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             buduruwagala.


            
Buduruwagala is located about 5 km from the Wellawaya on the Thanamalwila road. The name Buduruwagala means “the rock with the statue of Buddha” And this is exactly what it is. Seven figured are carved in this rock with a massive 51 foot Buddha statue in the Abhaya Mudra gesture at the centre. The rock it self has shape of a kneeling elephant with its head own. Although there is no documented information about this site in the ancient scriptures, it is now believed this carvings were done during the last days of the Anuradhapura period. (between 8 - 10 Century). These carvings are of the Mahayana Buddhist style and similar to the statues at Dova Temple.

The tallest Buddha statue in the world was the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan until the destruction of this ancient monument by the Taliban in March 2001. The Buduruwagala Buddha Statue is now considered the tallest in the world.
The centre statue is flanked by two statues which each about 40 foot in height. These two again flanked by two figures, one female and the other male.
The centre figure on the left (as you stand in front) still has most of the plaster and some paint which has been applied by the ancients. This centre figure is thought to be of the figure of Avaloktheeshvara Bodhisattva (the manifestation of all the Buddha’s' compassion in the Mahayana Buddhist teaching - In Theravada Buddhism Avaloktheeshvara is known as Lokesvara). He is identified by the small image of the meditating Buddha in the crown that he wares. This image can be clearly seen the carving. The bare breasted female figure on the right to this is thought be Thara Devi. She is carved in a ‘thivanka’ position (bent in 3 places). The other is thought to be their son Prince Sudana.
On the right is 3 similar figures. And the centre figure is thought to be the Maithri Bodhisattva. He is the fifth Buddha for this eon. On the left is the Vajirapani Bodhisattva ( Sanskrit Vajra : thunderbolt/diamond, Pani : lit in the hand). He is one of the earliest bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. He is generally represented with a diamond club in his hand)
 

How to reach You can reach the site from either Wellawaya or from Thanamalwila depending on which route you take.
You can reach Wellawaya in through many roads. If you are coming from Badulla or Bandarawela you must tale the Ella Road which lies between Badulla-Bandarawela Road. On the way you will also pass the beautiful Ravana Ella too on the way. If you are travelling from Colombo you can take the Rathnapura - Balangoda Road and turn off from Koslanda. Taking this route will take you through the 220 metre high waterfall Diyaluma. Koslanda lies between the Balangoda – Haputhale Road, 203 km from Colombo.
If you are coming from down south, may be from Kataragama, you can either use Buttala Route or go through Thanamalwila. From Buttala town turn to Wellawaya Road. On this route, you will be also passing places such as Maligavila Statues, Dematamal Viharaya and Yudaganawa.
Form the Wellawaya town use the Thanamalwila Road and after traveling about 5 km you will come to the turn off to the Buduruwagala. This place is marked by a board opposite to this road with picture of the rock and a arrow.
If you traveling from Tissamaharama or a location west to it, use the Tissamaharama – Thanamalwila road. There is another route to Thanamalwila from the Udawalawe wildlife sanctuary too. From Thanamalwila You have to travel towards Wellawaya for about 30 km to reach the turn off to the site.
The by-road (turn off) form the Thanamalwila-Wellawaya is a tarred road which become a well maintained gravel road closer to the end. But this is motorable (van or car) most of the year. On the way you will also pass the beautiful Buduruwagala lake, ideal place to take a break, just before the entrance to the temple.

 

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dematamal viharaya.

 dematamal viharaya.

The Dematamal Viharaya is located at Helagama on the Buttala-Okkampitiya road which leads to the . The temple lies about 4 km from the Buttala town. Maligawila Buddha StatuesYudaganawaYudaganapituya they met head on. Prince Gemunu got his mare to leap over the Tusker Kadol while he stuck Tissa with the back of his sward. The tusker Kadol thought "on my back is a woman, on the mare's back is a man" and dropped prince Tissa to the ground.

Located in the middle of paddy field, you can see the dark coloured Stupa and the bo-tree surrounded by the green paddy from the road itself. Though much attention is not paid by the average tourist the history of the temple complex is said to date back to the 3rd century BC.
It is believed that this is the temple that prince Tissa hid from his brother prince Gamini (some times called Gemunu, later king Dutugemunu) after a major battle for power at the location now called .
But the second battle was won by Gamini and Tissa unable to flee far, hid inside this temple knowing the brother will never violate a Buddhist temple. Prince Gamini chasing after his brother realised he was inside the temple and asked chief incumbent Ven. Gonashanka Tissa thero whether his brother was inside the temple. The thero unable to lie refused to answer the prince.
The historic Rajavaliya (The tale of the Royal Dynasty) describes this battle :

"....... Prince Gemunu again, raising afresh army set out to fight, but considering that it would not be possible to fight with the tamils if his soldiers were destroyed in fighting among themselves he sent a letter saying "Let the two of us have a fight between us and let the victor have the country". Accordingly prince Tissa mounted the tusker Kadol and the Gemunu the mare at
 

How to reach

maligawila.

indika sanjeewa.

