Places like Tivanka Image house also known as Tivanka Pilima geya has been capable of attracting many local and foreign travelers to Sri Lanka. This is one of the largest monasteries around Polonnaruwa. This brick built building consists of a spectacular Thivanka image of Lord Buddha depicting thrice curved pose. Further mural paintings and frescoes on the plastered walls with pale green, light yellow and dark red colors are the main features that you will make astonished with a glance of a view.
The Tivanka image house is located within 400 m north of the Lotus pond. The monastery gets the name due to the statue indicated above. The walls are embellished with extra ordinary paintings and decorative statues of lions and dwarfs. The Buddha statue is bent at three places in detail at the knees at the waist at the shoulders. Probably you will find vivid colored murals throughout the inner walls as well as out of the Tivanaka image house. But actually, it can’t break the contemplative mind of the devotee. You will find illustrations of Sasa, Temiya, Ummagga Jataka and also Vidhura jataka at the inner walls of the image house. Further, the retaining traces of wall paintings with their original form related to the Polonnaruwa era is sightseeing. Some of the archaeologists say that the Tivanka Image house was built by either King Parakramabhu I or Parakramabhu 2. The two layers of plastered paintings found within the walls support the statement. The painter was careful and talented enough to illustrate the paintings of the inner walls to enrich them with quality, stylish and illustrational. Ornamented balustrades, jolly dwarfs, statues of Lord Buddha and other gods are truly magnificent. It is evident as you enter the image house that it is enriched with passion, sensuality, and attraction. The serene atmosphere is perfect for meditations and recall about lush and greedy life.
Many travelers visit the Image house cause of the reputation that the image house has earned. Eventually, you will find the sculptures at the base with spirited lions and a series of Vimana which emphasize the talents of the ancient architect of ancient Sri Lanka. Anyhow some of the parts of the Image house are under renovations. In fact, some should have to be revamped. The 21 feet high Buddha image is another important feature of the Pilimage. However, the department of Archeologists has taken several actions to ensure the entire brick and stucco structure.