The North Central Province, comprising the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa district extends over 10,723 sq. kilo meters of Sri Lanka's North-Central plains. Known over the centuries as Rajarata (which means land of kings), it was the seat of Sri Lanka's ancient kingdoms from pre-Christian times to the mid-12th century A.D. The North Central Province, often referred to simply as the NCP, nourished Sri Lanka's classic civilization and Buddhism, its bed-rock and inspiration, from its very beginnings. It sustained a thriving and robust agrarian economy, vibrant trade and a society of wealth and elegance, where architecture, art, sculpture, learning and knowledge flourished and reached great heights. Sri Lanka's highly sophisticated ancient irrigation system of networked storage reservoirs and feeder and distribution channels (many still in everyday use), a timeless engineering marvel, reached its zenith in the NCP during its ancient golden age. More >>