Somawathiya (Somawathi Chethiya)

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Hidden deep within the jungle, the ancient Somawathi Stupa guards a sacred tooth relic and is famed for mysterious beams of light, shifting skies, and drum-like sounds witnessed by thousands. A place of devotion and unexplained wonders, it continues to fascinate pilgrims and visitors alike.

Somawathiya, also known as Somawathi Chethiya, was constructed in the 2nd century BCE and is believed to enshrine the right tooth relic of the Buddha.

Historic Records

According to the Dhatuvamsa, Prince Giri-aba (Abhaya, ruler of the Giri District) and Princess Somawathi, who was the sister of King Kavanthissa, lived in a settlement called Somapura on the banks of the Mahaweli River. At the request of his queen, who wished to pursue religious activities, Prince Giri-aba built the Somawathi Chethiya. Once the stupa was completed, he approached a monk named Mahinda for sacred relics to be placed inside the relic chamber. Mahinda Maha Thera granted him the right tooth relic of the Buddha.

Historical accounts state that this relic was originally received by a Naga (serpent) king named Jayasena when the remaining relics were distributed after the Buddha’s cremation. He took the tooth to the Naga Kingdom and enshrined it within a golden stupa for veneration. When Prince Giri-aba sought a relic, Mahinda Maha Thera travelled to the Naga kingdom, retrieved the sacred tooth, and brought it back to be enshrined in the newly built Somawathi Chethiya.

After completing the stupa and five viharas, the prince and princess entrusted the temple to Mahinda Maha Thera and sixty other monks. Over time, various kings contributed to the growth and protection of this sacred site.

Changing Path of the Mahaweli River

Although historical records place Somawathiya on the eastern bank of the Mahaweli River, it is now about 0.5 kilometres (0.3 mi) from the west bank. This initially cast doubt on whether the present stupa was the same one mentioned in the chronicles. It was later determined that the river had shifted over the past 800 years, and the sandy road that leads to the stupa today once formed part of the river’s ancient path.

Discovary and Renovations

The site was rediscovered in the 1940s, and restoration work began in 1948 under the guidance of a group of enthusiasts. In 1964, archaeologists launched excavations. During the excavation of the main stupa, a smaller stupa was uncovered at a depth of about 1.65 metres (5 ft 5 in). This structure is believed to be the original Somawathi Chethiya built by Prince Giri-aba in the 2nd century BCE, with the larger outer stupa identified as the work of King Kanittha Tissa in 164 CE.

Archaeologists also found four moonstones and flower pedestals after excavating roughly 1.67 metres (5.5 ft) around the stupa. Six siripa gal—stone carvings of the Buddha’s footprint, each about 1.07 metres (3.5 ft) long—were unearthed, along with the remains of numerous buildings, including a protective wall surrounding the stupa.

Nine stone inscriptions have been identified at the site, with the most notable being the four inscriptions on Eric Swan Rock. This rock lies a few metres from the gravel road, about 100 metres before the main entrance. It is named after photographer Eric Swan, who was killed by a wild elephant near this spot.

Today Somawathi is popular for three main reasons.

Somawathi holds one of the only two tooth relics of Buddha existing in the world. The other tooth relic is kept at the “Dalada Maligawa” in Kandy.
Incredible unnatural phenomena have been occurring around the stupa. These have been witnessed by thousands of pilgrims
The remoteness of the location. This site is located deep inside the jungle infested with elephants and other wild animals.

LTTE Terrorist Attack on Somawathi in 1987

In 1987, a group of LTTE Tamil terrorists attacked this sacred site, hacked to death a Buddhist monk and seven civilians who were staying at a nearby temple. Warned by a Muslim villager, the monks and pilgrims at Somawathiya hid in the forest and, after several days, walked to safety on November 13, 1987. When the terrorists reached Somawathiya and found it abandoned, they stole the Chuda Manikya—the gemstone placed at the pinnacle of the stupa—and dug a hole about 0.46 metres (1.5 ft) into the structure in search of relics.

They then moved on to a nearby Sinhalese village where S. Dissanayake lived, the caretaker of the sacred site since 1966. The terrorists hacked to death ten civilians there, including Dissanayake and his four children. On the same day, the leader of the group died at the stupa after accidentally firing his own weapon. Strangely, the stolen Chuda Manikya was abandoned and later recovered by the Archaeology Department.

