Ranmasu Uyana (The Royal Gold- Fish Park)

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arks were a definite feature of city planning in ancient Sri Lanka.Thus; we have the names of several royal parks in the ancient capital of Anuradhapura before the dawn of the Christian year. The Mahamegha Park was founded by king Mutasiva in the third century BC. So were the Nandana Park & the Jotivana. All these were however, donated by the pious king Devenampiyatiss to the community of monks. These parks were located within the boundaries of Mahavihara. Therefore the need to find an alternative place for a royal park was felt to be an urgent matter & the place was found just outside the boundary of the great monastery & to the south of it. The Vessagiriya inscription of Mahinda iv in the tenth century gives the name of this park as Ranmasu Uyana meaning the Gold Fish Park.

Today, as it is the area covered by this park is about forty acres & the park itself is a fine example of garden architecture in ancient Sri Lanka. This park previously covered by the jungle was discovered at the beginning of this century by H.C.P Bell in the year 1901 & conservation work commenced in 1940. The characteristics of this park are worth comparing with those ancient parks of India as described in literary works.

The royal parks in ancient India had several features. These were the bathing ponds & ponds for growing water lilies. There were artificial mountains, caves, flower beds and also creeper pavilions called latha mandapa. Also, there was the Kadaligrha- the planting arbors, dola mandapa- the swing pavilions, citrasala- the art galleries, silapatta- the rest houses etc. There was a seperatr park for the royal maidens called pramadavana.

We have a historical reference to king Vasabha of the second century who carried out a program me to beautify the capital city of Anuradhapura by creating artificial ponds with swans in them. Unfortunately we have no records in history as to who created this Mangul Maha Uyana, the great royal park which is named the Gold Fish Park. As said above, this is the name found in the vessagiriya inscription of Mahinda IV (956-972AC). It is mentioned there in that the water of the  Tisavawa that is let out through the royal sluice must first be allowed to go into the Ranmasu Uyana, the royal park & from there to kelageya ( kadaligrha), the plantain arbor and to uyanteya, the park ponds and to mahanel- teya, the water lily ponds and finally to the rice-field around the( isurumuni) vihara

It is believed that Helloligama, the Candala village of Asokamala, the beloved of Saliya, son of Dutthagamani was situated in the neighborhood. It was probably between the Dakkhina Vihara and Issara Samana Vihara. According to legend it was in this beautiful royal park the youthful prince first met his future bride & princess to be Asokamala. If this is true, then we can safely say that the Gold Fish Park was founded in the third century BC immediately after King Devenampiyatiss donated the royal park to the community of Maha Sangha. But the legend of Dutthagamani began to echoes in the second century BC suppressing every other story.

The rocks scattered all over the area were used by architects in designing the rock garden. Two boulders lying in close proximity have been bridged with stone slabs & a building constructed on them. There is nothing much left of this building now. On either side of these boulders are three baths. The largest of these is to the north & is 34 feet by 25-29 feet. On the western side is a stone cave- like room measuring 7 feet by 6 feet with a seat in it. On the bed rock above is a bas-relief of elephants sporting in a lotus pond. They are beautifully sculptured.

Small steps cut on the boulders of the southern side of this bath lead to a trough scooped out the boulders. The holes round the trough indicate that wooden pillars were set up in them. This trough may have been the place where the Gold Fish were located.

The bath at the southern end of the boulders comprised two parts forming one unit. Beyond the bath on the side of the boulder is a chamber. This may be a dressing room. The baths are square in plan, each measuring 20ft. at ground level with a projection on the south for the flight of steps leading into it. The channel system which fed these baths & emptied the water in it shows the skill of the ancient irrigation engineers.

The park also has smaller ponds. Once upon a time, these may have been filled with flowers, fishes and aquatic birds. Mr. Paranavithana believed that this smaller bath & the attached chamber together formed a dhara-grha a shower- bath. There is another pond which is on a higher level that the main- bath at the site, and measures 24 feet by 2 feet. In ancient times, this park must have been a beautiful place with many flowering trees.

In one of the four caves at this site is incised a diagram circumscribed by two concentric circle. The large of these has a diameter of 6 feet. In the square area at the centre are seven concentric circles. The remaining of the space within the circles is divided into rectangles, each of which contains some symbols. We have not identified these. Some call it a map of the universe and others call it a diagram or a mantra.

