Mahavihara Image House of Ancient Anuradhapura

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Mahavihara Image House of Ancient Anuradhapura

To the west of Ruwanweli Seya stupa, close to the embankment of the Basawakkulama Wewa reservoir lies an elevated area on which the foundation of a building made with massive blocks of stone is seen. The Thuparama Road which runs along the Basawakkulama Wewa reservoir, travels between this structure and reservoir.

The foundation of a building has been restored, and stone columns on the mound can be seen at this site. The building is a square 34×34 meter structure. A relic deposit box has been discovered in the upper portion of the building. Usually, such relic deposit boxes are discovered at the base of the relic chambers and the bottom of seats accommodating Buddha images. This may, therefore, have been an image house, which had provided accommodation for an image.

The capitals of the columns contain intricate carvings. It would be fair to conclude that this building belongs to the latter part of the Anuradhapura period on the basis of the style of the sculptures.

References

Wikramagamage, C., (2004). Heritage of Rajarata: Major natural, cultural, and historic sites. Colombo. Central Bank of Sri Lanka. p.72.

Also See

Anuradhapura – The city of the God Kings
Solosmasthana – The Sixteen Buddhist Sacred Sites Hallowed by Buddha
Atamasthana – The Eight Sacred Sites in Anuradhapura

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Driving Directions to Mahavihara Image House of Ancient Anuradhapura

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Bus

Anuradhapura can be conveniently reached by bus, train, or private transport. Both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses operate from the Colombo Fort Main Bus Station. In addition, luxury buses departing from various locations in Colombo travel via Anuradhapura to Vavuniya and Jaffna; these require advance online booking and generally operate overnight, arriving at their final destinations early in the morning.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Train

Five daily trains operate from Colombo Fort Railway Station to Anuradhapura. Typically, the first train departs at 9.40 a.m. and the last at 8.30 p.m. The journey takes approximately four to five hours, depending on the number of stops made by the particular service.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Car or Van

Anuradhapura can be accessed from Colombo via several routes, with the two primary corridors running through Puttalam and Kurunegala. The Puttalam route passes the scenic Wilpattu area. From Kurunegala, there are two main approaches: the more commonly used route via Dambulla and an alternative route via Galgamuwa. Among all options, the Kurunegala–Dambulla route (Route 2) is the most frequently used.

Route 01 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route 02 from Colombo to Anuradhapura
Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route 03 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route from Kandy to Anuradhapura
Through : Katunayake Expressway – Narammala – Wariyapola – Padeniya – Thambuthegama Distance from Colombo: 203 km Travel Time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Katugastota – Matale – Dambulla Distance from Colombo: 136 km Travel Time: 3.5 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps