Somawathiya Chaitya, Buddhist temple in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
The white stone stupa rises from the wilderness of Somawathiya National Park along the Mahaweli River bank in eastern Sri Lanka.
Built in the second century BC, King Kavan Tissa commissioned this stupa for his sister Princess Somawathi to house the right tooth relic of Buddha.
The structure remained hidden for eight centuries until 1947, when local residents noticed light rays emerging from a large earthen mound.
Visitors reach the temple through the village of Sungavila, where they often encounter wild elephants roaming freely in their natural environment.
According to local accounts, swarms of bees prevented attempts to move the sacred tooth relic to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.
Location: Somawathiya National Park
GPS coordinates: 8.12107,81.16857
Latest update: May 13, 2025 00:11
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