At the northern end of the park is a mooted rectangular site on which are remains of three buildings. The eastern side of this may have been a part of the ancient park. The channel system starting from Tisaveva led water ti all the ponds and baths of the royal park. The open channels flow around the natural and architectural contours exhibiting the skills of ancient irrigational engineers. The channel which brought water to the cistern to feed the baths, runs westward to a distance of 30feet, and then turns northwards, parallel to the toe of the Tisaveva embankment. This embankment of the Tusavava formed the western boundary of the park. Of the walls that enclose it on the east and the south, the foundation is still traceable in the gardens and the rice field and was surveyed to a distance of 1260 yards.

Mr.Paranavithana who carried out a major portion of the conservation of this ancient and historic park, says that "of Sinhalese architecture meant for secular purpose the most notable examples arr found in this royal pleasure garden by the Tisavavs. Ha says that “in addition to the remains of summer houses, pavilions and baths, we have an rxample for a shower bath ( dhara grha) wherein were stone couches on which royal personages reclined while jets played

The ruins at the royal park that we see today belong to the 10th century. From here let us proceed further south along the bund or take the main kurunegala road until we come to the so called

The Moonstone and the Lotus Petals

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he elaborate moonstone at its base is in itself a distinctive element of ancient sculpture in the island. These semi-circular slabs of granite or gneiss acquired increasingly complex bonds of decorations over the years. They range from the near abstract-tongues of five and bands of creeper vines to symbolic interpretations of the four perils of life. The latter consists of the elephant a symbol of birth, the bull, indicative of decay. The lion, representing disease and the horse, a symbol of death. Some also have a band of geese which represent the distinction between good & evil. To some, the moonstone is symbolic of transcending wordly temptations & achieving “nibbane”

At the heart of many moonstones is a lotus petal. Buddhist regards the lotus as a sacred flower, a symbol of the male and female creative forces that prevails throughout Sri Lankan art, architecture, sculpture and literature. It figures in the legends attached to the birth of the Buddha, when seven lotus sprang into bloom at his feet as he looks the first seven steps in his life. The lotus bloomed again in profusion at the moment he reached the state of Enlightenment. In the moonstone, the lotus usually represents the central crowing seat of success. The total effect, then, of mounting the stairs begins with the devotee at the lotus, his back to the world, preparing to ascend to the shrine of wisdom & insight.

The “Mahavamsa” describes a step shaped like the half moon in a passage concerning a vatadage of the naga world. Some of the earliest examples of decorated moonstone can be seen on the ground of the “Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple” at Anuradhapura. Other good examples are found at the national museum in Colombo, the temple of the Tooth in kandy. And at various location in the city of Polonnaruwa. Excavations in 1983 revealed the first rectangular moonstone ever discovered, at polonnaruwa’s alahana Pirivena.

A Sinhalese Village

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 Sinhalese village is not a “village” in the sense of crowded assemblage of houses. Such villagers may indeed be seen in Ceylon in the dwellings of the erstwhile tribes, the Rodiya, the Kinnaraya & the Veddha- as also the villages of the functional service communities, the Beravaya (the nekati), and the kumbalkarya, the potter. These groups apart, a Sinhalese village is territorially extensive. Each house bog or small stands in its own grounds, thickly grown with an assortment of trees and plants, notably the coconut, Jack, plantains & yams, breadfruit and other trees and plants of economic value, or of no value at all.

Every village has its highland of houses and gardens, with either a chena as in the Dry Zone grown with seasonal crops, or paddy plots as in the wet zone. The number of houses in a village varies according to its extent irrigation facilities & topography. Round each homestead is a live fence, with or without a style at the front with two or three cross-bars. One step into the premises of the house crossing the style, or by letting down one or two of the cross-bars. The house has an open courtyard. A long front veranda is a feature of most houses, big or small. This gives to the living room.

