Ancient Stupas of Sri Lanka - The Great Stupas of Sri Lanka

The Great Stupas of Sri Lanka

The ‘stupas’ built later on were much larger than the Thuparama.It is accepted that the building of colossal stupas started during the reigh of King Dutugemunu. King Dutugemunu (161-137 BC) built the Mirisaveti which has a diameter of 168 feet (51 m) at the base and the most venerated ‘stupa’ - Ruvanvali Mahaseya, also known as Ratnamali Mahathupa. While the base has a diameter of 289 feet (88 m), the height is given as 120 cubits (‘riyan’), equivalent to around 300 feet (91 m). It took the form of ‘bubbulakara’ or bubble shape. When the Abhyayagiri dagaba was originally built by King Vattagamani (Valagamba - 103 BC) it was not very large but later enlargements made it larger than the Mahathupa. King Mahasena (276-303 CE) is credited with building the largest of them all - the Jetavana, which has a diameter of 367 feet (112 m) at the base. Though the present height is estimated at 232 feet (71 m), the original height is supposed to have been 160 cubits.

The main feature of Jetavana is its foundation, which goes all the way to the bedrock and 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. The height of Jetavana and the depth of the footing is approximately equal. Total Jetavana structure including the foundation is much heavier and massive than the largest pyramid of Egypt.

Large stupas were also built at Mihintale at the site where Arahat Mahinda met the king, Magama, Dighavapi (near Ampara), Kataragama and other places. The builders of ‘stupas’ in Sri Lanka had closely followed the designs of such monuments built in Sanchi and other places in India. In huge monuments, the dome rose from a triple-based platform. The dome was surmounted by a square railing of wood or stone which later became a cube of masonry. A stone pillar embedded in the dome rose above the railing. The ‘stupa’ was crowned by an umbrella (‘chattra’) or a series of umbrellas.