Somavatiya Chaithya is a Buddhist stupa located in Polonnaruwa, an ancient city in Sri Lanka. The Chaitya premises is called the Somawathi Rajamaha Viharaya. Somavatiya Chaithya is located in the Somavatiya National Park on the left bank of the Mahaveli River. The Somawathi stupa has been documented by historical evidence to have been built in the 2nd century BC. Somavati Ruwanvelisaya is much older than Mirisavati Vihara or Jethavanaramaya.
The stupa is named after Princess Somavati, the sister of King Kavantissa and the wife of the regional governor Abhaya. Prince Abhaya built a new temple in his kingdom and was looking for “Dathu” to be placed in the stupa. They received the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha from the venerable Arahat Mahinda Thero. According to the agents, these dagobas were built by depositing them. After the completion of the stupa and other constructions, the prince and princess handed over the temple to Arahat Mahinda and the other monks. Part of the first structure by Prince Giri Aba You can still see the second reconstruction of King Tissa in 164 AD.
With the end of the Polonnaruwa kingdom, the Somawathi Vihara became an uninhabited area and was forgotten for over 800 years. In 1947, the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, D. S. Senanayake made the area a civilian home. This was under his new agricultural program. The authorities spotted the brightness emanating from the spot and alerted the authorities. It is the rediscovery of the Somavati stupa. The renovation of the site began in 1966 and was completed in 1981 with the “Koth Peladavima”.
Sometimes wild elephants came to this place and worshiped the stupa. Today many devotees visit this place and many facilities have been established. It is recommended to visit Somawati during the dry season as there is a risk of flooding during the rainy season.
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