have been recorded in the Samantapasadika discipline, which is older than the Mahavamsa. There is also a mention of Mahiyangana in the Poojavalia, Haththavanagalla Vihara vamsa.
The lord Buddha visited the place where the Mahiyangana Thupa was located in the Great Naga Forest on the banks of the river in the Island of Ceylon On Duruthu full moon poya day in 588BC. It is mentioned in the Mahavamsa that the Mahanaga forest is three cubits long and one cubit wide. At the time of Buddha's visit to Sri Lanka, there were four tribes in Sri Lanka: Yakkha, Naga, Deva and Rakshasa. The people of these four tribes have been known as “Sive helayan” people since time immemorial. Of these, the tribe called "Yakkha" is based in the Mahiyangana area.
Furthermore, this area can be identified as an economically important ancient trading town from ancient times, as a fertile land in the interior of the country and as an area inhabited by the indigenous peoples. It is clear from various documents that there was an advanced civilization among them. There was also a border separating the country of Mahiyangana and the country of Ruhunu. Among the strongest of the 18 forts of King Elara was Mahiyangana. We can identify from the study of historical sources that the construction of minipe was the origin of agricultural development in the area.
Even in the distant past, Mahiyangana was a very important shrine as well as an economically strong area, which led to the invasions of Sri Lanka at different times . It is mentioned in the Vansaththappakasini that the South Indian Chola invasions took place in the 12th century.
Even in the maps drawn in the past, it can be seen that the mahiyangana has been marked. For example, ptolemy's map of Ceylon drawn on two occasions has also been marked.
Thus, it appears that Mahiyangana has been a very important and developed area in past.

kes, reservoirs, ponds, various birds, reptiles, mammals, insects, etc., as well as various plants, nature is a place of beauty. Mahiyangana is also an important area due to its central location in several directions.

g hair relics to the leader of sumana in the middle of his head. Historical sources increasingly prove that for the first time, a stupa was built by teasuring the living relics.
Later, 45 years later, when the Lord Buddha's body was cremated after he was cremated, Sarabhu Maharahthan, a student of Sariyut Maharahthan, worked in the burning pyre of prosperity and took the relics of The Buddha to Mahiyangana in Sri Lanka and buried it in the chaitya built by Sumana Nayaka and surrounded it to a height of twelve cubits.Evidence is confirmed by information. It is clear from the historical sources that king Uddha Chulabhaya, the brother of King Devanam Piyatissa, enlarged this structure with black stone and the king who reigned during the Anuradhapura kingdom, who reunited Sri Lanka, built this chaitya with asurian .
Lord Sumana Saman built the Idunilmini stupa in Mahiyangana at the place where the Lord Buddha preached Sri Saddhamma while working on the mat. Accordingly, Mahiyangana has become an increasingly special shrine due to the following reasons than other places of worship in Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, the first Buddhist shrine built in Lord Buddha’s lifetime and the world's first Buddhist vehera, Mahiyangana stupa. It is also the first place where the Buddha's Sri Saddharma has been mixed with the air of Sri Lanka's land for the first time. Mahiyangana stupa is also the first temple in the world to be built together by a god, a name of Maharahath thero, and a king. And the only rock in the world, built of sapphire, meado color stone, black stone, and brick stone, is Mahiyangana stupa. Also, the only charitable place in Sri Lanka, where a Sri Lankan heard the buddha's words and became sovan in Sri lanka, is the Mahiyangana sacred land. Mahiyangana is considered to be the headquarters of God Saman. Therefore, before performing Siripa Karuna, devotees come to the headquarters of Lord Saman in Mahiyangana and offer prayers and take blessings and worship sacred feet.

Kings who patronized Mahiyangana Maha Vehera
 Prince Uddhachulabaya 307 – 267 BC
 King Dutugemunu 161 –137 BC
 King Voharikatissa 210 – 232 AD
 King Jettathissa I 267 - 277 AD
 King Sena II 839 – 874 AD
 King Kashyapa IV 885 – 945 AD
 King Udaya IV 938 - 945 AD
 King Vijayabahu 1055 – 1110 AD
 King Parakramabahu I 1153 - 1186 AD
 King Nishankamalla 1187 – 1196 AD
 King Parakramabahu VI 1412 – 1467 AD
 King Wimaladharmasuriya I 1591 – 1604 AD
 King Rajasinghe II 1635 – 1687 AD
 King Weera Parakrama Narendrasinghe 1706 - 1739 AD
 King Sri Weera Parakrama Narendrasinghe 1707 – 1739 AD
 King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe 1747 – 1782 AD
Apart from this, at different times, local ruling kings, state ministers and government officials of Mahiyangana have patronized mahiyangana vehera in various ways.

