Ampara

It’s, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo. Most of the civilians in the town are Sinhalese and Buddhism is the predominant religion, practiced by most living in Ampara.

This town was known as a hunters’ resting place during British colonial days (late 1890s and early 1900). During the development of the Galoya scheme from 1949 by the late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake, Ampara was transformed into a town. Initially it was the residence for the construction workers of Inginiyagala Dam. Later it became the main administrative town of the Galoya Valley.

Buddhangala Monastery

Situated a short distance from the banks of Tissa Weva is Mirisavatiya Dagoba which is the first Dagoba built by King Dutugemunu following his successful capture of the Kingdom of Anuradhapura in the 2nd century BC. Mirisavatiya Dagoba is smaller but similar in structure to another of the King’s great creations, Ruvanveliseya, which ironically was the last religious monument he constructed.

There are two legends associated with the building of this wonderful Dagoba. The first is that King Dutugemunu went to bathe in the Tissa Weva tank leaving his ornate scepter, which contained a relic of Lord Buddha, implanted in the bank. When he returned, he was unable to retrieve his scepter and saw this as an auspicious sign and thus had Mirisavatiya Dagoba built over it. The alternate story is that King Dutugemunu failed to offer Buddhist priests a chilli (miris) spiced curry as it was spilt by mistake. Thus he built the Mirisavatiya Dagoba as a form of compensation for this misdeed.

Lankaramaya Stupa

Lankaramaya or Lankarama stupa was built by King Valagamba in the 1st Century BC and is situated at Galhebakda in Anuradhapura. This was built during the Anuradhapura period although not much is known about the ancient form of this stupa as it has undergone renovation. However, ruins indicate that there has undoubtedly been an encircling Vatadage as is the custom, but all that remains are rows of stone pillars.

Located nearby is the Eth Pokuna or Elephant Pond, an ancient man made pond which is approximately 150m in length and 53m wide. Amazingly, the water to this tank is still supplied through a network of underground canals from the Periyakulama Tank and continues to function after many hundreds of years.

Dakkhina Stupa

There appears to be quite a bit of confusion and controversy regarding the true identity of this structure. For years it was believed that Dakkhina Stupa was in fact Elara Sohona, a tomb built by the King Dutugemunu in honour of the slain Dravidian King Elara who was said to be a very just king. However, in the mid 19th century a Scottish architect and writer named James Fergusson having studied the history of Indian and Eastern architecture claimed that this was not King Elara’s tomb but a Stupa. Based on this, the Archeological Department of Sri Lanka reclassified this structure as a stupa. In 1946, Professor Paranavitana identified this to be Dhakkina Stupa and believed this to be the site of the cremation of King Dutugemunu. He believed that initially it was a small stupa which contained the remains of the great King which was then expanded at a later date. It is thought to have been constructed by Uttiya, a Minister of King Valagamba.

Isurumuniya (Meghagiri Vihara)

Isurumuniya, which is also known as the Meghagiri Vihara, is a historical Buddhist temple that was built during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (247-207BC). King Devanampiya Tissa was the ruler at the time Buddhism was brought to the island courtesy of a special envoy from King Asoka of India. Located in close proximity to the Tisa weva tank, Isurumuniya is renowned for its spectacular rock carvings. The most famous of these sculptures is that of the Isurumuniya “lovers” which has been moved from its original location and is now housed in a small museum within the premises. This rock carving dates back to the 5th century AD. Some carvings still remain at their original position on the face of the rock. You will have to remove your footwear, so be mindful of the time you visit as it does get very hot during the daytime. Furthermore, ensure that you are appropriately attired. Shorts and sleeveless tops although ideal for sightseeing in the dry heat may not be well accepted.

