{"id":154510,"date":"2025-06-24T08:26:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T08:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=154510"},"modified":"2025-06-24T08:28:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T08:28:18","slug":"the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site-by-mahil-wijesinghe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site-by-mahil-wijesinghe\/","title":{"rendered":"The tale of Thanthirimale sacred site &#8211; By MAHIL WIJESINGHE"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\"><strong>The tale of Thanthirimale sacred site &#8211; By MAHIL WIJESINGHE<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Source :\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2025\/06\/22\/spectrum\/55017\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sundayobserver.lk<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-image\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2025\/06\/22\/spectrum\/55017\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-rel=\"penci-gallery-image-content\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-penci-full-thumb penci-lazy wp-post-image pc-singlep-img lazyloaded pcloaded aligncenter\" title=\"20-The-tale-01\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-01-1.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 585px, 1170px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-01-1-585x356.jpg 585w,https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-01-1.jpg\" alt=\"The picturesque sunset over the Thanthirimale Chaitya\" width=\"596\" height=\"363\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 585px, 1170px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-01-1-585x356.jpg 585w,https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-01-1.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-01-1.jpg\" data-ll-status=\"loaded\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"penci-featured-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\">The picturesque sunset over the Thanthirimale Chaitya<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-entry blockquote-style-2\">\n<div id=\"penci-post-entry-inner\" class=\"inner-post-entry entry-content\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Located 40 kilometres North-West of Anuradhapura, spread across closely strewn rock surfaces surrounded by dense jungle, the genesis of this ancient temple is traced to Third Century BCE. Used in later years as a monastery, Thanthirimale is renowned for its many caves, inscriptions, carvings, ruins of monastic residences, meditation chambers, a library and of course, the Sacred Bo tree<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2025\/06\/22\/spectrum\/55017\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-52645 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tag-SO-BY-MahilW2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"114\" \/><\/a>Commemorating the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, the sacred precincts of Thanthirimale Raja Maha Vihara at Maha Wilachchiya about 40 kilometres North-West of Anuradhapura, illuminated this full moon Poson Poya day and welcomed thousands of devotees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">For three decades, Thanthirimale being a border village lay in the Wilpattu National Park, often deserted. It was a safe haven for the LTTEers who are believed to have come via Thanthirimale to attack the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_55020\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2025\/06\/22\/spectrum\/55017\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-55020 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-02-1.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-02-1.jpg 290w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-02-1-218x300.jpg 218w\" alt=\"The seated Buddha statue hewn into the rock boulder\" width=\"290\" height=\"400\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-55020\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-55020\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The seated Buddha statue hewn into the rock boulder<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Most villagers are farmers who left the area during that troubled period and have now returned and settled in their ancestral lands. Farmers are busy again and acres of lush paddy fields are a relaxing sight. I first visited the Thanthirimale sacred site in 2002 after the Ceasefire Agreement was signed between the UNP Government and the LTTE.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">We never miss to visit this ancient Buddhist Vihara on our journey to Anuradhapura each year. On our recent visit, we saw that the lifestyle of the villagers has changed in an unimaginable fashion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Travelling 40 kilometres on the Anuradhapura-Thanthirimale Road, we saw farmers drying maize along the edge of the road under the scorching sun and children with their mothers bathing in village tanks that were covered with lotus flowers blossoming beautifully. The whole landscape was enriched by lush greenery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Significance<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The ancient Thanthirimale Raja Maha Vihara in Anuradhapura has a history that links it to the celebration of Poson Poya, the day Ven. Arahat Mahinda Thera elucidated the Dhamma to King Devanampiyatissa and introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Thanthirimale was first developed by a minister of King Vijaya called Upatissa who chose this site surrounded by the Malwatu Oya to build his future city and named it as Upatissa Grama. King Vijaya is believed to have met Kuveni in the jungle of Wilpattu where the ruins of a stone mansion belonging to Kuveni can still be seen in the adjoining Wilpattu National Park.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">It might be interesting to note how the name Thanthirimale originated.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_55023\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2025\/06\/22\/spectrum\/55017\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-55023\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-05-1.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-05-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-05-1-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-05-1-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-05-1-780x516.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-05-1-585x388.jpg 585w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-05-1-263x175.jpg 263w\" alt=\"The reclining Buddha statue hewn into a rock\" width=\"450\" height=\"298\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-55023\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-55023\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The reclining Buddha statue hewn into a rock<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">When Prince Vijiya arrived in Thambapanni, he had advised his followers to establish settlements in different areas. According to his advice, a minister known as Upatissa has set up a settlement in this area. Thus, this area was once called Upatissa Grama.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">History has it that when King Devanampiyatissa first visited Thanthirimale, it was known as \u2013 Tiwakka Bamunugama, home to a Brahmin known as Tiwakka.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The sequel to the arrival of Ven. Arahat Mahinda Thera and subsequent cultural revival, the people of the area became followers of Buddhism. It is believed that the Bodhi tree at Thanthirimale is a sprout of the sacred Bo sapling planted in Mahamevna in Anuradhapura.