What to See in Sri Lanka - Top Sights and Attractions

1595 temple with the sacred Tooth Relic. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, commonly known as the Glorious Tooth Temple, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. The relic was historically held by Sinhalese kings. The temple of the tooth is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple and the relic.

Bhikkhus of the two particular chapters, the Malwathu chapters and Asgiri chapters, conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings. On Wednesdays, there is a symbolic bathing of the relic with a herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers called Nanumura Mangallaya; this holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed to those present.

The temple sustained damage from bombings by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in 1989, and by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 1998. However, it was fully restored each time.^[1]

Museum in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The National Museum of Kandy in Kandy, Sri Lanka is located next to the Temple of the Tooth in part of the former Royal Palace of Kandy. The primary exhibits are housed in the Palle Vahala building, which was the former home of the King's harem. A secondary exhibition is located in the main palace building. The museum is maintained by the Department of National Museums.

The Palle Vahala (lower palace) or Meda Vahala (middle palace) was constructed during the Sri Vickrama Rajasingha era and was used as the quarters of the queens of King of Kandy. This building has been built according to the architectural features of Kandy period. It was used as a depository for historical artifacts made by the Kandy Art Association which was established in 1882 and artisans of Matale. The museum was opened to the public in 1942.

The museum has over 5,000 artifacts on display consist of weapons, jewelry, tools and other artifacts from the Kandian era (17-19th Century) and post British Colonial era, including a copy of the 1815 agreement that handed over the Kandyan provinces to the British. In the grounds of the museum is a statue of Sir Henry Ward a former Governor of Ceylon (1855–1860), which was originally located in front of the Queen's Hotel.^[5]

Hindu temple in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee or Thirukonamalai Konesar Temple – The Temple of the Thousand Pillars and Dakshina-Then Kailasam is a classical-medieval Hindu temple complex in Trincomalee, a Hindu religious pilgrimage centre in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. The most sacred of the Pancha Ishwarams of Sri Lanka, it was built significantly during the reign of the early Cholas and the Five Dravidians of the Early Pandyan Kingdom on top of Konesar Malai, a promontory overlooking Trincomalee District, Gokarna bay and the Indian Ocean. Its Pallava, Chola, Pandyan and Jaffna design reflect a continual Tamil Saivite influence in the Vannimai region from the classical period. The monument contains its main shrine to Shiva in the form Kona-Eiswara, shortened to Konesar. Connected at the mouth of the Mahavilli Ganga River to the footprint of Shiva at Sivan Oli Padam Malai at the river's source, the temple symbolically crowns the flow of the Ganges River from Shiva's head of Mount Kailash to his feet.

Developed from 205 BC, the original kovil combined key features to form its basic Dravidian temple plan, such as its thousand pillared hall – "Aayiram Kaal Mandapam" – and the Jagati expanded by King Elara Manu Needhi Cholan. Regarded as the greatest building of its age for its architecture, elaborate sculptural bas-relief ornamentation adorned a black granite megalith while its multiple gold plated gopuram towers were expanded in the medieval period. One of three major Hindu shrines on the promontory with a colossal gopuram tower, it stood distinctly on the cape's highest eminence.

The journey for pilgrims in the town begins at the opening of Konesar Road and follows a path through courtyard shrines of the compound to the deities Bhadrakali, Ganesh, Vishnu Thirumal, Surya, Raavana, Ambal-Shakti, Murukan and Shiva who presides at the promontory's height. The annual Koneswaram Temple Ther Thiruvilah festival involves the Bhadrakali temple of Trincomalee, the Pavanasam Theertham at the preserved Papanasuchunai holy well and the proximal Back Bay Sea (Theertham Karatkarai) surrounding Konesar Malai.

The Sinhalese king Gajabahu II who ruled Polonnaruwa from 1131 to 1153 AD is described in the Konesar Kalvettu as a devout worshipper of Lord Shiva and a benefactor of the temple of Konamalai. He spent his last days in the associated Brahmin settlement of Kantalai.

