Mahiyangana - stupa at the first Buddha-visited place of Sri Lanka
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Mahiyangana, famous for its significant stupa, is a town the northern part of Badulla District of the Uva Province. Mahiyangana is situated on the right bank of the Mahaweli in the Bintenna plains to the east of Knuckles Range. Mountains of the hillcountry can be seen rising from the plains in only a few kilometers distance. Several restored ancient reservoirs such as Sorabora to the northeast of the town, Dambarawa and Mapakada to the southwest are in close proximity to Mahiyangana. Mahiyangana is the gateway to the Bintenna heartland of the aboriginal Weddas, Dambana being their most famous village, and to the Maduru Oya National Park, in particular.
Mahiyangana is in around 100 km road distance east of Kandy. Actually, there are two different roads of almost the same length from Kandy. The more comfortable one runs through the Mahaweli Valley, along the reservoirs of Victoria, Randenigala, and Rantambe, crossing the Randenigala dam. The other one is a scenic mountain road crossing the pass of Hunnasgiriya and taking the 18 hairpin bends, Sri Lanka’s most famous serpentine road.
Mahiyangana is not touristy, it’s usually not on the shortlist of destinations of travelers planning a first round tour in Sri Lanka, though the stupa of the Mahiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya holds immense historical importance in the Buddhist tradition of Sri Lanka. It is believed that the stupa of the temple marks the site where according to the Mahavamsa chonicle Lord Buddha made his first visit to Sri Lanka and by delivering a sermon on the spot won over the island’s demons to become future guardians of his religion. On request of Saman, the demonic mountain god of Siri Pada, the Buddha left his hair as a sacred relic (kesha dhatu) to be enshrined in the stupa, as a symbol of protection. The Mahiyangana Stupa is therefore believed to be the first stupa on the island. Not surprisingly, it’s a significant pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Several kings have since renovated and enlarged this stupa or donated additional relics, including Dutthagamani.
Mahiyangana is a Pali word usually naming the city, the Snhalese name of the city as well as the surroundings is Bintenna, which translates to „flat land“.
Mahiyangana is in around 100 km road distance east of Kandy. Actually, there are two different roads of almost the same length from Kandy. The more comfortable one runs through the Mahaweli Valley, along the reservoirs of Victoria, Randenigala, and Rantambe, crossing the Randenigala dam. The other one is a scenic mountain road crossing the pass of Hunnasgiriya and taking the 18 hairpin bends, Sri Lanka’s most famous serpentine road.
Mahiyangana is not touristy, it’s usually not on the shortlist of destinations of travelers planning a first round tour in Sri Lanka, though the stupa of the Mahiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya holds immense historical importance in the Buddhist tradition of Sri Lanka. It is believed that the stupa of the temple marks the site where according to the Mahavamsa chonicle Lord Buddha made his first visit to Sri Lanka and by delivering a sermon on the spot won over the island’s demons to become future guardians of his religion. On request of Saman, the demonic mountain god of Siri Pada, the Buddha left his hair as a sacred relic (kesha dhatu) to be enshrined in the stupa, as a symbol of protection. The Mahiyangana Stupa is therefore believed to be the first stupa on the island. Not surprisingly, it’s a significant pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Several kings have since renovated and enlarged this stupa or donated additional relics, including Dutthagamani.
Mahiyangana is a Pali word usually naming the city, the Snhalese name of the city as well as the surroundings is Bintenna, which translates to „flat land“.
