The tallest ancient Buddha statue is Aukana statue which is sited in a village thatcalled Aukana.It is nearby to the Kala Wewa reservoir in Anuradhapura District of Sri Lanka. According to historical resources, this wonderful standing Aukana Buddha was carved during the control of King Dhatusena in the 5th century.But some sources were said that date it to the 12th or 13th century. Aukana means ‘sun-eating’, and dawn.The first of the sun’s rays light up the huge statue’s excellently carved features andit is the best time to see it.
While the artist of this brilliant work of art is still unknown, there is a generally accepted belief that this statue was the result of a competition between a Master Sculptor (guru) and his student (gola). That is the struggle had majestic blessing is clear and this story is sustained by the fact which in near Sasseruwa opinions a comparable standing Buddha statue.But it has not been completed. This historical story was that King Dhatusena was reward any sculptor finished his working first and the master sculptor having finalized his work first and been satisfied for it. However, his newcomer student offered up on his carving and uncontrolled the project.
The Aukana statue growths out of a rock cliff face like a stone. A unique feature is that the statue has been carved out of a great granite rock face and give the impression to stand alone, but is in fact linked by a fine strip of rock that also cares the statue. The Buddha image stands on a Lotus flower platform which has been carved separately and placed under the statue.
The Aukana statue is well-thought-out to be one of the best examples of a standing statue of the Buddha from ancient Sri Lanka. The Aukana Buddha statue is established about inspiration according to the Gandhara school of art as well as the Amaravati school of art in India.
The housecoat is damaged strongly, clearly outlining the shape of the body, and its pleats are carved clearly and carefully. It is damaged over the left shoulder, and the right shoulder is basic, as is the tradition in Buddha statues of Sri Lanka. The Buddha’s body is straight, and the left hand commands the coat at the left shoulder.
The right hand is raised up to the right shoulder, with the palm in front of left. This position is acknowledged as the Asisa mudra, a variation of the Abhaya mudra.It describes that the mark of alignment of the statue is such that raindrop on the nose would drop straight down to small depression carved between the toes. This incidence would naturally depend on the absence of any blowing that would change the direction of the falling drops of water.
There are is no trip to Anuradhapura is complete without seeing the brilliance of the Buddha statue of Aukana in Anuradhapura. Visiting the attractions around the area will bring you to the Kala Wewa tank, a breath-taking destination to relax, and enjoy a picnic among remarkable sights.