The complex was destroyed in colonial religious attacks between 1622 and 1624 and a fort was built at the site from its debris. A 1632 built temple located away from the city houses some of its original idols. Worldwide interest was renewed following the discovery of its underwater and land ruins, sculptures and Chola bronzes by archaeologists and Arthur C. Clarke. It has been preserved through restorations, most recently in the 1950s. Granted ownership of villages in its floruit to form the Trincomalee District, Trincomalee village is located on the cape isthmus within the compounds. Revenue from the temple provides services and food to local residents.

Koneswaram has many strong historical associations. The shrine is described in the Vayu Purana, the Konesar Kalvettu and Tevaram hymns by Sambandhar and Sundarar as a Paadal Petra Sthalam along with its west coast Ishwaram counterpart Ketheeswaram temple, Mannar, and was praised for its tradition by Arunagirinathar upon his visit. The Dakshina Kailasa Puranam and Manmiam works note it as Dakshina/Then Kailasam (Mount Kailash of the South) for its longitudinal position and pre-eminence, it lies directly east of Kudiramalai west coast Hindu port town, while it is the easternmost shrine of the five ancient Ishwarams of Shiva on the island.

Mentioned as a widely popular bay temple of the island in the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Yalpana Vaipava Malai, the Mattakallappu Manmiam confirms its sacred status for all Hindus. Kachiyappa Sivachariar's Kanda Puranam compares the temple to Thillai Chidambaram Temple and Mount Kailash in Saivite esteem. Konesar Malai may have been the site where Yoga originated; some scholars have suggested that the worship of the almighty god Eiswara on the promontory is the most ancient form of worship existing.^[7]

Pagoda in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The Ruwanweli Maha Seya, also known as the Mahathupa is a stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Two quarts or one Dona of the Buddha's relics are enshrined in the stupa, making it the largest collection of his relics anywhere. It was built by Sinhalese King Dutugemunu in c. 140 B.C. who became king of Sri Lanka after a war in which the Chola King Elāra was defeated. It is also known as Swarnamali Seya, Svaṇṇamāli Mahaceti and Rathnamali Seya.

This is one of the "Solosmasthana" (the 16 places of veneration) and the "Atamasthana" (the 8 places of veneration). The stupa is one of the world's tallest ancient monuments, standing at 103 m (338 ft) and with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft). The original stupa had been about 55 m (180 ft) in height and was renovated by many kings. The Kaunghmudaw Pagoda in Sagaing, Myanmar is modelled after this stupa The Mahavamsa contains a detailed account on the construction and the opening ceremony of the stupa.

The stupa was covered by jungle as of the 19th century. After fund raising efforts by a bhikkhu, it was renovated in the early 20th century. The Ruwanweli Seya Restoration Society, most notably the philanthropist Hendrick Appuhamy, donated Rs 20 million (1912) for the restoration works, the foundation was founded in 1902 and the final crowning of the stupa took place on 17 June 1940.^[8]

Buddhist temple in Peliyagoda, Sri Lanka. The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara or Kelaniya Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. It is located 11 km north-east of Colombo. The current chief incumbent is Venerable Professor Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera.

The temple has often been associated with the rise and fall of Ceylon / Sri Lanka, with the popular saying that as the Kelaniya temple rose, Sri Lanka rose and as it fell, the country and its administration fell. It has thus had a deep association with the political powers of the country.

It is also infamous for Mapitigama Buddharakkitha, the chief conspirator of the 1959 assassination of Ceylon's fourth Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike. Buddharakkitha was the chief incumbent (chief priest) of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara from 1947 to 1959.^[9]

Buddhist temple in Nissankamallapura, Sri Lanka. The Gal Vihara, and originally as the Uttararama, is a rock temple of the Buddha situated in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. It was fashioned in the 12th century by Parakramabahu I. The central feature of the temple is four rock relief statues of the Buddha, which have been carved into the face of a large granitic rock. The images consist of a large seated figure, another smaller seated figure inside an artificial cavern, a standing figure and a reclining figure. 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 images of Uttararama follow a different style from the images of the previous Anuradhapura period, and show some significant differences. 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. Each of the images have been carved in a way that uses a maximum possible area of the rock, and their heights seem to have been decided based on the height of the rock itself. Each statue appears to have had its own image house, as indicated by the remains of brick walls at the site. 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. This code of conduct has been recorded in an inscription on the same rock face containing the images of the Buddha.^[10]