to participate in a procession at badulla temple, where in a ruckus, he killed his elephant keeper and came to mahiyangana temple without an elephant ruler. The distance is about 52 kilometers.
It is stated that they are not aware of the exact age of the above mentioned three elephants. However, all three elephants were very old elephants, and they died at different times in the late 1980s.
Later, in the year 1981, Theldeniya Grama Niladhari W.M. Appuhami offered an elephant named "Bandakka Elephant" and a female elephant named "Manike Athinna". The name "Bandakka" elephant was associated with the fact that Mr. Appuhami cultivated and sold the Bandakka and bought the elephant with that money. The bandakka elephant is about 11 feet in height. He died in 1998 after a life span of 65 years. In 2014, he lived and died after living for 96 years. This tower is about 10 feet 6 inches high and is capable of any work, says the elephant lord mahatoon, who is still alive today. (This elephant and mahouts are still alive. This information was obtained from them)
At present, an elephant named "Saliya" and an elephant named "Isuru" in Mahiyangana Viharaya are being raised very well. The Saliya elephant was sacrificed to the Mahiyangana Temple in 1984 by the then President Ranasinghe Premadasa and the elephant is now about 52 years old. Isuru was sacrificed by the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe in 2002. Isuru is now 28 years old.
These two elephants continue to contribute to the Mahiyangana Procession festival as well as the procession of Sri Dalada Palace and to the processions held in different parts of Sri Lanka.

Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya in 2001, when he was working at Mahiyangana from the Urulawatta Pansal of the Asgiri Viharaya in Kandy, he was responsible for this. Because he was well-informed.
After this, he first started the necessary development work of the Mahiyangana Vihara by renovating the roof of the Temple Of Mahiyangana Viharaya. His development work is a huge task. At present, the value of these development work is estimated at more than 3000 million.
Among the development work carried out by Reverent Urulawatte Dhammarakkitha Thero, Leader of Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya,
1. Renovation of the roof of the Vihara Mandiraya,
2. Construction of main road with makara torana with cloud embankment,
3. Construction of 2800 feet long cloud embankment parallel to Badlu Road,
4. Two-storey edict
5. Dharma Hall
6. Relic House
7. The kitchen of the relic
8. Atavisi Buddha Madura
9. Golden Fence of Bodhin
10. Museum and Interior Design
11. Construction of Two Storey Retirement Hall 01
12. Construction of Two Storey Retirement Hall 02
13. Renovated Retirement Hall 01
14. Renovated Retirement Hall 02
15. Two Storied Dhamma School Building with Retirement Hall
16. Three Storied Dhamma School Building
17. Construction of 03 light houses with glass cover,
18. Development of road system inside the upper courtyard
19. Providing leadership to modernize the lower courtyard road system
20. Preparation of the inner and entry gate system of the place of worship
21. Construction of Bodhi Prakara on the left side of Chaitya
22. Creation of Bodhisattva Statue
23. Restoration of the lake that had been submerged
24. Creation of cloud embankment around the lake embankment of Viluwa Lake
25. Creation of the island in the middle of the Lake Viluwa
26. Construction of boundary wall in the middle of Viluwa Lake
27. Construction of a bridge to the central island of the lake of Viluwa Lake
28. Paving the way for the construction of a 102 feet tall statue in the middle of The Viluwa Lake
29. Preparation of underground power system
30. Construction of a large charity hall
31. Construction of Vahalkada
32. Renovation and construction of flower traders' shops
33. Construction of a Bodhi Planting Garden
34. Construction of an elephant shelter for elephants
35. Construction of Sirisagabo Baby Sarasaviya
36. Construction of vocational training centre
37. Construction of sanitation system with 100 toilets
38. Restoration of the two flower stands and 03 pesa rings of Mahiyangana stupa
39. Construction of Herb Garden
40. Restoration of the embankment around the sand dunes
41. Renovation and construction of cloud embankments around the upper courtyard
42. Preparation of a water project at the place of worship
43. Taking the lead in the construction of the two-lane canal road for the benefit of the procession
44. Providing leadership to carpet the circular road at the place of worship
45. To make arrangements for declaring mahiyangana sacred land as a place of worship in the gazette in the year 2022.
46. Construction of a Shailama “Vihara Mandiraya” to place the offerings
47. Construction of a stylised sanchi fence in place of the weakened sanchi fence around stupa.
48. Protection of temple land and property
etc. can be shown mainly.

In addition, he actively contributes to many social welfare activities.
1. Construction of a new house worth Rs. 50 lakhs per year for poor families in different parts of the country.
2. Construction of a clergy ward at Mahiyangana Hospital,
3. Construction of infectious disease research unit at Mahiyangana Hospital,
4. Donating machinery and essential health equipment to hospitals,
5. Providing dry rations to the poor,
6. Providing assistance to local as well as foreign people in case of natural disasters
Such activities are the main social services.
In 2025, the Government of Thailand awarded a Ph.D. degree from a university there, which was highly appreciated for his religious and social activities and his good faith.

l and the Kartik Festival are performed annualy.

ulawatte Dhammarakkitha Thero, the current Head of the Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya.
At present, no specific information can be found about the time of construction of the small temple located in courtyard. Also, the Stone Vihara Temple, which is currently built in Stupa courtyard, has been constructed using black stone and wood. It was opened on March 9, 2025. The temple was built by the present-day head of Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya, Urulawatte Dhammarakkitha Thero.

