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Buddha statue, Maligawila
- The Maligawila Buddha statue, the tallest ancient free-standing Buddha image in Sri Lanka is located in a monastic complex in Maligawila near Okkampitiya, 18 km from Buttala. This Buddha statue with a height of 11.53 m has carved out of a large limestone rock depicting Samabhanga posture and Abhaya Mudra belongs to the 7th – 8th century AD. It closely resembles with Avukana Buddha statue. Ruins around the statue provide the evidence that there was an image house around the statue.
This statue was found in 1951. It was broken into several pieces by the time it was found. After the unsuccessful attempt in the 1970s under the guidance of President Ranasinghe Premadasa Maligawila statue was reconstructed and raised in 1991 successfully.
The archaeologist believes that this site would be the ancient Ariyakara Vihara mentioned in the chronicles. According to the Culavamsa chronicle, there was a hospital for the blind and the sick in this site in the 7th century AD. That was built by King Aggabodhi.
- The Maligawila Buddha statue, the tallest ancient free-standing Buddha image in Sri Lanka is located in a monastic complex in Maligawila near Okkampitiya, 18 km from Buttala. This Buddha statue with a height of 11.53 m has carved out of a large limestone rock depicting Samabhanga posture and Abhaya Mudra belongs to the 7th – 8th century AD. It closely resembles with Avukana Buddha statue. Ruins around the statue provide the evidence that there was an image house around the statue.
This statue was found in 1951. It was broken into several pieces by the time it was found. After the unsuccessful attempt in the 1970s under the guidance of President Ranasinghe Premadasa Maligawila statue was reconstructed and raised in 1991 successfully.
The archaeologist believes that this site would be the ancient Ariyakara Vihara mentioned in the chronicles. According to the Culavamsa chronicle, there was a hospital for the blind and the sick in this site in the 7th century AD. That was built by King Aggabodhi.
- The Maligawila Buddha statue, the tallest ancient free-standing Buddha image in Sri Lanka is located in a monastic complex in Maligawila near Okkampitiya, 18 km from Buttala. This Buddha statue with a height of 11.53 m has carved out of a large limestone rock depicting Samabhanga posture and Abhaya Mudra belongs to the 7th – 8th century AD. It closely resembles with Avukana Buddha statue. Ruins around the statue provide the evidence that there was an image house around the statue.
This statue was found in 1951. It was broken into several pieces by the time it was found. After the unsuccessful attempt in the 1970s under the guidance of President Ranasinghe Premadasa Maligawila statue was reconstructed and raised in 1991 successfully.
The archaeologist believes that this site would be the ancient Ariyakara Vihara mentioned in the chronicles. According to the Culavamsa chronicle, there was a hospital for the blind and the sick in this site in the 7th century AD. That was built by King Aggabodhi.
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