Isinbessagala Viharaya

Purana Ruwangiri Raja Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple situated near Medawachchiya town. According to locals, it was built by King Devanampiyatissa.

The restored ancient Stupa

Purana Ruwangiri Raja Maha Viharaya, popularly known as Isinbessagala Viharaya (Sinhala: ඉසින්බැස්සගල රුවන්ගිරි විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated near Medawachchiya town in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka.

History

According to local belief, this temple was built by King Devanampiyatissa (247-207 B.C.) of Anuradhapura, after the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Arhat Mahinda Thera (Wikramagamage, 2004). It is said that Arhat Mahinda Thera who arrived in the country with other monks visited this site before going to Mihintale at Anuradhapura. The name "Isinbessagala" can be roughly translated as "the rock on which the sages descended" (Wikramagamage, 2004).

The site was in the wild for centuries and was inhabited since 1782 due to the Buddhist monk Madagalle Sumangala's efforts (Wikramagamage, 2004).

The Ruins at the Site

Some of the ancient monuments found at the location include the old Stupa at the foot of the rock, the Siri Pathul Gala (the Buddha's footprint) and the slab with a cobra figure (Wikramagamage, 2004). Before the construction of Buddha statues, people made various objects of worship to represent the Buddha such as Sri Pathul Gala. Therefore, the Sri Pathul Gala that was found at this site gives an indication of the antiquity of this temple. This artefact is presently placed at the top of the rock near the modern Stupa.

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Isinbessagala Rock Inscription

A rock inscription belonging to the early part of the Anuradhapura Period at the site reveals a grant of the income that was derived from a tank to this temple by two individuals. According to the record, Asiyakara Viharaya was the old name that had been used to identify this temple in the past. This name also roughly means "the temple where sages lived".