Milakkhatissa Viharaya (Sinhala: උස්වැව මිලක්ඛතිස්ස විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Uswewa village in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka.
History
Some locals link the history of this site with the Milakkhatissa story which is mentioned in the Buddhist scripture Anguttara Nikaya Atuwa. Milakkhatissa was a Buddhist monk who resided in a monastery named Gamendavala Maha Vihara which was in a locality within easy reach of Situlpawwa and Kataragama Viharaya. Some ancient structural ruins of buildings belonging to the early part of the Anuradhapura Period have been identified at the site.
A Protected Site
The premises with constructions and ruins of stupa at Milakkhatissa Raja Maha Vihare situated in Uswewa village in the Grama Niladhari Division No. 225 of Uswewa in Angunakolapelessa Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected site, declared by a government gazette notification published on 1 February 2023.
References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Extraordinary. no: 2317/57. 1 February 2023. p.8A.
Attribution
#) LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to V. M. Vidanapathirana for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.