Image Lanka - Best Sri Lankan Resources

Samadhi Statue through the mist at Athagala (Elephant Rock) -------------------------------------------------- Serenely seated atop Athagala , the Elephant Rock : 700 feet above ground level , the Athagala Samadhi Buddha, benignly overlooks a city of medieval fame, Hasthisailapura, the on –time citadel of Sinhala royalty. This monumental shrine is reminder of the great civilization of medieval Sri Lanka that, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, briefly centered on the city below which, today, is yet thriving , and known as Kurunegala. Under pressure form foreign invasion the royalty progressively shifted their citadels south of the ancient metropolitan centres of Anuradhapura and Ploonnaruwa. The monarchy moved first to Dambadeniya, then to Yapahuva and then briefly to Kurunegala in 1293-1341 AC, distinguishing it by the regal name ‘Hasthisilapura’. Ruins of the royal places and the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic ) are found near the Provincial Secretarial below the rock . A rock pool dating from medieval period is seen below the approach road .Originally the climb up to Athagala was made by a flight of steps carved out of the rock. A motorable road to the top was built in the early 1980s. The 66 - foot tall colossal image has been built by the Hsthisailapura Buduruwa Sangwardhana Society on the summit of the rock, some 1,100 feet above see level.The overall height of the statue and its pedestal and platform is 90 feet and the construction was done under the supervision of a team of consultant Engineers and a sculptor. The entire project was completed in twenty months and was declared open on 6th October 2003.The cost amounting to 20 million rupees , was met by donations received form Sri Lankan Residing here and abroad. Maintenances of the shrine is totally dependent on donations from pilgrim and visitors.