SRI LANKA HOLIDAYS: THUPARAMA STUPA

SRI LANKA HOLIDAYS: THUPARAMA STUPA

Location at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Heading north from the Ruvanvalisaya Dagoba, a broad walkway leads 300m to Thuparama stupa. Opposite is the junction that leads the way to Abayagiri Stupa, monastery, the museum & the Lankarama Dagoba.

Construction
Thuparama was constructed by King Devanampiya Tissa (250BC – 210BC) shortly after his conversion to Buddhism at the behest of Mahinda, who suggested that the new Sinhalese faith be provided with a suitable focus for its worship. A monk was dispatched to Ashoka, Buddhist emperor of India, who obligingly provided the king of Lanka with two of his religion’s most sacred relics: Buddha’s right collarbone & alms bowl. While the relic of right collar bone of Buddha was enshrined in the Thuparama stupa, alms bowl was sent to Mihintale

First Stupa in the recorded history of Sri Lanka
While Mahiyangana Stupa was built during the first visit of Buddha to the resplendent island, i.e. prior to the recorded history, Thuparama stupa is considered the first dagoba to be built in the 2550 years of recorded unbroken history of Sri Lanka.

A modest structure by Anuradhapura standards
The Thuparama Stupa (60ft in height), though by later Anuradhapura standards (Jetavana Stupa-400ft, Abhayagiri Stupa-370 ft, Ruwanvelisaya-338ft) is a modest monument, ruins of the Aramic complex (monastery) covers nearly 3 ½ acres of land.

Renovations
By the seventh century, the original structure had fallen into ruins. King Aggabodhi the second had it restored & converted into a vatadage (circular relic house), with the original dagoba being enclosed in a new roof, supported by the four concentric circles of pillars of diminishing height. Remains of the magnificent Polonnaruwa Vatadage testify to this uniquely Sri Lankan form of Buddhist architecture.

Model of the vatadage at the museum
An excellent model in the Archaeological Museum shows how it would all have looked.