Mihintale is a religious site regarded as the birth place of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It is located eight miles east of Anuradhapura, close to the Anuradhapura-Trincomalee Road. It was here in Mihintale that an Indian Buddhist missionary called Mahinda came. King Devampiyatissa met Mahinda, and the encounter led to the king's conversion.
According to the story, one day in the year 247BC King Devampiyatissa was out deer hunting. Instead of finding a deer, he discovered a monk. The monk was actually Prince Mahinda, who was sent by his father King Tissa who was keen to spread the Buddhist message. The conversion of King Devampiyatissa was followed by widespread acceptance of Buddhism among the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka, while in India the religion went into decline.
An elderly Buddhist monk standing by the Mahaseya Dagoba in Mihintale.
According to legend, Buddha himself sanctified the mountain of Mihintale three centuries before the advent of Mahinda. Regardless your belief, you will find Mihintale to be a beautiful landscape and an unforgettable experience.
I visited Mihintale one morning on 30 August. It was a short journey from Sigiriya. Mihintale is a place with lots of steps to climb. In fact, there are three flights of steps at Mihintale, totalling 1,840 steps.
Kantaka Cetiya
Kantaka Cetiya is one of the earliest religious monuments in Sri Lanka. King Suratissa may have built this Stupa. Kantaka Cetiya was excavated in 1934. The Kantaka Cetiya stupa has a circumference of 425 ft. There are ruins of the stupa is now only about 40 ft in height, although originally it was over 100 ft high. Monks used to reside in the caves near Kantaka Cetiya. As it was renovated by King Lajjitissa, there is no doubt that Kantaka Cetiya belongs to the 1st centry B.C.
Ambasthala Dagoba
The Ambasthala Dagoba, or the Mango Tree Stupa, marks the spot where Mahinda surprised King Devanampiyatissa in mid-hunt and quizzed him about mango trees, to test his intelligence. Ambasthala Dagoba is supposedly built on the exact spot where Mahinda stood. The statue of King Devanampiyatissa is placed where he stood, a short distance away. Mahinda preached his first sermon at Aradhana Gala near here.
Aradhana Gala
Aradhana Gala, or Rock of Convocation, is a rocky peak in Mihintale. It faces the Mahaseya Dagoba. Even on very windy days, Buddhist pilgrims still visit this rock. There is thankfully iron railings to help in the climb.
Mahaseya Dagoba
The Mahaseya Dagoba is the largest stupa in Mihintale. It enshrines a single hair relic of the Buddha. Located on the summit of Mihintale hill, the Mahaseya Dagoba was built by King Mahadathika Mahanaga (7-19 AD). The base of Mahaseya Dagoba is 136 ft in diameter. The stupa has been completely restored and now look a dazzling white.
Tim sitting on a ledge at Aradhana Gala, Mihintale.
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