MIHINTALAVA

A student of classical Sinhala paintings will find ample material in places such as Sigiriya, Hindagala, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, etc., but he should not forget that the best samples of traditional Buddhist paintings are found in the relic chambers of ancient Stupas. Though such examples are not plentiful, the few available in places like Mihintale and […]

Among the earliest sculptural art are those which adorn the stelae of the Vahalkadas or frontispieces of the large size stupas of the early period. Examples for these are found in places like Kantaka Cetiya at Mihintale, Dakkhina Stupa, Ruwanvalisaya, Mirisavatiya (now collapsed and re-built), Abhayagiriya and Jetavana Stupa at Anuradhapura. The material used for […]

The gold and clay reliquaries, and gold statues of Buddha discovered in the relic chambers, Buddha statues of stone, statues of Bodhisattvas, kings, the sculptures of the Vahalkadas, Guardstones, Naga stones, Makara Balustrades, Purnaghatas (full pots), and many other forms of sculpture comprise this category. “A relic casket of polished blank earthenware of a type […]

The earliest Buddhist architecture in India pre-dates Sri Lankan Buddhist architecture only by a few decades. When Devanampiyatissa embraced Buddhism, he huilt the religious edifices in the Royal Capital Anuradhapura and in Mihintale. The first Stupa built in this island according to the Great Chronicle is the Thuparama at Anuradhapura. The earliest reference to this […]

Caves for the residence of Bhikkhus who visited Sri Lanka as well as for Bhikkhus who entered the Buddha Sasana were found on the mountains of Mihintale, east of Anuradhapura. These were built on the advice of Elder Mahinda. It was on his advice that parks like Mahameghavana and mountain abodes like Cetiyapabbata were donated […]