Aukana & Ancient Kingdom Anuradhapura Day Tour From Kandy

The Avukana Buddha statue is a standing statue of the Buddha near Kekirawa in North Central Sri- Lanka.The statue, which has a height of more than 40 feet, has been carved out of a large granite rock face during the 5th century. It depicts a variation of the Abhaya mudra, and the closely worn robe is elaborately carved. Constructed during the reign of Dhatusena, it may have been made as a result of a competition between a master and a pupil. Avukana statue is one of the best examples of a standing statue constructed in ancient Sri Lanka. It is now a popular tourist attraction in the country.

Ruwanwelisaya is one of the world’s tallest monuments, considered to be an icon of architectural glory in ancient Sri Lanka, standing at 103 m (338 ft) and with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft). And also holds a place as one of the Solosmasthana (the 16 sacred sites of veneration) and the Atamasthana (the eight sacred sites in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura), which are places believed to have been visited by Buddha during his three visits to Sri Lanka.

The Sacred Bo tree; Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka is the oldest living tree in documented history of the world. It is a sapling from the historical Bodhi tree under which Buddha enlightened. It was planted in 288 BCF and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date. It was brought from Buddhagaya India by the Ven. Sanghamitta Therini, a sister of Arhant Mahinda – who introduced the Teachings of the Buddha to Sri Lanka. The area around the Sri Maha Bodhi, the Brazen • Palace and Ruwanweliseya Dagoba were once probably part of the Great Temple. The Sacred Bodhi tree is the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world, It has been tended by an continuous succession of guardians for over 2000 years, even during the periods of Indian occupation.

Abhayagiri Buddhist monastic centre (Dāgeba) by King Vaṭṭagāmaṇi Abhaya during the period of his second reign in 29–17 BC. It is situated in Anuradhapura, the capital of Sri Lanka at the time, where most of the religious and political power attracted. And due to the sheer number of monasteries congregated in one place the religion made a vast profane influence that changed the future. Abhayagiri Dageba continues to flourish until Anuradhapura was abandoned in the mid-13th century.

In a beautiful woodland setting north of the Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba, the Thuparama Dagoba is the oldest dagoba in Sri Lanka – indeed, probably the oldest visible dagoba in the world. It was constructed by King Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BC and is said to enshrine the right collarbone of the Buddha. Its ‘heap-of-paddy-rice’ shape was restored in 1862 to a more conventional bell shape and to a height of 19m.

This charming rock temple, dating from the reign of Devanampiya Tissa (r 307–267 BC), is set around a lovely lotus pond, the corner of which is carved with images of elephants playfully splashing water. The central temple has some particularly fine mural paintings. Climb around the back to the rock summit to see the bell-shaped stupa and a pair of Buddha footprints etched into the rock.