Ancient Cities

This temple, consecrated during the third and final visit of Lord Buddha to Sri Lanka, eight years after gaining enlightenment, is situated 7 miles from Colombo in the Gampaha District on the banks of the Kelaniya River. It has a history of nearly 2563 years.The Mahawansa records that the original Dagoba at Kelaniya enshrined a gem-studded throne on which the Buddha sat and preached. The temple is also famous for its image of the reclining Buddha and paintings which depict important events in the life of the Buddha, in the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, also incidents from the Jataka tale (Folk Tales). lt is the venue of the annual Duruthu Perahera held in the month of January. Wikipedia...

Located north of Kandy and considered by most to be the center point of SriLanka, Dambulla is a town built around a vast isolated rock mass measuring 500 ft and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.It was here that King Valagambahu took refuge in the 1st century B.C. The view from the top of this rock is breathtaking 350 ft. above are a series of five caves which was later turned into a magnificent rock temple by King Valagambahu.

In the first cave is a recumbent image of the Buddha 47 ft, long , cut out from the rock. There are images of deities associated with Buddhism. The frescoes on the walls and ceiling could be dated to the 15th - 18th centuries. In the second cave, the finest and the largest , are not less than 150 life size statues of gods. There are numerous images of the Buddha as well. The ceiling too is covered with frescoes which depict great events in the life of the Buddha , and landmarks in the history of the Sinhala People. Wikipedia...

This Cetiya (sthupa) was built during the lifetime of Lord Buddha enshrining the lock of hair given by Him to God Saman on the occasion of His first visit to Sri Lanka, nine months after attaining enlightenment. It is the first ever stupa to be constructed in Sri Lanka.
It was enlarged by Arhat Sarabhu to a Cetiya 12 cubits high after receiving and enshrining the collar bone relic of the Buddha taken from the funeral pyre. The son of King Devanampiyatissa's brother, for greater protection, covered it over and made it thirty cubits high. King Dutugemunu -(161-137 BC). Dwelling there, while fighting the invading forces of the Tamils, enlarged it to eighty cubits high. It was subsequently rebuilt by Vijayabahu 1 (1055-1110 CE) and restored again during modern times. Wikipedia...

Situated in Mahamega Gardens. Built in the second century B.C by King Dutugamunu. It is 100 metres tall, 77 metres wide, 300 ft in diameter.
Originally the shtupa was designed in a " Bubble " shape . Sadly different restorations of the sthupa have altered its original shape. The Great Sthupa cost the King 6.4 million coins in wages. The construction was commenced on a full moon day in May 144 B.C. The foundation was made of butter-clay, imported from India, which was used as cement. Further four small Sthupas are to be seen in the four corners in order to give more respect. Entering the sthupa , you come across a sand court yard from which rises the Elephant wall.
Walking around the stupa you see a life size statue of a king, believed to be King Dutugamunu. Further on you see an Inscription done by King Nissankamalla in the platform. King Dutugamunu fell sick with a sickness that was to be mortal, He sent for his younger brother Saddhatissa to complete its work. So King Dutugamunu had his wish fulfilled as he lay dying, and the sthupa was completed by King Saddhatissa. Wikipedia...

15 miles east of Matara is the town of Dikwella, where there is one of the most amazing Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. The Wewurukannala Vihara temple is dominated by an image of a seated Buddha. It is 160ft high, the largest statue in all of Sri Lanka and dates back to the time of King Rajadhi (1782 - 1798).
The temple has three parts, the oldest being about 250 years old; however this is of no particular interest. The next part has life size models of demons and sinners shown in graphic detail potraying the wrath which the unbeliever is entitled to. The varied and grotesque forms of punishments are are shown and include being drowned in boiling cauldrons, sawn in half, being disemboweled etcand so on. Finally there is the enormous seated Buddha that is as high as an eight-storied building.
The temple walls show you the path towards enlightenment by depicting hundreds of comic strip representations of events in the Buddha's life. Among one of the episodes is the Chulla Dhammapala Jataka. Several Jataka Stories are also amid the paintings, which where selected for Vesak stamps in 1991. One depicts The Kattahari Jataka showing Prince Kastavahana, son of King Brahmadatta resting with his entourage.