Museum. The National Maritime Museum or National Maritime Archaeology Museum in Galle, Sri Lanka is situated within Galle Fort. It was first opened to the public on 9 May 1992 and is located in a 1671 Dutch Warehouse above the Old Gate of Galle Fort. Whilst the building housing the museum survived the impact of the 26 December 2004 tsunami, the adjoining UNESCO Maritime Archaeology Unit was completely destroyed and all the exhibitions were flood damaged and the majority of maritime archeological artifacts were lost. Under Sri Lanka – Netherlands Cultural Co-operation Program, the Royal Government of Netherlands provided financial assistance for reconstruction of the Maritime Museum. After 3 years period of reconstruction, the Maritime Museum was re-opened to the public.^[12]

Stupa known as the world's largest. The Jetavanarama stupa or Jetavanaramaya is a stupa, or Buddhist reliquary monument, located in the ruins of Jetavana monastery in the UNESCO world heritage city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. At 122 metres, it was the world's tallest stupa, and the third tallest structure in the world when it was built by King Mahasena of Anuradhapura. He initiated the construction of the stupa following the destruction of the Mahaviharaya of Anuradhapura. His son Maghavanna I completed the construction of the stupa, and it was renovated by Parakramabahu I of Polonnaruwa. A part of a sash or belt tied by the Buddha is believed to be the relic that is enshrined here.

The structure is significant in the island's history as it represents the tensions within the Theravada and Mahayana sects of Buddhism; it is also significant in recorded history as one of the tallest structures in the ancient world; and the tallest non-pyramidal building; the height of the stupa was 122 metres, making it the tallest stupa in the ancient world. With the destruction and abandonment of Anuradhapura kingdom in the 11th century, the stupa with others was covered by jungle. King Parakramabahu in 12th century tried to renovate this stupa and it was rebuilt to the current height, a reduction from the original height. Today it stands at 71 metres.

The compound covers approximately 5.6 hectares and is estimated to have housed 10,000 Buddhist monks. One side of the stupa is 176 m long, and the flights of stairs at each of the four sides of it are 9 m wide. The doorpost to the shrine, which is situated in the courtyard, is 8 m high. The stupa has a 8.5 m deep foundation, and sits on bedrock.

The structure is no longer the tallest, but it is still the largest, with a base-area of 233,000 m2. Approximately 93.3 million baked bricks were used in its construction; the engineering ingenuity behind the construction of the structure is a significant development in the history of the island.^[13]

The National Museum of Galle is one of the national museums of Sri Lanka. It is located in the oldest remaining Dutch building in the Galle fort, Galle, a single storey colonnaded Dutch building built in 1656 as the commissariat store for the Dutch garrison at the fort. It subsequently served as a billiards room for the adjoining New Oriental Hotel. The building was renovated by the Department of National Museums and opened on 31 March 1986.

The museum houses a limited collection of exhibits from the Portuguese, Dutch and British periods. It has three main galleries, the first contains collections relating to the area's cottage industries, primarily turtle shell jewellery manufacturing, Beeralu lace weaving and traditional wooden mask carving. The second contains a collection of Dutch period furniture and weaponry. The final gallery, the 'Sri Lanka China Friendship Gallery', was opened on 10 September 2013. It is dedicated to the historical and archeological evidence of trade relations between China and Sri Lanka, with displays on the Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian (337 – c. 422 CE) and the 14th Century Fleet Admiral Zheng He (1371 – 1433).^[14]

The Satmahal Prasada is a 12th century step pyramid in the northeast corner of the archaeological complex of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. It is believed to be a stupa because it is in a Buddhist environment. It is unique in the area, of unknown builder and purpose. It is often compared to the stupa at Wat Kukut in Lamphun in Thailand and to the Buddhist architecture of Cambodia.

