Anuradhapura Sri Lanka
Travel & Accommodation Guide
Anuradhapura is the most celebrated of Sri Lanka's ancient ruined cities. This city is the repository of several priceless treasures of Buddhism and as a World Heritage site definetly a MUST to every visitor to Sri Lanka.
One is the dagoba of Thuparama, an immense spire-topped dome that is believed to enshrine the collarbone of the Buddha, himself. The base of the temple is surrounded by a frieze of elephants in bas relief. Another remarkable treasure in Anuradhapura is the sacred Bo Tree said to have been grown from a branch of the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. As the story goes, a sapling of the ficus religioso that sheltered the Buddha was brought from the Magadha Kingdom of ancient India to Sri Lanka in a golden bowl 2,250 years ago and planted on this spot in Sri Lanka, bowl and all. It is said to be the oldest authenticated tree in the world.
How was it authenticated? Apparently, a special caste was designated to care for this priceless tree, and from the very beginning, this family and its descendants have looked after the Bo Tree. Surprisingly, the tree itself is not a very impressive specimen, but it is, nevertheless, protected by armed guards and venerated by almost everyone for its association with the source of Buddhism.
The ancient capital shines with treasures like the Ruwanweliseya Stupa, one of the largest structures of the ancient world; the Isurumuniya Rock Temple; the Royal Twin Baths; and two huge irrigation tanks; just to name a few.
It is easy to spend days discovering the ancient history of Sri Lanka, exploring the picturesque countryside and to watch the many pilgrims paying homage to the Sri Maha Bodhi tree, Anuradhapura's most venerated possession
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