crouch three dwarfs, one at each end and one at the center. However, you can see the same design on all 7 steps of the building today. Whether they are replicas or original steps discovered at a later date is not known.

The moonstone is simple and in great contrast to the magnificent guardstones, which is possibly the most richly carved guardstones ever discovered on the island. It is cut out of one large block of granite, and the central figure is the usual Naga Raja, heavily jeweled and holding a flower-filled vase aloft in his left and a branch of a flowering creeper in his right hand. By his left foot stands a small gana or dwarf, with his right hand upraised. Over both, supported on two simple pilasters, is a canopy formed of lines of lions, dwarfs, and deities issuing from the mouths of the fabulous Makara.

The northern side of the stone is bare, but on the south side is carved in relief a small elephant crouching on the top of a pilaster with a more ornate capital. Above the elephant, the feathered tail of the Makara shows. The back of the stone was quite plain and has been used as a convenient stone for sharpening tools.

Plan of Ratna Prasada as drawn by A. M. Hocart in the book Memoirs of the Archeological Survey of Ceylon (vol 1) published in 1926

the massive pillars are 22 feet high, out of which 6 feet are buried underground. The part below the surface is rough, but the visible areas of each pillar are well-polished. At the top of each pillar, a notch has been carved to place a large beam. Hocart reports a pillar similar to these gigantic pillars discovered on the road just north of the Kali Kovil, where it was just dropped and left there when the Ratnaprasada was being robbed of its stonework as building material for other buildings.

Important Information for Foreign Tourists Visiting Sites at Sacred City of Anuradhapura

Most of the more popular sites in Anuradhapura strictly check for tickets from tourists, while the less-visited sites tend to be more relaxed due to the lack of staff. However, tourists should be cautious, as some unscrupulous tuk-tuk drivers may attempt to exploit this situation.

They sometimes offer to take foreign tourists along routes where ticket checks are less common or even try to collect the entrance fee themselves, claiming they will purchase the tickets on the tourists’ behalf. Tourists are strongly advised not to fall for such scams, as this can lead to unnecessary complications with site security or the police.

Information on the Anuradhapura Cultural Heritage Ticket and where and how to purchase can be found here

The mythical Makara (Dragon) on the Balustrade ( Korawak gala)

References

Wikramagamage, C., 2004. Heritage of Rajarata: Major natural, cultural, and historic sites. Colombo. Central Bank of Sri Lanka. p.104.
Devendra, D.T., 1952. Guide to Anuradhapura. 2nd ed. Colombo: [Govt. Press], p.34.
Weerasooriya H.E., 1939. Historical guide to Anuradhapura’s ruins. Colombo: W.E. Bastian, pp 60-61.
Seneviratna, A., 1994. Ancient Anuradhapura. 1st ed. Colombo: Archaeological Survey Department, Sri Lanka.
Wickremasinghe, D.M.D.Z., 1912. Epigraphia Zeylanica: Being lithic and other inscription of Ceylon (Vol. I). London. Archaeological Survey of Ceylon. pp. 225-226
Hocart, A.M., 1926. Memoirs of the Archæological Survey of Ceylon – Vol 1. 1st ed. Colombo: Archaeological Department, Ceylon, pp.1-7.

Also See

Anuradhapura – The city of the God Kings
Solosmasthana – The Sixteen Buddhist Sacred Sites Hallowed by Buddha
Atamasthana – The Eight Sacred Sites in Anuradhapura

Map of Ratna Prasada (Jewel Palace)

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Driving Directions to Ratna Prasada (Jewel Palace) at Anuradhapura

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Bus

Anuradhapura can be conveniently reached by bus, train, or private transport. Both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses operate from the Colombo Fort Main Bus Station. In addition, luxury buses departing from various locations in Colombo travel via Anuradhapura to Vavuniya and Jaffna; these require advance online booking and generally operate overnight, arriving at their final destinations early in the morning.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Train

Five daily trains operate from Colombo Fort Railway Station to Anuradhapura. Typically, the first train departs at 9.40 a.m. and the last at 8.30 p.m. The journey takes approximately four to five hours, depending on the number of stops made by the particular service.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Car or Van

Anuradhapura can be accessed from Colombo via several routes, with the two primary corridors running through Puttalam and Kurunegala. The Puttalam route passes the scenic Wilpattu area. From Kurunegala, there are two main approaches: the more commonly used route via Dambulla and an alternative route via Galgamuwa. Among all options, the Kurunegala–Dambulla route (Route 2) is the most frequently used.

Route 01 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route 02 from Colombo to Anuradhapura
Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route 03 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route from Kandy to Anuradhapura
Through : Katunayake Expressway – Narammala – Wariyapola – Padeniya – Thambuthegama Distance from Colombo: 203 km Travel Time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Katugastota – Matale – Dambulla Distance from Colombo: 136 km Travel Time: 3.5 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps