Heritage

Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya (හඟුරන්කෙත අරත්තන රජ මහා විහාරය)

54 years ago4 weeks ago04 mins

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(1 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5)

The 1982 Vesak Stamps depicting the Vessanthara Jathakaya paintings of Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya

The Araththana Raja Maha Viharaya, lying on the outskirts of the Hanguranketha, the second capital of the Kandyan kingdom even with a palace of its own was an important religious institution where even the sacred tooth relic was hidden at times of disturbance.

‘Tudapata’ is a land grant written on an ola leaf and signed by an Adhikarama on the orders of the king. Araththana Raja Maha Vihara tudapatha shows that King Wimaladharmasuriya I (1592 – 1604), king Kirti Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781) and King Narendrasinha (1747 – 1781) had supported this temple.

This temple has also housed the sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha during the British invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1803.

During the great Uva Wellassa Rebellion in 1818 against the British occupation of the country, Keppatipola Dissawe who led the rebellion moved the Tooth Relic from Kandy again back to Hanguranketha for a brief period before the English discovered it. The relic was kept at the Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya even during this time and a display of the relic to the public had been organised.

The Vessantara Jataka, one of the most popular Jataka tales is seen in many a temple. The interpretation of the story is seen at the Araththana Raja Maha Vihara in Hanguranketa. The artist’s work has been captured in detail in the Vesak stamps issued in 1982 depicting different episodes of King Vessantara’s life. The giving away of the white elephant which is said to have possessed the power of making rain, the trek of the king and queen to Vankagiri forest by foot carrying the two children after giving away the chariot, the son and daughter Krishana and Jaliya being given to the brahmin Jujaka who drags them away beating them, and the royal family being reunited and brought back to the city in the royal chariot were selected for the stamps.

Alternate names : “Arattana Rajamaha Viharaya” , “Aratthana Rajamaha Viharaya” , “Arathtana Rajamaha Viharaya”

Also See

Map of Hanguranketha Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.

Travel Directions to Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya

Route from Kandy to Hanguranketha Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya