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The story goes thus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Emperor Ashoka, commissioned his daughter, Bhikkhuni Sangamitta, to take a sprout of the Sacred Bo Tree in Bodhgaya, under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment, to Sri Lanka. Bhikkuni Sangamitta and her entourage had supposedly rested at Thanthirimale on their way to Anuradhapura. The following day on their arrival in Anuradhapura, the group was welcomed by King Devanampiyatissa and his followers to the garden of Mahamevna.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">They discovered that the Sacred Bo sappling had miraculously produced eight more saplings, of which one had been presented to the sage Thivakka.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_55022\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2025\/06\/22\/spectrum\/55017\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-55022\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-04-1.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-04-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-04-1-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-04-1-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-04-1-780x516.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-04-1-585x388.jpg 585w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-04-1-263x175.jpg 263w\" alt=\"The Pothgula with a chimney-like enclosure at the summit of a rock\" width=\"450\" height=\"298\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-55022\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-55022\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The Pothgula with a chimney-like enclosure at the summit of a rock<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">He carried the sapling majestically to Thanthirimale and had it planted and protected by a circular wall made of rock. In commemoration of that great day in history and the temple\u2019s association with the event, a special significance is accorded to the sacred precincts of Thanthirimale during the Poson festive season. The temple is a repository of history and art, aptly displayed in the ruins and carvings found at various places in the temple premises.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Spread across closely strewn rock surfaces surrounded by dense jungle, the genesis of this ancient temple is traced to Third Century BCE. Used in later years as a monastery, Thanthirimale is renowned for its many caves, inscriptions, carvings, ruins of monastic residences, meditation chambers, a library and of course, the Sacred Bo tree. Also of significance is the eight-foot image of the Buddha carved on rock and encircled by a decorative arch known as Makara Thorana, borne by two lions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The beauty of the image of the reclining Buddha engraved out of natural rock demonstrates distinctive detail to the robe and its drape.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Library known as Pothgula<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The library known as the Pothgula has a rectangular chimney-like enclosure at the summit of a rock. Inside, ola leaf manuscripts have been stored, protected by a roof. There are ruins of at least twelve buildings used as meditation rooms and residences by bhikkhus. Built on rock, the legacy of Thanthirimale has endured the vagaries of time and borne the assaults of marauding elements.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_55021\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2025\/06\/22\/spectrum\/55017\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-55021 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-03-1.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-03-1.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20-The-tale-03-1-300x214.jpg 300w\" alt=\"The sacred Bodhi tree on the summit of the rock\" width=\"450\" height=\"321\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-55021\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-55021\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The sacred Bodhi tree on the summit of the rock<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">In 1960, the Thanthrimale historical site and the village were renovated by the founding bhikkhu of the Thanthirimale Raja Maha Vihara and Chief Incumbent of the North and the East Ven. Kudakongaskada Wimalagnana Thera who got down families from areas such as Medawachchiya and Vavuniya to settle down in the village surrounding the temple. The Thera cleared a part of the jungle and got the tanks repaired to build a settlement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">In the days gone by, it was a thick jungle and no one knew that this place had even existed. The temple and the village came under LTTE attack several times including the 1992 bomb blast which claimed the life of the then Chief Bhikkhu.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The present Chief Incumbent, Ven. Thanthirimale Chandrarathana Thera is committed to developing and restoring the temple into its past glory and uplifting the living conditions of the farming families in surrounding villages.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em><a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/elanka-newsletter-sign-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click here to receive your free copy of the eLanka Newsletter twice a week delivered directly\u00a0to\u00a0your\u00a0inbox!<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The tale of Thanthirimale sacred site &#8211; By MAHIL WIJESINGHE Source :\u00a0sundayobserver.lk The picturesque sunset over the Thanthirimale Chaitya Located 40 kilometres North-West of Anuradhapura, spread across closely strewn rock surfaces surrounded by dense jungle, the genesis of this ancient temple is traced to Third Century BCE. Used in later years as a monastery, Thanthirimale [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":154511,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[80341,80342,31819,44252,80340],"class_list":{"0":"post-154510","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-aside","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"tag-ancient-buddhist-vihara","9":"tag-ancient-thanthirimale-raja-maha-vihara","10":"tag-anuradhapura","11":"tag-thanthirimale","12":"tag-thanthirimale-raja-maha-vihara","13":"post_format-post-format-aside"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Thanthirimale<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The tale of Thanthirimale sacred site - By MAHIL WIJESINGHE Located 40 kilometres North-West of Anuradhapura, spread across closely strewn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The tale of Thanthirimale sacred site - By MAHIL WIJESINGHE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The tale of Thanthirimale sacred site - By MAHIL WIJESINGHE Located 40 kilometres North-West of Anuradhapura, spread across closely strewn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site-by-mahil-wijesinghe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"eLanka\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/eLanka.com.au\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-24T08:26:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-24T08:28:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/thanthirimale-e1750753550970.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"414\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"eLanka admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"eLanka admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site-by-mahil-wijesinghe\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/the-tale-of-thanthirimale-sacred-site-by-mahil-wijesinghe\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"eLanka admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/person\/f6e635b74ab35ef88a68a9973cacc5bd\"},\"headline\":\"The tale of Thanthirimale sacred site &#8211; 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