Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara
About 12 miles to the east of the ancient kingdom Polonnaruwa on the east side of the Mahaweli is situated at the beautiful hilly range – Dimbulagala. In our ancient Pali texts this range is referred to as Udumbara – giri. ‘Udumbara’ is a name for wood apples, and ‘giri’ means hills/mountain. Dimbulagala was also known as ‘Dola Pabbatha’.
This area was once known as a kingdom of the Vakshas, then the kingdom of a prince clever in war, then a sacred area, and a Maha Viharaya – an abode of so many sacred beings. With the fall of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom, this was covered by thick forests devoid of its settlers. But it’s up again as an acclaimed abode of many of our monks and trainee monks, who’d be our future preachers of the Buddha’s doctrine – or His Buddha’s disciples.
Going back many centuries it is said that Prince Pandukabahaya, son of Unmadachitra and Deegagamini, lived in the stone cave here with Swarnapali and was accorded much hospitality by the two demon Senadhipathies Chitra Raja and Kala Vela, in human form. Then after some time, in the same stone cave of Dimbulagala, Princess Swarnapali gave birth to a son. He was named Mutasiva, after her father’s name. It’s also mentioned that another Prince was born and named Ganatissa.
Prince Pandukabhaya before he ascended the throne and made Anuradhapura his abode had lived here for many years. After him Mutasiva, his son by Swarnapali became king. It is said that Arahat Mahinda arrived in the Island during his reign in BC 247. Mutasiva was followed by his son the famous King Devanampiyatissa. From all this it becomes clear how important Dimbulagala is to us in tracing the lives of our ancient kings and their survival even under difficult circumstances.
King Dewanampiyatissa, the first properly acclaimed king of Anuradhapura our first kingdom was responsible for the erection of many Viharas. One of the first such Viharas was Dimbulagala. It is also historically important in that from Arahat Mahinda’s time up to the tenure of the last Arahat, Maliyadeva’s time many great Arahats dwelt in Dimbulagala. This is mentioned in the great literary work ‘Saddharmalankaraya. Then there followed unstable and disturbed political periods, with threat to general adminstration and security as well.
Thus we see history repeating itself beginning from the first century into the 20th century. The ascendancy of Vijayabahu I in the 2nd century 1057 BC, saw the revival and reconstruction of Buddhist palaces of worship, when the king himself went through his Coronation/Crowning with the blessings of the Sangha, vowing to safeguard Buddhism. Vijayabahu I restored Dimbulagala Viharaya which had suffered destruction in the hands of the invaders and enemies.
Dimbulagala is also noted for having being made the abode of Kuththagaththatissa, an Arahat who attended the writing down of the scripture at Aluvihare Matale along with five hundred Bhikkus. Hearing this King Valagamba patronised Dimbulagala, by maintaining the caves, erecting flower ponds, fruit gardens and Viharas for the monks and offered to the Bhikkus land, fields and villages.
Queen of Vijayabahu I, Sundara Devi, though
