More than 2100 years old, Mirisawetiya is one of the oldest dagabas in Sri Lanka. This magnificent structure built by King Dutugemunu is a must visit for anyone visiting the sacred city of Anuradhapura.
King Dutugumuni built it as the Dagaba of the Mahavihara Brotherhood, but when the monks began to reside there, Mirisawetiya seems to have developed into a separate monastery. However, it is believed to be a monastery belonging to the Mahavihara fraternity. The Sevaral kings rebuilt the Dagaba at different times. King Gajabahu I (112-134 AC) and Voharika Tissa (214-236 AC) were among them. King Gajabahu 1: puted a new coating on Mirisawetia. King Voharika Tissa: Dagoba’s rebuilt a wall around the Dagaba. After the invasion of Chula, the stupa and other buildings were needed to be restored, and it is said that King Kassapa VII (914-923 AC) restored. Dagaba was again damaged by the recurring Chola invasions, and it is said that King Parakaramabahu I (1153-1186 AC) underwent extensive renovations and built a stupa about 120 feet high. The last recorded repairs of this period were done by King Nissankamalla (1187-1196 AC).
There are many opinions on the name Mirisawetiya. One view is that Buddhists regularly eat and drink. Some of it is symbolically offered to sacred monks. Whereas Mirisawetiya in Sinhala comes from mirisa-vetiya, meaning chili. There is a rumor that the king forgot to offer chilli before eating it to the monks. It is said that the king named the Dagaba Mirisawetiya as a symbol of pardon. Another view is that the old name of the village in which dagaba was built was Mirisawetimala.
Dagaba refurbished in the 1980s, but overall construction collapsed in 1987. The Dagoba you see now was completed in 1993 and the remains of the original Dagaba have been confined and the original Dagaba has lost all its features. The present Dagaba height is 192 feet (59 m) and 141 ft (43 m) in diameter.
Mirisavatiya Vahalkada is the best of all and is the most beautiful and most preserved of all the dagabas. These frontpiece (Vahalkada) receive the admiration and admiration of many art historians and archaeologists and are considered one of the oldest exhibitions in Sinhala art. Unfortunately, this most prized, admirable, and most preserved work of art, the Valkada (front section) of Mirisawetia, was destroyed during the collapse of the Reformation in 1987.
The monastery is the abode of the monks in the temple. Ancient Anuradhapura temples usually consist of five monasteries, which consist of monastery clusters. The unique feature of Mirisawetia is its monastery cluster. Each of these contains three units instead of five. It is believed that there are thousands of monks who have attained the highest state of mind in Arahat. He lived in this monastery and Mirisawetiya. Among the ruins are the earliest scenes of the moonstone of Buddhist temples. The Dana Sala is the place where the resident monks were fed, which can be seen on the north side of Mirissaweti. Near the Dana Sala, you can still see an old rice boat that was offered to the monks in the monastery.
This is one of the oldest places of worship in Sri Lanka. This is a must visit place in Anuradhapurahttp://www.thingstodo.lk/category/city/anuradhapuraya/.
