It was established around a cutting from the ‘tree of enlightenment’, the Buddha’s fig tree, brought there in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. Anuradhapura, a Ceylonese political and religious capital founded in the 5th century BC flourished for 1,300 years and abandoned after an invasion in 993. Hidden away in dense jungle for many years, the splendid site, with its palaces, monasteries and monuments, is now accessible once again.
We arrived in the city around noon after a 5 hour train ride from Colombo and did not heavily explore the historical part of the city until the following day. We rented bicycles at our guest house (the Montana Rest) to explore the 16 square km or Anuradhapura’s stupas and temples. It is almost too much to take in during a single day. I found myself awestruck when we departed the sacred city just before sunset, but more because of its otherworldly aesthetic than its important history, which was largely lost on me.
