Rambadagalla Monaragala Viharaya

Rambadagalla is a small rural village that around 3,300 people call home. Surrounding this village in all directions are gentle rolling hills, mostly consisting of farmed land and tiny hamlets. Snaking up and down these hills are a few narrow roads that connect Rambadagalla to the two major cities in the region: Kurunegala and Kandy. In spite of the modest distance to these two cities, this place feels truly remote and as far from the tourist crowds as it could be.

Why the biggest statues of the Buddha in Sri Lanka are located in this small rural village can seem quite puzzling. Yet, a quick look at the history of Rambadagalla can help solve the mystery. First, numerous caves around Rambadagalla were used by monks as far back as the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE, pointing at the rich Buddhist heritage of the region. Second, the temple itself, Rambadagalla Viharaya, is said to have been founded by Queen Henakanda Biso Bandara during the 14th century CE, and it is considered a major spiritual center.

Ven. Egodamulle Amaramoli Thero was the chief incumbent of the temple in Rambadagalla in 2001, when the TV news reported on the destruction of the Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan. The news saddened him so much that he thought that this criminal act had to be countered with an act of love, peace, and resilience. It was at that moment that he decided to spearhead a new project for the construction of a huge Buddha statue.

The world-renowned Indian sculptor Muthiah Sthapathi was commissioned with the design of the statue of the Buddha in the serene Dhyana Mudra pose symbolizing meditation and enlightenment. Construction work started in 2003, and it took twelve years to complete. The result is a 67-foot (20.6-meter) statue of the Buddha carved into a granite monolith.