Mihintale is famous as the place where in 247 BCE King Devanam Piyatissa met the Buddhist monk Mahinda, the son Emperor Asoka of India on a full moon day on the month of Poson changing the religious orientation of the country forever. Mihintale is a 300 meter peak in a range of four mountain peaks on the Anuradhapura – Trincomalee road.
While Mihintale is close to the hearts of Buddhists because of its religious implications, it is also a very important archaeological site containing some of the country’s most ancient historical remains. According to Fa Hsien a Chinese Buddhist monk who visited Mihintale in the 5th century, it was the site of a monastic complex of 2000 priests. The remains of monastic buildings and stupas scattered about the hill seem to bear this out. The pieces of archaeological interest start with the 1840 steps cut into the rock face leading to the top of the hill. It is said that the steps were specially designed to suit the sedate gait of the monks. The ‘Aradhana Gala’ a rocky prominence on the hill is said to be the site on which Mahinda and his disciples stood during the encounter with King Devanampiyatissa. A cave on the side of the hill is supposedly the place where Mahinda rested and meditated. The most impressive antiquity at the site is the bubble shaped 45 meter high Mihintale Maha Seya built around the 10th century. Artistically, Kantaka Chethiya may be the most important monument here. Dating back to 119 BCE it has examples of some of the country’s earliest sculptures and paintings. The highest point at Mihintale is Eth Vehera considered part of an inner temple. The best views of the whole Mihintale complex are from here. Another set of important remains are those of the hospital complex at the bottom of the hill, thought to be one of the most ancient in Sri Lanka. The main structure is built round a central courtyard and the remains adjacent to it have been identified as a medicine store, clinic, steam bath, the refractory and an herb grinding stone. Kaludiya Pokuna is the largest of the storage reservoirs around Mihintale. Around it are remains of a bath house, meditation spaces, walled caves and two dagobas. The landscaping here is distinguished by the fact that the boulders around are incorporated into the buildings. The rock caves in Rajagiri Kanda, a hill with large boulders opposite the Kaludiya Pokuna dates to the 3rd century BCE. At the top of the boulder strewn hill is a large cave with several compartments with panoramic views of the surrounding area. Another interesting part of the ancient remains is that of a vihara adjoining the alms hall with an inscription setting out rules and regulations of the monastery and payments to various categories of staff. The remains of an assembly hall in the vicinity appears to have been constructed as an open sided pavilion and those of a refectory has two stone canoes thought to have been receptacles for rice and porridge.
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