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Anuradhapura is situated in what was an old British colonial administration building within the ancient city. Within these walls are an interesting array of historical artefacts consisting of artworks, carvings and other everyday items from Anuradhapura and other historical locations within Sri Lanka. These artefacts are made from stone, metal and terracotta. There are also ancient coins and drawings. The museum grounds also contain carved squatting plates from Anuradhapura’s western monasteries as well as urinals illustrated with the god of wealth showering handful of coins down the hole. All in all, this makes for an interesting visit. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and Public holidays.
VESSAGIRIYA (ISSARA SAMANARAMA)

Vessagiriya or Issara Samanarama as it is also known is a series of stone rocks where you will find the remains of the Vessagiriya cave monastery complex. This is situated to the South of Isurumuniya and is said to date back to a similar period as the Isurumuniya Vihara. Details uncovered in chronicles reveal that the first eight saplings of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi Tree were planted at this location. The chronicles further state that King Vasabha, who ruled Anuradhapura from 65 to 100AD, built a chapter house and that King Voharika Tissa (214 to 236AD) was responsible for building a wall circling the monastery. Furthermore, the site boasts of 23 caves, some of which have inscriptions written in early Brahmin script of the 2nd century BC.

Archaeological Museum

The ancient ruins of the Toluvila Monastery are so named due to its proximity to the hamlet of Toluvila, which is below the bund of the Nuwara Weva in the ancient capital city of Anuradhapura. The ancient monastery once consisted of nearly a hundred buildings which were shaped in a rather unusual manner. The Dagoba in the north east corner was once a beautiful structure but has sadly fallen into disrepair and since been gutted of its splendour. The image house which is situated in front of the Dagoba was once home to a seated image of Lord Buddha which is said to be one of the finest and best preserved sculptures found in Sri Lanka. Carved entirely from a block of granite, it was discovered in 1900 and is thought to date back to the 4th or 5th century. In order to preserve this artistic and historical treasure, the Buddha statue has since been moved to the Colombo Museum where it can be seen at the entrance.

Abhayagiri Museum

The Abhayagiri Museum is located in close proximity to the Abhayagiri Dagoba. The museum commemorates the arrival of the Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian’s to the island and his visit to Abhayagiri Dagoba in 412AD. Therefore, this museum is funded by the Chinese. Faxian, also known as Fa-Hsien, was also a Buddhist explorer and researcher who spent some time living in the Abhayagiri Monastery translating Buddhists scriptures. He later took these translated scriptures with him when he returned to China. The museum contains extensive ancient treasures unearthed during the excavation of the Abhayagiri Monastery. These items include ancient sculptures, jewellery, pottery, ornaments, glass, tiles and handicrafts.

Ruwanweliseya Dagoba

Arguably one of Sri Lanka’s most famous historical sites, the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba is sacred to Buddhist pilgrims the world over. Commissioned to be built by King Dutugemunu, who is the first Sinhalese king to rule the entire island, legend has it that he did not live to see the completion of this glorious structure. As he was ailing, his brother arranged for it to be draped in white cloth so that he could see what the completed masterpiece would look like from his deathbed.

Ruwanweliseya is said to be King Dutugemunu’s finest construction. Today it is visited by thousands of pilgrims and travellers from the world over. It is also a sacred place of worship for many Sinhalese Buddhists. The sheer size of the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba is breathtaking, and you really get a feeling of history when you gaze at this magnificent structure through the walls guarded by a freeze of hundreds of elephants. There is a statue within the premises which is popularly believed to be a statue of King Dutugemunu.

As at any place of Buddhist worship, visitors must remove footwear and dress appropriately as a sign of respect. Therefore plan ahead and visit Ruwanweliseya at a time when the sun is not too hot, especially if you plan on walking the circumference of the Dagoba in your bare feet..

Ruwanweliseya Dagoba

Toluvila Monastery

Seated in the meditation pose, the Samadhi Buddha is considered one of the best sculptures from the Anuradhapura period. The statue is situated in the middle of the historical Mahamevnawa Park (Mahamewna Uyana) which is to the East of the Abhayagiri Dagoba, to the south west of the Sacred Sri Maha Bodhi, in close proximity to Tissa Wewa. Thought to be sculpted in the 3rd or 4th century, the statue is carved out of dolomite marble and considered to be one of the finest Buddha statues in all of Sri Lanka. Discovered in its present location in 1886 it was then re-erected and repairs carried out to reconstruct its destroyed nose. Today, the statue is covered by a concrete structure in order to help preserve its beauty for generations to come. The statue itself is sculptured in a manner which appears to show varying profile features from different angles