Ruwanwelisaya - Travel Sri Lanka

Ruwanwelisaya 

Source: http://www.pictaram.com/tag/Ruwanwelisaya

In its great day Ruwanwelisaya was very splendid. Rich are the carvings round the drum, with its circular path for ecclesiastical processions; a gorgeous sigh it must have been with scores of thousands crowding the pavement in festal array, many hundred prelates attending the King and his Court as they made the circuit of the dome*- Reginald Farrer, In Old Ceylon (1908).

Ruwanwelisaya, literally the "Gold Dust Dagoba" but also known as Mahathupa or "Great Stupa" was conceived by King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century to house Buddha relics on a spot indicated by the Arahant Mahinda, son of Emperor Asoka, the champion of Buddhism. Buddhist monks from all over India are reported to have come for the enshrinement of these relics in 140BC. The Ruwanwelisaya is popularly regarded as the greatest of Anuradhapura's dagobas.

It was supposedly some 135m high in its original form - although it is considerably shorter today at 55m - and it has a diameter of 80m. Indeed, it was the tallest dagoba in the world at the time, although today it is only the third tallest at Anuradhapura.

It is noteworthy that the dagoba was built in the classic bubble-shape - a bubble floating on water that is. Legend has it that the architect who won the chance to create the sacred building, when asked for his design, called for a bowl of water. Placing his hand in the water he scooped some up and let it fall back into the bowl. In doing so it formed the characteristic shape of a perfect bubble-on-water, and the architect, pointing to it, declared that this was his design.

Source: http://travelgee.com/place/4/RuwanwaliSaya

The construction of the dagoba began as always with great ritual and symbolism. Dutugemunu stationed himself at the centre of the designated piece of land and ordered a minister to hold the end of a fine rod of silver that was fitted into a gold pivot. The minister was then told to walk round the land describing a circle that would delineate the base of the dagoba. According to the ancient chronicle the Mahowamsa, Dutugemunu then placed in the center of the circle "eight golden and eight silver vases, and surrounded them with 1,008 fresh vases and with cloth in quantities of 108 pieces. He then caused eight excellent bricks to be placed separately, one in each of the eight quarters."

Wishing to gain merit for the construction of the dagoba, Dutugemunu ordered that the laborers should be adequately recompensed and carefully looked after. The Mahawamsa states: "At every gate he commanded to place 1,600,000 kahapanas (coins), very many garments, different ornaments solid and liquid foods and drink withal, fragrant flowers, sugar and so forth, as well as the five perfumes for the mouth."

Although the Ruwanwelisaya was Dutugemunu's finest work, he never lived to see its completion. With the construction of the spire and the plastering of the dome remaining, the king fell terminally ill. As Dutugemunu lay on his death-bed in 144BC, his brother Saddhatissa "caused a case made of white cloths to be sewed by seamsters, and enveloped the dagoba therewith. He also employed painters to paint the paneled basement and upon it were represented rows of filled vases, and ornaments radiating like five fingers. He employed parasol-frame weavers to form the frame of a temporary spire made of bamboo; and in the same manner.. He formed a parapet round the pinnacle, representing thereon the sun and moon." Dutugemunu was taken from his death-bed to see how the dagoba would look when it was eventually finished. Filled with joy at the sight, he bowed down to it in worship. Later he exhorted his brother to complete the work and to make offerings there three times a day. After Dutugemunu died he was "seen reborn and standing in celestial form in the car that had come from the Tusita heaven" In this car he travelled three times round the dagoba before passing into "the Tusita heaven".