The Ruwanwelisaya is a stupa a hemispherical structure containing relics, in Sri Lanka, considered holy to numerous Buddhists everywhere throughout the world.[1] It was worked by King Dutugemunu c. 140 B.C., who progressed toward becoming master of all Sri Lanka after a war in which the Chola King Elara, was crushed. It is otherwise called "Mahathupa", "Swarnamali Chaitya", "Suvarnamali Mahaceti" (in Pali) and "Rathnamali Dagaba".
This is one of the "Solosmasthana" (the 16 spots of adoration) and the "Atamasthana" (the 8 spots of reverence in the antiquated sacrosanct city of Anuradhapura). The stupa is one of the world's tallest landmarks, remaining at 103 m (338 ft) and with an outline of 290 m (951 ft).[2] The Kaunghmudaw Pagoda in Sagaing, Myanmar is designed according to this stupa.[3]
The stupa was a destroy in the nineteenth century. In the wake of raising support endeavors by Sinhalese bhikkhu, it was redesigned in the mid twentieth century. The Ruwanveli Seya Restoration Society was established in 1902 and the last delegated of the stupa occurred on 17 June 1940.[4]
After The Buddha's ''Parinibbāna'', His relics were cherished and adored in stupas by Princes of eight nations two quarts in every nation. The two quarts of relics that were cherished in the town ''Rāmagāma'' were, as per The Buddha's assurance, bound to be revered in the Great Stūpa Ruvanveli. Lord Dutugemunu who, on the full-moon day of the long stretch of ''Āsāḷha'' (June– July), under the heavenly body of ''Uttarāsāḷha'', would direct in the service for the revering of the relics in the Great Stūpa, adored the ''Sangha'' (Order of priests) on the day preceding the full-moon day, advised them that tomorrow is the delegated day for the cherishing of the relics and asked for them to give him the relics. The Saṅgha requested then the beginner Arahant ''Soṇuttara'', who was skilled with the six supernormal resources, to acquire the relics from Naga-Loka domain, which Arahant ''Soṇuttara'' figures out how to visit and convey and offer to the ''Sangha''.
At that point ruler Dutugemunu got from the ''Sangha'' the Buddha's relics upon his head in a coffin and left from the brilliant structure amidst complex offerings and respects made by divine beings and ''Brahmas''. He circumambulated the relic-chamber three times, entered to it from the east, and when laid the relic-coffin on a silver sofa one ''koṭi'' worth, that was orchestrated in the north side. A picture of the Buddha was at that point, as per the Buddha's assurance, made in the lion's leaning back stance (''sīhaseyya''), and every one of the relics were revered inside that picture. At the point when the cherishing of the relics in the Great Stūpa Ruvanveli was finished, the two fledglings Uttara and Sumana shut the relic-chamber with the stone-hinders that were beforehand covered up to be utilized as a top.
In the Thupavamsa various sorts of creatures went to the reverence of the relics into the Mahathupa; including the Naga lord Mahakala who up to this point monitored them. The relics were to be put on a brilliant honored position made by Visvakarman the heavenly artificer; the royal position brought by Indra. Brahma offers his imperceptible umbrella of sway, with the ruler Dutthagamani offering his own. The arhat Indagutta makes a metal covering over the universe, with the goal that Mara won't meddle, as priests droned the sutra pitaka. Dutthagamani ceremoniously enters with the urn on his head; however as he is going to put the urn on the brilliant position of royalty, the relics ascend into the air and frame Buddha, with each of the 32 noteworthy signs and 80 lesser indications of an extraordinary man. In this frame he plays out the twin marvel of flame and water, satisfying the fifth of his demise bed resolutions. One hundred and twenty million divine beings and people pick up arhatship from this experience. The relics come back to the urn and they are let go and the chamber fixed with forty meter stone slabs.[5]
"The relic-chamber should not shake even by a seismic tremor; blossoms, for example, jasmine that were offered on that day might not shrink till the finish of Buddha Gotama's Dispensation; the lights that were encouraged with ghee-oil might not be quenched; the earth that was blended with scent and sandalwood should not dry; even a solitary scratch should not show up inside the relic-chamber; stains might not show up in any of the brilliant merchandise that were offered.' All this happened by the assurance energy of all Arahants display. They decided additionally that antagonistic people ought not have the capacity to try and see the relic-chamber. Moreover, by request of lord Dutugemunu, the general population of Srī Lanka revered, alongside numerous different protests, for example, brilliant and silver coffins, thousand a greater amount of the Buddha's relics over the relic-chamber."