Sasthrawela Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya (සාස්ත්‍රවෙල මනිනාග පබ්බත විහාරය)

RATE THIS LOCATION :1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 2.80 out of 5)
Loading...
Sastrawela Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya  - සාස්ත්‍රවෙල මනිනාග පබ්බත විහාරය
Sastrawela Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya – සාස්ත්‍රවෙල මනිනාග පබ්බත විහාරය

Currently the village of Sasthrawela is a tiny speck of habitation situated on the Panama-Pottuvil Road. The village does not even make it into the Survey General’s map. Since the 1980’s many of its inhabitants fled to Panama due to Tamil Terrorist attacks in the area. Yet back in the hay day of the Ruhunu Kingdom, Sasthrawela was not only well known, but it was considered as an important seat of learning.

According to folklore, the name Sastrawela is said to have been derived from the original name Shastraweiliya which indicates that the locality was associated with an institution of learning. The word ‘Shastra’ even roughly means a discipline or an art form. The area is said to have been the abode of many a soothsayer and scholars during ancient times. Legend says that scholars from far away kingdoms and even across the seas from India had travelled to Sasthrawela to learn the various disciplines of science and astrology.

The relevance of Sasthrawela to the story of Prince Gamini is the fact that it is said that the astrologers that were occupied at the Royal Palace of King Kavantissa hailed from this village. When the royal wedding between the King of Ruhuna, Kavantissa and his bride Princess Vihara Maha Devi was to take place, the astrologers of Sasthrawela were consulted to obtain the auspicious times for the various wedding rituals. It is said that after considering the horoscopes of the royal couple, the learned men at Sasthrawela determined the auspicious times for the many rituals involved in the marriage of the royals.

An important ruin remaining at Sasthrawela which gives a glimpse of those prosperous times is Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya which is said to date back to the time of King Mahanaga, the first King of Ruhuna. The temple which is in near ruin with an incomplete Stupa and few scattered granite pillars is still venerated by the villagers who visit this shrine mostly on full moon Poya days after undertaking the arduous journey from Panama. According to legend, the Stupa which is said to have been built by King Mahanaga had been renovated by King Kavantissa and his son, Saddatissa.

Mahanaga fleeing from Rajarata after an assassination attempt established his capital in Magama, believed to be in modern day Tissamaharama. Since then Ruhuna flourished for many centuries at times as an independent kingdom and at times as a semi autonomous sub-kingdom under the rule of Anuradhapura. Though many archaeologists believe that the original temple complex was built by Mahanaga there are some who suggest that it was, in fact, a Naga king called Maninaga who was the first patron of the shrine. The Nagas were a pre-historic tribe which lived in the island before the advent of the Aryans in 6th Century B.C. However, it is believed that many Nagas intermingled with the Aryan settlers and were part of the fabric of ancient Sri Lanka. Therefore, a Naga king ruling this region and building a shrine is not totally improbable though historical evidence to prove this point is yet to be discovered.

However according to chronicles and inscriptions found in this area, the Panam Pattu was known as ‘Kalyanakannika’ in the early ages. The information of Mahavamsa that the Maninagapabbata Vihara has been built in this area by Mahadathika Mahanaga (7—19 CE) is attested by an inscription at Sasthrawela belonging to the same king. Places named in the inscription as assigned to the Vihara are :— (i) Velamuka or Elamuka, a name which suggests a place on the coast; (ii) Urakamaka, (iii) Hujikada and (iv) Bira (.)gayara.

Stone pillars and other ruins remain scattered around the vicinity of the stupa, indicating that this was once a huge monastic complex, sheltering many monks.

References

  • C. W. Nicholas, 1963. Historical Topography of Ancient and Medival Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume VI Special Number, p.22.
  • E. Medhananda, 2005. The Sinhala Buddhist heritage in the East and the North of Shri [i.e. Sri] Lanka. 1st ed. Colombo: Dayawansa Jayakody & Co, pp.31-32.

Also See

Map of Sasthrawela Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya

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

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 Sasthrawela Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya

Route from Colombo to Sasthrawela Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya Route from Batticaloa to Sasthrawela Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya
Through : Avissawella – Ratnapura – Beragala – Wellawaya – Buttala – Monaragala – Siyambalanduwa – Pottuvil – Arugam Bay
Distance : 320 km
Travel time : 7-8 hours.
Driving directions : see on google map
Through : Kalmune – Akkarapattu – Pottuvil – Arugam Bay
Distance : 120 km
Travel time : 2-3 hours.
Driving directions : see on google map

© www.amazinglanka.com

Leave a Reply