Unāwatuna Raja Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple in Monaragala District, Sri Lanka. The temple is situated in Unãwatuna village belonging to the Buttala Divisional Secretary's Division.
Etymology
The name Unāwatuna is said to be evolved from Unāvæṭuna. In the Sinhala language, the word Una (උනා) means loosed while væṭuna (වැටුන) means fallen. This etymology is explained through a few folks-stories among the locals. According to one story, there was a period that king Dutugemunu (161-137 B.C.) had a battle with his brother, prince Saddha Tissa. When king Dutugemunu was on his way to Yudaganawa to battle with Saddha Tissa, a casket he was bringing to the field was loosed and fallen to the ground where it is thought to be the present temple premises. According to the folklore, the king didn't take the casket back but made a small Stupa covering it.
A protected site
The ancient Dagoba, places with ruins of buildings and ancient wall at the premises of Unawatuna Raja Maha Vihara belonging to Unawatuna village in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Buttala are protected archaeological monuments declared by a Gazette notification, published on 9 March 2016.
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References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Extraordinary, no: 1957/18. 9 March 2016. p.3A.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 5 March 2022
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map
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