Muhudu Maha Viharaya, built by King Kavantissa over 2000 years ago, marks Viharamahadevi’s landing site and features Mahayana-era Bodhisattva statues.
Muhudu Maha Viharaya (Pottuvil) M uhudu Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: මුහුදු මහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated near the sea coast in Pottuvil in Ampara District, Sri Lanka. History The detail regarding the establishment of Muhudu Maha Viharaya is obscure as there is no exact literary or archaeological evidence for the confirmation of its earliest phase of construction. Also, no artefacts belonging to the first five centuries of the common era have been found from this site. However, the history of Muhudu Maha Viharaya is linked by locals to the reign of Kavantissa (205-161 B.C.) who ruled the principality of Rohana when Elara (205-161 B.C.) was ruling the Anuradhapura Kingdom . It is 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 an Arhat. …
