Mihintale A Landmark In Sri Lankas History

Sri Lanka history is heavily influenced by the advent of Buddhism in the country

. Though there is evidence to suggest that the religion was already widely practiced in the nation before the arrival of Arahat Mahinda and his disciples in 2nd century BC, the Mihintale Rock remains sacred to many Sri Lankans as it is said to be the place where King Devanampiyatissa was shown the path of enlightenment by a Buddhist sermon and subsequently converted to the religion.

According to written historical records that were maintained by Buddhist monks throughout the last two millennia, the area surrounding the sacred Mihintale Temple was a forest that was used for game hunting by the King. According to the tale, the King heard someone saying his name just as he took aim at a deer and upon turning towards voice discovered a group of Buddhist monks standing on the rock face.

It is said that Arahat Mahinda, who was incidentally the son of Indian Emperor Asoka, was sent to Sri Lanka to spread the Buddhist religion in the island. The monk asked the King a series of questions to gauge his intelligence and having being convinced that King was a man of considerable mental faculty, proceeded to explain the Buddhist teachings in a short sermon.

The rest, as they say, is history. With the advent of Buddhism in the island there was a dramatic change in the art, culture and architecture, which many say was due to increased dialogue with neighboring India.

Following his conversion to Buddhism, the King erected a Buddhist temple at the foot of the rock face and subsequent rulers throughout the next two thousand years added their own monuments dedicated to Buddhism. Therefore, not only is Mihintale a religiously sacred site, it is also a veritable treasure trove of Sri Lankan architecture and archeological findings.

Mihintale is an attraction that should not be missed while enjoying a holiday in Sri Lanka. Visitors anxious not to miss out on this scared site and similar attractions of cultural significance would do well to consult the travel portal TrulySriLanka to gather up-to-date information to optimize their Sri Lanka travel experience.

by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

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