It’s incredible to know these gardens are over 2,000 years old. Identified as the Goldfish Reserve, Royal pleasure gardens Anuradhapura occupy 14 hectares. They include two ponds (hence the goldfish moniker) constructed around two massive cliffs.
Royal pleasure gardens in Anuradhapura – Sensuality of the elders
Royal pleasure gardens are one of the oldest structures in Anuradhapura. It is dated to the 3rd century BCE. Most of the artifacts excavated here are showcased in the museum of the nearby Isurumuniya temple. The garden faced a reservoir named Tissa wewa. In the garden are a set of small ponds, aqueducts, rock carvings, and three ruined buildings. A herd of elephants very much similar to the one found inside the Isurumuniya temple can be seen here too. On another boulder, a curious-looking symbol is hidden from general view. Known as the Chakra, it symbolizes the universe according to later doctrines of Buddhism. It is surmised that monks performed some sort of tantric meditation ritual. Buddhist monks may have occupied the grounds after it was abandoned in the 10th century. The garden is named “Ranmasu Uyana” after the goldfish pond found inside it. This also shows a connection with the Chinese where later forms of Buddhism flourished.
