Kirinda Viharamahadevi Raja Maha Viharaya
. Kirinda Raja Maha Viharaya , also known as Kirinda Viharamahadevi Viharaya (Sinhala: කිරින්ද විහාර මහා දේවි රජ මහා විහාරය), is a Buddhist temple on the sea-coast at Kirinda in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. It is located on the summit of a rocky outcrop situated about 120 m west of the present fisheries harbour of Kirinda. History Folklore
It is popularly believed that this temple was built at the spot where Viharamahadevi (Vihara-devi), the mother of King Dutugemunu (161-137 B.C.) and King Saddhatissa (137-119 B.C.) is supposed to have disembarked after she was sacrificed to the sea to appease the gods who were wrath with King Kelani Tissa for unreasonably suspecting and killing of an Arhat (Abeyawardana, 2004; Paranavitana, 2001). The chronicle Mahavamsa records that Vihara-devi landed ashore at Lanka Vihara on the coast near Mahagama [(the landing place is also known as Tolaka Vihara and Kottalata) Nicholas, 1963; Paranavitana, 2001]. King Kavan Tissa (205-161 B.C.) who espoused V…