Food Habits

Food habits are more or less the same for all classes, a morning meal generally of hoppers (Appa), pittu or string hoppers, with hot fish or meat curry, or the pol sambola alternatively, kiribath (rice cooked in coconut milk) and tea, mid-day meal of rice & spicy curries & the night food of rice & curry repeated, not generally so heavy or sumptuous as the mid-day meal. Both fish & meat are generally not served at the same meal. Boiled or curried jack, bread-fruit, manioc & tubers from part of the menu of an average noon time meal. In the southern province, curds & honey, is the favorite last course. The curd is of buffalo milk and the honey, the delicious honey of coconut toddy. The making of honey of the coconut toddy, is a specialty of the Sinhalese peasant of the south.

Chewing the betel, with Arecanut, and the lime (Chunam) comes at the finish of every meal. It is indeed a habit so inherent in the villager, that there is scarcely awaking moment he is not without the quid of betel in his mouth. In this he is one with the south Indian villager. Those used to it, and to the flavor by a small quid of tobacco taken with the betel. The spittle, colored red, is spat out & seldom swallowed.

Normally cleaner that the man of the town, the villager is fond of elaborate & daily baths, in the tanks which dot the country side, running streams, or in the quiet retreat of shady pools. After the bath the hair is combed and oiled, secured in a shapely knot (The Konde) at the back of the head. Women let the hair loose to dry, before doing up the konde (hair).

The pintaliya & pahan pela

The pintaliya or the water pot is among the wayside feature of rural Ceylon. True to Buddhist traditions, it reflects concern for the weary travelers. Simple as the idea is the water vessel, its disposition & equipment, has a certain technology about it.

At nightfall the villagers in Ceylon light a coconut oil lamp on a stand in the garden, the pahan pela by the side of the house. The idea is to propitiate the “Huniyam Devatawa”. The premises are kept clean. Prosperity is supposed to follow the visit of the God of the night. In essence a ceremonial light to the Gods, in form it varies from the very simple to highly elaborate patterns.

Paddy Field Sri Lanka

Sri lanka is very famous for paddy as it has a great history with this harvest which runs for years and years back with great stories. Paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka could be seen many parts of the country as many of the people in Sri Lanka have rice as their main food. The huge part of the production was supplied inside the country in the past with the great direction of the kings who ruled the country, they have built so many tanks and water irrigation systems which make the people astonished at the present too. Thissamaharama is one of the major rice production areas where it had been contributed to provide paddy for the country in the past and there are so many people carry out their lives from it at the present too. The economy of the area depends on this and so many people spend their time on this as it acts a main role of the lives.

GREATEST KING DUTUGEMUNU

The king Dutugemunu’s “spirit lived on and manifested itself continually in the religious and architectural activity of successive kings to the very beginning of the 19^th century “-and it remains so to the present day. Dutugemunu the warrior king dominates Sri Lanka’s history just as Asoka shines in Indian history as a symbol of its glory and greatness. Dutugemunu is important to Sri Lanka’s history not so much as a hero who spearheaded the move against a northern foe, but as afar seeing ruler who prevented this island from losing its national identity by being absorbed into the framework of the economic and cultural expansion of the cholas in south India.

Anuradhapura has flourished as a great city reflecting the heritage of the early kings, Pandukabhaya, Devanampiyatissa and their successors, until a wave of south Indian invasion led to its neglect. Sri Lanka did not have to face many dangers from the Indian subcontinent during the first few centuries of settlement. Relations were cordial between the two countries as recorded in the Mahavamsa and earlier chronicles of the ancient Sinhalese, as well as in the Asokan inscription of India. Trade between Sri Lanka and India ports had been there since prehistory, and Greek and roman trading vessels plied between the far East and West Asia carrying exotic goods to Europe from collection centres as Indian oceans ports. Indian merchants would have been involved in this trade between Sri Lanka ports and West Asia.this is confirmed in many ancient documents such as the periplus of the Erythraean sea, a 1^st or 2^nd century A.D manuscript, which records the voyage of a Greek navigator who sailed to these lands of the Indian ocean region. He mentions Sri Lanka as aport of call. These merchants were mainly interested in trading with the island during those early years, and did not pose a political threat. Although Rome controlled the economic activities of the Mediterranean and the orient to a great extent, it was not interested in sending its legions beyond West Asia.

