News
Museum to be built at site of historic Buddhist nunnery in Anuradhapura
View(s):- Its founder Anula theri was ordained by Arhat Mahinda and Sanghamitta theri
By Senuka Jayakody
The Archaeological Department is to restore the stupa at Anula Tissa Pabbatha Vihara “as it is”, Archaeology Director General Anura Manatunge said.
“We did not have evidence of the existence of a large Buddhist nunnery in Sri Lanka, but now it has been revealed that such a nunnery existed,” he said.
The name had been revealed by an inscription which referred to the monastery as “Anula Pabbata Vihara”, leading to the belief that relics discovered in the stupa might be of Anula theri, who had been ordained by Arahat Mahinda, who along with his sister Sanghamitta theri brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
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- Aside from relics other pottery items, beads and metal jewellery were also found
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- Relics discovered in the stupa might be of Anula theri
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- Excavations at the site began in January this year and are continuing
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- The nunnery was mentioned in Chapter 36 of the Mahavamsa
Dr. Manatunge said the entire ancient nunnery would be “developed according to archaeological principles”, and a nunnery would also be constructed beside it for Buddhist nuns, with funding from the Nagananda Buddhist University.
Anuradhapura Excavation Officer A. A. Wijayaratne said they had conducted excavation activities from January this year and are continuing.
The land was owned by the Archaeological Department, and it had a hill with trees growing on top. First stage excavations began in January due to a possibility that the hill may be a stupa.
The excavations were halted due to the economic crisis, but restarted on September 12, and they found relics, other pottery items, beads and metal jewellery.
However, Mr. Wijayaratne expressed his distress over “illegal excavators”, who had dug the centre of the stupa and obtained gold and other valuable material from the site.
The inscriptions found were written in later Brahmi script, by King Kanittha Tissa and King Mahasen, and mentioned donations given to the nunnery, a few centuries after the actual lifespan of Anula Maha theri, who lived during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa.
The nunnery was mentioned in Chapter 36 of the Mahavamsa and was said to have been constructed by King Kanittha Tissa.
The nunnery was also revealed to have been related to the Abhayagiri monastery in Anuradhapura, and thereby a possibility of the nunnery having Mahayana Buddhist influence existed.
Dr. Manatunge who visited the site had suggested that a museum be constructed on this site and should consist of the items found during the excavations. See full story on Times Online.
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