According to the Mahavamsa, King Parakramabahu I the Great (1123-1186) built a seven-story tower at Polonnaruwa, but there is no certainty that he refers to this one.

It is made of brick and a layer of plaster. It has seven floors, although the seventh only barely remains. It has a square plan, with a lateral staircase. It presents the same decoration on its four sides. On the ground floor, there is a false entrance. On the upper floors, there is a sculpture at the centre of each wall, surrounded by an arch and holes for anchoring a niche or a similar structure.

It has been related to the pyre of Hephaestion, built in the 4th century BC by Alexander the Great in Babylon to honour that general.^[16]

Ruin in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. Rankoth Vehera is a stupa located in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. The stupa was built by Nissanka Malla of Polonnaruwa, who ruled the country from 1187 to 1196. The Rankoth Vehera has been built according to the tradition of the stupas of the Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya and bears a close resemblance to Ruwanwelisaya. In fact, a stone inscription situated close to the stupa even identifies it by the name "Ruwanweli". However, it has later come to be known by the currently used name, Rankoth Vehera. In Sinhalese, ran means gold, kotha is the name given to the pinnacle of a stupa, and vehera means stupa or temple. Thus, the name Rankoth Vehera can be roughly translated to English as "Gold Pinnacled Stupa". Along with the Kiri Vehera, it is one of the most revered stupas in Polonnaruwa.^[17]

Fortress in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Jaffna Fort is a fort built by the Portuguese at Jaffna, Sri Lanka in 1618 under Phillippe de Oliveira following the Portuguese invasion of Jaffna. The fort is located near the coastal village of Gurunagar. Due to numerous miracles attributed to the statue of Virgin Mary in the church nearby, the fort was named as Fortress of Our Lady of Miracles of Jafanapatão. It was captured by the Dutch under Rijcklof van Goens in 1658 who expanded it. In 1795, it was taken over by the British, and remained under the control of a British garrison till 1948. As the only large military fort in the country, due to the presence of only government and military buildings within its ramparts, it was garrisoned by a detachment of the Ceylon Army.

With the onset of the Sri Lankan Civil War it came under siege on several occasions and was the scene of pitched battles. From 1985 to 1995 it was under the control of the LTTE during this time the LTTE destroyed several of key features to stop the Army getting control due to the site being used to stage attacks but it was recaptured by the Sri Lanka Army in 1995 after a 50-day siege during Operation Riviresa. It was also vandalised by locals to rebuild houses damaged from the war. Today it remains garrisoned by a detachment of the Sri Lanka Army with limited access to visitors and is being renovated with Dutch funding.

Buildings inside the fort include the Governor's residence (King's House), Queen's House, Kruys Church, the Garrison Parade Ground, Police quarters and several buildings from the Portuguese era.^[22]

Tallest mountain peak in Sri Lanka. Pidurutalagala, or Mount Pedro in English, is an ultra prominent peak and the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, at 2,524 m. It is situated North-North-East from the town of Nuwara Eliya and is easily visible from most areas of the Central Province. Its summit is home to the central communications array of the Government of Sri Lanka and armed forces and serves as an important point in the country's radar system. The peak is currently designated as an "Ultra-high security zone", and is protected by a large military base; the peak is strictly off-limits to the general public.

On 1 March 2010, a small wildfire broke out over the mountain's forest cover. The fire destroyed 3 acres (0.012 km2) of forest, before being doused by the Sri Lanka Air Force and nearly 300 local residents.^[29]

Church in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. Cathedral of Christ the King is located on Kandy Road, Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. It is the primary Anglican cathedral of the Diocese of Kurunegala, affiliated to the Church of Ceylon.