Towards the 3^rd century B.C South Indian kingdom began to look on this island as an extension of their trading ventures. The friendly relation between the maurya kings and Sri Lanka has protected the island from hostile forces elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent. The South Indian state had not been completely under the sway of Asoka’s empire and had preserved their own cultural traditions since the day of Alexander and Chandragupta Maurya. Asoka’s edicts proclaimed his suzerainty over the whole of the subcontinent, but the southern states were independent to a great extent and subsequently they emerged as power to be reckoned with after the disintegration of the Mauryan Empire.

In 177 B.C South Indian adventures who may have been traders ruled in Anuradhapura for numbers of years. They were followed by the Chola King Elara who ruled for approximately 44 years. Sri Lanka had now become important to the trading interest of South India.

The Sinhalese people accepted Elara’s rule as no strong ruler had emerged among the Sinhala clans to counteract the force of the Cholas. According to the Buddhist chronicles Elara was just ruler, but the country began to be restive under the yoke of a king  who was Hindu by religion and was of the Chola race. Elara’s  connection with other chola groups in South India endangered the future independence of the island. The firm commitment to Buddhism by the Sinhala rulers of Anuradhapura was not easily forgotten. The memories of king Dewanampiyatissa and the monument built to house Buddhist relics, and the presence of the past heritage of the early Sinhalese settlers. The rulers of Rohana, where the Sinhalese royal family continued the traditions of Anuradhapura, awaited a time when they could regain their lost capital. These kings came under the sway of the king of Anuradhapura-in this case the chola king Elara. The Sinhalese people intermingled with the armies and administration of the northern king, but the Buddhist and Sinhalese traditions were still alive and the island awaited a leader who could rally these force around him to confront the north. The Mahavamsa gives much prominence to the story of king Dutugemunu and his life history is presented in great detail as an inspiration to all other kings who followed him. In a similar vein, Geoffery of Monmouth wrote his Arthurian saga in the middle ages, which led to other epic poems such as Tennyson’s ldylls of the king, where romantic literature is woven around ancient tales of folk heroes.

Tracing Dutudemunu’s origins, the Mahavamsa story unfold in the South Western coast of Sri Lanka where king Kelanitissa sacrifices his daughter to the angry gods of the ocean who had devastated the land with a tidal wave. Kelanitissa had offended the god and his people by killing a saintly monk due to palace intrigue. His daughter, who was set adrift in a golden barge to appease the gods of the sea. Drifted to the Southern Kingdom of Rohana-where Kavantissa ruled at Magama. Shrines situated along the south east coast of Sri Lanka such as Muhudumahavihara are associated with vihara maha dewi’s historic sea voyage. Kavantissa married the princess who  came to be known as Vihara Maha Dewi in the legends of the old. Kavantiss and Vihara Maha Dewi had two sons- Dutugemunu being the elder, and Tissa, the younger son.

Kavantissa was a quite man who used statecraft to expand his kingdom of Rohana by annexing the settlements of minot rules so that the rule of the king at Magama extended almost to the northern boundaries of Anuradhapura, where Elara ruled. Magama and Anuradhapura had the same Buddhist traditions of Maurya India in many ways, as they had both been in existence since the day of the first kings of Anuradhapura, Dutugemunu in his youth had offended his father Kavantissa by taunting him about his slow political scheme of unification. He was banished from the kingdom for this, and lived in the hill country forests in the kotmale district gathering an army around him.

After the death of Kavantissa, Dutugemunu became the ruler of Rohana and planned his campaign Against the northern kingdom. His rallying call to the Sinhalese was answered by the chieftains and leaders of various settlements, as well as by members of the Buddhist clergy, some of whom donned armour for the duration of the war and reverted to their saintly lives after the wars were over. Nandimitra, Suranimala, Mahasona, Gothabaya, Teraputta were some of the larger than life heroes of Herculean stature who followed Dutugemunu inti battle. Elara’s commander-in-chief, Dighajantu, is cast in the same mould. At the beginning of this long campaign, the king had to subdue some of the local rulers including his brother, Tissa, who did not wish to be subservient to the Rohana king. The army of Dutugemunu on its way from Rohana in the south to Rajarata in the north,  camped at many sites which are still a part of the folk lore of the island. From Mahiyangana to Vijithapura a long line of enemy forts succumbed to the southern forces.

