Ancient Deegawapi

Ancient Deegawapi 

Deegawapiya is one of the 16 places which has been blessed by the Buddha's presence. Buddha was invited to Kelaniya by Mani Akkika of Naga Tribe, ruler of the Kelaniya region on his second visit to Nagadeepa. On the 8th year of attaining nirvana Buddha decided to visit Sri Lanka for the third time specially to Kelaniya. During this visit he came to Deegavapi with 500 arhaths and spend time meditating.

 
According to the the Mahavansa, great chronicle of Sri Lanka, this stupa was built by king Saddhatissa (137-119 BC). According to the same the king has also donated a jacket decorated with gold lotus flowers and various gems to cover the stupa.

large number of stone flower pedestals of different sizes indicating the flourishing state of this complex in the ancient history.  Since this location has been blessed by Buddha's presence, it is generally believed that this stupa is a "paribogika" stupa and no special relics has been enshrined. But historian venerable Ellawela Medananda thero believes that this stupa enshrines a nail relic of Buddha. An inscription on a gold foil unearthed during excavations discloses that King Kawanthissa (164-192) has done renovations to the stupa. With passage of time, this temple was neglected with the internal conflicts of the country. King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe ( 1747 - 1781) seeing the status of the temple carried out major renovations and handed it over to Rev. Bandigide Negrodha thero along with 1000 'amunu' (2000-2500 acres) of land in 1756. Two stone inscriptions by King Saddhasissa and King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe has been in existence at the Deegawapiya until last centaury but both of these have mysteriously disappeared now. But a copy of the Rajasinghe inscription which was made in 1845 exists today.

 In 1916 a priest called Kohukumbure Revatha thero started searching for this stupa and he found some muslims carrying bricks in carts. When inquired, he was told that they were from a great brick mound deep in the jungle. He followed these cartsmen and found the Dageba in absolute ruins. He came back with few buddhists from colombo and started redeveloping this temple area and also managed to reclaim 250 acres of land back to the temple. By this time, Deegavapi area were dominated by Muslims who were given refuge in this area by King Senerath (1604 - 1635) when they were harassed in the coastal areas by the Portuguese. The king not only gave them refuge, but destroyed a portuguese fort at the port called "Deegavapi Thitha" for them to carry out their business activities freely. But in 1950 Kohukumbure Revatha thero was brutally murdered by a Muslim in the area.

{Moreover, he founded the Dighawapi-vihara together with the cetiya; for this cetiya he had a covering of
network made set with gems, and in every mesh thereof was hung a splendid flower of gold, large as a wagon-wheel, that he had commanded them to fashion. (In honour) of the eighty-four thousand sections of the dhamma the ruler commanded also eighty-four thousand offerings. When the king had thus accomplished many works of merit he was reborn, after his death, among the Tusita gods.}

How To Get There
Ampara is the nearest main town to Dighawapi. Take the Akkaraipatthu road from Ampara. It is about 18 km off Ampara town.