Following these horrific events, the site remained deserted for the next fifteen years due to fears of further attacks. After the ceasefire agreement between the LTTE and the government, the access roads were rebuilt, and the site was reopened to pilgrims in 2002.

Unexplained Phenomena at Somawathi Chethiya

When it became known that the right tooth relic of the Buddha was enshrined within the relic chamber of this stupa, the Diyawadane Nilame (1882-1897) of the Kandy Dalada Maligawa, Giragama Nilame—the appointed guardian of the other surviving tooth relic—set out in search of the site. He travelled with four men from Kandy, four villagers from Polonnaruwa, and a Muslim guide named Mutti. Their intention was to excavate the relic chamber and bring the right tooth relic to Kandy so it could be kept together with the left tooth relic already under his guardianship at the Dalada Maligawa.

It is said that as soon as they reached the stupa the Muslim guide went blind, and the Diyawadane Nilame began digging into the relic chamber. A small cobra reportedly emerged from the opening, and after killing it they continued to dig. Soon afterward a large black cobra appeared, accompanied by a swarm of wasps. Fearing an attack, the group fled, and the Diyawadane Nilame later died from injuries sustained during the fall he suffered while running away.

In more recent times, thousands of pilgrims have witnessed beams of light rising from the stupa into the sky, accompanied by a yellow glow that transforms the appearance of the sky and turns the white clothing of pilgrims a deep yellow. A distinctive feature of these events is that many occur on significant ceremonial days, when large crowds are present to observe them. There are also reports of drum-like sounds emerging from within the stupa on certain occasions.

A similar manifestation was recorded on June 30, 1977, during a ceremony in which special relics were to be placed in the relic chamber. The phenomenon occurred at 7.20 a.m. and was observed by thousands, including officers from the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation who had arrived to cover the event.

Another event took place on July 4, 1981, when President J. R. Jayewardene visited Somawathiya to ceremonially open the kotha of the stupa. At around 2 p.m., shortly after the delegation arrived, the sky turned yellow and the sun appeared dim, resembling the moon. Multi-coloured rays surrounded the stupa, and the white attire of the gathered crowd again appeared yellow. Although the president had planned to unveil the kotha from the ground using a rope system, he chose instead to climb to the top of the stupa via a temporary worker’s staircase after witnessing the unusual spectacle.

On April 28, 2002, a similar event unfolded before thousands of pilgrims, lasting more than forty-five minutes—the longest recorded occurrence. This too was witnessed by the sister and brother of President Jayewardene, who had come to pay homage. Another display was observed on a later Poya day, lasting approximately three minutes.

These unexplained phenomena have added to the aura of mystery surrounding the Somawathi Chethiya, deepening its spiritual significance and drawing vast numbers of Buddhists, especially on Poya days, to experience its sacred atmosphere.

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Travel Directions to Somawathiya (Somawathi Chethiya)

Until recently access to this site was restricted due to LTTE terrorist activity. It was the Sri Lankan Forces who protected this site when civilians were evacuated after the brutal murder of the monk by the LTTE.

Sungawila is the last town and border village you come across on the route to Somawathi. After this town, you come to the Somawathi strict natural reserve and wildlife sanctuary. From here 12 kilometres you need to travel on a newly built road which will take you through the jungle and villus to the great isolated dagoba. The last stretch is basically an elephant country. If you travel on this stretch during the early morning or late in the evening, you are sure to come across a few wild elephants on your way. Wild elephants are a common site on the temple grounds at any time of the day. They have gotten used to visiting the garbage cans left by the Cadjan stalls on the temple grounds.

This site can be reached from Polonnaruwa or from Minneriya. Coming from Minneriya, you have to pass the Hingurakgoda town to reach Sungawila. From Polonnaruwa, you need to turn at the Hospital Junction (between Polonnaruwa and Kaduruwela towns). The distance to the stupa from both these towns (Minneriya and Polonnaruwa) is about 40 kilometres.

The modern town of Polonnaruwa is also known as New Town, and the other part of Polonnaruwa remains the ancient royal city of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa.

Route from Colombo to Polonnaruwa Sacred City	Route from Kandy to Polonnaruwa Sacred City
Through: Central Highway—Kurunegala—Dambulla Distance from Colombo: 230 km Travel Time: 5 hours Driving Directions: See on Google Maps.	Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time: 2 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa Sacred City	Route from Batticaloa to Polonnaruwa Sacred City
Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time: 2 hours Driving Directions: See on Google Maps.	Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time : 2 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.