The Isurumuniya (23) 

 

The site known today as ‘Isurumuniya’ probably a part of the Isurumuniya founded by King Tissa in the 3rd century B.C. The early history of the monastery in uncertain. There is a cave, which must have sheltered monks during the early centuries of Buddhism, but many of the best sculptures are not infact religious in nature. The sculptures themselves are amongst the most beautiful works of art in Anuradhapura, but what they represent is still debated by scholars.

 

Above the elephants calmly surveying the view, sits a man in a relaxed pose, with his right arm over his knee; a house’s head peers out from behind him. This sculpture is probably of about the same date as the elephant group below it. The identity of this figure is still a matter of controversy.

   

 

We come next to the main stairway. Here the elephant makers are noteworthy, but the rock caved now painted Buddha image is probably from the last period that Anuradhapura was occupied. The stair way and the platform have been rebuilt with all sort of fragments from the site, of differing dates. The original design of the site is sadly lost. In between the stairway and the modern Buddhist temple is the famous sculpture known as ‘The Lovers’. It has been date to the 6th century A.D. and it resembles the work of the Gupta style in India. Although the main sculpture at ‘Isurumuniya’ can be dated by comparison with Indian styles, they all have a clearly Sri Lankan Character. Again, the identity of the ‘The Lovers’ is not known. The sculpture is nevertheless extremely good. Local legend identifies this famous pair with King Duthagamini’s son Saliya and the low-castle maiden for whom he gave up the throne. On the staircase, to the right are the erections of chubby dwarfs.

Coming out of the temple there is a rock fissure where there is another sculpture of similar style to, although probobly of later date than 'The Lovers'. It represents a court seen of a King surrounded by handmaidens and attendants, one of whom hold a flywhisk. Along the base of the rock there are some very good figures of dwarfs.