Agalakada Dharmarakshitha Purana Viharaya has been built by Agalabada Dharmarakshitha Thero with a Tampita Viharaya during the reign of king Kirthi Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781). This temple lie between Akuressa and Morawaka, 5.5 km off Akuressa town and 21 km off Morawaka. To reach Agalakada Dharmarakshitha Ancient Temple from Akuressa take to Pitabeddara road … Read more
Angaligala (also known as Anjaleehela, Anjalihela, Anjaleegala) is a Buddhist temple of the ancient Magama Kingdom lying in the picturesque remote village of Debarahela. The new temple as well as the ruins of the ancient temple lie on a rocky plain extending from north to south. Traveling from Thanamalwila towards Weerawila you will come across … Read more
Bandagiriya forms the highest point in Hambantota District. Located at its summit is the ancient Bandagiriya Vihara (temple). In Dathuwamsa, one of the ancient chronicles of Sri Lankan history, it is mentioned that this temple was built by King Kawantissa in the 2nd century BC. The name is also mentioned in ancient graffiti discovered in … Read more
Bentota is a resort town on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast. Its long Bentota Beach stretches north, where it becomes a sandy strip known as Paradise Island, parallel to Bentota Lagoon. Even though this town is now best known for its beaches, the history of this town goes as far as the 2nd century BC and … Read more
The Bodhi Sameepa Viharaya is the place where a secondary Bodhi Tree was located, Vanawasa Rajamaha Viharaya is where the Bikkus residential ‘Kuti’ were located, Bodhimalu Rajamaha Viharaya is where the sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi was planted, the main image house and the relics of Maha Kasyapa Thero were enshrined at Galapatha Viharaya … Read more
En route to the Kirinda Temple lies an archaeological site known as the Dalada Viharaya. A conserved stupa surrounded by a few granite monoliths and some other ruins can be found at this site.
Dampahala Vilayaya (Wilayaya) Purana Viharaya is an ancient temple in Matara district with a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. This temple lies between Pasdgoda and Urubokka and is 9 km off Pasdgoda, 6.5 km off Urubokka, and 22 km from Deniyaya. It is said that the paddy fields close to the temple had … Read more
The little town of Devinuwara or the “City of Gods” is located at the southern edge of the country, about 6.5kms southeast of Matara. Devinuwara is also known as Dondra in English. At the height of its splendor, in the 13th-15th centuries, Devinuwara has been a busy seaport and a most renowned place of pilgrimage … Read more
Elamaldeniya Raja Maha Viharaya lies about 18km away from Morawaka town and 8 km away from Pitabeddara Town. The Temple built during the 2nd century BC is on a rocky hill isolated from human habitation and is attributed to King Saddhatissa ( 137-119 BC ) of the Anuradhapura Era. The temple has been built by … Read more
Yala National Park is one of the most popular wildlife parks in Sri Lanka, covering over 100,000 hectares. Yala is also said to have the highest concentration of leopards in the world and attracts close to a million visitors a year. However, the area covering Yala was part of the ancient kingdom of Rohana, which … Read more
Many of the rivers flowing through our country have been named in Pali, as mentioned in our chronicles such as the Mahavamsa, and Culavamsa. Among them is the Bentota Benthara River flowing through the deep south. About 38 miles away from the Colombo-Galle-Matara highway, this river is named Culavamsa (Part 1) as Bhimathitha. It is … Read more
Galenda Rajamaha Rajamaha Viharaya at Ambalantota is an ancient temple that has been forgotten by the general public for centuries. Only the fallen rock pillars which once proudly held Buddhist buildings now bear witness to the antiquity of the temple. A pair of splendidly carved Gurard Stone (Muragala) lies on the ground for weather-worn for … Read more
Ahungalla Galvehera Maluwa Temple is a recently renovated abandoned temple in the Galviharaya Area of Ahungalla. After hundreds of years of neglect, the residents have cleared the area and re-established the temple. When King Mahanaga was ruling the Ruhuna region around the 3rd century BC, the Maduganga has been called Weliganga ( Sandy River) and … Read more
Passing Pulinathalarama Viharaya at Ambalthota is another ancient temple called Gangaramaya Rajamaha Viharaya belonging to the Kandyan Era. Lying close to a tributary of the Walawe River from one side and the sea from another side, this temple too has been subjected to the horrors of the 2006 tsunami. At this temple, you can find … Read more
