Neglected Legacy of Trincomalee's Historic Bo Trees

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සියම් මහ නිකායේ ජීවමාන සංකේතයක් බදුවු ත්‍රිකුණාමලයේ බෝරුක් සතර - Four Historic Bo Trees in Trincomalee — Four Historic Bo Trees in Trincomalee

Opposite the Nelson Cinema Hall in Trincomalee, on an irregular quadrilateral plot of land near the St. Stephen’s War Cemetery, stand four ancient Bo trees, now largely forgotten and left to deteriorate. These sacred trees—267 years old—are a living symbol of the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka during the Kandyan era, a period when Theravada Buddhism had sharply declined.

For decades, this site was mistaken for a wild thicket of common Bo trees and dismissed by many. However, in 2003, the late P. L. Sirisena, a writer and archaeological researcher from Kanthale, revealed the true historical significance of the site. As a result, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage formally recognized the trees and the land as a protected archaeological monument through Gazette Notification No. 1586, issued on January 23, 2009. The official marker was installed at the site on May 21, 2009.

Historical Background

During the Kandyan Kingdom, the growing influence of Hindu rituals and deity worship led to a rapid erosion of the Theravada Upasampada (higher ordination) lineage. The monastic order was overrun with monks who lacked even the most basic monastic discipline. Initial attempts by King Vimaladharmasuriya I (1592–1604 CE) to restore the purity of Theravada Buddhism by inviting monks from Burma failed due to resistance from within the corrupted Sangha.

Multiple subsequent efforts to revive the Upasampada lineage by bringing monks from Siam (modern-day Thailand) were also unsuccessful—until a decisive breakthrough came in 1753.

On May 14 that year, a group of ordained monks led by the Most Venerable Upali Thera, accompanied by Abhidhammika Ariyamuni Thera, Vinayacharya Mahanama Thera, 15 other monks, seven novice monks, and 74 support personnel, arrived in Trincomalee aboard a Dutch East India Company vessel. Their arrival at the harbor near Fort Frederick marked a turning point in Sri Lankan Buddhist history.

King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe, upon hearing of their arrival, dispatched his chief minister along with thirty-two senior ministers to receive the monks with honor. A grand platform was constructed on the land in front of the port, where the monks were formally welcomed.

Commemoration Through Bo Trees

To mark this historic event—the re-establishment of the Theravada monastic order—King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe ordered the planting of four Bo saplings at the very site where the monks had been received. These trees were meant to serve as sacred reminders of a new beginning for Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Present Condition and Neglect

Despite the site’s recognition as a protected archaeological monument, it has been left in a state of neglect. Overgrown with weeds and lacking maintenance, the trees have become vulnerable to damage and decay. A protective fence built in 2012 at a cost of Rs. 876,059 now stands broken and ineffective. The mesh has deteriorated, and only a few rusting iron pipes remain.

Worse still, the fence—meant to safeguard the trees—was installed in a manner that has caused direct harm. Welded pipes have been embedded into the trunks of the Bo trees, and over time the trees have begun to grow over and envelop the metal, causing further damage.

Notably, the historical importance of the land had been respected by both the Dutch and British colonial authorities, with strict orders forbidding its use for any purpose other than preserving the Bo trees. Today, however, the apathy of the responsible institutions, particularly the Department of Archaeology, threatens to erase this valuable link to a pivotal chapter in Sri Lanka’s Buddhist history.

Preserving these Bo trees is not merely about protecting flora; it is about safeguarding a living monument to Sri Lanka’s religious and cultural resurgence. Urgent action is needed before this legacy is lost to time.

Also See

Map of Four Historic Bo Trees of Trincomalee

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