Mihintale Puvarasankulama Anula Devi Chethiya

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An exquisite Samadhi Statue discovered from the ruins of the Mihintale Puwarasankulama Anula Devi Chethiya
source : Ancient Anuradhapura by Anuradha Seneviratna

There is no doubt that those of you who go to Mihintale have visited places like Mihintale Aradhana Rock and its surroundings like Kaludiya Pokuna Pond and Rajagiri Caves. But many people may not know Anula Devi Chaitya, which is considered an old nunnery located very close to the Mihintale holy site.

The board installed by the Department of Archeology mentions that the ruins in this archaeological site are believed to be the ruins of a temple built by Queen Viharamaha Devi in the 2nd century BCE and that Queen Anula, the first Buddhist nun of Sri Lanka, lived here.

“Queen Anula Devi was the chief queen of sub-king Mahanaga, the brother of king Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE). After the arrival of Mihindu Maha Thero with the message of Buddha to this island, Queen Anula Devi, along with 500 ladies “Queen Anula Devi was the chief queen of sub-king Mahanaga, the brother of king Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE). After the arrival of Mihindu Maha Thero with the message of Buddha to this island, Queen Anula Devi, along with 500 ladies reached the state of “Sowan” by listening to Mahinda Thero and wished to become Buddhist nuns.

Mahinda Thero was unable to carry out the necessary rituals for females and his sister, Theri Sanghamitta arrived on the island along with a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi in India to establish the priesthood of Buddhist nuns in 249 BCE.

The ruins of Mihintale Puvarasankulama Anula Devi Chethiya is spread across an area of approximately 4 acres centered around a rocky plateau spreading from south to north. At this site, you find ruins of a medium-sized stupa, a rock inscription, and ruins of other buildings including a rock pond.

The stupa lies 246 meters from the start of the rock from the south. The stupa is built on a raised platform filling the uneven concave surface of the rock. It has 2 entrances from south and west and has a circumference of 118 meters. Excavation and Conservation of the stupa began in December 2021 and until now a significant haul of relics has been discovered. Among them is a crystal casket with relics.

The rock inscription is 4.2m x 4.2m in size. It reads ;

The great king Ramanayaka who is the son-in-law of the great king Malutisa, son of the great king Naga, and who is the son of king Tissa, (granted) on account of expenses for oil and offerings to the Caitya for spreading carpets and for provisions to the great Refectory in the royal monastery of Anula-Tissa-pabbata, attached to the great monastery of Abhayagiri, the categories of revenue from (the tract of fields named) Vadamanaketa, situated in the area irrigated by Nakaravavi; the karisas dedicated to the Caitya in the fields irrigated by Badakaraba tank, and Vatanakaraka. tank, the revenue estimated (sari) from Salivaya. Mahakabaragama, Badarakadara tank, Palanakaraka and Salagala tank, the income derived by him from Patagamaka-nakaraka tank, Balaka tank (the karisas dedicated to the caitya in these) and the income due to him from Malaka tank, he donated.
The income from Nakaravavi, …………………… Viharavataka …………………… the four karisas which are the karisas dedicated to the caitya in Citanakaraka, in the tract of fields named Barajaka in (the area coming under) Barajaka dam ……………. the karisas dedicated to the caitya in ………………….. .nakaraka and in the tract of fields named Digala, the karisas dedicated to the caitya in Palonakaraka in …………………… kubara, …………………… the income as detailed above has been granted.

(Paranavitana, 2001)

It is believed that this inscription was made by King Kanittha Tissa (164-192 CE) and the inscription also confirms its new name Anula with the ancient name of Anula Tissa Viharaya (Samarathunga, 2019).

Traveling 38 meters to the North, you will come across the first building. This is 14.4×11.0 meters in size and lies east of the stupa. The second building lies west of the rock pond. This is 11×8 meters in size. Ruins of another building is found walking to the north of the second building.

The rock pond lies 58 meters away from the Anula Stupa. The pond is built by building a 2-meter-high bunt on a natural slope on the rock.

මිහින්තලේ අනුලා දේවී චෛත්‍යය නටබුන් - Ruins of the Mihinthale Anula Devi Chethiya

References

Samarathunga, P.N.M. (2019) ‘මිහින්තලය පුවරසන්කුලම පුරාවිද්‍යා පරිශ්‍රයේ පුරාවිද්‍යා වටිනාකම පිළිබදව විමර්ශනාත්මක අධ්‍යයනයක්’, URSARU – 2019, pp. 214–216.
Seneviratna, A., 1994. Ancient Anuradhapura. 1st ed. Colombo: Archaeological Survey Department, Sri Lanka.
Paranavitana, S. (2001) Inscriptions of Ceylon | Volume II | Part II | Containing Rock and Other Inscriptions From the Reign of Kanitthatissa (164-192, A. D.) to Mahasena (276-303, A. D .) Vol II (part II). Edited by M. Mendis. Colombo: Department of Archaeology.

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Directions to Mihintale Puvarasankulama Anula Devi Chethiya

Anuradhapura can be reached through many routes from Colombo. The two main routes are through Puttalam (Puttalama) and through Kurunegala. Travelling from Puttalam, you will pass the scenic Wilpattu area. From Kurunegala, there are two main routes to Anuradhapura. The most common route is through Dambulla. The other route is through Galgamuwa. Out of all the routes, the most commonly used is the Kurunegala-Dambulla route (Route 2).

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 map	Through : Katunayake Expressway – Central Expressway – Kurunegala – Dambulla Distance from Colombo : 223 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 map	Through : Katugastota – Matale – Dambulla Distance from Colombo :136 km Travel Time : 3.5 hours Driving Directions : see on Google map