Sri Bodhimalu Viharaya

Elevated above the city, Sri Bodhimalu Viharaya, also known as Bahirawakanda Temple, beckons. This imposing temple holds a giant secret. It’s home to one of Sri Lanka’s tallest Buddha statues. Can you imagine a statue so grand it can be seen from almost every corner of Kandy? Sri Bodhimalu Viharaya isn’t just a temple. It’s a testament to the vision of one monk, Ven. Ampitiye Dammarama Thero. He received the land for the temple in the early 1970s from Hector Kobbekaduwa, the Minister of Lands. Initially, Ven. Dammarama faced resistance from senior monks at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. They feared Sri Bodhimalu Viharaya would overshadow their own importance. But with the help of another monk, Hinatiyana Dhammaloka, and President Ranasinghe Premadasa, the land was legally granted to Ven. Dammarama. Construction of the magnificent Buddha statue began in the late 1980s. The statue depicts Buddha in the Dhyana Mudra, the meditative posture of his first Enlightenment. The statue was completed in 1992. Sri Bodhimalu Viharaya, with its 88-foot-tall Buddha, officially opened on January 1, 1993. Today, it stands as a beacon of peace and a must-see for those visiting Kandy. As you gaze upon this majestic statue, remember the perseverance of Ven. Dammarama. His vision brought this iconic landmark to life.