Delgamuwa Raja Maha Viharaya

Delgamuwa Viharaya has obtained a special place in Sri Lankan history as it provided protection for the Tooth Relic of the Buddha for over 40 years.
Delgamuwa Raja Maha Viharaya
Delgamuwa Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: දෙල්ගමුව රජ මහා විහාරය) is a historic Buddhist temple located in the village of Delgamuwa in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka. This temple has obtained a special place in Sri Lankan history as it provided protection for the Tooth Relic of the Buddha for over 40 years (Abeyawardana, 2002). History After the death of King Bhuvanekabahu VII (1521–1551 A.D.) and the designation of Dharmapala as the successor, the political stability of the country became unstable with the activities of the Portuguese. At the time, Hiripitiye Diyawadana Nilame was the noble person who entrusted with the custody of the Tooth Relic (Pieris, 1920). One night he experienced a strange dream in which he was warned about the security of the Tooth Relic. Distressed by the dream, he secretly moved the relic from Kotte to Sitawaka and presented it to King Mayadunna [(1521–1581 A.D.) Pieris, 1920]. For the purpose of further protection, the Tooth Relic was moved to Delgamuwa Viharay…