Aralaganwila Silumini Seya

Silumini Seya is a ruined Buddhist monastery in Aralaganwila. In Ancient times, it is believed to have been used by monks of the Dhammaruchi sect.

Silumini Seya or Silumina Seya (Sinhala: අරලගංවිල සිළුමිණි සෑය, සිළුමිණසෑය) is a ruined Buddhist monastery situated in Aralaganwila in Polonnaruwa District, Sri Lanka.

History

This ruined monastery is said to have been used by monks of the Dhammaruchi sect, as its Stupa belongs to the Abhayagiri School (Wikramagamage, 2004). The Stupa is believed to have been constructed in the pre-Christian era but available archaeological evidence suggests that this Stupa and its monastery were reconstructed during the reign of King Aggabodhi VII (781-787 A.D.).

The Stupa

The Department of Archeology has recently restored and preserved the ruined stupa at this site. According to a line drawing that had been prepared before the renovation of the Stupa, there was a Yupa and a Chatra stone (a stone umbrella) on the top of it (Wikramagamage, 2004). However, presently they are not found on the top of the Stupa but parts of them are seen around it (Wikramagamage, 2004). Of them, the stone umbrella is said to be the largest one of its kind so far discovered in the country. A few stone slabs with carved Siri Pathula (the sacred footprint of the Buddha) are also found around the Stupa.

The Stupa has been built on an elevated terrace which can be accessed through four gateways.

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References

Books

1) Wikramagamage, C., 2004. Heritage of Rajarata: Major natural, cultural and historic sites. Colombo. Central Bank of Sri Lanka. pp.257-258.

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