Sela Cetiya – The Stupa on a high rock
Did you know that Sela Cetiya was the place where Buddha meditated on his third visit to Sri Lanka? Located 8 miles from the old district of Anuradhapura, Mihintale is the place where Sela Cetiya is located. Mihintale is said to be the ‘cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka’. Arhant Mahinda is said to have met King Devanam Piyatissa at Mihintale. The king was out hunting when they met, and such was Arhant Mahinda’s aura that he converted the king to Buddhism. Somewhere in the 3rd century, it happened that this place became the permanent residence of Arhant Mahinda and 3,000 Buddhist monks. The Mihintale Rock has numerous shrines and caves. There is a stairway of 1840 steps from the bottom to the top of the rock. The Sela Cetiya is situated in this temple complex. Sela Cetiya enshrines the Lome Urn, the sacred relic of the Buddha’s eyebrow hair.
Sela Cetiya is one of the ‘Solosmasthana’, which means the 16 holy places of worship for Buddhists.
The origin and construction
Dagoba was built by King Lajjitissa somewhere in the 1st century. Stone was used in the construction of the platform and Stupa; hence the name ‘Sela Cetiya’. One can find moonstone and guard stone at its entrance. The guradstone is found at the entrance to many Aramic complexes. It used to be a Hindu architectural practice of placing a pair of the deity at the entrance of buildings for divine protection. The base of Stupa has a diameter of 11.3 m.
things to do
Since Sela Cetiya is located 8 miles from the old district of Anuradhapura, one can visit these exquisite sites while exploring Sela Cetiya in Mihintale:
Ambassador Dagoba:
Said to have been built on the spot where Mahinda converted people to Buddhism, this Stupa can be reached by walking up the stairway. Nearby is a statue of the king in his traditional costume. The meaning of Ambasthale is ‘mango tree’, which is the symbol of the riddle Mahinda used to test the intelligence of the king.
The Buddha statue and the tree:
Moving a little further up the staircase, one can find a white statue of Buddha standing tall against the greenery. It is the sight for sore eyes. Moving a little to the left you can find a Bodhi tree which is said to be one of the oldest trees in Sri Lanka. The tree is easily seen due to the surrounding railing which is adorned with prayer flags.
Mahaseya Dagoba:
The largest Dagoba in Mihintale is said to be enshrining the relics of Mahinda. A bit away from Mahaseya Dagoba you can find the original stupa, which is smaller and is said to be one of the oldest stupas in Sri Lanka. There are two smaller structures around it, one is a temple where Budhha is lying in a reclining position and the other is a small devale where statues of Ganesha, Vishnu, Murugan (Skanda) and Saman can be found.
Other tourist visits:
Standing on top of the Rock, you can see the beautiful Anuradhapura lake and city from above.
How to reach?
To get to Mihintale, you must first get to Colombo, either by air or ground transportation. From Colombo, you can take a train or a bus to reach Anuradhapura. From Anuradhapura, you can take a taxi or cab and reach Mihintale, which is only 8 miles away.
Where to sleep? (Not for now)
Where to eat?
Wandering around such beautiful places can make you feel hungry soon. We suggest eating at these cafes and restaurants to make your trip to Sela Cetiya more satisfying:
Canteen:
Surrounded by serene greenery and equipped with sturdy wooden tables, this place offers cheap food. Come here to taste the real Sri Lankan cuisine.
Patrimonial Rest House:
This place has a restaurant inside. All the woodwork makes you feel ecstatic as you enter this place. Although their food is average, if not very tasty, it is good value for money.
Anjana:
Although you won’t find much about this restaurant on the internet, this place offers a wide variety of quality food. Since the options are very limited in Mihintale, you may want to consider trying this one.
Ragini Restaurant:
Rice and curry, kottu, hoppers, avocado juice, and noodles are the specialties here. Filled with many reviews, this place is a promise of good food for your money.
If you are willing to travel the extra 8 miles for food, you can explore a plethora of restaurants in Anuradhapura.
Conclusion:
Located on a mountain and with a beautiful lake by its side, Sela Cetiya is a splendid destination to spend the day exploring the roots of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and experiencing the beauty of deep forests. Not much information is available about this place on the internet, so it often comes up in the add-on experiences if you visit Anuradhapura. This place is completely a different phenomenon in itself. Visiting this place is visiting nature and the canvas of human beings that come together in a beautiful amalgam to represent a show never seen before. Being secluded from Anuradhapura, this place does not attract as many people, so it could be a great seclusion in the lap of nature for those who want to explore Sri Lanka in all its beauty. The view from the top of the mountain that houses Sela Cetiya is majestic.
So when you are in Sri Lanka next time, visit this one of the sixteen places of worship of Buddhists in the world to feel the divine presence of the Buddha’s aura. You will leave here with a spiritual feeling. The route to Stupa is accessible from Anuradhapura throughout the year.