Dematamal Viharaya
Dematamal Viharaya is situated in Helagama on the Buttala-Okkampitiya road, which leads to the Maligawila Buddha Statues. The temple is about 4 km from Buttala town and is located in the middle of a paddy field. From the road, you can see the dark-coloured Stupa and the bo-tree surrounded by the green paddy. Although the temple is not a popular tourist attraction, its history is said to date back to the 3rd century BC, and it is believed to be the temple where Prince Tissa hid from his brother, Prince Gamini, after a major battle for power at Yudaganawa. Legend has it that Tissa had won the first battle at Yudaganawa, but Gamini won the second one. After the battle, Tissa fled and hid inside the temple, knowing that his brother would never violate a Buddhist temple. Gamini chased after Tissa and stood guard at the entrance of the temple. The monks saw Tissa entering the temple, and two novices carried him out of the temple premises, wrapped up in yellow robes, as though carrying the co...
