The unfinished Dagoba and the statue of Lord Buddha showing a 'frowning face'.
This Dagoba at Yudaganawa started in the 2nd Century BC would have been larger than the 'Ruwanvelisaaya' of Anuradhapura. It was never completed. The building in front of the Dagoba houses a statue of Lord Buddha showing 'a frowning face', according to a Buddhist monk I met at the site. This place was the site of a famous battle field mentioned in the 'Rajavaliya'.
‘Being angry at these words spoken by his royal father,
the Prince(Gamini) fled to Gilimale, and having hid himself there for several
days went to Kotmale’.
‘Kavantissa
reigned 60 years from his coronation and passed {at death} to Tusitapura. On the demise of the King,
Prince Tissa came, put his royal father in his coffin and repaired to
Digamadulla, taking with him the Kadol elephant and his mother Vihara Mahadevi.
Prince Gemunu having heard of his father’s death, left Kotmale and returned to the city of Magama.
Whilst there, he wrote to Prince Tissa asking him to send their mother and the
Kadol elephant which was born on the same day as himself; but Tissa sent them
not. The request was repeated three times; but still he did not send them.
Prince Gemunu then set out to fight, taking his forces, and the two brothers
joined battle in Yudaganapitiya. Of his army 30,000 men having fallen,
Dutugemunu was defeated in the battle and fled, and Tissa persued after him;
but when he saw that the great community of monks had come and barred his way,
he returned to Digamadulla.’ A
translation from the Sri Lankan Chronicle ‘RAJAVALIYA’ – (The line of Kings).
On a second single man combat Tissue was defeated and was
pursued by Gamini. Tissue sought refuge at a Vihare – identified as ‘Demetamal
Vihara’ close to Butthala.
Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WJl3Sq_aew
