An ancient ruined temple in the jungle near Lahugala, traditionally said to mark the royal wedding of King Kavantissa and Queen Viharamahadevi.

Overview

The Magul Maha Viharaya is a peaceful archaeological site set among the trees on the edge of Lahugala National Park, about halfway between Arugam Bay and the hills. Its ruins include a dagoba, a chapter house, stone pillars, guardstones and a finely carved moonstone unusually depicting elephants with mahouts, thought to reference a royal procession. The Sinhala word magul means wedding or auspicious, and local tradition holds that this was the very spot of a celebrated royal marriage. Elephants from the nearby park sometimes wander close to the site.

History

Tradition dates the temple to King Kavantissa of Ruhuna in the 2nd century BCE, linking it to his marriage to Princess Viharamahadevi, daughter of the king of Kelaniya. Archaeological evidence points to major construction in the later period, with some structures attributed to the 5th-century reign of King Dhatusena and renovations under subsequent monarchs. It is a protected archaeological monument and one of the Eastern Province's most important ancient sites.