Oththappuwa Rajamaha Viharaya

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Hidden within Otthappuwa Galadivul Wela in Anuradhapura, this ancient temple—believed to date back to King Devanampiya Tissa—preserves echoes of Sri Lanka’s earliest Buddhist art. Its rare Heap-of-Paddy stupa form, Kandyan-era paintings, and weathered footprint stones statues whisper stories from over two millennia of devotion.

This ancient temple is situated in Otthappuwa Galadivul Wela village in the Nochchiyagama Divisional Secretariat of the Anuradhapura District. It is believed to be among the earliest temples built in Sri Lanka, dating back to the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (307–267 BCE) (Soundararajan, 1953). According to Parker (1909) in Ancient Ceylon, the stupa at this temple dates from the late 2nd century BCE to the early 1st century BCE, based on the size of the bricks.

The Heap-of-Paddy formed Stupa

The ancient stupa was one of the very few examples in Sri Lanka that exhibited the Heap-of-Paddy form, a unique shape found only in the Kelaniya Stupa and the Ambasthala Stupa on Mihintale Hill. This style is characterized by a wide, slightly curved conical body with a rounded top and a very small tee. Unfortunately, following Parker’s documentation, the stupa was destroyed, and by the 1979 Archaeology Report, it was recorded that its shape had changed. Today, it appears bubble-shaped, showing no trace of its original form.

The Image House from the Kandyan Era

Another significant feature of the site is the image house dating to the Kandyan period. Measuring 4.6 by 3 meters (15 x 10 ft), the structure’s original flat roof tiles have been replaced with round Sinhala Ulu tiles. Above the wooden entrance to the shrine is a makara arch adorned with figures of attendant deities, now in a state of deterioration.

The colors, technique, and overall style of the paintings are characteristic of the medieval Kandyan artistic tradition. A number—either 1668 or 1868—appears on one section near the main image, though its clarity is compromised due to missing tiles. The image house is divided into two parts: a veranda and an inner shrine. Its four-sloped roof shelters a narrow veranda supported by wooden pillars, which bears no paintings. (Dissanayake, 2023)

Inside, the walls are decorated with paintings arranged in strips or friezes. The inner shrine contains a Samadhi Buddha statue, likely a Bodhisattva image, and two standing Buddha statues. The wall paintings include abundant Bo-leaf motifs, flowers, deity figures, swan pairs (hansa puṭṭuwa), and leaf petal designs. All sculptures were created from clay plaster supported by wooden frames.

Additionally, a few footprint stones rest on brick pedestals. These are heavily weathered and bear only the faint outlines of the footprints, indicating that they were carved during the earliest phase in the evolution of such sacred stone slabs.

References

De Silva, R. H., & Karunaratne, W. S. (1979). Administration Report of the Archaeological Commissioner for the years 1979. Department of Archaeology.
Dissanayake, S. B. (2023). 2015 වර්ෂය සඳහා පුරාවිද්‍යා අධ්‍යක්‍ෂක ජනරාල්ගේ පාලන වාර්තාව. Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.
Parker, H. (1909). Ancient Ceylon: An Account of the Aborigines and of Part of the Early Civilisation (1st ed.). Luzac & Co.
Soundararajan, K. V. (1953). Some Aspects of Early Sinhalese Architecture. Ceylon Historical Journal, 2(3 & 4), 225–229.

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Driving Directions to Oththappuwa Rajamaha Viharaya

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