Dutugemunu’s historic battle against Elara, with both kings on elephants, seems almost Homeric in aspect and was fought according to all the laws of chivalry extolled in great Indian epic poems such as the Mahabaratha. Elara was killed by Dutugemunu in this battle, but was given all the honors due to him in funeral rites according to royalty. Before he was finally vanquished, Elara had asked for aid from South India, and Dutugemunu had to once again face an army which landed at Mahatitta, led by a chief named Bhalluka, who advanced upon Aniradhapura. In the battle which ensued, Dutugemunu gained another victory destroying Bhalluka and his chola forces. Once all his rivals were subdued and the chola power in the north vanquished, Dutugemunu began to rule the kingdom from Anuradhapura. The wars were over and a great future lay ahead for this city. Dutugemunu commenced his greatest work-the building of the great stupa- the ruwanweli seya and also numerous other monuments, such as the Lovamahapaya or Brazen place which was nine storeys high, and the Mirissa stupa. The Ruwanweliya seya is one of the three great stupas of Anuradhapura and dwarfs the stupas of South East Asian in size. The nine storeyed Lovamahapaya is described as a royal monastery to accommodate monks according to their levels of enlightment. Much later, South Indian structure such as the Dharmaraja Rath at Mahamallapuram could have been built on similar lines. It was earlier thought that the description of the Lovamahapaya in the Mahavamsa may have exaggerated the splendor of the Buddhist monuments in the Anuradhapura to impress rulers who succeeded to the Sinhala throne after the heroic age of the Sinhalese king. But archaeology is proving that some of the description are not fiction but fact, as bronze tiles have been discovered at sites in Anuradhapura, which might be evidence that the Lovamahapaya and other edifices shone in regal splendor during Dutugemunu’s time.

Buddhism regained its lost glory and Anuradhapura once again became the greatest city in the lamd- a focus of travelers from other countries who visited these great Buddhist architectural wonders and commented on them. The final phase of the building of the Ruwanweliseya stupa could not be completed during Dutugemunu’s lifetime. The Mahavamsa dwells on the last moments of the dying monarch, as he gazed upon the gleaming white dome-hastily covered with white cloth to resemble the finished stupa. Dutugemunu’s brother, Saddhatissa, completed the building of the Ruwanweli seya and also ushered in an active period of great irrigation scheme. This was a feature of the peaceful times which dawned in the island after years of South Indian invasions.

King Dutugemunu’s statue which faces the Ruwanweliseya is one of the finest pieces of the sculpture constructed by later kings influenced by the Amaravati school of art in India which produced some of the beautiful Buddha images of the time. The grandeur of this statue also suggests the indo-Greek influence of the Kushans at Mathura.

Roamn forms in art and architecture during the late republic and later empire, were influenced by the Etruscan and Hellenic heritage of Italy and Greece. The second century B.C produced one of the finest Hellenic statues-that of Aphrodite of Melos or the ‘ Venus de Milo’ – which  served as a model for Roman sculpture in the years to come. The roman frieze at pergamon depicting the battle of the gods and giants was part of the altar of zeus constructed during this time. When kings such as Dutugemunu in  Sri Lanka were engaged in building great religious monuments, edifices reflecting the civic pride of the growing empire were taking shape in Rome as well as in the lands colonized by them.

Western history at this time was dominated by the Roman who were becoming more powerful. They controlled most of the Mediterranean and dominated carthage, Macedonia and Syria. Roman public life on the other hans was full of corruption and strife as officials from wealthy Roman families ruled as a closed aristocracy. Provincial governors and the aristocracy in Rome kept the masses from active participation in public life. Two roman of note were Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus. They were political reformers who carried out extensive agricultural reform, and tried to give political rights to the people. They were murdered while in office by conservative groups controlling all aspects of public life. Externally, Roman trade flourished and commerce developed around the Indian Ocean.

