Believed to be built during the 9th to 10th centuries, The Pankuliya Asokaramaya is a tranquil religious site and a hidden attraction located in the heart of the Anuradhapura region. The site today is filled with ruins of what was once a Buddhist nunnery. It features intricately carved guard stones, moonstones (a stepping stone at the starting of a staircase which consists of meticulously carved depictions of animals), and pillars of ancient buildings but the most polarising feature that makes the site so special is the Samadhi Buddha statue. The statue stands at a height of two meters and it shows Lord Buddha in a meditation position. It features Lord Buddha sitting cross-legged his palms placed on top of his lap in an upturned manner. The statue has been intricately carved out of single dolomite rock and it has its eyes hollowed out which reveals once they must have been studded with vibrant gemstones.
The Samadhi Buddha Statue is a rare depiction of several seating positions of Lord Buddha. The position is extremely difficult to carve out of a single stone and it certainly requires a lot of skill to master. As the statue at Pankuluya Asokaramaya, the majority of this type of Buddha statues are made with Buddha depicting the Dhyana Mudra the posture of meditation of which he remained during his enlightenment. The experience of Buddha attaining enlightenment was called ‘Samadhi’ and the statue represents the philosophical allegiance a devotee offers to the lord hence the name Samadhi Buddha statue.
The site is located in the Pankuliya village amidst lush paddy fields that boast quaint surroundings. The village is located approximately 9 kilometres away and can be easily reached by a tuk-tuk form the town. The journey will only take 15 to 20 minutes.