As you travel passing Nonagama Junction in Ambalantota, just before the bridge over the Walawe River, you will find the Girihandu Rajamaha Viharaya of Ambalantota. The temple is believed to be built by King Devanapiyatissa in the 2nd century BC. Due to its current name, some believe that the hair relics of Buddha brought by … Read more
Veheragala Archaeological Site lies in the temple complex known as the Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya in the area known as Bodagama on the Udawalawe and Thanamalwila Road. This is a site now preserved by the Department of Archaeology and covers a considerable area. ‘Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon’ by C.W. Nicholas published in 1963 … Read more
Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple in the Hakuruwela area in Weeraketiya, Hambantota district. Among the buildings of this temple is a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. However, the presence of Siri Pathul Gal (blocks of rock carved with a footprint of Buddha) which were objects of veneration in the 2-3rd … Read more
Hathagala Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple in the Southern province lying between Hungama and Nonagama along the Matara – Hambantota road. Today this temple is also a pirivena providing education to Buddhist monks. Much of the history of this temple is lost in time, but the temple has received royal patronage from King … Read more
Island Hermitage on (Polgasduwa) Dodanduwa Island, Galle District, Sri Lanka is a famous Buddhist forest monastery founded by Ven Nyanatiloka Mahathera in 1911. It’s a secluded place for Buddhist monks to study and meditate in the Buddhist tradition. It also has an English and German library. The Island Hermitage was the first center of Theravāda … Read more
Rumassala, known to colonialists as Buona Vista, is the subject of many legends. It is featured in the Ramayana, as the home of the beautiful Queen Sita. According to the Ramayana, it is also said that Hanuman dropped a chunk of ‘Himalaya’ at Unawatuna (Onna Vetuna – ‘here it fell’) to form the present mountain, … Read more
Kasagala Raja Maha Vihara (Sinhala: කසාගල රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist Temple, situated in Angunukolapelessa, Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. It is situated about 10 km (6.2 mi) away from Ranna Junction along Ranna – Weeraketiya road. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The … Read more
The Kothduwa temple, or Koth Duwa Raja Maha Viharaya, is a Buddhist temple located on Kothduwa Island on the Madu Ganga in southern Sri Lanka. The island is located in the Galle District of the Southern Province approximately 35 km (22 mi) north of Galle and 88 km (55 mi) south of Colombo. The temple … Read more
Matara Bodhiya is a sacred fig tree in Matara, Sri Lanka. Its origin can be traced back to a tragic story centered on King Kumara Dharmasena or Kumaradhatusena son of King Kasyapa of Sigiriya (512-522 AD) and his closet friend, Kalidasa, a famous dramatist, and poet. According to the tale the king whilst in the … Read more
Menik Vehera (also written as Manik Vehera) is situated within close proximity to Yatala Stupa but not large in size. It has been restored in 1894 keeping to the original shape. This stupa is attributed to King Mahanaga. Henry Parker believes that it was constructed by King Dutugemunu. Remains of several ancient buildings are found … Read more
Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara (also known as Mulgirigala Raja Maha Vihara) (Sinhala: මුල්කිරිගල රජමහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple in Mulkirigala, Sri Lanka. It has been built on a 205 m (673 ft) high natural rock, surrounded by another four rocks known as Benagala, Kondagala, Bisogala, and Seelawathiegala. The temple site is located about … Read more
Naigala Rajamaha Viharaya (Sinhala: නයිගල රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Weeraketiya, Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. It is located about 2 km (1.2 mi) away from Weeraketiya junction and 8 km (5.0 mi) from the ancient Buddhist temple, Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara. This temple has been built according to the Pabbata … Read more
Debarawewa Paschimarama Rajamaha Viharaya is situated on the bank of Kirindi Oya, by the side of the Weerawila-Deberawewa main road. The construction of this temple is attributed to King Mahanaga of the 3rd century BC. This was an important temple, very near the capital city of Ruhuna, which went into obscurity with the change of … Read more
The Pilana Raja Maha Vihara or Pilana Temple is a Buddhist temple in Galle, Sri Lanka. The Chief Incumbent (Chief Priest) is Meepe Wagira Thera. The temple is well known in the southern part of the island for its historical Perahera festival. LocationThe Pilana Raja Maha Vihara is located in the Galle District, near the … Read more
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
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