These are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient Sinhalese sculpting and carving arts, and have made the Gal Vihara the most visited monument at Polonnaruwa.

The identity of the standing image is subject to a certain amount of dispute among historians and archaeologists, some of whom argue that it depicts the monk Ananda rather than the Buddha.

The Uttararama was where Parakramabahu I held a congregation of monks to purify the Buddhist priesthood, and later drew up a code of conduct for them.

It is located in Polonnaruwa, and according to the Cūḷavaṃsa was one of the more prominent of the hundred temples built throughout Lanka by King Parakramabahu I (1153–1186).

[2] Although they are described as 'caves', only the Vijjadhara Guha is a cave, while the others were image houses similar to the Thivanka and Lankathilaka, with their walls connected to the rock face.

These walls, which were evidently decorated with frescoes,[3] have since been destroyed and only their bases now remain,[4] By the time Parakramabahu I ascended to the throne, the Buddhist priesthood in the country was divided into three fraternities: Abhayagiri vihāra, Jetavanaramaya, and Mahavihara.

[5] The area in front of the images, which now resembles a terrace, is believed to be the location of the assembly hall where this congregation was held.

[1] The inscription recording the code has been carved on the flat, polished rock face between the Vijjadhara Guha and the standing image.

Unlike other statues of the same period (such as the one found in the Lankathilaka image house), they are all well preserved, and therefore provide a good indication about less well-preserved examples.

[13] A small statue only 4 feet 7 inches (1.40 m) in height,[12] but similar in appearance to its larger neighbour, is located inside the artificial cave named the Vidyadhara Guha.

The cave was created by carving 4.5 feet (1.4 m) into the rock, leaving four square shafted stone columns at the sides of the 26-foot (7.9 m) wide and 12-foot-9-inch (3.89 m) high opening.

[17] Another possibility is that the image shows the Buddha during his second week after enlightenment,[1] which he spent gazing at the Bodhi Tree in gratitude for providing him shelter.

[22] The upper foot—the left foot of the image—is slightly withdrawn to indicate that the image depicts that the Buddha has attained parinirvana, and is not merely lying down.