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Ruwanveli Seya

Ruwanvali maha Seya was build by the great king Dutugamunu who reigned from 137BC to119 BC.

The original stupa has been about 180 feet (55 metres) in height and was renovated by many kings. The stupa is 350 feet (107 metres) in height and 300 feet (92 metres) in diameter today.

According to Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of the Sinhalese the preparation for the foundation for the stupa is described as follows;

….The ruler had the site of the stupa dug to the depth of seven cubits (about 17 ½ feet) …….round stones brought by warriors and had them broken by small hammers , then for the sake of firmness of the site he had the crushed stones stamped by elephants with feet covered in leather. He had butter clay laid over the stones and bricks over the clay. …. Rough plaster over it, quarts over that, a network of iron over that, and above that fragrant “marumba”.

The king had crystal spread over that and over the crystal stones. Everywhere in the work was the clay called butter clay with the resin of wood apple mixed with mercury. A bronze plate, eight finger breadths thick was laid over the stones. A silver plate seven finger breadths thick was laid over it with arsenic mixed in the oil of sesame.

King Dutugamunu didn’t live to see the completion of this chethiya. When the king fell ill he sent his brother to complete the work of the stupa. On King Dutugamunu’s death bed he wanted to see this chethiya and his brother covered the whole dome in white cloth and constructed the upper portion of the stupa in bamboo and painter it in imitation gold and carried the king to the stupa to show the “competed” stupa. After the kings death the Saddhatissa finished the remaining work.

Around this stupa you will also see statues made out of stones of King Dutugamunu, Queen Vihara Mahadevi (Mother of king Dutugamunu) and King Bhathika Tissa of 2nd Century.

Articles

• Ruwanweli Seya : The work behind the worship - Daily Mirror, May 10, 2004
• An architect’s attempt to unearth secrets of Ruwanweliseya - Sunday Times, February 18, 2007
  

Images

The Stupa	The Stupa
Statue of King Dutugemunu	Statue of Queen Vihara Maha Devi, the mother of King Dutugemunu
Pathway from Ruwanveli Seya to the Sri Maha Bodhi	Ruins at Ruwanveli Seya
Replica of the Stupa carved from granite	A Vahalkada
Another statue near the stupa

Photos before restoration from www.imagesofceylon.com

Entrance to Ruwanweli Dagoba	Ruins of Elephant Wall and Alter, Ruwanweli Dagoba	Ruwanweli Dagoba	Ruwanweli Dagoba
A Vahalkada of the Dagaba	A Vahalkada of the Dagaba	A Vahalkada of the Dagaba	Buddha Statues at Ruwanweli Dagoba
Buddha Statues at Ruwanweli Dagoba	Ruwanweli Dagoba	Ruwanweli Dagoba	A statue near stupa

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Updated : May 5, 2007
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