Kiri Vehera at Polonnaruwa Photo and Text by Siri
Archeological excavations in Anuradhapura confirm that people lived in the area as early as 500 B.C. According to Mahavamsa - the great Indian chronicle -, there were three "Anuradhas" for whom the city was named. The first and most likely, was a general of prince Vijaya, the north Indian rebel, who was considered to be the forefather of the Sinhala race. Anuradhapura remained the capital of Sri Lanka for about 1,400 years, until the 10th century A.D. City of Anuradhapura in its heyday was the greatest city of all. It covered some 20 square miles, and its population was estimated to be in tens of thousands. The king lived in a palace with 1,000 rooms, in the center of the city

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