Isinbessagala RajaMaha Viharaya

Traveling 1.4 kilometres (0.9 miles) passing the small town of Medawachchiya on the A9 (Kandy-Jaffna) highway, u will come across this beautiful stupa situated on top of a large rock and a name board claiming the name of “Isinbassagala”. The name loosely translate to “the rock that the sage came from”. This temple complex was built by the King Devanampiyathissa (150-210 BC) right after the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Today what you see at the top of this rock is recent constructions done in the 1st half of the 20th centaury. This new stupa has been built on the same location where the original stupa has been. Excavations on this stupa area has recovered an ancient Naga Gala (Cobra carved stone) and some Sri Pathul Gala (Foot Print of Buddha).