Makulana Rajamaha Viharaya
According to Buddhist records, Tapassu and Balluka were two merchants who met Buddha just after he attained enlightenment and offered him his first meal. In gratitude, Buddha gave them some of his hair. The merchants arrived in Sri Lanka and gave part of the hair relic to their merchant friend named "Kanaka," who took it to his village of Keppetipola. There, he offered the relic to a regional king named Bimba, who built a stupa to enshrine the holy relic. This suggests that the stupa was built around 589 BC, although it's unlikely that the current structure dates back to that time.
The present-day temple is believed to have been built during the reign of King Parakramabahu IV of the Kurugengala kingdom in the 14th century. On one side of the stupa is a large, ancient rock inscription that is mostly faded, although images of animals can still be seen.
The name "Makulana" is derived from the Pali word "Makuta," which means hair. Translated to Sinhala, it becomes "Makula." Thus, Mak...
The present-day temple is believed to have been built during the reign of King Parakramabahu IV of the Kurugengala kingdom in the 14th century. On one side of the stupa is a large, ancient rock inscription that is mostly faded, although images of animals can still be seen.
The name "Makulana" is derived from the Pali word "Makuta," which means hair. Translated to Sinhala, it becomes "Makula." Thus, Mak...