India at this time witnessed the end of the Maurya dynasty which was succeeded by the sungas, who ruled from Magadha. The Andhras succeeded to the Maurya lands in the South East of India. The building of stupas and other forms of sculpture art, which was a phenomenon of the post-Maurya era in India, was continued by the Sungas. The first invaders of India in the nd century B.C were Greeks from Bactria who established thrie rule in the Punjab and Indus valley ; they were followed by the sake or Scythians, and finally by the parthians or pahlavas from Iran. These groups carved out kingdom in northern India. The kushans were the last of the groups from Bactria. An important indo- Greek ruler of the time was king Menander (Milinda), a contemporary of Dutugemunu, who reigned from from  155-145 B.C. He was a Buddhist who figured in the canonical work, “The Milindapanha” pr ‘questions of Menander’…. He was regarede as a protector of Buddhism, the Greek in India being generous donors to Buddhist establishments. The coins of Menander bear the Buddhsit wheel or Dharmachakra on them. Buddhism appealed to the intellectuals of the Age, both India and In the other lands to which the missionaries travelled.

In Britain, the Iron Age Celtic tribes were building hill forts as the time that king Dutugemunu was engaged in the process of restoring Anuradhapura as a great cultural centre of the Buddhsit. The early Irish writings describe the tribal settlements of the celts as farming communities. The use of iron weapons and toolshad given the Celts mastery over the rat of European during the early years. The La Tene Celts from Europe has spread their civilization as far north as Britain and Scotland by this time the early Celtic town-ships that emerged in Britain and France during the second century B.C were converted to hill forts for defensive purposes. Britain, in 150 B.C., would have had hill forts and sacred oak groves where the Druids performed their magical rites, including human sacrifice. Celtic art was influenced by continental styles. The Druids became the transmitters of the oral traditional of the Celts and advisers to tribal chief.

In the Middle East, after Alexander’s death in 323 B.C, Palestine had become a buffer state between Syria under the Seleucid dynasty and Egypt under the ptolemies. Until 198 B.C, it was controlled by the Egyptians and after that the Seleucids attempted to Hellenize the Jewish lands. Greek dress, sports. Language and literature were popular with the local rulers such as Antiochus Epiphanies who reigned from 175-163 B.C. The jews finally revolted when the temple at Jerusalem Zeus. The Maccabean (Hasmonean) dynasty of jewish leaders began to control the destiny of Judea, which became an independent kingdom in 157 B.C religious groups such as the Pharisees, the Saducees and the Essenes interpreted the Jewish law to the people of Judea. The Essenes lived  in monastic communities practicing ascetic living and rites of purification, preparing for the dawn of a Messianic Kingdom. The dead Sea Scrolls, discovered (in 1947) in Qumran, may have been written at this time. Hebrew and Aramaic writings, as well as the books of the Jewish Old Testament were painstakingly recorded on leather and papyrus scrolls by scholars living in these cave dwellings. Their doctrines paved the way for the teachings of Jesus nearly two hundred years later.

Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Ponds)

Kuttam Pokuna or the twin ponds are another hydro logic engineering marvels of the ancient Sri Lanka. These two ponds belong to the Abayagiri aramic complex and probably been used by the monks for bathing. The origins of these ponds are not known but it is thought to have been built during the reign of King Aggabodhi I (575-608).

The smaller pond (the northern) one has been constructed first and the larger one at a later stage. They are connected through a pipeline at the bottom. The northern pond is 91 feet (28 metres) long and the other 132 feet (40 meters) .

Water to these ponds have been supplied through underground pipelines and the water is sent through several filtering chambers before it falls on the northern pond through a mouth of a dragon. The water from both ponds is drained from a small outlet in the smaller northern pond.

Though the underground pipelines are no more, some of these filters can still be seen.

Sandha Hiru Seya

The Sandhahiru Stupa is being built in the ancient capital Anuradhapura in the vicinity of the historic Ruwanweli Seya Dagoba as a symbol of gratitude for the sacrifices made by the War Heroes in safeguarding the motherland from terrorism. The sacred relics were taken in procession from Colombo to Anuradhapura via Kandy prior to the enshrinement at the Stupa providing opportunity for public veneration.

The religious ceremony took place with the participation of over six thousand five hundred members of the Venerable Maha Sangha (Monks). Religious observances were held to invoke blessings for the placing of omnificent sacred relics. Delivering an Anusasana, Venerable Prof. Medagoda Abhayatissa thero prayed for the lifelong existence of peace.

