Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya

Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya

Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya is situated in Ratnapura in Sri Lanka. This is an ancient Buddhist temple that is recorded to be the hiding place of the tooth relic of Buddha for 40 years which is during the ruling period of Portuguese in Sri Lanka.

About the destination

Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya has been now declared as one of the archeological sites in Sri Lanka. This is a very important Viharaya for the Buddhists because this is the place where the tooth relic was hidden for 40 long years. This Viharaya has records back from the time of the Sitawaka kingdom in Sri Lanka.

History of the destination

During the Portuguese reign, the tooth relic was taken to King Mayadunna of Sitawaka for protection. Then the king out of fear for the Portuguese hid it at the Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya and sensing the danger he made replicas of the Tooth Relics in ivory.  He then kept them in the place of the original and hid the original tooth relic in a grinding stone.

Reaching the destination

From Colombo

Go on McCallum Road and turn right onto Kynsey Road. Turn left Dudley Senanayake Mawatha and turn right onto Athurugiriya Road.  Turn left onto Avissawella Road and turn right onto Saddhatissa Mawatha to reach your destination.

From Ratnapura

Go on Colombo-Batticaloa highway and turn left onto Saddhatissa Mawatha to reach your destination.