Head off to the little esoteric island fringed with coconut plants that is home to the Kothduwa Raja Maha Viharaya, believed to have sheltered the sacred tooth relic circa 340 CE. Located in a charming islet along the Maduganga River, there are many Sri Lanka hotels from which you can reach this destination. Heritance Ahungalla is one of the most recommended Sri Lanka beach hotels located nearby to this place and would provide an ideal hideaway to the discerning traveller. While the present temple had been built in 1860 by businessman Samson Rajapakse, it was in the 14th century that one of the 32 sacred buds of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya had been planted at the site by Deva Pathiraja, a minister to King Parâkkamabâhu IV. It is said that Princess Hemamala and Prince Dantha had hidden the sacred tooth relic at a sand bank in Kothduwa before handing it to King Kithsirimevan, the ruler of Sri Lanka at the time. A symbol of the divine right to rule, the sacred tooth relic was once again returned to Kothduwa in the 16th century by the hot-headed prince Veediya Bandara while the threat of a Portuguese invasion was pending along the shores. The surrounding wetlands are a treasure trove of biodiversity and a cruise along the river is sure to enthral you beyond imagination.
Kothduwa Raja Maha Viharaya A sacred hideout