Through : Ampitiya – Mailapitiya
Distance :29 km
Travel time : 45 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Mihintale Slab Inscriptions and the Relic House (4වන මිහිඳු රජුගේ මිහින්තලේ පුවරු ලිපි)
The inscription of King Mahinda IV belonging to the tenth century is installed on the two sides of the entrance to this Vihara. The relic house is a square building. […]
Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila (දඹේගොඩ ටැම් ලිපිය)
Established by King Mahinda IV (956-972) Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila narrates the religious acts of the king and lays down rules for the administration of certain religious establishments. […]
Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription (කෝට්ටපිටිය පුවරු ලිපිය)
The Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription is considered one of the 14 valuable inscriptions of the Anuradhapura Era. The pillar inscription is believed to have been placed by King Mahinda IV (956-972) and is 6 feet in height and 1.5 feet wide. 45 lines of text have been inscribed on this pillar. […]
Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription (රණව ආඬියාගල ටැම් ලිපිය)
Placed by King Dappula IV in the early part of the 10th century, this Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription declares a sanctuary for Animal, Plants as well as Humans in the Namal Uyana area. Even royal guards were prohibited from entering this area to apprehend criminals. […]
Dutugemunu Pillar at Ruwanweli Seya (දුටුගැමුණු ශිලා ස්ථම්භය)
Many do not pay special attention to this pillar which is generally called "Dutugenumu Pillar" but the story behind this pillar is interesting as the construction of the Ruwanweli Seya itself. This pillar was installed by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE) on the advice of Mihindu Maha Thero. […]
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables. […]
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated. […]
Dalada Maligawa of Kurunegala Kingdom (කුරුණෑගල රාජධානියේ දළදා මාලිගාව)
The old city of Kurunegala Kingdom was spread between Kuruminigala and Ibbagala, bounded by Athugala. Even today ruins of the palace complex, the Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and other buildings inside a semi-circular are found on this strip of land between Athugala and Kuruminigala. […]
Yapahuwa Kingdom of Ancient Sri Lanka (යාපහුව රාජධානිය)
Overhead looms the Yapahuwa rock, 300-foot isolated fortified wonder with a history dating back to the 13th Century. Today it is one of the country's most unique and important sites of historic interest containing abundant traces of ancient battlements and remnants of king Buvenekabahu's (1273-1284 AD) kingdom. […]
Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya (බෙල්ලන්විල රජ මහා විහාරය)
Situated in the outskirts of the city of Colombo, in the village of Bellanwila, just three kilometers from the city limits, Bellanwila temple has a long and hallowed history. […]
Pusulpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya at Kothmale (කොත්මලේ පුසුල්පිටිය රජමහා විහාරය)
The Sacred Tooth Relic has found refuge at Kotmale Pusulpitiya Rajamaha Viharaya several times including period during Maga’s invasion (1215-1236) at Polonaruwa. […]
Ras Vehera (Sesuruwa) Buddha Statue (රැස්වෙහෙර සස්සේරුව විහාර සංකීර්ණය)
According to chronicles The King Mahasen (276-303 AD) who ruled from Anuradhapura has built a statue called "Rahera" statue at the base of the "Rahera" cliff. It is thought that Ras Vehera is this statue and after his death the work on the site has also halted. […]
Thanthirimale Rajamaha Viharaya (තන්තිරිමලේ රජමහා විහාරය)
One could only imagine what the Thanthirimale Rajamaha Viharaya (Thanthirimale Temple) had looked like nearly 2300 years ago but the peace and serenity still prevails. […]
Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya
Lying inside the elephant infested Yala National Park, Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya has been home to over 12,000 Arhath Bhikkus in the 1st century AD […]
Weligama Agrabodhi Rajamaha Viharaya (වැලිගම අග්‍රබෝධි රජමහා විහාරය)
An ancient temple which dates back to times of King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC). According the Bodhivamsa, the chronicle of the Holy Bodhi Tree, the very first of the Bodhi saplings out of the first thirty two saplings from the Sacred Sri Maha Bodhi was planted on this temple grounds during the time of King Devanampiyatissa. […]
Ganegama Aramunapola Rajamaha Viharaya (ගණේගම අරමුණපොළ රජමහා විහාරය)
Ganegama Aramunapola Rajamaha Viharaya which is also commonly referred to as Ganegama Rankoth Viharaya lies 2.5 kilometres before Pelmadulla Town in center of a paddy field. The history of the temple goes as far back as King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC) of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. […]
Beligala Sri Vijaya Sundararama Rajamaha Viharaya at Kegalle
According to historical records, Beligala Sri Wijaya Sundararama Rajamaha Viharaya popularly known as Beligala Rajamaha Viharaya is one of the places that the first 32 shoots of the Sri Maha Bodhi (Dethispala Maha Bodhi) was planted which dates this temple to pre christian era. […]
Nelumgama Vilgamvehera Maha Seya (නෙලුම්ගම වෙල්ගම්වෙහෙර)
Not to be confused with the well known Velgam Vehera in Trincomalee, Nelumgama Wilgamvehera stupa lies close to Serunuwara in the area called Thoppur. The large stupa, not conserved yet appears as a mound of earth but venerated and visited by the Buddhists in the area. […]
Buttala Happoruwa Purana Viharaya (බුත්තල හප්පෝරුව පුරාණ විහාරය)
Built during king Devanapiyatissa era (250-210 BC), Buttala Happoruwa Purana Viharaya (Hathporuwa Purana Viharaya) is an ancient temple on the Sella Kataragama - Buttala road. […]
Wattarama Sri Arahantha Maliyadeva Rajamaha Viharaya
Wattarama Sri Arahantha Maliyadeva Rajamaha Viharaya is an temple with a history of over 2300 years lying between Polgahawela and Kegalle. This temple is so named due to its close association with Maliyadeva thero who is believed to be last Maha Arahath of Sri Lanka. […]

Also See

Map of Hanguranketha Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya

Travel Directions to Araththana Rajamaha Viharaya

Share this:

Like this:

Leave a ReplyCancel reply