Pethmaga Purana Viharaya

Pethmaga Purana Viharaya

. Pethmaga Purana Viharaya  (Sinhala: රොටුඹ පෙත්මග පුරාණ විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Rotumba village in Matara District, Sri Lanka. The ancient temple, Budugala Viharaya is located about 1.5 km south of Pethmaga Viharaya. History Although there is no evidence to prove it, locals link this temple's history to the reign of King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) of  Polonnaruwa  (Ranaweera, 2015). It is believed that in the past there was a temple on the land named Budawala which is located within the boundary of the present temple (Ranaweera, 2015). With the passage of time, this temple vanished from the landscape and the Budawala land gradually became a paddy field. Rotumba, the name of the village where the present temple is situated is thought to have evolved from the Ron-mada (mud and silt) that accumulated in this paddy field (Ranaweera, 2015). There are two Bodhi trees at the site and one of them is believed to be the original Bodhi tree planted in the first temple (Ranaweer…