The construction of the church (estimated at a cost of Rs 500,000) was largely funded by Most Rev. Lakdasa De Mel, the first Bishop of Kurunegala, along with other members of the De Mel family. The construction of the church commenced on 21 December 1950 (the feast of St. Thomas), upon a 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres) site, at the base of Ethagala (Elephant Rock). The chapel of the Blessed Virgin and St. Thomas the Apostle were consecrated in 1956, the ceremony was presided over by Rev. Aurobindo Nath Mukherjee, Metropolitan of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon. The nave, the font, the pulpit and the lectern were consecrated in 1960. The architecture, especially the nave and roof is a combination of Polonnaruwa and Kandy era architecture, reflecting the brick vaulted image houses (Polonnaruwa) and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Kandy). The cathedral is constructed out of cement and reinforced concrete. The central tower is 33 metres (108 ft) high and crowned by a bronze cross. The brass lamps and the communion rails depict art motifs and lacquer work of Kandyan tradition. The 'Cross of Anuradhapura' is also replicated in brass. The flags of the ‘Disavas’ (the traditional districts), which constituted the Diocese of Kurunegala, have been reproduced by Ena de Silva and are displayed on an interior wall of the cathedral. The modern painting, by Nalini Marcia Jayasuriya, forms the backdrop to the Lady Chapel and the fresco of Christ the King was painted by George Keyt.^[31]

Monastery. 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 travelling 18 miles along the Tissamaharama-Yodhakandiya road towards the Yala National Park. The name Sithulpawwa is derived from the word "Chiththala Pabbatha", which means "the hill of the quiet mind".

This monastery was a place of worship for devotees as well as a center of Buddhist education for Buddhist monks. Paintings of the Anuradhapura era and the ruins of stone Buddha images, Bodhisattva images, Image Houses, Circular Relic Houses are spread throughout the monastery premises. The present chief incumbent of Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Vihara is Ven. Metaramba Hemarathana Nayake Thera.

King Gajabahu placed a stone inscription where it states that the tax received from the court must be paid to the monks of this monastery.^[34]

St. Andrew's Church is an Anglican church in Haputale, Badulla District, Sri Lanka. This small Neo-gothic church is located on the A16 road.

It is one of the oldest buildings in Haputale and one of the oldest European buildings in the district. The foundation stone was laid on 7 April 1869 by Lieutenant General Hodgson and it was consecrated for worship on 19 September 1869.It was built by James Andrews, who worked at Sherwood Estate, and Richard Wylie, from Pita Ratmale Estate. The first services were conducted by Rev. Joseph Barnett, co-pastor of Middlington.

The church's interior is small but well furnished. The pews and kneelers are upholstered with red velvet and leather and the ends of the pews are decorated with intricate woodcarvings. The altar is surrounded by stained glass windows imported from Scotland that depict the significant events in the life of Jesus. It has a marble baptismal font, imported from England, located at the entrance of the church.

Reverend Walter Stanley Senior's ashes are interred in the church's graveyard.

The church was declared a protected archaeological site in November 2002.^[35]

Brief Garden is a landscape garden and former home in Beruwala, Sri Lanka designed by landscape architect and owner Bevis Bawa. It is home to the landscape design practice, Brief Garden Designs.

In 1929 Bawa was bequeathed the family rubber plantation by his mother, Bertha Marianne née Schrader (1876–1946). The estate's unique name was derived from the fact it was purchased by his father, Benjamin, with funds from a successful legal brief. Bawa realised that he lacked the self-discipline to operate and maintain a successful plantation and focused instead on developing the estate's garden. The original estate was approximately 81 hectares (200 acres) with Bawa selling off portions of the estate to reduce it to manageable proportions. He continually worked on the garden until his death in 1992. The estate was inherited by his employees, with Doohlan de Silva, currently managing the property.^[40]

Historical landmark in Sri Lanka. Adisham Hall, or Adisham Bungalow is a country house near Haputale, in the Badulla District, Sri Lanka. At present, it houses the Adisham monastery of Saint Benedict. It has a relic of St. Sylvester at the chapel.

