Refectory (Bath Ge) of Mihintale Monastery

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The refectory of the Mihintale monastery—often called the Bath-Ge, Dana Sala, or monk’s dining hall, takes the form of a long rectangle enclosing a central courtyard that remains open to the sky and is paved with smooth granite slabs. Flanking this courtyard are two massive stone troughs, known as the Bath Oruwa (Rice Boat) and the Kenda Oruwa (Gruel Boat), which once served thousands of monks and may originally have been lined with metal. The refectory was designed with its own water cisterns and covered drains, ensuring cleanliness and convenience.

A single entrance, centered along the shorter façade, grants access to the interior, where the shorter side measures 77 feet 6 inches (22.6 meters) and the longer stretches 114 feet (34.7 meters). Inside, a broad veranda, approximately 22 feet (6.7 meters) wide wraps around the open courtyard, which itself spans 62 × 25 feet (18.9 × 7.6 meters). Remains of the layout suggest a total of 128 stone pillars once supported this roof, arranged in eight rows of ten and six rows of eight, in a layout that closely mirrors the famed Maha Pali Alms Hall at Anuradhapura (Bell, 1914, pp. 22–23).

Stone Canoes

The smaller stone canoe, known as “Kenda Oruwa,” was fashioned from eleven granite slabs: five formed the grooved bottom, while monolithic side slabs completed the hull. It rested on duplicated rectangular blocks at one end and a single block at the other, with its upper outer edges gently rounded to evoke the lines of a vessel.

The larger canoe, known as “Bath Oruwa,” extending some 41 feet 9 inches (13.9 meters), was crafted with greater care: its sides comprised a series of ovolo-molded slabs, with five on the east side and nine on the west—each given a concave inner face. Both boats once stood upon carefully laid stone bases (Bell, 1914, pp. 22–23).

Mentions in the Mihintale Slab Inscriptions

Remarkably, the Mihintale Slab Inscriptions of King Mahinda IV (956–972 CE) record the hierarchy and duties of the refectory staff. Among those named are the Bath-Ge Ledi, or warden of the hall; the Sala Jetak, head of the servants; the twelve Pisana Salayin Dolos Janak, who prepared the meals; the Dar Banga Bath Pack Salayak, responsible for gathering firewood and cooking; the Ni Pise Dar Nengu Salayak, who collected wood but did not cook; and the Negu Dare Bath Pack Salayak, who cooked on firewood supplied by others—testimonies to the remarkable organization required to feed a monastic community.

Plan of the Refectory of Mihintale Monastery

The small stone canoe at Refectory of Mihintale Monastery

Stone water inlet at the Refectory of Mihintale Monastery

The larger stone canoe at Refectory of Mihintale Monastery

References

Bell, H. C. P. (1914). Archaeological Survey of Ceylon: North-central, Central, North-western, and Western Provinces: Annual Report 1910-1911. H. R. Cottle, Government Printer of Ceylon.

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Driving Directions to The Refectory of Mihintale Monastery

Mihintale can be reached through many routes from Colombo. The two main routes are through Puttalam (Puttalama) and through Kurunegala. Traveling from Puttalam, you will pass the scenic Wilpattu area. From Kurunegala, there are two main routes to Mihintale. 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 Mihintale (A3)	Route 02 from Colombo to Mihintale
Through : Central Expressway – Badagamuwa – Dambulla Distance: 223 km Travel Time: 4.45 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance: 227 km Travel Time: 5.15 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route from Kandy to Mihintale	Route from Anuradhapura to Mihintale
Through: Distance: 136 km Travel Time: 3,30 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: A12 Distance: 14 km Travel Time: 25 mins Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.