Warana Raja Maha Vihara, Buddhist temple in Thihariya, Sri Lanka

Warana Raja Maha Vihara is a Buddhist cave temple in Thihariya, Gampaha District, arranged on three terraces: Pahala maluwa, Meda maluwa and Ihala maluwa. The lower terrace holds the Sangawasaya and the Dharma Hall; the middle terrace has a drip-led cave temple with an ancient stupa and four moonstones; the upper terrace contains another cave temple, a pond and a rock-cut stairway.

According to archaeological records, this site was established during King Devanampiyathissa's reign in the 4th to 3rd century BCE. A donation by an early religious student connected the temple to the early days of Buddhism's introduction to the island.

The cave temple's murals span several periods, including the Kotte era, though many are now faded and damaged. The drip-led cave shelters Buddha statues, and its canopy is painted with lotus flowers and other floral designs. The lower terrace holds the Sangawasaya and the Dharma Hall, while the middle terrace has four moonstones.

The site sits about 5 kilometers from the main highway connecting Colombo and Kandy, making it accessible for travelers between these two cities. Allow time to explore the different levels and areas to see all the structures properly.

The Brahmin inscription in the vihara premises, read by Senarath Paranavithana in Inscriptions of Ceylon, Part I, records a gift by Bata-Tisadatta, brother of Bata-Majhima. Nearby cave temples at Uruwala, Maligatenna, Pilikuththuwa, Miriswatta and Koskandawala are thought to have belonged to one large temple complex in the early Anuradhapura period.