This unique spiritual ceremony is being held in the country after many centuries as this is the first time a Stupa of this magnitude is being built in Sri Lanka since the time of ancient kings. The omniscient sacred relics were placed in a special relic’s chamber built in the inner sanctum of the Pagoda. The sacred relics consecrate from five key temples were enshrined by the President in keeping with time held traditions, under the careful supervision of Maha Sangha. Relics will be deposited on a lotus flower made out of precious stone inside a solid golden replica of the Stupa which has embedded with precious gems.

In the meantime, 16 sets of the Tripitaka inscribed into 16293 pages made out of gold which is weighing approximately four kilogrammes and a hundred page Ven. Piruwana Tome was also enshrined together with the sacred relics. In parallel to this ceremony an International Buddhist Conference was also held by the Buddhist University with the participation of the Maha Sangha and many foreign and local delegates.

The Stupa is being built at right opposite of the Anuradhapura Sri Sarananda Pirivena premises. The construction of the 279 feet Stupa requires 30 million bricks and 40,000 bags of cement. The extent of the Stupa will be 255 feet. The project commenced with the President’s donation of Rs.25 million. Tri-Forces, Police and the Civil Defense Force personnel are involved in the construction of the mega Stupa.

The general public here and abroad has also contributed towards the construction of the Stupa as a mark of respect and gratitude to the sacrifices of the War Heroes.

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya

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aya Sri Maha Bodhi is a Sacred Fig tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is the southern branch from the historical Bodhi tree Sri Maha Bodhi at Bodh Gaya in India under which Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment. It was planted in 288 BC, and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date. Today it is one of the most sacred relics of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka and respected by Buddhists all over the world.

In the 3rd century BC, it was brought to Sri Lanka by Sangamitta Thera, the daughter of Emperor Asoka and founder of an order of Buddhist nuns in Sri Lanka. In 288 BC it was planted by King Devanampiya Tissa on a high terrace about 6.5 m (21.3 ft) above the ground in the Mahamevnāwa Park in Anuradhapura and surrounded by railings.

Several ancient kings have contributed in developing this religious site. King Vasabha (65 - 107 AD) placed four Buddha statues in four side of the sacred tree. King Voharika Tissa (214 - 236 AD) added metallic statues. King Mahanaga (569 - 571 AD) constructed a water canal around the sacred tree and King Sena II (846 - 866 AD) renovated it.

The present wall was constructed by Ilupandeniye Athtadassi Thero (monk) during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha, to protect it from wild elephants which might have damaged the tree. The height of the wall is 10 ft (3.0 m); and 5 ft (1.5 m) in thickness; its length from north to south is 388 ft (118.3 m) and from east to west 274 ft (83.5 m).

The first golden fence around the sacred tree was constructed by some Buddhist followers in Kandy under the guidance of Yatirawana Narada Thero (monk) in 1969. The iron fence below the above golden fence was created by people of Gonagala under the guidance of Yagirala Pannananda Thero (monk). The second golden fence was constructed under the guidance of then Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickramasinghe in 2003.

Two statues of Lord Buddha can be seen in the image-house; a stone-standing-statue is in the right side of the stone wall. The cobra-stone is a very rare creation, showing the embossed figure of cobra. Several monolith heads with plain incisions are in this religious site.

Ruins of an ancient building called Mayura Pirivena (Mayura Monastery) have been found to the south-west of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and the ruins of a stupa (is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the ashes of Buddhist monks, used by Buddhists as a place of meditation.) called Dakkhina Tupa (Southern Monastery) can be seen nearby.

According to the ancient chronicles in Sri Lanka, some walls and terraces had been built surrounding the sacred tree on some occasions in the past. Mahavamsa (is a historical book written in the Pali language of the Kings of Sri Lanka). states that King Gothabhaya (249 – 262 AD) had built a rubble wall and Dipavamsa (is the oldest historical record of Sri Lanka) reports about a rock-laid terrace and a lattice wall built by King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna (302 - 330 AD).

The above facts have already been established. While digging the earth for the purpose of reconstructing the present wall recently, a rubble wall with its foundation created by King Gotabhya and a rock-laid terrace together with a lattice wall constructed by King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna were found. These findings were preserved at places where they were and are now opened to public since January 2010.
Two branches of the sacred tree were broken down due to storm in 1907 and 1911. A lunatic cut and fell down a branch in 1929.