Ancient historical cultural & religious site, modern town straddling major irrigation projects & serving the irrigation districts
"... the Conqueror, in the ninth month of his buddhahood, at the full moon of Phussa, himself set forth for the isle of Lanka, to win Lanka for the faith. For Lanka was known to the conqueror as a place where his doctrine should (thereafter) shine in glory,... And he knew also that in the midst of Lanka, on the fair river bank, in the delightful Mahanaga garden... The prince of devas, Mahasumana of the Sumanakuta mountain, who had attained to the fruit of entering into the path of salvation, craved of him who should be worshipped, something to worship. The Conqueror, the (giver of) good to living beings, he who had pure & blue-black locks, passing his hand over his (own) head, bestowed on him a handful of hairs. And he, receiving this in a splendid golden urn, when he had laid the hairs upon a heap of many-coloured gems, seven cubits round, piled up at the place where the Master had sat, covered them over with a thupa of sapphire & worshipped them"
Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of
The late president-ever industrious workhorse-indomitable R. A. Premadasa had a new temple built here to resemble the famous Buddhist temple at Bodhgaya in
Opposite the temple, north of
Devanam Piya Tissa (the famous Deer Hunter, first convert to Buddhism in Lanka)
King Dutugamunu of Ruhuna (the hero of the nation who rescued the island from marauding South Indian invaders)
King Parakramabahu the great (the great warrior & great tank builder)
King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (the architect of 18th century Buddhist revival)
The first Prime Minister of Ceylon Rt. Honourable Don Stephen Senanayake (the irrigation genius who oversaw Senanayake rainwater reservoir, Gal Oya & Uda Walawe irrigation projects) & Prime Minister Dudly Senanayake, who oversaw the Mahaweli Project, the source of the town's importance & prosperity
Mahiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya Stupa
History of Mahiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya
Sorabora Wewa
Sorabora rainwater reservoir is just on the outskirts of Mahiyangana on the road to Bibile. According to the legend a giant is said to have created the dam.
Mahiyangana to
There are three possible routes along mountain passes, by the national parks, crossing massive dams. Spectacular views
Route 1: Mahiyangana / Hasalaka / Kandy
This route goes via Wasgomuwa National Park & then traverses what is often referred to as Sri Lanka's most dangerous road - roaming wild elephants. After Hasalaka, the main road climbs into the hills through a series of 18 hairpin bends between 62 & 57km from Kandy.
Route 2: Mahiyangana / Weragantota / Victoria Dam /
Route
Randenigla Reservoir Dam
The dam straddles the last gorge before the 365km long
Victoria Reservoir Dam
The Victoria Reservior Dam is over 120m high, the dam is a massive structure, even bigger than the Randenigla Reservior Dam.
Dambana
Dambana is a settlement of