Sri Lanka is an island which has a number of charming attractions. The religious and cultural sites which are located in the island boast of incredible tales and legends. The Buddhist pilgrimage sites especially are quite popular in Sri Lanka. Thousands of local and foreign devotees venerate these charming places of worship throughout the year.
Seruvila Mangala Maha Viharaya is one such incredible site which is well worth visiting. It is located in Trincomalee in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. The Seruvila Viharaya is one of the 16 holiest Buddhist shrines in the country. Countless numbers of Buddhists visit these shrines, which collectively known as, Solosmasthana. Seruvila Mangala Maha Viharaya is where the Lalata Dathun Wahanse, or the sacred forehead bone of Buddha enshrined.
History of The Seruvila Mangala Maha Viharaya
According to the legend, there were three viharas present onsite during the times of three former Buddhas. Gautama Buddha, who is said to be the last Buddha in this eon, visited the site to pay homage to the temples where relics of the three former Buddhas were enshrined. History said that Gautama Buddha offered eight handfuls of flowers. Then prophesied that a shrine by the name of Mangala Viharaya would be built onsite in later years. His prophesy came true when King Kavantissa built the temple in the 2nd century BC.
The holy temple was greatly neglected during the colonial era as emphasis was being given to the western region of the island. However, the temple’s former glory restored in the year 1962. It’s when the Government declared the area surrounding the temple as well as the temple itself as an Archaeological Reserve. There are lots of pilgrim rests as well as local markets in the area, which built in the 1970s.
You can visit this site of worship when you are traveling in the island with Green Holiday Centre. You can reach it by land or by sea.
