Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist monastery located in Hambantota District, South Eastern Sri Lanka. Situated 18 km east of the pilgrimage town Katharagama, it is believed to have been built in the 2nd century B.C. by King Kavantissa. Sithulpawwa Vihara can be reached by traveling 18 miles along the Tissamaharama-Yodhakandiya road towards the … Read more
Godakawela Sri Mahinda Purana Viharaya is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya built during the era of the Kandyan kingdom. The temple lies right in the center of Godakawela town between Madampe and Pallebedda. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform that rests on a number of stone stumps usually … Read more
Sri Pushparama Vihara (Sinhala: ශ්රී පුෂ්පාරාම විහාරය) is a historic Buddhist temple situated in Balapitiya, Southern province, Sri Lanka. The Vihara is also known as Nayaka Pansala (Head temple) as it serves as the headquarters for the Mulaghandi Sect of Amarapura Nikaya. It is located on the Colombo-Galle main road approximately 1.5 km (0.93 mi) … Read more
The Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple in Tissamaharama, Southern Province of Sri Lanka. It was one of the four major Buddhist monasteries established in Sri Lanka, after the arrival of Arhant Mahinda Thera to the country. The site of the Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara was consecrated by Buddha himself, who spent … Read more
Unawatuna is a small town on the Wellawaya – Buttala road belonging to the Buttala Divisional Secretary’s Division. There are several folklore regarding how this area got its name. One folklore goes back to the time of King Mahanaga who ruled the Rohana kingdom in the 3rd century BC. It’s said that King Mahanaga built … Read more
Six kilometers from Badalkumbura towards Buttala lies the ancient Veheragoda Purana Rajamaha Viharaya. The most significant building of the temple is the ancient Budu Ge (image house) built during the Kandyan era. Although quite small, this image house looks like an art gallery in a time capsule. The entrance to the image house is made … Read more
Although now operating as five different temples, it is believed that these 5 temples belonged to one large temple complex covering over 6 square kilometers in the ancient past. Based on archeological studies, this temple complex has been found to be built by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC) according to Mr. R. Ayrton, Commissioner of Archeology … Read more
2300-year-old Yatagala Rajamaha Viharaya is a Buddhist place of worship that has been the recipient of Royal Patronage from the Three Kings of Sri Lanka. It was established during the reign of King Devanam Piyatissa of the Anuradhapura period when one of the first saplings from the revered Sri Maha Bodhi Tree was planted here. … Read more
Yatala Vehera (also spelled Yatala Wehera) is an ancient Buddhist stupa dating back to the 3rd Century B.C., located in Deberawewa – Thissamaharama in the Hambantota District of Sri Lanka. The stupa is built on a stage made of large flat granite stones and has a surrounding wall of sculpted elephant heads, a moat, and … Read more
Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya in Yatiyallathota in Buttala is an ancient temple scatted with ruins of the ancient civilization in Rohana. The history of this temple goes back to the period of King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC). The second queen of King Devanampiyatissa had been scheming to kill the heir apparent, sub-king Mahanaga to make way for … Read more