Rahath Gal Vehera (Embalawa)

Embalawa Rahath Gal Vehera or Maluwewatta Purana Viharaya Ambalawa Rahath Gal Vehera (Sinhala: ඇඹලව රහත් ගල් වෙහෙර විහාරය, මළුවේවත්ත පුරාණ විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Maluwawatta village in Galle District, Sri Lanka. History Available archaeological evidence proves that the history of this site runs back to the medieval Anuradhapura Era . It is believed by locals that this is the ancient Embalawa Rahath Gal Vehera which is mentioned in Sinhala Bodhivamsa where the Sela Chaitya existed and one of the 32 saplings of Sri Maha Bodhi was planted (Ranchagoda, 2015). Recently, ruins of a Pilimageya (an image house) that belonged to the post- Kandyan Era and a structure believed to be a Bodhighara (a Bodhi-tree shrine) of the  Dambadeniya Period  were unearthed from this premises by the Department of Archaeology. It is accepted that this temple received the patronage of Devapathiraja, a minister of King Parakramabahu II of Dambadeniya [(1236-1270 A.D.) Ranchagoda, 2015]. As happened…