Thanthirimale Raja Maha Vihara

Thanthirimale (also spelled as Tantirimale) is an old village in the Anuradhapura District of Sri Lanka. It is located approximately 40 km north west of the Anuradhapura city. The village is known for the ancient Buddhist temple Thanthirimale Raja Maha Vihara, situated in a nearby rock covered area.

This temple, which was built in the third century BC has a historical value. Built in the Third Century BC and used by King Devanampiyatissa as a one-day stop to Arahanth Theri Sangamitta on her way to Anuradhapura, Thanthirimale Rajamaha Viharaya seems to have developed from a small temple to a large monastery by the end of the Anuradhapura period.

When the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi was brought from India to Sri Lanka, one night along the way to Anuradhapura, the pot containing the sapling was kept at Thanthirimale. It is believed that there was one branch separately grew from the pot, was planted at that village to remember the incident. Hence, some believe that this may be the first Sri Maha Bhodi plant in Sri Lanka. The Bo Tree is placed on top of large stony layer which may protect the tree up to now.

Thanthirimale was not Thanthirimale at the beginning. The area was first civilized by a minister of King Vijaya called Upatissa, who chose this ground surrounded by Malwatu Oya and Kanadara Oya by three sides to build his future town then named Upastissa Gama. When King Devanampiyatissa first visited the temple in Thanthirimale, it was known by another name – Thivanka Bamunu-Gama. It was confirmed by a rock inscription near the ancient Bodhi tree at sight, which states that one of the first eight offshoots of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi was planted at Thivanka Bamunu-Gama.

Although the name suggests, the village was the home to a Brahmin called Thivanka, archaeologists have a different theory on it. They suggest that it was called Thivanka since it was a Brahmin village surrounded by three curves of the Malwatu Oya.