Siva Devalaya No. 1 of Ancient Polonnaruwa

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Shiva Kovil (no. 1) of Ancient Polonnaruwa

The Cola Occupation and the Rise of Hindu Shrines

The Cola occupation of Sri Lanka between 1017 and 1070 CE led to the establishment of numerous shrines dedicated to deities of the Hindu pantheon. As Polonnaruwa functioned as their administrative center for several decades, many of these temples were constructed within the capital itself.

During the first decade of the twentieth century, H. C. P. Bell identified at least fourteen ruined monuments belonging to this category. More recent excavations have uncovered an additional brick-built devale, including one within the Alahana Parivena complex. Some of these shrines may have been founded in the thirteenth century during the subsequent invasion led by Magha of Kalinga, an event that ultimately contributed to the fall of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom.

It is also plausible that Hindu shrines continued to receive patronage during periods of Sinhalese rule. The royal court included South Indian mercenaries who served as the king’s bodyguards. Inscriptional evidence further indicates that the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Bowl Relic of the Buddha were at times guarded by these loyal mercenaries.

Siva Kovil No. 1

Siva Kovil No. 1 is the first shrine encountered upon entering the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. It is among the best-preserved kovils and is located south of the Dalada Maluwa.

The walls are constructed of tightly fitted stone blocks composed of a material not locally available in the vicinity of Polonnaruwa. The sculptural representations of the deities reflect an Indian stylistic influence, leading scholars to suggest that the carved stones were either imported from India or executed by Indian stone masons who traveled to Sri Lanka.

Architecturally, the shrine exhibits Pandyan characteristics, with granite walls and a domed brick superstructure. On stylistic grounds, it is generally attributed to the thirteenth century (Seneniratne, 1998).

The devale stands within a rectangular enclosure measuring approximately 32 meters by 23 meters (105 by 75 feet), bounded by a brick wall. It comprises the standard components of a Hindu temple: the inner sanctum (Garbhagriha) crowned by a domed vimana, a transitional vestibule (antarala), and an outer mandapa.

The Bronze Hoard of 1907

Siva Kovil No. 1 gained particular prominence following the discovery in 1907 of an exceptional hoard of bronze images by H. C. P. Bell. These sculptures, some reaching heights of approximately 0.9 meters (3 feet), were found in an accidental trial trench dug outside the front wall of the temenos.

Bell described the bronzes as being in remarkable condition and praised them as masterful examples of metal artistry, notable for both dynamic movement and refined detailing. All the figures relate to the worship of Siva. Among them, the most striking is an image of Maha Deva (Siva) encircled by a halo, depicted dancing upon the demon Tripurasura, whom he is said to have slain after a ten-day battle.

An exquisitely crafted bronze of Siva and Parvati from this collection is presently displayed at the Colombo Museum.

Early Misidentification

It is noteworthy that prior to H. C. P. Bell’s excavations between 1906 and 1908, British explorers who visited the ruins of Polonnaruwa had referred to this shrine in their writings as the Dalada Maligawa, for reasons that remain unclear.

Hindu Shrines Discovered in the Ancient Polonnaruwa Kingdom

A bronze Siva and Parvati sculpture from the 10-12th centuries discovered from the Siva Kovil No 1

The "Shiva Linga" (the sex organ of God Shiva) which is worshiped by Hindus

References

Coomaraswamy, A.K. and Pearson, J. (1914) Bronzes from Ceylon: Chiefly in the Colombo Museum. Ceylon: Colombo Museum (A No 1).
Silva, R. et al. (2007) History and Archaeology of Sri Lanka Volume II – The Art and Archaeology of Sri Lanka I – . Padukka, Sri Lanka: Central Cultural Fund.
සෙනෙවිරත්න අනුරාධ (1998) පොලොන්නරුව : මද්‍ය කාලීන ලක්දිව අග නගරය . කොළඹ 7, Sri Lanka: පුරාවිද්‍යා දෙපාර්තුමේන්තුව .
Bell, H.C.P. (1911) Archaeological Survey of Ceylon – North Central, Central and Northern Provinces – Annual Report – 1907. Colombo: H. C. Cottle, Government Printer.

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Driving Directions to Siva Kovil – No. 1 (Polonnaruwa Sacred City)

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.