(The link below should be directed to it.) and page 284
After the King Gotabaya, the throne of Anuradhapura was succeeded by his son King Detuthis I. His reign was them (267BC – 277 BC) for ten years. That era is important for Mahiyangana as well as for the whole of Uva, because of the immense respect he had for his father's birthplace. King Gotabaya built a temple near Mahiyangana Stupa, who possessed a religious devotion that was not present in him. It is clear from this that stupa, whichwho had already been built by King Dutugemunu, was worshiped safely. The other significance of this is that until the time of King Detuthis, there was no mention of a king who built a temple in addition to chaitya in Mahiyangana.

iven a bodhi sprout of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. According to these facts, it appears that dethispala (ashtapala) Bodhina, is now more than 2300 years old. Thus, this bodhi is a great asset not only in piety but also in history.
Buddhists from all over the world come to the Mahiyangana sacred land and offer regular prayers to this most venerable Bodhin, which gives them mental, physical and spiritual well-being and the protection of bodhis for their problems.
Excerpts - Mahiyangana Varuna, Binthanne Tathu Vitthi

a via his native land, saw the miracles of Lord Saman and ordered the annual procession to be held at the Saman Dewalaya. This indicates that the Mahiyangana Saman Dewalaya was still in holding until the Second Rajasinghe era.
Although Ratnapura Maha Saman Dewalaya is the permanent residence place of Lord Saman, the headquarters of Lord Saman is the Mahasaman temple in Mahiyangana Aluthnuwara. The best example of this is the prayer for Lord Saman from the past is stated as "Sidda Paswaan dahasakata awara Paswaan dahasakata Keerthi paswaan dahasakata siddha Sri Sumana Saman divya Rajoththamayananwahanse sovan palayata paminaya u oba wahanse Diwa guhawata Bollagalata aruda u Sabaragamuwa Hima Malaigawata Mahiyangana Aluthnuwaramaha mulasthanaye jeewamanawa wadawasaya karanna u oba wahanseta (Five thousand siddhas are allowed for five thousand rupees, sri sumana saman, the divine king, has come to the sovan fruit, you have come to the new cave, you have come to the new cave of Bollagala)” it is stated.
There is also a small Dewalaya of Mother Mahaloku in the Saman Dewalaya premises. It is said that the Mother Mahaloku is the sister of God Saman. Accordingly, the Mother Mahaloku is associated with many of the historical stories that come with God Saman. Since the king's day, many stories have been heard about the miracles of God Saman, and there is a strong belief in God Saman among the devotees.
According to the historical information, the Saman Dewalaya is already ruled by a separate Basanayake Nilame. Basanayake Nilame is elected by holding elections at the Temples of Badulla District and the Divisional Secretariats of Badulla. The term of a Basanayake Nilame is five years.
Saman Temple and Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya as well as separate pujas and theva activities are performed. Many of these sacrifices and festivals are associated with the Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya. Among them are the Duruthu Festival, the New Year Festival, the Procession Festival, the Kartik Festival. There are separate officers for this. These rituals are continued by generations descended from officers. Apart from this, there are offerings associated with the Mahiyangana Saman Dewalaya and we will add a note about it in the future.

t of water. The maximum depth of the reservoir is six meters.
Later, the lake become a kingdom for wild elephants, crocodiles and reptiles. In the year 2013, the present Head of the Temple of Mahiyangana Viharaya, Reverant Urulawatte Dhammarakkitha, dug the tank and created a small island in the middle of the lake, creating a boundary wall and later a small sanghavasa.

or this purpose, the daily theva activities including the morning pooja at 05.30 a.m., the 09.30 a.m. afternoon pooja, and the 06.30 p.m. gilanpasa pooja, have been carried out continuously since 2009. These pujas are performed by devotees in different parts of the island.
Two monks and three raalas have been involved in the preparation of alms, two for preparing alms, four for playing the hevisi for the theva and one person is involved in the work of this relic temple to bring the necessary sacrificial items.
Devotees who come to pay obeisance can see the “perahara karaduwa” on one side and the karaduwa offered by the Department of Buddhist Affairs on the other side near the “Maha karaduwa”.

ll the murals dating back to the 9th to 10th centuries have been concerve in the Anuradhapura Museum and the Galle Museum as a heritage of those districts. The specialty of this painting is that these are the first and only paintings found in the stupa in Sri Lanka, which doubles their value.
Also, the Minipe inscription, which has a history of more than 900 years, has been damaged due to the lack of a place to safely bury it. The damage caused by this is that it is not clearly identified what the purpose of the inscription was.

Head of the Monastery.