RAMBA VIHARAYA

About 8 miles from Ambalantota on the Embilipitiya road, is the present Ramba Viharaya the capital of “Dolosdahasrata” (the Disstrict of 12,000 Villages) earlier called Mahanagahula or Manavulu.

King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) made Manavulupura his capital to attack the Cholas at Polonnaruwa and was able to capture it in 1055 A.D.

King Gajabahu II (1110-1153 A.D.) lived at Manavulupura before he became King of Polonnaruwa after Vijayabahu. King Parakramabahu (1153-1186 A.D.) lived at Manavulupura as a child with his uncle Gajabahu II.

When Parakramabahu became King of Polonnaruwa, Queen Sugala carried the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Bowl Relics and camped at Udundora at Monerala and used Manavulupura as a safe place to live and keep the Sacred Relics in hiding.

The Central Cultural Fund has taken over 200 acres and is excavating in 100 acres now and has come across many buildings, statues, and shrine rooms. None of them are of any larger size and the buildings are of a smaller scale.