                                                                 maligawila

 

Maligawila lies about 15 kilometres off the Buttala town towards Okkampitiya. Famous for its giant free standing buddha statue of the 7th century, this monument was found fallen and broken in to pieces in 1951. An attempt was made in 1974 to raise this statue and failed. But in 1980 a local engineering team was able to raise this statue and restore it back to the ancient glory. This statue is carved out of a single limestone rock and stands about 14.5 metres high. This is the tallest free standing buddha image in the country. This statue is thought to be done by a prince called Aggabodhi who ruled the "Rohana" region of Sri Lanka in the 7th century. There has been a image house surrounding this gigantic statue. The remains of this image house can still be seen.

Just left to the stair way to the Bodhisattva statue you will find a pillar inscription protected by a newly built structure. This stone pillar has been placed by the king Mahinda IV (956-972 AD) on his 10th year of reign. This inscription records the work done by the king for the upliftment of the Buddhism and has some rules laid down by him in Administration of Buddhist sites.

how to reach

Just left to the stair way to the Bodhisattva statue you will find a pillar inscription protected by a newly built structure. This stone pillar has been placed by the king Mahinda IV (956-972 AD) on his 10th year of reign. This inscription records the work done by the king for the upliftment of the Buddhism and has some rules laid down by him in Administration of Buddhist sites.

yudaganawa-buttala

 

The Stupa under restoration. The image house used by the villagers is in front.

Yudaganawa Temple is located close to Buttala on the Wellawaya– Buttala Road. This is one of the largest Stupas in the country and dates back to 2 nd century BC. This is thought to be place price Tissa and his brother price Gamini (Later The great king Dutugemunu) had a major battle after the death of his father King Kavanthissa (2 nd century BC)

The Stupa under restoration. The image house used by the villagers is in front.

Yudaganawa Temple is located close to Buttala on the Wellawaya– Buttala Road. This is one of the largest Stupas in the country and dates back to 2 nd century BC. This is thought to be place price Tissa and his brother price Gamini (Later The great king Dutugemunu) had a major battle after the death of his father King Kavanthissa (2 nd century BC)

The Rajavaliya descries this battle

".... Prince Gemunu coming to know that his father has died, left Kothmale and arriving at the city of Magama, sent word to prince Tissa requesting him to dispatch the mother and the tusker, who was born on the same day. But prince Tissa did not heed that request. Letters were sent 3 times and when there was no response prince Gemunu setout to fight, taking with him his men. The two brothers met each others at Yudaganapitiya. Thirty thousand soldiers of prince Gemunu fell in the battlefield and and taking defeat he started to flee. When Prince Tissa was chasing after his brother, the maha sanga came and blocked his way, and noticed that prince Tissa returned to Digamadulla. ..........."

This colossal stupa was probably was not completed and it seems that the top of the partially constructed stupa was leveled and a smaller stupa was built on top it at a later stage. This stupa is also known as "Kinkini Stupa" among the locals.

After thousands of years of negligence, stupa is now under restoration. You can still see massive trees on the upper platform of the stupa which has not been uprooted yet. Also waking around the stupa you can see the platform of the stupa has been cleared after excavating about 3 feet.

Just before the Yudaganawa car park you will pass a small stupa on the road side. This is identified as the "Chulangani Viharaya" belonging to the 12th century. But the Buddha statues inside the image house (see photos) have been dated to the 6-7th centuries.

How to reach

You can reach the site from either Wellawaya or from Kataragama depending on which route you take. You can reach Wellawaya in through many roads. If you are coming from Badulla or Bandarawela you must tale the Ella Road which lies between Badulla-Bandarawela Road. On the way you will also pass the beautiful Ravana Ella (Ravana Watherfall) too on the way. There is a another road from Koslanda. Taking this road will take you through the 220 metre high waterfall "Diyaluma". Koslanda lies between the Balangoda – Haputhale Road 

Trees grown inside the stupa

                              

                                                       indika sanjeewa