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Somawathiya (Somawathi Chethiya) - A dream come true for pilgrims -
The Somawathiya some 48 kilometers from Polonnaruwa is once again attracting pilgrims from throughout the island. The once inaccessible road is re-made and the environs more hospitable after the signing of the Peace Accord in February 2002. For the Budddhist who could not make this pilgrimage for so many years it is a dream come true to revisit the site and offer flowers here.
This Buddhist shrine of Somawathiya enshrines the right canine tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. It is believed to have been built long before the time of Dutugemunu and as such much older than the Ruwanweliseeya, Mirisawetiya or Jetawanaramaya. It is attributed to the reign of King Kavantissa - Dutugemunu’s father who ruled Magama. Legend has it that Kavantissa's sister Somawathi Devi married to a prince named Abhaya built a dagoba for her husband in her name in the 2nd century BC. The pilgrim today to this holy shrine can see on one side of the dagoba, a trench-like opening revealing some five feet inside of the present dogoba, wherein are the ancient brick masonry of the earlier dagoba. As such the present freshly painted milky white dagoba is an enlargement of an earlier one. According to scholars some Brahmi characters found at this site have been identified with the 2nd century. Separate inscriptions found here refer to the Rebavehera and Pajini Naka Araba Vihara which are presumed to be the ancient names of this monument. According to the latter it is believed that this vihara was constructed by Naka, the son of king Mahallaka Naga in the 2nd century. Like the road to Seruwila dagoba here too the journey itself offers you a variety of thick jungle, swamps, likewise their inhabitants big and small. In fact the dagoba is often visited at night by elephants. Sungawila is the last little town and border village from where you cross the Mahaveli to ride on some 12 kilometers of unsealed road that cuts through the Somawathi strict natural reserve and wild life sanctuary which takes you through the jungle and villus to the great dagoba. by Kishanie S. Fernando
February 4, 2007
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