Sir Thomas Villiers was awarded 2.8 ha (7 acres) from the Tangamale Strict Nature Reserve by an act of the British parliament. The house was built in 1931 by an English aristocrat and planter Sir Thomas Villiers, former Chairman of George Steuart Co, a trading and estate agency based in Colombo. Sir Thomas was a grandson of Lord John Russell and descendant of the Dukes of Bedford. Named after Adisham, it was designed by R. Booth and F. Webster in Tudor and Jacobean style. Adisham Hall played host to many prominent personalities of the colony until the retirement of Sir Thomas, after which it was purchased by Don Charles Wijewardene and his daughter Rukmini Wijewardene, owners of Sedawatte Estates, in 1950. While studying at LSE, London, Rukmini Wijewardene, in order to thank him for the sale, made a courtesy call on Sir Thomas Villiers who was, by then, living in Knightsbridge, London. Don Charles and Rukmini were the husband and daughter of Vimala Wijewardene. In 1961 Rukmini Beligammana (née Wijewardene) sold it to an Italian Benedictan monk. Upon purchasing the house and property the Italian monk removed silver cutlery and a few items of furniture in order to recover his investment and also make a profit. After leaving it unoccupied for two years he subsequently donated the house and property to the Ampitiya Benedictine Monastery in 1963. The house is well preserved along with its period fittings and furniture, and is open to visitors.^[43]

Al Abrar Mosque, or Masjidul Abrar Jumma Mosque, is a mosque in Beruwala, Sri Lanka, which is claimed to be the first and the oldest mosque in the country.

The mosque purportedly dates back to 920 AD, built by Arab merchants who arrived here to trade with locals in spices, ginger and steel en route to China. The mosque, fronted by a large pond, has undergone several extensive reconstructions since it was first built, with little attention paid to preserve any historical aspects of the structure. In 1893 the roof was supported by large round pillars, which were demolished in 1986 when the mosque went through a significant refurbishment and expansion, under the guidance and supervision of Abdul Bakeer Markar, the local member of parliament, representing Beruwala, who later went on to become the Speaker of the Parliament and the first Governor of the Southern Province. The renovated building was designed by W. J. Neil Alles of Surti and Alles Chartered Architects and built by Alhaj S. M. A. Hameed and M. N. A. Haniffa. The mosque currently has the capacity to accommodate 3,000 devotees.

On 8 June 2003 an image of the mosque was included on two commemorative stamps (a Rs.23 and Rs.4.50), released by the Postal Department to mark the first Arab settlement by the Media, Postal and Telecommunications Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar.^[45]

Matara Bodhiya is a sacred fig tree in Matara, Sri Lanka.

Its origin can be traced back to a tragic story centred 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 amorous company of a courtesan, spied a bee entangled in the petals of a lotus flower, inspired he wrote two poetic lines. He then offered a reward to anybody who could complete the other two stanzas to his poem. The cunning courtesan seized the opportunity took the verse to Kalidasa, who completed the poem. The courtesan then murdered Kalidasa in order to keep the reward for herself, concealing the body. The king however instantly recognised his friend's handwriting bringing the whole murderous ruse to light. When Kalidasa's dead body was taken to the funeral pyre for cremation, the grieving king unable to control his grief over the death of his beloved friend, threw himself into the burning flames and immolated himself. Upon witnessed this tragedy, five official queens also leapt into the flames to their deaths.

Local legend has it that seven Bo trees were planted over the seven tombs. These seven Bo trees are known locally as the "Hath Bodhis" and are said to be still surviving at six different places around Matara. Matara Bodhiya is one of those trees. It is respected and protected by the local buddhists.

In 1783 when the Dutch ruled Matara, a Dutch General is alleged to have cut down those seven Bo trees and had used their timber for the construction of local buildings, with only one having survived.^[46]

Temple. Lahugala Kota Vehera or Kota Vehara Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Lahugala, Ampara District, Sri Lanka. The temple is located in Pansalgoda Grama Niladari division of Lahugala DS and lies on Colombo - Batticaloa main road about 10 km far from Pothuvil town. The temple has been formally recognised by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation was declared on 10 October 2014 under the government Gazette number 1884. The protected monuments include the ancient Dagaba, building sites with stone pillars, flight of steps carved on natural rock plain and drip ledged caves. The Stupa in the Vihara has been identified as one of four Kota Vehera Styled structures found around Sri Lanka.^[50]